Public concerts in 'churches' ?

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 05:43 PM

Bob, you're probably not the only person to feel that way, but maybe you should ask yourself why you feel that way. (And I'm most assuredly NOT asking you.) I'm an atheist, but I love churches. I think they're some of humanity's greatest works, and they're usually acoustically brilliant.

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 05:24 PM

And if the performance turns out to be boring, you can always read the hymnal.

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: GUEST,SteveG
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 05:21 PM

Also an atheist.
Also love churches of all types and persuasions.
Some of the greatest concerts I've been to have been in large churches like Beverley Minster.

Bob,
It sure looks as if you are the only person. You didn't tell us what your problem is. Have you a phobia?

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: ranger1
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 05:00 PM

Bob, some of the best concerts I've been to have been held in churches. The acoustics can be absolutely amazing. As long as no one is attempting to indoctrinate you, I'd say it's safe.

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 04:57 PM

Virtually all public spaces are disappearing fast - community halls and pubs willing to host sessions/singarounds are vanishing the fastest. So what else is there?

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: Crowhugger
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 04:37 PM

I thought this topic seemed very familiar. A closely related thread can be found here.

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: frogprince
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 04:28 PM

In my experience, concerts with any religious connection which are held in churches are generally plainly identifiable as such. With one exception, the best "coffeehouse" concerts I know of in our area are held in church buildings, and unless religiousity creeps out of the walls and infects you, there is no exposure to it involved whatsoever.

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 04:05 PM

In my neck of the woods one of the best live music venues is the Sacred Trinity Church in Salford. The vicar is a big music fan and happy to let local promoters use the church as a venue. It's ideal for folk and roots gigs - the acoustics are wonderful, the building is beautiful and it's big enough to hold a reasonable crowd yet small enough to be intimate. There is even a small bar with bottles of decent ale for sale at reasonable prices! I've seen, amongst others, Charlie Parr, Alasdair Roberts and Cath and Phil Tyler playing there. It's also one of the venues for Salford's Festival of the Other City.

I'm an atheist - I only attend churches under sufferance for the odd christening, wedding or funeral. But... they are often lovely buildings and they often stand empty for large parts of the week. It seems a shame not to use them in this way. Just because the building is a church, it doesn't necessarily mean those hiring it out or performing will be using the concert as an opportunity to evangelise...

I've also recently seen gigs at Manchester Cathedral (the Unthanks) and St Clements in Chorlton (part of the local arts festival). I think it helps to remember they are just buildings, and often lovely ones at that. They don't bite ;-)

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 03:58 PM

I'm not religious in the slightest but I LOVE churches very dearly; I've played, worked, told stories and performed / watched concerts in them for years. In an increasingly secular society it's good to see them being put to good use...

Subject: RE: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 03:57 PM

Get your drift, but I would usually go (if I wanted to go to such a concert) if the PA was not the church's rig and there was a bar!

Subject: Public concerts in 'churches' ?
From: Deckman
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 03:48 PM

I'm noticing an increasing trend toward holding public concerts in "churches." It is VERY DIFFICULT for me to enter a "church." I'm pondering whether to attend a local concert as I just now learned it's being held in a "church."

Am I the only person on the face of this planet to feel this way? bob(deckman)nelson