I was just browsing through the gigography section of Björk.com and found the following comment: “One thing that ruins a show for me, are the people who sing along to every song during a concert. No one paid to hear YOU sing.”
I’m a classical musician and in a classical concert no one does that. I can only imagine a live performance of Beethoven’s Ninth with someone next to me in the audience humming along. My gawd!
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May 21st, 2007 at 6:30 pm
haha I think it’s especially bad whenever the person singing along doesn’t even speak the language of the musician! I was seeing Sigur Ros and the person beside me thought it would be great to sing along even though they didn’t speak a word of icelandic.
What exactly is your background Jonas and how did you get involved with Bjork?? I did a google search but nothing much turned up ugh.
Also do you know what type of Celesta bjork has? Keep up the good work I look forward to seeing you at electric picnic in september!
Tim
May 21st, 2007 at 6:38 pm
I do not intend to be pugnacious, however, I believe the singing along thing is more along the lines of sharing the moment, then disrupting the moment. I must say with that, i agree with the both of you, and how is that possible you might ask?
I have found that the environment actually plays a larger role in this, then the people actually do.
like, say if we were in a small room, or an opera house, or a bar club, or the shoreline, or a boat… I think that you will find people being quiet when the venue is more intimate.
meow
May 21st, 2007 at 7:22 pm
well now, that’s not quite a fair comparison. i like to sing along with some songs. It is a shared experience, further more it is a pop concert. if i can dance and feel good, can i not sing and feel good too? although, in agreement, i only sing along with the chorus, or if its a shouty song, like “declare your independence”, which was freakin’ awesome, by the way. never with a quiet song, for i am paying too close attention. some songs are fun to sing along to. Bjork is no exception.
The show was magnificent, I love that eveyytime I see Bjork, she has completely re-arranged her songs. But I was a little let down by the crowd. My girlfriend and I were dancing, and swooning, respectfully, of course, not everyone is there to be crazy. And yet people all around us were just standing there, looking like they would rather be elsewhere. what gives? why pay to be there if you don’t enjoy yourself? maybe I am just too enthusiastic a concert goer. But I heard Red Rocks went nuts, just like last time I saw her there. So whats up Bay Area? Where’s the love?
May 21st, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Spyros I’d agree at festivals I think it’s different it’s more free and in the open people lose themselves and it’s more acceptable whereas in an opera house the same people wouldn’t dream of it! I guess it depends on your inhibitions
May 21st, 2007 at 7:53 pm
quelle horreur!
Then again, there are classical concerts meant to work just like that. Messiah singalongs being the most famous, I suppose. I’d try to stay away, though…
May 21st, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Seriously: O FREUNDE, NICHT DIESE TÖNE!
May 21st, 2007 at 9:45 pm
meow
May 21st, 2007 at 11:00 pm
it’s a rock show!! come on people!!! it’s funny because sometimes I sing along to the song that the singer is singing, and usually I can’t hear myself!
May 21st, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Maybe Björk and Beethoven’s Ninth is not such a good comparison. I would be terribly sorry if everyone were well-behaved! I sometimes sing myself - though not very loudly!!! And rogerniner: From where I was, the audience seemed really enthusiastic, so maybe you were in a bad place?
May 21st, 2007 at 11:32 pm
A good one, trrill!!!
May 21st, 2007 at 11:39 pm
the show was quite perfect, the only way it could of gotten better is if all of you played Headphones for say 20 millennia, but mabby next time? haha…
I guess headphones is more ment for,,,,well,,,,headphones, to take it literally…
Everyone in the crowd was great, i was dancing and jumping really hard, and sometimes would fall over to have the people around me catch me before i would hit the ground, kinda like a tango…. it was awesome,,,!!!
BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!! MEOW
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:36 am
i usually don’t mind when people sing along, but sometimes it’s just not called for!
i was lucky enough to go to the sugarcubes reunion in november and the only thing i could possibly complain about was that there was a girl behind me who felt the need to hoarsely shout along to many, many of the songs. i was standing in the front row and there were times when i couldn’t hear the ‘cubes through the shouting. how obnoxious!
i completely understand people getting into the moment, particulary with songs like ‘declare independence’ (in fact, i would be surprised if anyone could resist singing along to that one!!).
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:27 am
Come to Brazil!!!!!! please!!!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:46 am
Tim/freebutnotforlong: I’m a classical pianist and music critic. B is an old friend. We did a joint project in 2005 for Iceland’s contribution at the Venice Biennial. Then I played on DR9. Again on Volta. Now the tour.
B’s celeste is an electrical one, one of the possible options of the electronic harpsichord.
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:34 am
What ruins a concert even more is when two people standing in front of you are yelling at the top of their lungs to eachother the entire concert, not even paying attention to the music, just carrying on their own conversation…..I’m sad to say that I experienced this at Shoreline….
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:19 am
I find people’s coughing much more annoying than humming at classical concerts or opera. Shattering.
I do not mind if people sing along softly, it is when you truly cannot hear the performer that it is annoying. Especially if they are singing off-key. During a ballad.
These days I’m more annoyed if I can’t see the performer, not because I got a bad spot, but because someone has their arm held up high, camera taking a picture every nanosecond.
I have never seen Björk perform. Sigh.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:34 pm
/How about having someone trip over the power cord, or in shorlines case, if it is raining cats and dogs, meow, or how about if the date on the tickets was off by a day?
/possibly maybe …..
for some reason, i do not like this thread.
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Oh, the original comment on the gigoraphy section (on the Shore Line), comes from a ppl on the audience who was also on the Chicago concert…I was in the Chicago Gig too (it was A W E S O M E!!!!!), and as a coincidence (?????) a guy next to me “kindly” told me to “shut up cuz I was distracting him singin’ the songs”, (maybe is the same one :S) hehe,
I was just following the songs and I didn’t even noticed, I really dont mind
ppl singing along, it bothers me more the ppl who are standing in front, when the majority is seated.
B’sides, I understand the respect you must show in a classical concert…but this wasn’t, so I don’t fully agree to stay quiet and calm in such’a a great concert…… (and the venue was very very nice 2), you can’t control the audience.
This was an explosive moment!!!, and off the top!, awesome!, energyzing!. I appolgize if a distracted anyone, but
it’s almost impossible not to singalong from time to time those magnificent songs!. I think everyone has their way to enjoy a show, any not everyone will agree, but as long the commons sense exists, everything will end up nicely
Thank you Björk, and Jónas, you were awesome!, just perfect :).
Cheers.
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:26 pm
“”Thank you Björk, and Jónas, you were awesome!, just perfect :).”"
yes, yes, I must agree!!!
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May 22nd, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Dear Jonas,
Will you tour with Bjork in Australia and New Zealand ?
Cheers !
May 23rd, 2007 at 1:57 am
Sorry…..I tend to sing along.
If it has bothered the people around me I apologize…..I cannot help it! I will try to keep this in mind and be slightly more quiet next time.
~Lava
May 23rd, 2007 at 4:57 am
I think you all take this way too seriously, haha, “my gawd.” I’m surprised no one mentioned people dancing like loons, ie: me.
May 23rd, 2007 at 5:20 am
My gawd… I LOVE it when I see people dance to the music we perform!
May 23rd, 2007 at 5:23 am
Honestly, I think somebody singing along to the song is the least annoying thing to make a fuss about at a concert. After all, it’s a concert, and a bjork concert at that. Of course, it’s a bit rude to sing along to the quieter songs, but if people can dance along to Pluto, Declare Independence, and I Miss You, why can’t they sing along to it too? Somebody’s voice has to be pretty loud to sing over Bjork’s extremely clear, loud, and brilliant voice. What about people who stand up the entire time? No one paid to have somebody stand in the way of seeing Bjork on stage. I mean c’mon, when people sing along it means they’re enjoying themselves, feeling moved, and just treasuring the moment, isn’t that what concerts are meant for?
