1. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.

    Describing a rock concert-like night club

    Discussion in 'Setting Development' started by GingerCoffee, Jun 25, 2014.

    Or any music venue with a lot of flashing lights and loud music.

    I'm having a bit of difficulty just coming up with descriptive phrases.

    flashing lights
    laser lights - patterns
    the beat
    eerie/space noises

    It's coming across rather oversimplified. Anyone have any suggestions?
     
  2. Garball

    Garball Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2013
    Messages:
    2,827
    Likes Received:
    1,337
    Location:
    S'port, LA
    The concussion blasts reverberating through the chest cavity and hundreds of people either yelling "what" at one another, or pretending to hear what the other person actually said and laughing
     
    GingerCoffee likes this.
  3. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2012
    Messages:
    7,676
    Likes Received:
    3,056
    Location:
    Williamsburg, KY
    People spilling beer on you, the people that start a mosh pit, and the smell of Mary Jane in the air, are a few.
     
    GingerCoffee likes this.
  4. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.
    Oh that's a good start. I need more.
     
  5. Garball

    Garball Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2013
    Messages:
    2,827
    Likes Received:
    1,337
    Location:
    S'port, LA
    Trying to hold out cash at a four deep bar hoping one of the only two bartenders notices you
     
    GingerCoffee likes this.
  6. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2012
    Messages:
    7,676
    Likes Received:
    3,056
    Location:
    Williamsburg, KY
    The inevitable guy that tries to start a fight with everyone in the club.
     
    GingerCoffee likes this.
  7. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.
    "With a rebel yell she cried- "more, more, more"
    Billy Idol, Steve Stevens

    Haven't built up my own repertoire on this one at all yet.
     
  8. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2012
    Messages:
    7,676
    Likes Received:
    3,056
    Location:
    Williamsburg, KY

    To do it right you got to stick out your tongue and bob your head, maybe even give the devil horns sign with your hand.
     
  9. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.
    Devil horns hand signals, I can use that.
     
  10. T.Trian

    T.Trian Overly Pompous Bastard Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2013
    Messages:
    2,253
    Likes Received:
    1,470
    Location:
    Mushroom Land
    I think it depends a lot on what kind of a rock concert it is: are we in a high-end "fancy" club, crummy bar, a metal club, a club room etc? Is the band playing metal, punk, old-school rock, country-rock, jazz-rock, or something else? Is the band a signed famous one, a signed but unknown up-and-comer, a seasoned but unknown avant gardge band, an unsigned, inexperienced "basement band"? Are they dazzling virtuosos with high-end gear (including massive sound systems, light shows, pyrotech, smoke machines, their own sound and light guys etc), serious amateurs, or beginners with crappy equipment that barely works?

    All of that affects the audience's experience significantly. I can give you some ideas as soon as I know a bit more about the setting since I've been to all kinds of gigs in all kinds of venues and I've performed... probably well over a hundred gigs by now, also covering several genres, different bands/orchestras, various kinds of venues and levels of professionalism, so I have some idea not only of what goes on in the audience, but also behind and on the stage. :)
     
    Catrin Lewis likes this.
  11. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.
    This is a high end bar on the top floor of a skyscraper, with virtual music playing in 3 D on the walls (artists change) and the patrons are mostly rich college kids.

    This is one kind of virtual music I envision.
     
  12. T.Trian

    T.Trian Overly Pompous Bastard Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2013
    Messages:
    2,253
    Likes Received:
    1,470
    Location:
    Mushroom Land
    So it's not live music. That changes the experience quite a bit, and since the artists change, I'm guessing the folks aren't there for the music, but to drink, party, and socialize?

    One thing that I always notice is something that was already mentioned, sort of, the chest-cavity -thing. However, the bass frequencies coming through the huge sound systems usually resonate in the entire body, especially in your spine (for whatever reason, a lot of people feel the resonating the strongest in their backs), so you can actually feel the low thuds of the low frequencies, the bass drum, the bass lines etc.

    Now, if one of the songs features the feedback of a bass amp (or a synth sound emulating that effect), that'll really get your skeleton buzzing. It almost feels like your spine is turned into a vibrator that shakes your entire body. I guess it's no wonder when a girl sits on a bass amp during band practice, thinking it a convenient alternative for a chair, she'll usually crack a huge grin as soon as the playing starts.

    If they have the strobe effect, it's often rigged to follow the music, i.e. the lights blink on and off (and change colors) to the beat of the music, intensifying the experience, but the effect is largely the same, i.e. it almost looks like people are moving in slowmotion.

    Those are the first music- and light-related things to pop into my mind in such a scenario. I'm more familiar with live music settings, but these are all things that apply to both, live and recorded music of all genres that have lots of low frequencies, be it metal or dubstep or some such.

    As for non-music-related things, since it's a high end club, there probably won't be the otherwise familiar smells of spilled beer, ganja smoke, or puke, and your nose is probably more likely to be assaulted by an overabundance of perfumes and bodysprays than stale sweat.

    I'd imagine throwing horns at a dance club really isn't all that common; it's more of a rock/metal club -thing. Likewise, the former is naturally going to have folks dancing (at least as soon as they're drunk enough) whereas rock clubs usually distribute the patrons between those who just hang out and talk and those (usually very drunk) few who end up moshing and headbanging to their favorite songs.

    Also, the music is usually so loud in dance clubs, you can't really talk, so talking usually consists of the bare essentials shouted into ears.

    Oh, and if you're a girl, as soon as you step on the dance floor, some douchebag materializes out of thin air and starts rubbing his crotch against your butt, whether you like it or not. And, again, if you're a girl, when you dance in a crowd or just wade through one, a hand or a few will reach out from between the gyrating bodies, cop a feel, and vanish as quickly as it appeared.

    You can usually also tell apart regular punters from fillers; the latter usually know how to dance, they're pretty much always eye candy, and draw the most attention from the guys, but they tend to ignore all attempts to approach them unless the guy is exceptionally good-looking or a celeb.
    Of course, not nearly all clubs have fillers and it's more common in some places than in others. For instance, you generally won't see them in Finland except perhaps on some special events in the most popular clubs, but if you go into any club in, say, Bulgaria or Gran Canaria, more often than not, you'll see them shaking their butts on the dance floor before anyone else has consumed enough liquid encouragement to ignore the embarrassment of their inferior dancing skills.

    And it's always fun trying to navigate your way from the bar counter to your table through a horde of bumping and grinding dancers without spilling your drink.

    That's about all that comes to mind right now. All this just reminds me how truly grateful I am that I don't have to prowl dance clubs anymore. :D
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice