just reading some of the reports from the recent germany show i saw people saying the sound was pretty bad in the stadium. over the years i have seen many shows in many different venues at varrying distances from the stage.
heres a few questions for you folks

1) although being close to the stage gives you a great view, do you not find that the sound is often the worst up close and in the front row?

2) depending on the stadium or arena's acoustics, do you find that sitting off to the side is often better for sound?

3) what do you do to reconcile the money you've spent when you go to a show and things sounds terrible.

(side note, i have seen 4 bands at the molson amphitheatre in toronto, pearl jam, the guess who, aeorsmith and the tragically hip) now granted i have never been up super close for any of them. but i left every single one of them wanting my money back, the molson amphitheatre has the thinest, most distorted garble of a sound acoustics on the planet. never go there. great venue as far as seating and set up goes with a huge lawn general area at the back, but terrible sound).

4) what are the best venues you have been to as far as sound goes?
me:
air canada center in toronto (if you are sitting off to the side)

massey hall in toronto (where the new neil young dvd came from, clearest sound in the world)

ottawa civic center, unbelievable clarity in the acoustics for such a big place

The problem I have with front row has nothing to do with sound (though sometimes it's hard to hear the vocals because you can actually find yourself behind the PA). It's that, whatever band I'm seeing, it spoils them for me. Next time they come around, I figure I've already had the ultimate experience and that even if I can get third or fifth row I'm going to feel like I'm too far away!

all the above questions are yet another argument in favour of GA -
if the sound sucks where you are, having the option to move is beautiful.

i was right up front at Milano last year (a venue with a nearly-total roof,
and the stage set into it sideways like at Frankfurt) and most of the show was basically inaudible from there.
that's not the only time i've been right up front, but it's the only time i've ever experienced dismal sound at a Stones show,
so it clearly depends totally on the venue + the sound guys doing their jobs right.

reading about Frankfurt has reinforced my impression that the sideways stage setup
changes the acoustics in ways that the sound guys need to get a lot better grasp of/control over.
last time i said that people were saying no it wouldn't, but ... i'm stubborn.
acoustics aren't something i pretend to know about, but i can't see why a long tall expanse of empty seats
right behind the stage *wouldn't* make a noticeable difference that needs to be taken into account.

I think the best sound is somewhere in front of the mixing desk standing inline with dead center of the stage, which is a long way back from FOS.

If the floor is seated then for good sound and overall view of the stage be as close to the centre runway as you can be in rows 10 to 25.

Even knowing this I would still pick to be in the centre blocks 1st 5 rows anyday.

Ive been front row and as far back as about 30 rows. The first several rows is the only place to be in my opinion....it makes for a totally awesome experience.