Are hair metal shows really dying out?

[ParaDime77]

As in attendance-wise? Or is there just a general apathy towards a genre that is 35 + years past it’s heyday?

Attended a a Warrant/Lita Ford show last night and the venue which seats 2000 people was maybe 40% full. While both bands sounded decent for the most part, there just seemed to be a malaise with the crowd and their reactions to the bands.

Are you seeing this in your market?

[HueyRamone]

i wont go to any band way past their prime, with shitty vocals, piped in tracks to cover the substandard playing/singing, and energy on stage that resembles an old folks home. While many still will, i have to think there are a lot of others like me, to say nothing of people who have just aged out of going to concerts, and despite these bands doing fairly well as heritage rock, they arent bringing any youngsters to the crowds at the shows, by the looks of it.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Have you been in a coma the last 30 years?

[FreddyFender]

I don't have numbers but nostalgia probably peaked around the time of the first Rocklahoma.

Slow march to the graveyard since then.... that's life.

[cowpins]

, and the dieshards would get their annual fix on the MORC or M3.

[ijwthstd]

As in attendance-wise? Or is there just a general apathy towards a genre that is 35 + years past it’s heyday?

Attended a a Warrant/Lita Ford show last night and the venue which seats 2000 people was maybe 40% full. While both bands sounded decent for the most part, there just seemed to be a malaise with the crowd and their reactions to the bands.

Are you seeing this in your market?

That would almost always constitute a decent draw for that lineup even during the revival.

Lita Ford was a one hit (solo) wonder and Jani Lane is dead and everybody knows it. They were lucky to draw that.

That said, as mentioned, a lot of people are aging out and don't have quite the same multigenerational draw as McCartney, Stones, Eagles etc (and even most Stones shows weren't 100% sold out)

[kingbrian74]

I'm going to see Vain on Friday up in Massachusetts. I'm expecting a pretty thin crowd...but who knows. I've never seen them live, so a bucket list band for me. Not many of those left.

Overall though, crowds are shrinking, and I think that has led many bands to stop touring in my area. But I still go when it's a lineup I want to see. Won't have too many more years of these bands coming around.

And I wonder if everyone knows Jani is dead. Years ago (but many years after Jani passed), I was at an M3 and was behind a group of ladies that kept screaming "we love you, Jani" throughout the show. At first I thought maybe they were doing it to be funny....but as the show continued, it was clear they were actually cheering for Jani. I looked at my friends and said, "do we tell them?" but the consensus was that, in their minds, they were seeing a much different (and better) show than we were seeing, so it was better to let them enjoy the show as much as they were.

Maybe now they know....and maybe they were the last to know.

[HottKarl777]

Fucking duh.

[pieceofme]

I'm going to see Vain on Friday up in Massachusetts. I'm expecting a pretty thin crowd...but who knows. I've never seen them live, so a bucket list band for me. Not many of those left.

Overall though, crowds are shrinking, and I think that has led many bands to stop touring in my area. But I still go when it's a lineup I want to see. Won't have too many more years of these bands coming around.

And I wonder if everyone knows Jani is dead. Years ago (but many years after Jani passed), I was at an M3 and was behind a group of ladies that kept screaming "we love you, Jani" throughout the show. At first I thought maybe they were doing it to be funny....but as the show continued, it was clear they were actually cheering for Jani. I looked at my friends and said, "do we tell them?" but the consensus was that, in their minds, they were seeing a much different (and better) show than we were seeing, so it was better to let them enjoy the show as much as they were.

Maybe now they know....and maybe they were the last to know.

Most people don't know/give a shit who is in the band for these type of acts. Pretty funny that they are cheering for a dead guy though

[Tyketto Meniketti]

Seems the good bands that do package tours do all right: LA Guns, FPC, and Tom Keifer apparently did very well.

Warrant is good, but with Lita Ford, not capable of filling that kind of venue. Warrant with LAG and Keifer, sure. Or, Warrant with Night Ranger, etc.

[greengoblinrulz]

if it was 40% full, thats 800 people which isnt bad for a ND casino 40 miles outside a city
If they drew 800 in Bismarck itself, that would be solid

[Velvis]

Sort of related... A friend of mine who was always been into the heavier death and thrash metal bands back in the day, have been going to shows recently. I have found that these heavier bands attract a way younger audience than the hair metal bands.
Over the last year or so I have seen KISS, Metallica, Bret Michaels all of which was primarily people 45+ years old.

My friend brought me to Death to All (a tribute to Death) by former members of the band over the years. Not exaggerating, I would say the average age was late 20s. Way more young people than old dudes.

Last week we saw Testament, Kreator, and Possesed and there were a LOT of teens through 20 year olds. Just a wide range of ages.

Obviously the cost of KISS and Metallica are going to price out young people to some extent, but I have been really surprised how many young people are showing up at the heavier shows.

