By: Sean McKenna

​Etiquette (/ˈɛtikɛt, -kɪt/) can be defined as a set of norms of personal behavior in polite society, usually occurring in the form of an ethical code of the expected and accepted social behaviors that accord with the conventions and norms observed and practiced by a society, a social class, or a social group. 

“Etiquette”. Why are some amazing at it? Why are some terrible? Why is it important in the music business? 

Can’t believe we are talking about this, but here we are. A friend in Toronto, Ontario asked someone to a fill in show for them a while ago. He had to get a dental procedure and was not going to be able to do the shows. He asked a friend to fill in.  The new person rehearsed with the band, and the band told him the fill in player spent the entire weekend lobbying for the position. “Get rid of him, I’m better”. “I am going places” etc. 3/4 band guys told him in no uncertain terms this was extremely off putting. One of the band members said “Well, something to think about”. The guy even had a family member lobbying during the show.

Why don’t you do this?
-probably the lowest thing one can do
-the person should never be asked back
-the band member should be replaced 
- you are a guest, that is not the place
- you show people at a gig that isn’t your’s, you are not a team player 

It’s not your gig, you are being asked because someone thought enough of you to ask. And believe it when it’s said anyone who does that will make a name for themselves. Not in a good way. Be smart. Don’t be desperate, don’t be greasy. The music business, for what appears to be very vast, is actually the opposite. It is very small. When you do something well, it’s discussed. When you don’t, it circulates like wildfire. Showing up, being prepared, doing a great job, not being a problem. These are what get you invited back and invited to other shows. You have to play the long game. Sometimes, it’s not that long. 

I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Leland Sklar, Rich Redmond (Jason Aldean), Francis Ruiz (Buckcherry) Pete Evick (Bret Michel’s Band), amping others. This information is straight from them. You want gigs, practice this proper ediquette. You will be thankful you did.

Sean P McKenna is the host of the podcast “Barstools and Bandtalk”, as seen in Canadian TV, and hearts on the “Rock Rage Radio” network. He is a career live and audio drummer and “Mapex Drums artist”. He works with Canadian independent artist Michelle Ryder, who, in a short period of time, has amassed a global following with her music. Sean is available for info sessions, recording and artist interviews at [email protected]

BY: EVAN J. THOMAS

Every summer, legions of rock fans descend on open fields, stadiums, and fairgrounds for what’s become a rite of passage: the summer rock music festival. From legendary events like Louder Than Life, Welcome To Rockville, Riot Fest to newer niche gatherings, these festivals are a heady mix of music, heat, and community. But for all their thrills, summer rock festivals come with their share of downsides. Here's a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of these seasonal sonic pilgrimages.

THE GOOD
1. The Lineups Are Epic
There’s no better way to catch dozens of your favorite bands in one weekend. Whether you're into classic rock, metal, punk, or grunge, the best festivals pack in massive headliners and introduce fans to emerging talent. The communal energy of thousands of fans singing along to the same riffs? Unbeatable.

2. The Atmosphere Is Electric
There’s something primal about live rock in the open air. Add to that pyrotechnics, crowd surfing, beer gardens, and midnight acoustic sessions around campfires, and you've got an unforgettable experience. For many, it’s more than music — it’s a temporary lifestyle of freedom, rebellion, and raw joy.

3. It’s a Community
Even if you're flying solo, you’ll never feel alone. Rock festivals are a meeting point for like-minded people from around the globe. Strangers bond over band tees, mosh pits, and shared sunscreen. It’s not uncommon to leave with lifelong friends — or at least a solid new playlist.

THE BAD
1. Logistics Can Be a Nightmare
Between long entrance lines, confusing parking setups, and overpriced concessions, the logistics of getting into and surviving a festival can be frustrating. Missed sets because of shuttle delays or traffic jams are all too common, and that’s before dealing with sketchy cellphone reception.

2. The Cost Adds Up
A general admission ticket might seem affordable — until you factor in travel, accommodations, meals, merch, and drinks. VIP upgrades and camping passes can quickly inflate a weekend into a four-figure investment. And while some festivals offer payment plans, the price of fandom can still sting.

