I did a show tonight at a place that shall remain nameless to protect the guilty. Tonight, there were 5 fundraisers in the building. The show started off well enough. The crowd was relatively attentive and seemed to listen. The opener went up and did okay for about 5 minutes. After that, the crowd just started talking. At one point it got so bad that the opener said to a table of women "if you guys don't shut up, I am going to come over there and take a shit in your mouth." Classy. Needless to say, the rest of his set was a bit of a struggle.
The host goes up and does what he does and then brings me up. From the second I got on stage, people were texting, and chatting. People who were listening were laughing but as more people started chatting and texting, it became more and more of a struggle. Again, people who were listening were enjoying the show, but I feel bad for them. They came to a show and didn't get as good a show as they could have because of the insensitive fucktards who were disrupting the show.
Here's a tip - if you want to chat and text, stay the fuck home. I would rather perform for 50 people who are interested in the show than 100 where half the crowd would apparently rather be anywhere but the show. And when you talk and text, you risk screwing up the entire show for everyone. So I guess what I'm saying is shut the hell up or I'll send them opener over to "take a shit in your mouth."
Dave,
ReplyDeleteI wonder where that place could be? ...it says alot about the place when it DOES NOT post signs up at the entrance saying..NO cellphone calls/texting/talking while the show is being recorded. Maybe the host of the place should have some casongas/stop the show and say something..OR better still reinforce the protocol before the opener goes up, and before the headliner comes up. I've opened & middled at the place in front of a full room and IT IS HELL! The headliners on those nights did 25 and got the hell off..no sense in fighting the crowd....I & many others agree whole heartedly that doing a non fundraiser gig @ that place is better...30 to 60 quality and attentive people is better than 100,200, or 300 inattentive boors.
Cheers
C J