[Velvis]

Sort of related... A friend of mine who was always been into the heavier death and thrash metal bands back in the day, have been going to shows recently. I have found that these heavier bands attract a way younger audience than the hair metal bands.
Over the last year or so I have seen KISS, Metallica, Bret Michaels all of which was primarily people 45+ years old.

My friend brought me to Death to All (a tribute to Death) by former members of the band over the years. Not exaggerating, I would say the average age was late 20s. Way more young people than old dudes.

Last week we saw Testament, Kreator, and Possesed and there were a LOT of teens through 20 year olds. Just a wide range of ages.

Obviously the cost of KISS and Metallica are going to price out young people to some extent, but I have been really surprised how many young people are showing up at the heavier shows.

[MetalSludgeCEO]

The U.S. market for 80's or Hair Metal shows, is definitely different than in South America, or Europe.

I have played more shows in Foreign countries in the last 20 years than in the U.S., or... it's very close to equal and the fan bases is DEF younger abroad!

I can testify, that there is a MUCH younger audience for these shows outside the U.S., than there is here in the states.

I would bet, that more than 50% of those attending, maybe 70%, are in the 30-35 range and a huge number of those are in their 20's and late teens.

Music events in general, are also attended much better outside the U.S. as well, such is the case with events like Wacken in Germany selling 80,000 tix almost instantly when announced.

Wacken 2025 is Sold Out, 85,000 tix gone, and the event is 9 months away! https://www.wacken.com/en/news-details/ ... -sold-out/

Also, this past summer's Sweden Rock, Sold Out many of their categories of tickets by Dec. 2023, a full 6 months in advance. Almost 100,000 people over 3 days.

$tEvil

[Tommy2Tone84]

Seems the good bands that do package tours do all right: LA Guns, FPC, and Tom Keifer apparently did very well.

Warrant is good, but with Lita Ford, not capable of filling that kind of venue. Warrant with LAG and Keifer, sure. Or, Warrant with Night Ranger, etc.

I saw Lita by herself recently and she was close to sold out, if not sold out.

Most of the Sludge type shows I’ve seen in the last few years have been well attended or sold out.

Night Ranger (by themselves), Def Leppard, Poison, KISS, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Great White, Slaughter, Lita Ford, Sammy Hagar, Ratt.

[Tommy2Tone84]

The U.S. market for 80's or Hair Metal shows, is definitely different than in South America, or Europe.

I have played more shows in Foreign countries in the last 20 years than in the U.S., or... it's very close to equal and the fan bases is DEF younger abroad!

I can testify, that there is a MUCH younger audience for these shows outside the U.S., than there is here in the states.

I would bet, that more than 50% of those attending, maybe 70%, are in the 30-35 range and a huge number of those are in their 20's and late teens.

Music events in general, are also attended much better outside the U.S. as well, such is the case with events like Wacken in Germany selling 80,000 tix almost instantly when announced.

Wacken 2025 is Sold Out, 85,000 tix gone, and the event is 9 months away! https://www.wacken.com/en/news-details/ ... -sold-out/

Also, this past summer's Sweden Rock, Sold Out many of their categories of tickets by Dec. 2023, a full 6 months in advance. Almost 100,000 people over 3 days.

$tEvil

The US market always has been the weakest market compared to the European, Asian and Latin countries.

[GoodJudge]

Sort of related... A friend of mine who was always been into the heavier death and thrash metal bands back in the day, have been going to shows recently. I have found that these heavier bands attract a way younger audience than the hair metal bands.
Over the last year or so I have seen KISS, Metallica, Bret Michaels all of which was primarily people 45+ years old.

My friend brought me to Death to All (a tribute to Death) by former members of the band over the years. Not exaggerating, I would say the average age was late 20s. Way more young people than old dudes.

Last week we saw Testament, Kreator, and Possesed and there were a LOT of teens through 20 year olds. Just a wide range of ages.

Obviously the cost of KISS and Metallica are going to price out young people to some extent, but I have been really surprised how many young people are showing up at the heavier shows.

I mainly see that type of band. The average crowd is aging too but there is a reasonable proportion of younger men and a few times I've even been "the old guy at the back". Also there are noticeably far more women than there used to be. Maybe 10/15%, though seemed higher at Arch Enemy / In Flames 10 days ago, but BITD you could count them on your fingers.

As someone said, wisely, on here a while back about the decline of metal in general, there isn't much of a middle ground any more. The legacy acts are still selling at the same level they've been for a few decades (whether Maiden, JBJ, Skid Row, LA Spoons) but since Nirvana and Nu Metal virtually all the new bands have been on the heavier side (Foos being the obvious exception) so the younger crowd don't really know anything else.

[ElectrickMagick]

Def Leppard just got done heading a tour of stadiums, Guns N Roses can do the same anytime they want. Motley still does good numbers, and BonJovi can do good numbers too if they ever tour again.