3. Sound Quality Isn’t Always Great
Depending on the size and layout of the venue, sound bleed between stages, poor acoustics, or bad weather can kill the vibe. The front row might sound heavenly, but fans in the back may struggle to hear over the echo and chatter. Not all stages are created equal.

THE UGLY
1. Weather Can Ruin Everything
Sunburns, dehydration, and torrential rain can turn a dream weekend into a survival scenario. Mud pits, flooded tents, and heatstroke are real risks. While some fans revel in the chaos, others leave early — or not at all, stuck in the muck with a broken poncho and soggy boots.

2. Overcrowding and Safety Issues
With the surge in popularity, some festivals sell beyond capacity, leading to dangerously packed crowds, overwhelmed facilities, and sanitation nightmares. Bathrooms become biohazards. Emergency services can be slow. In worst-case scenarios, crowd surges have led to injuries or worse.

3. Substance Misuse and Burnout
While partying is part of the appeal, excessive drinking or drug use can spiral out of control. Add in heat and exhaustion, and you’ve got a recipe for medical emergencies. The “go hard or go home” attitude isn’t for everyone, and sometimes the toll on mind and body is too steep.

FINAL RIFF:
Summer rock festivals are a blast — when they’re done right. They offer a high-octane, immersive escape into the heart of rock ‘n’ roll culture, but they're not without hazards. Go prepared, pace yourself, and choose your events wisely. With the right mindset and some earplugs, they can be one of the best experiences of your life — just be ready for the chaos that comes with the chorus.

BY: Tracy Heck and Cheryl Frishman

Finnish rock band The Rasmus just wrapped up their first North American tour in 16 years.
The United States and Canadian dates included some dates opening up for label mates The
Funeral Portrait as Ylönen well as some club headlining dates along the way. The Rasmus are touring behind new singles “Break These Chains” and “Creatures of Chaos,” which will be on their upcoming eleventh studio album Weirdo, which will be released on September 12.
Vocalist Lauri spoke with Sound Fury Magazine before one of their headlining dates at The
Loving Touch in Ferndale, Michigan on May 9. Ylönen said that it’s ironic that the band was finally back in the U.S. after having lived in the States himself for the last 11 years, but has now returned to Finland to be closer to his eldest child and other family members. The band recently signed with U.S. record label Better Noise Music and have secured management in the States as well, which facilitated their chance to finally get back to playing here. Moving forward, they plan to come here more often and are currently eyeing coming back in the new year after a European tour and some Latin America and Mexico dates later this year. “It’s good to be back. On this tour, 50% of the shows are with The Funeral Portrait supporting them and then we have our own headlining shows like tonight in these tiny intimate venues. It’s been really great and we’re really having fun playing so close to the audience. There’s something raw and primal about it, it’s good,” stated Ylönen.

The Rasmus hooked up with The Funeral Portrait because of their label connection “I was
actually looking at the label roster and all the bands they have and their was just something about
their music and their appearance that kind of clicked with ours,” Ylönen shared.
Ylönen started the band back in 1994 with bassist Eero Heinonen when the guys were still in
their early teen years so it’s been what he calls a “lifetime.” Over the years, they’ve had a couple of member changes, “Our original drummer left and Aki Hakala has been the “new guy” for the last 20 years! Now we’ve had Emppu Suhonen on guitar for the last few years. I’m so happy about the chemistry that we have now in the band. It means everything to me because that’s how the best ideas are born,” Ylönen explained. He says that being able to get out on the tour and visit new places has served as a source of inspiration for him and his songwriting.

When asked what inspired the new album, he said, “I’ve been listening to a lot of harder music
myself. I’ve sort of rediscovered this harder metal music again that I listened to when I was
younger. When we put this band together we were into mini ramps and skating and we’d have
Slayer in the background playing. It was kind of hidden in there, but now it’s kind of like we’re
bringing back those harder elements to our music. It feels really nice.” In closing, Ylönen had this to say to The Rasmus; fans in the U.S.,”I'm sorry we haven’t comehere more often. We’re trying to make it up to you guys. I know a lot of you had been waiting, but so were we. We have plans to come here more often. That will make me super happy!”

BY: Tracy Heck

​Powerhouse rock band Close Enemies are gearing up for some June headlining dates as well as
some August dates supporting L.A. Guns, Tom Keifer and Winger. Featuring legendary musicians, bassist Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith) and drummer Tony Brock (The Babys, Rod Stewart) and touring veterans, guitarists Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow, Don Henley) and Trace Foster (AC/DC, The Rolling Stones) alongside vocalist Chasen Hampton, Close Enemies have been creating a buzz with their fiery live sets and popular singles “Sweet Baby Jesus” and “Sound of A Train.”
Recently, Sound Fury Magazine got a chance to speak with Foster who was out on tour with
AC/DC. He spoke about forming the band, the upcoming shows and what’s next on the horizon.

Q: You’ve got some shows coming up in June after you wrap up this leg of the AC/DC tour.
Are you excited to get out there as a unit and play?
A: Yeah, I’m really looking forward to that. I just love playing clubs. I’m doing stadiums right
now with AC/DC and it’s weird because it’s great to sell that many tickets, but there’s just
something nice about playing for a couple hundred dirty, sweaty people too.

Q: Something about having that interaction up close?
A: Yeah, you can actually feel the energy.

Q: You’ve gotten the chance to work with so many different people over the years as a tech
and player and you’ve seen all sides of the music business. What is the biggest lesson that
you were able to bring to forming Close Enemies and what was the catalyst for the
formation?
A: You know, it’s amazing because I’ve done things like spending a dozen years being Melissa
Etheridge's guitar tech and also playing keyboards and guitar during her shows. So I’ve been on both ends for a long time. I’ve been the guy that nobody sees playing for awhile, but I just woke
up one day and as one of my friends always says, we’re screaming down the hill now in life. I
woke up and said I’m not done yet, I really want to do one more musical thing! I’ve been very blessed in life to have the time and the ability to do it. When I decided to do it, I said that I was going to get all the best people that I knew. I mean, I’ve been doing this for forty years so I know a lot of people and it was amazing that everybody I asked said yes right away. Tom even said, why didn’t we do this 25 years ago? I laughed because I didn’t even know him then! It’s just been amazing and so much fun. As for what I brought to this project, I just brought my knowledge of seeing things on so many levels, the good and the bad. I can see things and tell the boys what’s going to happen if we don’t do this or that. We’re all very involved because we’ve all seen horror stories.

Q: What is it about this particular lineup that is working so well?
A: Well originally we had the drummer from Cheap Trick Daxx Nielsen, but his schedule did
not allow him to be able to do this because those guys work all the time. So when Daxx
couldn’t do it, Tom had some songs to work on so I said I’d come up to Boston and bring
a drummer. Peter was the one who said that he and Tony Brock had been looking for
something to do together. Once Tom and Tony played together, that’s when I realized
that if we had a rhythm section like that then everything else would come together.
Those guys just immediately locked in. To answer your question, it’s just the high quality that was there right away. Peter and I are two exact different guitar players. People that come see us say man, you have two completely different sounds, but it fits together like a puzzle. That’s the secret. That’s from listening to Ronnie Woods and Keith Richards all my life and before that Aerosmith
with Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. Brad is actually my neighbor.

Q: You can definitely hear those influences on your current single “Sweet Baby
Jesus.” Is that something you considered when putting it together?
A: That was a conscious decision just to not say ok, we’re going to write a certain kind
of song. We said we’ve got five guys in the band and we’ve got Gary Stier, who I’ve been
playing with since the eighties. He was in a band called Buffalo Nickel, which branched off into
Blackberry Smoke. We’ve known each other for a long time and he’s the first person I thought of
when I said I wanted to do this again because he’s a great songwriter and I said let’s start writing..
That’s when I called Peter and said I wanted him to hear this stuff. That was “Sound of A Train” and he called right back and said he didn’t need to hear anymore. That’s how it started and we said we’re going to write from the heart as five guys in a band and a songwriter like Gary. Everyone gets to add their little bit here and there in every song.

