Is this a concept that scares you?

Just imagine it, a stage, in a bar, set up strictly for the game.

Probably have a Karaoke set-up too!

Contests nightly!

Remember you heard it here first! ;-)

I've heard of it done but can't remember where.

I have heard of it too and also can't remember where.
If it's Rock Band-they won't need karaoke, too.

its coming. .....No doubt about it.

They'll have Rap bad soon enough with a fake turntable and mixer, then "Country" and so on .

It'll be a quick passing fad.

I mean how long did the mechanical bull last? 3, maybe 4 years tops?

They did a "Rock Band Night" at a local Scottish pub here in Modesto. They put up poster in all the local Starbucks, and I really wanted to go. But, by the time I saw the poster, the date had passed.

Sounds like fun to me!!

events.myspace.com/index.cfm?...

This already happens at Whippersnappers on Wednesday nights.

I've never been, but I saw the promo posters up at the club over the weekend.

I'm sure there's room for live bands as well as Guitar Hero. Guitar hero is going to attract a certain kind of audience, the same way Karaoke does.

I can't imagine that game staying around very long. It just isn't that exciting.

If a live band can't put on a better show than some idiot playing a plastic guitar with colored buttons, I think that band needs to do some soul searching.

Deb's Lakeview has a Guitar Hero night (new) on their website. If you have the GH at home, why would you go out to play it and have to pay extra for beers? It wont last long, its not entertainment, just something for the bored people to do on the slow/off nights that there isnt a band booked. : )
Live music should always come first! : )

You hit the nail on the head Rick:

"Everybody huddled around a widescreen TV, cheering on their friends to Rock Band is just fun.

But, everybody singing along, interacting with the band, and laughing with their friends with the band is just as fun."

Which one costs less in the long run?

The bottom line.

At the very least, can everyone agree that this has the potential to hurt the already difficult off night gig scene?

Guitar Hero, by definition, is more interactive than any good band could. or should be.

which one?

the Vacation home too!

Carl tell me what to agree with and I will do whatever that is

I think the message here is that bands suck and can't compete with a video game. We should all give it up. At least that's how I'm interpreting it.

come on now, its a legit comedic tool

it;s like when a guy tells a joke and then refers back to it right at the end of his act

and watch what you say about america's finest lager

but see, he takes a break from it for a while so you forget, then BANG its back-

and I only hijacked because CM said "can at least everyone agree" which was sort of hortatory and set up the punchline

get out your f*cking thesauruses motherf*ckers

see, I used the ellipsis again- it's a legitimate comedic tool damn you

Sure it's low cost. But honestly, if I learn that a club's big attraction is a video game, I'm going somewhere else to nurse my two beers.

"I think the message here is that bands suck and can't compete with a video game. We should all give it up. At least that's how I'm interpreting it."

I ran it through Babel FIsh and that's what I came up with too!

Oh well, I'll go work on my interactive chops, see ya round the woodshed.

"Sure it's low cost. But honestly, if I learn that a club's big attraction is a video game, I'm going somewhere else to nurse my two beers."

That's you (and me for that matter). But rest assured that there -is- a demographic that this kind of thing strongly appeals to.

i'm screwed with this game caus' i'm color blind. i hear what u are saying, carl. when the hell is it going to end???? what's going to be the next big thing??? i guess we have to be able to change and accept the new changes. or else!

It won't last.

Not when they have to start replacing the game and the guitar every couple of weeks cause some drunken idiot drops in on the floor, crimps the cable or spills a beer on the console.

Marc, you know someone will come up with an industrial version made for clubs that can take a beating.

Hey, they said the same thing about horses once automobiles appeared and the same thing about candles after the invention of electricity and look who's laughing now.

wait a sec..

Well, If you ask me (which nobody did but how can I resist)?

I honestly think the reverse will happen. First of all I've heard the complaint on many occasions that bands compete with the gameboy geeks that just rather stay home and play.

Now they have a reason to come out to the clubs. It's no doubt a huge population. I see it as priming the pump. It's only a matter of time when it's realized to all those involved that playing for real is way more challenging.

Would I be incorrect to say that karaoke actually spun off a tom of new bands because singers that started singing karaoke wanted to do the real thing afterwards in a real band.

I think the botom line is that the part of the population that is now not going outside of their living rooms will now start to.

In fact I wouldn't doubt it if you also start to see a surge in the open jams as a result of it.

You could, you're just not trying hard enough.

Juice, Your logic is spot on. I do think we will see a new breed of musicians out of this that was falling away (see my previous thread about this game and its effect on young people) but this new "fad" of game being played at clubs will most likely not spawn new breed of bands. It will however gets some people out togther to have some fun.

Well, one thing's for sure, Guitar Hero is creating a resurgence for some great classic rock songs. My 10 year old son is learning Slow Ride and Hit Me with your Best Shot on his REAL guitar becuase he heard the songs on Guitar Hero and loves them.

OH CRAP! just what we need...a bunch of new people learning instruments, forming new bands and creating more competition for gigs. How many ways can this thing screw us! GUITAR HERO is EVIL! It must be stopped!

You guys have completely turned me around on this one.

Just as "Risk" created more world domination oriented leaders, and "Operation" created more gifted surgeons, "Battleship" certainly led to our advanced Naval commanders, and my favorite game, "Hungry, Hungry Hippos" led to... well, I don't know.

But "Space Invaders" must have done something!

I'm now positive that Guitar Hero/Rock Band won't take any more nights away from musicians, it'll just make great future musicians like Karaoke has done wonders for the ranks of lead singers.

Space invaders created "Arcades" in the early 80's which created a place for kids to congregate and therefore share in their search mission for pot and beer. its created Punks, which then spaned the "Rehab Revolution" , which then caused the insurance industry to buckle, and Joan kennedy never did get sober.

Gloria Stivic: "Well, that's convoluted logic"

Archie Bunker: "Yes! And that's the kind of straight thinking I'm trying to put across here!"

Captain has a great point. I think for the club scene this is the new karaoke. Cheap investment for the club owner and it has both musical and comical entertainment values as well as it's interactive nature. For bands who play clubs I don't doubt they'll eventually feel the effect for years to come.

A conversation between a club owner and a band trying to get booked might go like this...

Band: Hi I'm calling about booking our band in your club. We have a great 5 piece band. Our minimum price is $500. Do you have any Friday or Saturday nights open in the next few months?

Club: Well Friday is Karaoke night and Saturday we have a house DJ.

Band: What about Thursdays?

Club owner: Thursday night is 50 cent drafts and sports on the big screen. My patrons don't like bands playing in the background.

Band: Wednesdays?

Club owner: That's our new Guitar Hero/Rock Band night. Winner takes home a $300 prize! House is packed every Wednesday. Matter of fact it's packed Thu, Fri and Sat too!

Band: (miffed) Do you still book any "real" bands at all?

Club owner: Well Sundays is acoustic music, Mnday night I have some guy doing a video acoustic thing so that leaves Tuesdays. I could put you in here on a Tuesday. Tough night no regular crowd. I could pay you $200.

Band: Never mind. I'll see you Wednesday. I've been meaning to try that guitar Hero thing anyway.

This will take care of it all:

news.yahoo.com/comics/uclickc...

maxx, thanks for the props!!!

Tuesday nights at the Pasta Loft in Milford, NH: Guitar Hero Competitions. Saw it on my way to work this morning and remembered this thread.