(07-14-2009, 10:02 AM)Guest Wrote: NYC was much worse than the Fillmore and Slims in SF 3 years ago. There were 12-20 body surfers during the show. The sway was a lot more extreme in the pit than at other shows and you could see people going down. There were two points during before and right at the start of the show that the crowd pushed at least 7-8 rows forward. I have never seen people get pushed like that, but I have never been in the balcony before!

We waited in line from 8:30 am and had a blast meeting people all around us. People started cutting into the line at one point--it's one thing if you come with a group and take turns watching your spot, but these people just cut. Thankfully, the people that had been in front of us in line said we were with them and we were able to get ahead.

We wound up splitting up inside. After trying to find a good spot on the floor, I went upstairs to the front row of the balcony. There were three girls next to me that talked about how they arrived around 5pm and cut in the line to a spot at the corner of the first block. Lots of people left during the show.

The sound was terrible from the balcony--lots of static from the speakers, but if you held your hands to your ears, it blocked most of it. Hyde's voice was beautiful, perfect, etc. but I missed Countdown and most of Midnight Celebration because the static hiss was so bad you couldn't hear the music.

It was like watching three different concerts. On the right side of the pit, everyone was waving their hands and moving about. The left side was so scrunched that people couldn't do that. *I* think that the bodysurfers were mostly part of that same large group that cut in the line and were there more for the pit experience vs. to see VAMPS.

Up at the balcony, even though the sound was terrible and the flashing lights awful, we had a wonderful time. No pushing. Some of us even took our shoes off and danced about. It's definitely a different experience in the balcony, because only a few of us were really moving to the music and when you wave your hands over your head and no one else around you is doing that, it's a bit strange. LOL!

If I were to go the Fillmore in NYC again (and I don't think I will after hearing how bad it is for so many concerts), I would either camp out really really early and get the front row or I would stick w/the balcony (which was great except for the noise and not being as close to Hyde as I would have liked.)

Ju-ken was awesome, btw! He was so very, very energetic and so tall compared to Hyde and K.A.Z. They all were, but he was even more so. K.A.Z. spun his guitar over his shoulder several times. Hyde and Ju-Ken did several high jumps. Hyde rolled his eyes, made faces and did everything that I would have loved to have been right up front to see.

I wish I could just follow them around the country on this tour!

I have to agree with some of your points. There were definitely people at the show who were not really focused on VAMPS - and I know of at least two who shoved their way to the front - I'm sure there were more

The shoving and crowd shifting is kinda normal for a concert I think - at least it seems to happen at most rock shows I attend.

We were definitely scrunched up on the left side and I had to use the barricade as leverage to push people back a bit a few times to give my lungs some space, but once again - typical for the front row of a rock show. Everyone around me though had a great time - how can you not when you are standing so close to HYDE and Ju-ken!! He was definitely a highlight of the show and he high fived me!! I love Ju-ken and I love that he gave us a thumbs up at the end of the show - we had rocked out enough for him I guess!

I also love how cool K.A.Z is aaaallllll the time ... playing guitar, sticking his tongue at the crowd .. its all done in such a laid back manner (and with such skill)

The sound for me was great until at some point HYDE started having some feedback problems, but it wasn't a big deal.


Sounds like you had fun in the balcony!