Q: And what’s the plan for the rest of the year?
A: We’re releasing another single on June 2 called “ Rain, “ which everyone has been looking forward to. It’s the single we always open up with. Then we start the next part of our tour in August. We’ll be adding more dates and plan to tour until December. Somewhere hopefully in the beginning of all that the record will come out, which will be ten singles. We’re just going to hit it really hard. We’re actually playing The Whisky on November 14 in Los Angeles and we’re going to record it live. We’re going to release it in 2026 for Record Store Day. We’re only going to release it on vinyl. That’s pretty cool and exciting.

By Kevin Diamond
To begin to understand Black Flash, you need to know one crucial fact: this isn’t a band—it’s a solo project, with occasional vocal collaborations. Without that context, you might think there are more people involved than in Slipknot. So far, the artist has only released singles—four in total, all dropped within the past year—but even within this short catalog, Black Flash is already making a powerful statement.
From the moment I hit play, I was floored. Genre-blending is a tricky art. It often sounds more like a chaotic mash-up than a cohesive sound. But Black Flash defies that expectation. With seamless transitions between hardcore, metal, slam, rock, and hip-hop, each track moves fluidly without ever feeling disjointed or forced. The project is clearly crafted with meticulous attention to detail, proving that genre fusion, when done right, can be not just innovative—but transformative.
The first track I heard was “People Like You,” which immediately does something many heavy acts overlook: it opens with a hook. A screamed hook, no less. The moment the song drops, the line “can’t fuck with me” gets lodged in your head—and stays there. When the hip-hop-infused verse hits, it becomes obvious that Black Flash has far more to offer than aggressive vocals. The transitions are organic, and by the end of the track, you realize you’ve been through multiple chant-along moments—each one destined to become a screaming earworm. That’s no small feat in a genre where hooks are often sacrificed for heaviness.
Across the four singles, one thing is clear: Black Flash isn’t short on ideas. Every track features a different guest vocalist, and it feels intentional—as if each song was either built to highlight that guest’s strengths or that the perfect collaborator was found to match the song’s energy. Either way, the formula works.
What excites me most about Black Flash isn’t just what’s been released so far—it’s what could come next. Austin, the creative force behind the project, has the versatility to steer this in virtually any direction—and make it work. Personally, I’d love to see a full EP or album. A cohesive body of work would allow Black Flash to pull listeners deeper into his world, and keep them there—engaged, surprised, and completely immersed.
Black Flash isn't just blending genres—he's redefining them. Keep your eyes (and ears) on this project.
www.linktree/blackflashband


(i know the photo looks like pixel bullshit, but its his artwork)

BY: PHILIP SAYBLACK

In just a handful of weeks, 2025 will officially be halfway over and we’ll all start counting the days to the year’s end.  Yes, it’s true.  It’s already that time once again.  With the year already almost halfway gone, Sound & Fury magazine is offering a look at some of the top new hard rock and metal albums released so far this year.  This year’s field has been stacked pretty heavily (no pun intended) too.  New music from the likes of Machine Head, Bleed From Within, and Dream Theater have joined new albums from the likes of Tremonti, Grave Digger, Arch Enemy, Killswitch Engage and so many others.  There are also anticipated new albums on the way from the likes of Deadly Apples and Dirkschneider and the Old Gang before the year lets out.
Keeping all of this in mind, Sound & Fury magazine is taking a look at the year’s Top 10 new hard rock and metal albums so far in 2025.  That list will likely change by year’s end, too. This list itself was not easy to develop considering how much great hard rock and metal has been released already this year.  Keep that fully in mind, as no disrespect was meant to any band on this list with its placement.  So without any further ado, here are Sound & Fury magazine’s Top 10 New Hard Rock and Metal Albums
Sound Fury Magazine Top 10 New Hard Rock and Metal Albums Of 2025 So Far
1.      Dream Theater – Parasomnia
2.      Machine Head – Unatoned
3.      Arch Enemy – Blood Dynasty
4.      Whitechapel – Hymns in Dissonance
5.      Grave Digger – Bone Collector
6.      Tremonti – The End Will Show Us How
7.      Pop Evil – What’s Next
8.      Killswitch Engage – This Consequence
9.      Bleed From Within – Zenith
10.    Bloodywood – Nu Delhi
As honorable mentions, one cannot ignore Warbringer’s new album, Wrath and Ruin and also Alien Weaponry’s new album, Tu, as well as Memphis May Fire’s new album, Shapeshifter.    Again by year’s end the list is likely to look quite different.  This is just the list so far.  Sound and Fury will have as many reviews of the latest hard rock and metal albums as possible as the year progresses, so stay tuned for all of that coverage!

