08/13/10 Costa Mesa, CA Pacific Amphitheater

[Driew_La_27]

Did anyone else think that the beach balls were annoying and distracting? One went near me and I shoved it at my feet.......then the dude behind me wanted it....ugh...I think it is kind of rude to have balls bouncing around when the band is trying to perform......


-Kelley

While annoying they're very common at concerts. I'm actually surprised when I go to a concert and *don't* see at least on beach ball getting punched around (at open venues such as fairgrounds). So while annoying, I doubt the band cares--they're too busy rocking out to care about a silly beach ball. Its more annoying for the audience who has to deal with it. Much like crowd surfers. Annoying for the crowd, but something the band pays little attention to at the time.

[TMBJon]

When I said it was rude, I meant at a Weird Al concert in particular because it's not really that type of show, and you're likely to anger some nerds. I never considered it from the band's perspective. Seems silly to think they would mind if people were having fun with a beach ball though. Before the show, it's a fun audience bonding type of thing to pass the time.

[Driew_La_27]

When I said it was rude, I meant at a Weird Al concert in particular because it's not really that type of show, and you're likely to anger some nerds. I never considered it from the band's perspective. Seems silly to think they would mind if people were having fun with a beach ball though. Before the show, it's a fun audience bonding type of thing to pass the time.

I agree--at a Weird Al show its not appropriate, but (and I don't know the setting of the pacific amphitheater) but most of Al's shows that are at fairgrounds/outside deal with less hardcore Al fans. Whereas at a theater everyone paid a ticket to see Al. At a fairground/amphitheater there's usually general admission and half the audience is there just to have fun/listen to some music. They're not necessarily there to see Al perform. I know I'm pointing out the obvious here.

I also know its really fun hitting a beach ball when you're a bit drunk. So I completely understand why they do it

[Orthography Enthusiast]

Everybody at the Pacific Amphitheater had to pay to see Al, but the difference between the cost of fair admission alone and the cost of an Al ticket that included fair admission was low enough that you wouldn't have to be a big fan to make it worth your while to buy one of the cheap seats.

[algonacchick]

People had beach balls at Meadowbrook. Security guys took them away and punctured them. This happened three or four times. You'd think after the first beach ball was destroyed, people wouldn't try hitting them around again. This was before the show, too. I can see it being annoying during the show, but beforehand?

[TMBJon]

Now that just seems like a security power trip.

[Alinite27]

Yeah, I really don't like idea of beachballs at an Al show...and those really, really were annoying in CA. I wish security there had been stricter like those that were at Meadowbrook. Even before the show, while definitely not being as bad, it's still not the greatest idea because they can land on the stage, mess up equipment, annoy people while they're getting to their seat, at their seat...etc.

After all, I'm assuming they're called beachballs because they're supposed to actually be used at a beach not a concert. They would be called concertballs.

[TMBJon]

How exactly could a beach ball mess up the equipment?

[Orthography Enthusiast]

Loosen cables? Alter switches? Smash into Jim's guitars?

[TMBJon]

My experience with this has been that the beach balls are almost always being bounced around toward the back of the audience. In order for the ball to get on stage, there would have to be an audience member with malicious intentions. Generally, when this happens, the audience boos loudly at the person who did it and then a stagehand kicks it back into the crowd.
I am now remembering that the crowd actually erupted in applause when they saw the beach ball being hit around before this particular show, and it never once made it even close to the stage.