Bands that were big back in the day that still have a lot of original members are doing just fine. Lita was not a HUGE success and as has been said, everyone knows Jani is dead. Hair metal is doing just fine in the USA.

[Van Ailin']

As in attendance-wise? Or is there just a general apathy towards a genre that is 35 + years past it’s heyday?

Attended a a Warrant/Lita Ford show last night and the venue which seats 2000 people was maybe 40% full. While both bands sounded decent for the most part, there just seemed to be a malaise with the crowd and their reactions to the bands.

In part because neither was a strong act even in the heyday.

[LAglamrocker]

Michael Monroe -Fasterpussycat-Odin should do show in parkinglot in 2025..week before Wrestlemania- i would go

Nonstop hair metal shows all year long every year- I’m good

Have Enuff Z Nuff- Mr WhiteLion- Lita Ford- Bang Tango-Bach all before Santa big day

Just had Vince /Bret- Motley Crue -Winger-Gilby Clarke on a beach-Heavens Edge-Tuff- Def Leppard stadiums

Eddie Vedder life still going strong Thanks

[aznsquirt]

As much as I love laglamrocker's parking lot reports, I'm waiting for the laglamrocker European Tour Trip Report.

It needs to happen.

[LAglamrocker]

Why would I ever want to go to Europe? The Europe Festival is now in Sacramento! No need for that 7 -14 Germany thing now…they all come see me at Aftershock
Aftershock in best park in the world.. in a forest surrounded by river and bridge walks daily-now 5 stages and 4 days of HEAVEN…four or five generations of music all days long..BEST

1st day before Aftershock!
Getting near hotel- idea comes up let’s go to Hardrock Hotel Cafe in Sacramento!..sure why not. Place called Wheaton? Place middle of nowhere but turns out it was absolutely 10 in FUN!
Great things to see! SLASH guitar-hat on display! Awesome painting everywhere almost life size ..dude from Greenday- Garth Brooks -Metallica singer and others. Tons cool stuff on display like Huey Lewis shades behind glass case!
Food was massive 10..had classic cheeseburger onion rings and milk

Day 1ish
Woke up- had hotel breakfast- more milk OJ breakfast bread- some oatmeal. Went back for more sleep- got up put on Stryper shirt for Slayer day 1
Had lunch at Chipotle (chicken burrito)
Parked new Sacramento River..walked along it peace and quiet. Walked across bridge to venue(amazing)
Got VIP weekend wristband..bummed I missed Orgy

Venue has 5 stages
2 freeway stages at entrance (best!!!) bands play under the freeway!!
2 huge stages maybe 1/4 mile away. With another big stage at the end of them..so that’s 5 I think

Saw some of Filter in VIP area..big stage lots of forest trees- shade- awesome view
Saw most of Cypress Hill-
Had make choice Bio Hazard reunion or Ministry
Went with Bio- can see Ministry anytime-ended hearing NWO
and Just One Fix walking around
Bio was awesome..nice freeway stage view
Walked back for for Main Event Till Lindermann!’
Sex show coming! Suns still out around 6pm biggest stage. Forest trees surrounding stage! Mr Rammstein comes out..band has hot chicks playing! They all look like topless maids…feels like home
Show filled with 100’s of pussy on film! Sex acts going on! FUN…all the hits Golden Shower! Fish On! and others!!!
That dude gets life and is true ICON!
Static X was on at this time ..oh well!
Walked around saw awesome things..place got dark time for Pantera experience! vs ICP on another stage!
Pantera had biggest crowd of day 1… probably should have seen 1/2 ICP then Pantera ! Stages only maybe 200
yards apart..oh well
Pantera was cool filled with memories of first 3 tours in Fresno…those Pantera songs from first 2 CDs just so awesome!!
Started walk over to see Slayer headline..got distracted from nice park bench near stage 100 yards from stage..sat for the show..saw band -fire- and scab members ..that was good enough

Walked back over the bridge near the river ..quiet and peaceful.. only 3 days left


** no hair bands yet..maybe dying?

[exitflagger]

Hair metal (& adjacent) music has no chance of making a comeback or even maintaining any interest overall because unfortunately the target audience more than ever is keyed into the worst, most cringey aspects of this kind of music. Do they want to spotlight genuinely kick-ass examples of it (ex.: Love/Hate, Badlands, Lillian Axe, Spread Eagle, etc) or do they just want to beat all the old groaners into the ground? (Every Rose, Cherry Pie, Pour Some Sugar, Love Of a Lifetime, etc.)

Yeah, it's the latter. Will the last fat, over-tatted old groupie out of the tiny venue please turn off the lights?

[CanadianMetal]

It does not help that so many of the hair metal shows are in licensed places with a minimum age limits .