BY: TYLER TRAVIS

In a world of introverts, the idea of networking and talking to other people appears daunting. To a musician, it could mean many things including a show or job opportunity. It seems like a simple idea; however, I’m not sure if everyone takes full advantage. Any given show could yield you dozens of connections to people. Future band mates, artists for shows, sound techs. The list goes on. This is an incredibly valuable tool as you progress through any music scene.

There are many ways to open up a conversation. Talk about what gear you use and why. Discuss whom you’re listening to right now. Be present to actively engage with the show your fellow band is putting on. As cliché as it sounds, the possibilities are endless.

The last thing you want to do is alienate yourself. Other bands will take notice if you roll up 10 minutes before sound check and leave right after your set. Subsequently prohibiting yourself from any type of interaction with your fellow people. While life will sometimes prevent such things from happening, it’s important not to make a habit of it.

I’m lucky to be part of a strong music scene in Central Pennsylvania for the past 15 years. My current musical endeavor features two members from a previous project, and two members from a project I’ve played shows with multiple times over the years. Even had an audition lined
up with them in the mid 2010’s. We were recently invited back to headline a venue after a ten- minute conversation with the owner concluded with me wanting to hear his opinion of my band’s performance. Suddenly, we have a connection to a venue in our local area that we can continue to grow with.

Never pass up an opportunity to further yourself in your career. Networking can ensure that doesn’t happen.

By: Joerilla

We find ourselves in a world that is inundated with ads, and marketing tactics. With new channels and avenues of conveyance, marketing is almost inescapable, and unavoidable. Advertising is especially necessary, today, if you are in a rock band. As a
broke rocker myself, I was stuck with the quandary, “How do we stand out from the herd, and how do we do it cheap?” A lot of the ideas that came to my mind were
honestly embarrassing to even think about trying. After one of my band’s songs had a low streamed release, I decided that it was time to pull the trigger on some of these ideas that were jumping through my mind like fleas in a circus. While I can’t necessarily tackle the full behemoth topic of marketing for you in this article, I can still give you three low-cost ideas that are bound to generate interaction, and growth for your rock band!

1. “I SAW THE SIGN!”
Expense rating: $5
My first major dabble in the marketing pool, outside of the run of the mill social media promos, was a little tactic that we like to call “sign waving.” I know, you felt embarrassed just thinking of yourself out there. What if I were to tell you, it was the most effective tactic outside of social media that I ever used for my band, Primal Moon? You may not necessarily know the name, but I guarantee you… thousands of people in the Chicagoland area, probably had nightmares about my ugly mug, with headphones on, and a foam board in hand. While I’m only going into a brief overview of these tactics for this, I will flood you with more stories of my sign waving exploits down the line. For now, I’ll be brief! Sign waving created the most social media interaction, personal interaction, and radio interaction. Within the first week of sign waving, our monthly Spotify listeners were up from 35 to 550 monthly. Our streams were reaching thousands, once again. We made many fans, both online, and in person. Photographers were now offering us sessions, for free. Podcasts were flooding our DM’s, and even radio stations started to take notice. All I really know, I went to a very busy street corner, with high visibility, and wrote “LISTEN TO PRIMAL MOON” on a white foam poster board. My first intersection was on the corner of New York Street and Eola Road in good old Aurora, Illinois. Home of historical figures, like Wayne and Garth. Within the first day, we went up at least 50 new listeners, and 30 new followers between our IG and our Facebook. It was mind blowing to see after just holding a sign for an hour. So, I kept going with it and never ceased to stumble upon new avenues of opportunity through the method.

