Seat location in dt concerts

[seoulgoreschool]

I am going to see dt's recent concert in sweden
This is my first time actually seeing their concert
I was wondering how is the sound in the first front rows?
I want to seem them as close as possible but i am afraid the first row has bad sounds
which i experienced in few small concerts.
Have anyone watched them in front row? and how was the sound? Should I go in the middle?
Where is the best sound location??

[geeeemo]

I have been to 3 concerts. 2 right up at the stage and 1 in the front row of the balcony. The balcony was waaay louder. I was at the other 2 concerts after that and frankly missed how loud it was. Idk if different venues make a difference though.

[Chino]

Front row of the balcony is my favorite seat in pretty much any venue.

[cramx3]

Every venue is different so one person's experience is not likely to be the same as yours.

I was in the first row about 4 months ago for one of the Astonishing shows in NJ.  The sound was great. 

[El Barto]

Yeah, it really depends on the venue. I've had a front row seat where the stage fill speakers were awful, but that was the exception. It sounded terrible and made my head hurt. I've had a front row seats for plenty of shows where the stage fill was perfectly blended and the shows sounded great. As a rule, I tend to be more concerned about being in the center. I wouldn't turn down a front row seat, just for the unique experience, but generally speaking the best sound will usually be about 5 rows back and dead center.

[NicoAlonso]

Second row center in Milan. You won't regret neither the sound nor the experience. Don't hesitate, firsts rows are the best.

[Setlist Scotty]

Yeah, it really depends on the venue.

Agreed.

From my personal experience, it all depends on the venue's set up. I remember going to shows at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, CT and was able to hear everything perfectly because they had speakers positioned right at the front of the stage for those who were in the first few rows. OTOH, I remember being in the first row at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, and all I could really hear was JP's guitar and a bit of MP's drums acoustically because there were absolutely no speakers at the edge of the stage. So it really does depend on each venue.

If you don't know in advance what set up the venue has, it's probably better to go with seats a little further back if the sound is more important to you than being up front. I'd be perfectly happy with getting seats within the first 10 rows on the aisle in line with the tower stacks of speakers they hang from the ceiling. The sound might not be perfectly centered, but DT rarely does stuff where something is panned to one side or the other, so in the live environment, you'd never notice it.

[bobs23]

Based on many years of experience, for the best sound, within 10 to 12 seats of the centerline of the venue and no closer than halfway between FOH and the stage. It also works pretty well for a stage view, as you are close enough to see the performers well and far enough back to see the whole stage.

[El Barto]

Well the problem with sitting further back is that sometimes a band has shitty sound no matter where you sit. I wouldn't turn away 3rd row seats on the assumption that 12th row would sound better. It might not. And to add to that, there's a level of engagement that you get from being within the first 3 or 4 rows that you don't get further back. There's a point pretty close to the stage where you go from feeling like you're part of it to simply watching it. That, to me at least, is worth a potential trade-off in sound quality.

[cramx3]

Well the problem with sitting further back is that sometimes a band has shitty sound no matter where you sit. I wouldn't turn away 3rd row seats on the assumption that 12th row would sound better. It might not. And to add to that, there's a level of engagement that you get from being within the first 3 or 4 rows that you don't get further back. There's a point pretty close to the stage where you go from feeling like you're part of it to simply watching it. That, to me at least, is worth a potential trade-off in sound quality.

Totally agreed, especially if we are talking the same price of the first row vs the 10th.

[bobs23]

Well the problem with sitting further back is that sometimes a band has shitty sound no matter where you sit. I wouldn't turn away 3rd row seats on the assumption that 12th row would sound better. It might not. And to add to that, there's a level of engagement that you get from being within the first 3 or 4 rows that you don't get further back. There's a point pretty close to the stage where you go from feeling like you're part of it to simply watching it. That, to me at least, is worth a potential trade-off in sound quality.

Well, my choice of seats doesn't fall in line with most concert goers. You are correct, when you're in the first few rows no matter how big the venue it's an intimate experience.

[cramx3]

Well the problem with sitting further back is that sometimes a band has shitty sound no matter where you sit. I wouldn't turn away 3rd row seats on the assumption that 12th row would sound better. It might not. And to add to that, there's a level of engagement that you get from being within the first 3 or 4 rows that you don't get further back. There's a point pretty close to the stage where you go from feeling like you're part of it to simply watching it. That, to me at least, is worth a potential trade-off in sound quality.

Well, my choice of seats doesn't fall in line with most concert goers. You are correct, when you're in the first few rows no matter how big the venue it's an intimate experience.

I only sat in the front row once for any concert ever, it was for DT playing TA last fall.  I honestly felt like they were playing for me, and me alone, in my living room.  It was very intimate.  And being the only one that rocked out, I got a JP handshake at the end.  There is some truth to the intimacy of the front row.