Why small venues are music to my ears

Aberdeen Music Hall, which opened in 1852, has a long and eclectic history. In the 1860s, Charles Dickens twice appeared to read passages from David Copperfield and The Pickwick Papers. During the First World War, a Lloyd George speech ended in near riot.

More recent, but only slightly less raucous occasions, have featured Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Mick Ronson, Elton John, Runrig, Big Country and many others. All enhanced by the intimacy of the setting, the capacity being a mere 1200.

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The Capitol Theatre, with under 2000 seats, was another local venue that provided the same sense of engagement with the proceedings. Unsurprisingly, acts such as Tina Turner and The Rolling Stones sold out in no time. Status Quo introduced me to the Capitol’s “bouncing balcony” during their 1984 End of the Road (I know, I know) tour.

Around the same time, Ray Davies of the Kinks claimed they could be playing stadiums but much preferred the buzz of “smaller halls” like the Capitol. Ray was never one to hide his light under a bushel, but I could understand where he was coming from.

Aberdeen wasn’t unique. Every city had its smaller venues that featured big names and not just those looking to break into the big time. Youngsters will roll their eyes at my assertion that was the golden age of live performance.

Bob Dylan for example, apparently still regards his 2004 Barrowlands concert, when he sang along with the audience, as one of his best. Much more memorable than the previous evening at the much larger SECC. He’d clearly forgotten, in the wake of going electric in 1966, his less than rapturous receptions at the smaller Edinburgh ABC and Glasgow Odeon.

Since then, live performances have massively scaled up. Sure, I understand the reasons. Staging live performance is hugely expensive. Arenas and stadia, with capacities for tens of thousands, also provide many more fans with the opportunity to see their rock heroes in live action.

I get all that, but, nevertheless, something has been lost. I have several times watched film of AC/DC’s 2009 Buenos Aires’ concerts when, over three nights, they played to around 200,000 people. The excitement generated is undeniable, but I couldn’t help wondering what those perched in the furthest stands got out of it.

I’ve given it a whirl myself. I joined 65,000 others crowding into Hyde Park for Bob Dylan and Neil Young. The great man wasn’t at the top of his game, but it was a pleasant enough experience. The glorious weather helped; goodness knows what it would have been like had it been tipping down.

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Yet, I couldn’t help thinking how soulless and detached it was compared to a previous occasion in a smaller venue in Aberdeen when Dylan actually looked as if he was enjoying himself. Despite shelling out a small fortune for the Hyde Park tickets, we could well have been in a different postcode from the stage. Most of those present were reliant on video screens for a sense of what was happening in the middle distance.

The sound was passable, but we could have had a similar experience by remaining in the beer garden at Marble Arch. Queuing was mandatory for everything: entry, drinks, food, and toilets. An expedition to the toilets took as long as Speke’s quest for the source of the Nile.

Although I’ve long wished to see Bruce Springsteen live, I’ve been put off by ticket prices, especially on rip-off resale sites. The main problem though is the size of venues, like Murrayfield and Hampden. They suck out any sense of engagement with the performers. To be fair to Springsteen, his 2016/17 one-man show, Springsteen on Broadway, played for 236 nights to audiences of under a thousand. It’s a pity more don’t follow his example.

That would really hit the right note.