So even if the under 21/19/18 youths wanted to go , they just can’t.


I go to concerts every month , and so many times my kids want to see the bands as well but I can’t take them as they are not old enough.

While they do get to see KISS , Metallica etc who mostly play all ages shows and are just as old as the hair bands but have way more young fans.

[eddie lee roth]

Why would I ever want to go to Europe? The Europe Festival is now in Sacramento! No need for that 7 -14 Germany thing now…they all come see me at Aftershock
Aftershock in best park in the world.. in a forest surrounded by river and bridge walks daily-now 5 stages and 4 days of HEAVEN…four or five generations of music all days long..BEST

1st day before Aftershock!
Getting near hotel- idea comes up let’s go to Hardrock Hotel Cafe in Sacramento!..sure why not. Place called Wheaton? Place middle of nowhere but turns out it was absolutely 10 in FUN!
Great things to see! SLASH guitar-hat on display! Awesome painting everywhere almost life size ..dude from Greenday- Garth Brooks -Metallica singer and others. Tons cool stuff on display like Huey Lewis shades behind glass case!
Food was massive 10..had classic cheeseburger onion rings and milk

Day 1ish
Woke up- had hotel breakfast- more milk OJ breakfast bread- some oatmeal. Went back for more sleep- got up put on Stryper shirt for Slayer day 1
Had lunch at Chipotle (chicken burrito)
Parked new Sacramento River..walked along it peace and quiet. Walked across bridge to venue(amazing)
Got VIP weekend wristband..bummed I missed Orgy

Venue has 5 stages
2 freeway stages at entrance (best!!!) bands play under the freeway!!
2 huge stages maybe 1/4 mile away. With another big stage at the end of them..so that’s 5 I think

Saw some of Filter in VIP area..big stage lots of forest trees- shade- awesome view
Saw most of Cypress Hill-
Had make choice Bio Hazard reunion or Ministry
Went with Bio- can see Ministry anytime-ended hearing NWO
and Just One Fix walking around
Bio was awesome..nice freeway stage view
Walked back for for Main Event Till Lindermann!’
Sex show coming! Suns still out around 6pm biggest stage. Forest trees surrounding stage! Mr Rammstein comes out..band has hot chicks playing! They all look like topless maids…feels like home
Show filled with 100’s of pussy on film! Sex acts going on! FUN…all the hits Golden Shower! Fish On! and others!!!
That dude gets life and is true ICON!
Static X was on at this time ..oh well!
Walked around saw awesome things..place got dark time for Pantera experience! vs ICP on another stage!
Pantera had biggest crowd of day 1… probably should have seen 1/2 ICP then Pantera ! Stages only maybe 200
yards apart..oh well
Pantera was cool filled with memories of first 3 tours in Fresno…those Pantera songs from first 2 CDs just so awesome!!
Started walk over to see Slayer headline..got distracted from nice park bench near stage 100 yards from stage..sat for the show..saw band -fire- and scab members ..that was good enough

Walked back over the bridge near the river ..quiet and peaceful.. only 3 days left


** no hair bands yet..maybe dying?

We just got a 24hr gas station open up down the road.

[Not Jack Bulter]

WASP is scheduled to play in early November in Denver. It's barely 1/3 sold at this point. I assume it's going to be canceled.

[pieceofme]

WASP is scheduled to play in early November in Denver. It's barely 1/3 sold at this point. I assume it's going to be canceled.

They are playing Vancouver as well and are playing the 1st album in full.

I saw them over 15 years ago and it was a good show. Do I want to tarnish that memory. Probably not. As good as the first album is.

[ijwthstd]

WASP is scheduled to play in early November in Denver. It's barely 1/3 sold at this point. I assume it's going to be canceled.

Nah. Ticketing fees, VIP, merch cuts, stuff like this is still big on alcohol sales, bonus if they own their own lot. It will still be do good for everyone all around and WASP gets their minimum guarantee. They have shows every night too so it's not like a one off venue rental.

If Live Nation booked the whole tour and not individual deals they just let it ride and the big shows balance out the little ones.

[Not Jack Bulter]

WASP is scheduled to play in early November in Denver. It's barely 1/3 sold at this point. I assume it's going to be canceled.

Nah. Ticketing fees, VIP, merch cuts, stuff like this is still big on alcohol sales, bonus if they own their own lot. It will still be do good for everyone all around and WASP gets their minimum guarantee. They have shows every night too so it's not like a one off venue rental.

If Live Nation booked the whole tour and not individual deals they just let it ride and the big shows balance out the little ones.

Well, promoters have already bumped the start time from 7p to 8p. I'm assuming that's because polls close at 7p on Election Day. If they're hoping to drive sales with that, they're sadly mistaken. Colorado primarily votes by mail.

[Spongie]

Close. Hair metal band members are slowly dying out.