2. “Chalk It Up To Promotion”
Expense Rating: $10
My day job is pest control. I go to a lot of residential areas and treat
homes with products. It’s riveting, I know. Sometimes, the mundane redundancy of the daily to do’s, can bring about major inspiration for another strong marketing tactic. That’s what happened to me, when I walked up to a customer’s driveway, that was covered in a marvelous array of multicolored sidewalk chalk! I thought to myself, ‘If I’m looking at this, then other people will look.’ Like a Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come,” kind of moment… to a lesser degree. I remember driving directly to the nearest Walmart after work. I don’t
understand why chalk is the hardest to locate in most stores. It seems like I must go spelunking to find the chalk. Is it in arts and crafts? Outdoors? Toys? Just designate a fricken spot!! Sorry, I had to chase that rabbit trail a little bit. I’ll compose myself for the rest of this article… maybe. Anyway, I paid for a big tub of “THICC” ole sticks of chalk and headed to downtown Plainfield. I decided to pick the town where more people hated the derelict I was in high school. I don’t know why I do these things; I just do. It turned out to be a hit. While it can be annoying to some, it sure was effective when people took pictures of the chalk and tagged our band online. We were getting tagged on social media, from that one hour of chalking the streets, for weeks to follow. $10 and joint pain from all the bending to chalk. That’s all it costs to make your band the talk of the town.

3. “Knock knock!”
Expense Rating: $10-$20
Now, this final method is not for the skittish, or faint of heart. I would even heavily suggest the use of the buddy system in a tactic like this. If the title doesn’t reveal the idea to you, maybe the term “door-2-door” will get those gears of fear and dread churning in that mind of yours. Going door to door is a very daunting task. You must mentally prepare yourself to be pretty much hated by a lot of people in a short span of time. You’ll have doors slammed in your face, get cussed out, and in some areas, guns pulled. Even with all of the potential for danger, there is massive potential for reward. Some of your strongest fans can come from that initial face time with someone at their door. It’s very disarming to some people to see musicians so sold out to their art that they are willing to risk hate and embarrassment in suburbia, for a chance to be seen and heard. I had many great conversations with people in my area, and they even came to the shows for years to follow. There’s a lot of power in meeting someone, where they are!
In closing, these methods aren’t fool proof. They definitely don’t have a list of cons next to the pros. I’ll gladly talk about both sides of the coin with you in future writings. I will say, these were some of the most heavily effective for my band. We were able to make it on mainstream radio, play festivals and venues that we could’ve only dreamed of before, and gained a multitude of true friends through the endeavors. We gained a story worth telling. Now, go create your story!

BY: KEVIN DIAMOND

Opinions in music are pointless. What speaks to you might not speak to others. Being opinionated and old gives me the ability to step back and enjoy music and focus my opinion on things that can possibly help others, for example. Where do I think is the best place to stand for a concert? First we must break down our options. 

