As a side to that, this is one thing that really shits me about some people like yourself that go to gigs. You act as if going to a gig and hearing a song that you don't already know word for word is the end of the world, your head will explode and you will just not have a good time. FUCK THAT. Music is there to be explored, it's there to learn from, to experience new things.
I was at the Big Day Out festival today and I wandered past stages of bands I'd never heard of and stopped and listend to songs I had never heard before ... and some of it I really fucking enjoyed. A couple I went straight over and bought the damn album of. You don't have to know all the songs to have a good time ... this is music for dummy's. People who don't want to open their minds and just enjoy the show, enjoy the vibe, enjoy the crowd, enjoy the music ... accept what they are hearing and just let all the experience wash over you. If you want something scripted and something that is not spontanious where you will feel safe knowing all the words, then go to a damn musical where they run to a pre written story. People who are stuck in a nostaliga pattern with music don't deserve music.

I think you can completely judge the overall vibe of a concert by the youtube video. The camera doesn't lie, and it doesn't capture any individual perception. You can't judge the experience of each individual, but you can tell quite visibly how the audience is responding to the musicians.

That said, this whole discussion is missing the biggest point. EK and TGF don't WANT to have the same kind of show and vibe. It is obvious that Ed wants to put on a more pop/adult contemporary show that aims for an audience that is naturally less energetic, while TGF wants to put on an intense rock show for fans who are more than okay with a little pushing and shoving.

That in and of itself why the beginning of this thread is just silly. The two parties may have come to some sort of an agreement (I hope), but that doesn't mean they want the same things out of music anymore.

Chameleon Crowd:





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5VPch383cw
4 min mark, place is packed


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcwGVyisEYY
at the end you can see the upper levels are standing room.

I for one think the Chameleon is the measuring stick in the States for both acts. It's TGF's home base, and it's Ed hometown venue as well.

So the measuring stick for success is one venue in the US?

So the measuring stick for success is one venue in the US?

I for one think the Chameleon is the measuring stick in the States for both acts. It's TGF's home base, and it's Ed hometown venue as well.

Can you see in my stance it seems I,
I’ve awakened the ghost of my,
The ghost in my mind and I’m guessing, guessing who’ll show.
In hours in minutes in seconds so close,
So close to the beating the chanting the roar,
So on with my boots and on with my soul,
And on with the lights and on with the show…
I wanna sing, sing my song
I wanna feel alive, Cause I wanna sing my song
I’ve waited so long.

I wouldn't bet on that. Ed is playing songs that people are familar with. A general concert fan who isn't familar with TGF's album, may be bored with TGF's show. For example, the guy in San Diego yelling out for "Far Behind."

You're an idiot. It's not gonna be the end all of how they will do overall. But that early in both acts career's yes, so far it is the measuring stick.