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:49 pm
My neck and back still hurt from dancing and jumping so much, and i NEVER EVER dance, but i could not contain myself, It is fun to dance like a loon…
I was just letting the music take my movements over… I loved every second of it… I cant believe It already happened, it seams as if i am still waiting for the show to happen…
May 23rd, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Greetings Jonas and all the blogg readers
I was there at Shoreline to experience the magic. Sudenly I line from ‘Wanderlust’ comes to mind; “I enjoy it with you”. I just got to say that my roomate and I totally went hyper crazy during Hyperballad and Pluto. Having seen Bjork at Coachella a few weeks ago we knew that Hyperballad was going to turn into a techno heaven and of cousrse Pluto never lets you down During the last half of Hyperballad we felt as if we were at a rave and just went with the music and danced as if nobody cared. Thanks Bjork and all the musicians for giving us that experience.
May 24th, 2007 at 12:34 am
I agree Spyros ! I was at the Chicago show and had a seat near the front . I ended up dancing and jumping the entire time but I was in the aisle so it did not bother anyone I don’t think . It took my body a week to get back to normal.
I might go to the Toronto show and perhaps Jonas I can buy you a few drinks……I quite enjoy drinking people under the table ha ha .
~Lava
May 24th, 2007 at 2:32 am
lava - meow..
May 24th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I disagree because singing along in a concert is just as important as dancing and going nuts. I paid good money to see Bjork and I sang my heart out because that is why I love Bjork, she makes me want to sing! I obviously didn’t sing at the top of my lungs on songs like All is Full of Love. But if you give me a dirty look when I’m rocking out and SINGING to Hyperballad than I will give you a nice middle finger.
And yes, I saw Sigur Ros and I sang to the songs even though I maybe understand two icelandic words. Why is that?? Because the music is much, MUCH deeper than needing to understand the words to truly feel it. Why do you think Sigur Ros is so popular around the world?!
May 25th, 2007 at 6:32 am
From my experience in Chicago… the sound was SOOO loud that i never heard any other voice except björk’s and some screams from the crowd in the silence seconds between the songs
But no way i could hear anyone sing along, except the “HIGHER HIGHER” part in Declare Independence. And i think it is quite refreshing to sing at shows. These concerts are pure energy after all!
May 26th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
I would be very suprised if someone in Sweden would sing along with Björk. We are so shy here…
June 7th, 2007 at 1:10 am
This isn’t Beethoven or Mozart, it isn’t a concert hall, it isn’t classical music. And it’s 2007. And it’s Bjork. (sorry don’t know how to do the umlaut accents) And it was Shoreline ampitheatre, a huge open space, with music blaring. And we all know the songs, and they make us happy, and dance and smile until we can’t even feel ourselves anymore. If a couple songs come out of us too, let it happen. We don’t have microphones, so it shouldn’t really matter so much.
I had a pocket flashlight I was waving like a cigarette lighter, through most of the slow songs, and then I forgot I had it in my hand, I was dancing so much. I probably annoyed some people, but I warned my friend in advance that I had no idea how I would be at the concert. And this is without toxic substances. …just Bjork music.
Take it or leave it. We like to sing along. And if we can’t even hear ourselves because the music is so loud, then I doubt many people can hear it next to us.
Thanks for Mother Heroic. So beautiful I almost cried. …I sing along to that one.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I don’t ever hear the people around me either. And it’s hard NOT to sing when the musician kind of asks you to by pointing the mic at the audience or skipping parts of the lyrics so that you can “fill in the blanks” so-to-speak. But yes, there are many songs where that energy just needs to vanish and we need to let the musician do the singing!
It’s kind of funny that some would try to sing along with Sigur Ros, though. Especially with songs from ( ) which are not even in Icelandic!
By the way, I was at the Red Rocks concert in the front row. I was thrilled yesterday when I found a picture of me on this blog! And yes, if this was during “Declare Independence,” I’d be chanting “higher, higher!”