So I recently saw a rant on Facebook about gigs running on time so that people can get home without missing the headliner because Vancouver Skytrain times are still archaically on day people schedules ... Now there are a few things that will always fuck up the smooth gig concept...
For the attendee complainers freaking that the gig runs late and even suggesting that we start earlier... Here are a couple of problems with that...
Most attendees don't even bother to show up until 10:30-11 PM! Now I always try to have gigs wrapped up by 1 AM but there are a couple of types of bands that fuck shit up.... We have the opening band delayers.... Either they load in really fucking late or mysteriously have a missing member or piece of gear at 9:30 start time.... We also have the shoddy gear band that show up malfunctioning and expect John the sound guy to solve their problems which leads into the gear borrowers ... Or the “Oops, we don't have a setlist ready”... Got a pen/paper is their last minute time delay tactic...
10:20 PM rolls around.... Band two of four should have half their gear loaded on stage but... Now we have more delays as band one is still packing their shit off the stage piece by piece or still fucking playing an extended set.... Seriously, you are the openers.... Thirty minutes max needs to be your creed in those lineup positions...
Another concept that was brought up was gear sharing.... Now I'm all about that but there are certain musicians that need their own gear because it is a trademark of their sound ... When it comes to drummers sometimes the kit will be a wrong fit ... So backline the cabs, yes, but heads /snares/cymbals all have to be swapped.... Yes, it is a bit of a time and space saver but not much ... It all still has to be line checked anyhow...
Now having been a promoter / venue honcho / begrudging stage manager.... I get it.... Nothing is perfect.... Even having a set time list holds zero guarantees...
Now if venue attendance is really down because someone has to miss a bit of some band and uses that as an excuse then there are other things at play ... Lamenting about the good ol' days is also a moot point as you do realize that Stadium Skytrain is almost as close as Main St. Station was to the Cobes.... These same gig problems have existed since the first amp was plugged in I'm sure....
Blaming the venue/promoter/sound guy for the ever evolving musicians bag of tricks is preposterous ... Until the bands work together seamlessly every show and trounce rockstarism and bad gear loading habits nothing will change...
Most gigs run on time and we are done by 1 a.m.... Sometimes if it's a Crust show we're done by 12:30 AM as that is the landscape of 20 min set bands.... The clusterfuck gig does occur occasionally...
So now that we've resolved Funkys sightline issues, ironically here I am arguing yet another aspect of the live music show ... It's a wonder why most venues convert to the simple activity of having DJs... Having to deal with the constant whining, and be defending either the venue layout / staff / gig timing does get tiring ... And yes, you still need I.D. to be in a bar.... Sigh...
Just wanted to give a shout out to all the heathens with the metal drinking horns!!
- wendythirteen