Most people will say up front is the best place to view a concert, I disagree. The front is a young man's game, You’ll most likely be next to a fatherless twenty-something whose life has been changed from the lyrics. So full of piss and energy that they just can’t help but yell the lyrics back to the vocalist in an almost crying, hysterical fashion. Any videos you take will be overshadowed by a few of these passionate folks. Try to move yourself towards the center and that’s where you get yourself closer to the war zone. Where you start to reach the pit's edge and you start feeling the sweat of others on your arms (yuck) as you try not to get hit in the face. Maybe you try to make your way closer to the barricade, that can be fun sometimes, treading in an almost sea like crowd. Swaying with the movement as if you are one entity. Don’t lift your arms up, that may leave you stuck in what I call “stoked position”. Where your arms are above your shoulders and you are unable to bring them back down to your sides due to the people next to you. Worst feeling in the world. I’d argue it's worse than knowing that your lower half of your own body's moisture isn’t just from you. Yes, you are close to the action on stage and get to feel part of the show, but you are also most likely in front of the audio “sweet spot”. Where you can possibly hear the stage monitors and cymbals crashing over the actual main PA sound. Take yourself off to the side a bit to still be close, but not be in such a densely populated area. Now this may be the worst place to stand and I’ll explain why. This area is filled with people my age, people approaching their 40s. They still want that up close experience but feel aged out of the middle. So they will still sing every lyric, maybe even explain very loudly to the rest of the party how “they haven’t played this song since the summer of 2012” as the intro comes in for a deep track. The major difference with this area is that not only do you still have the annoyance of off pitch sing alongs. Most of these attendees are the ones that have beers in their hand. There is always that awkward moment when they finish said beer and they do that look around and drop it on the floor. Me being the type of person I am, now I make a mental note that I’ll be dealing with a broken cup(s) by my feet all night. Lastly, When it comes to the “upfront side shift” (it has a name now), You will always be standing directly in front of the PA, your face may hurt from sound waves slapping you all night long. So I feel that the up front concert going experience is overrated. 

lets move to the back….

Now the back can be a tricky game. First you must understand that we are all in the back because we respect personal space. THAT BEING SAID, one must understand that failure to enclose any area will result in a pathway starting. That can ruin a whole concert experience. If you don’t understand, Basically it means that any opening will create traffic and you will end up with people walking in front of you all night until you step forward, making them walk behind you. This tends to happen a lot more at festivals but can still be an issue for a club. Now the advantages of the back I feel far exceed the advantages of the front. First, I'd like to point out that the people around you will most likely be fans, but casual fans. They won't be screaming every lyric, dancing, or explaining to their friends how they got a handjob to this song in the back of a Buick. They will be enjoying the music, their drink and the experience in front of them. Now the advantage of being in the back and center is by far the sound and sight. If you can manage to keep your sight line open (or if you’re 6’6), you have a perfect view of the stage, the production, lights, and the craziness of what's up front in the audience. All those fatherless 20 somethings in the front I mentioned earlier have now become almost a choir of chant. Making their off pitch hysterical screaming less annoying. Almost adding a little bit of seasoning for the actual vocals. Personally, I like to find myself directly in front of “front of house” (that’s the sound board for all you normies). I feel that this is the best place to experience a concert. Not only will you most likely be dead center, perfectly lined up with the stage. Having the same vantage point as the lighting director. Seeing the same show that they are helping create. The lighting angles and production put into the show was written from this point. This also has its audio advantages as well. Hearing the show from the same area as the man mixing the show will sound better than anywhere else in the building. Lastly, when you stand directly in front of the sound board, You will most likely have a nice wall or barricade to lean against. Saving your knees and back. With all this being said, I have had bad experiences with standing in the back. One major thing to look out for is a slanted floor. While on paper it seems great, it gives everyone a good view of the stage. What it actually does is destroy your body. You might not think about it (that is why I am here) but when you stand for 3 hours on a slanted floor, you are naturally leaning backwards. Almost like a backwards Michael Jackson lean for hours at a time. This will hurt your back, your shins and knees. Once you get out of the venue onto a flat ground, that is when you feel it. Anyone that has stood in the back of Reggies in Chicago and left the venue feeling sore, this is why. 

I feel like it should be mentioned. At my old age and with some of the larger concerts I attend, Nothing beats a good seat. Personally I have a routine when I know I have a seat. First off, I get there early to watch all the bands (almost always) but the first band will be Nachos and a good crisp pop. Have you ever eaten nachos and watched a metal band? That is a real party. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be in the first row of your section which gives you a nice foot rest for the full night. Unfortunately, the bands I listen to are not selling out stadiums on the regular, So this luxury is a rare one. 

Next time you attend a concert, hopefully you will remember all the tips I’ve left for you to achieve maximum enjoyment.