Live Shows
Are live bands becoming this petty? Or have they always been this way?
I went home to South Dakota this weekend for a quick little visit. Although I hate that place, it’s always nice to jump back for a short time and see what has developed since the last return home. Since a good majority of my family still lives there, it makes it for a faster visit than one would want in the first place. My time never seems to be more valuable than when I am in South Dakota!!
While I was home, I was in the Guitar Center that my brother manages and started talking to a few bands/musicians. It’s nice. I’m always in my element when talking to a musician. We typically are able to understand each other on one wave length or another.
As I was speaking with one of the employees of this particular GC, I asked him how his show was the night before. Having full knowledge that I’m a Minneapolis boy, and they played with a Minneapolis band as part of the bill (who happens to be good friends of mine as well), he proceeded to tell me all about how the evening went:
“It was good I guess….but we’re not exactly the same type of music as (_said band_)…so it made it diffucult. I’m not a big fan of their music either…so it wasn’t like any of the people that came out to see us were going to stick around for them anyway….besides…we only got 30 mins to play.”
I find a good amount of this entire part of the conversation to be quite unsettling. I’m a musician. I’ve played in a band for the better part of the past 10 years. I know how the scene rolls. I didn’t really let it sink in until I was at my brothers show (Roman Ships is the band name…check em out!) later that evening.
“They were complaining that they had to play first….”
This was the comment that started me thinking about the pretentious attitudes that most bands these days are grasping on to. The band that played second (and sadly enough was from Minneapolis also), made a last minute phone call demanding to play second because they were from out of town. Maybe I’m biased, but they should definitely NOT have played second. Or, perhaps I’m just quite tired of the stoner rock that has encompassed too many of the Frat houses around many university campuses. Who knows…but it’s always interesting to me to see how an out of town band interacts with the environment.
Instead of sitting back and being thrilled that they were playing outside of the typical Minneapolis area, they were complaining about their placement on the bill…but then getting to the show and complaining about how the first band was a bunch of whiners because they were opening the show (which there was never any whining about their placement on the bill).
It saddens me at how bands are these days. Who knows? Perhaps they’ve always been this way and I was blessed with the only 3 musicians in this world that didn’t care about how things were…they just wanted to play music.
I’m crossing my fingers for the day that musicians are able to unite, and play music for the reason that I feel every musician should be playing music in the first place: Because they want people to hear it and appreciate it.
Live music has become too much show boating, and not enough producing. And by producing, I mean actually being able to pull off the music being played…not just a production. Put your money where your mouth is and play your music. That’s what I’m here for.
I’m saddened by these statements. Instead of bringing a band from out of state to help with new fans…you tell your fans you’re opening the show and ONLY playing 30 mins…so feel free to take off after we play. Wow….you shouldn’t be in a band.
I’m off of my soap box. I’m going to leave this conversation at this….It just bums me out when I see bands acting like Divas instead of reaching out their hand to the musician standing right next to them.
