Out of Order
Having played a fair amount of shows out-of-town, I've come to group bands using an overly simplistic, yet not entirely unuseful, taxonomy. This ingenious system describes itself in my head in the following brilliant terms: some bands "get it"; some bands don't.
The specific "it" (which I will henceforth cease to place within quotation marks, because they're annoying me already) in-question is hard to define, but basically it means band courtesy and reciprocity. Simply put, the way you treat bands from out-of-town, and the way you expect to be treated when you're the out-of-town band.
To be sure, I'm talking about shows with no obvious headliner—shows where you might have two local bands of comparable notoriety and draw, and an out-of-town band with perhaps less local draw but comparable notoriety in its hometown. So, smaller shows and house parties.
With the line-up mentioned above, the proper arrangement would be
Yet, many bands don't seem to get this, whining incessantly about getting stuck playing first or last {I'm looking at you specific band in Richmond}.
Well, fuck a buncha noise. That's how it works best for everyone. Also: you get to sleep on my couch, and I'll even cook you breakfast. If you're nice to me.
[/soapbox]
The specific "it" (which I will henceforth cease to place within quotation marks, because they're annoying me already) in-question is hard to define, but basically it means band courtesy and reciprocity. Simply put, the way you treat bands from out-of-town, and the way you expect to be treated when you're the out-of-town band.
To be sure, I'm talking about shows with no obvious headliner—shows where you might have two local bands of comparable notoriety and draw, and an out-of-town band with perhaps less local draw but comparable notoriety in its hometown. So, smaller shows and house parties.
With the line-up mentioned above, the proper arrangement would be
- Local Band #1
- Out-of-Town Band
- Local Band #2
Yet, many bands don't seem to get this, whining incessantly about getting stuck playing first or last {I'm looking at you specific band in Richmond}.
Well, fuck a buncha noise. That's how it works best for everyone. Also: you get to sleep on my couch, and I'll even cook you breakfast. If you're nice to me.
[/soapbox]
posted by Stanley at 00:05
7 Comments:
Where do you play in Richmond?
Just admit it. The real point of this post is that you always want the sweet spot. I bet you hog the bed, too. I'ma ask Eek.
Eek?
FYI:
My family is fixing up an old cattle auction in Amherst for concerts and festivals. What kind of music do you play?
I poked through your flickr photos and saw the Garlic Festival stuff. We were there the last two years. We'll be back this coming year again.
What about when the venue is in Bushwick and the two bands come from Nebraska (was it?) and Charlottesburg? This is where your quaint little method leaves us high and dry, and groping for some solace.
("If you're nice to me" s/b "If you hand out my Ron Paul literature from your merchandise table".)
Will! Check your e-mail. Also: mmm, garlic festival. Eek (the S.O.) and I will likely head back this year. Maybe we can have the first unfogged meetup-in-a-field.
TMK: You raise a good point. I can resolve the whole Ron-Paul issue by putting the materials on other bands' tables. A most diplomatic solution.
bphd, you are right on. Gentle coaxing, tender rocking back and forth, and finally ELBOWS! because my beloved simply will not move over sometimes. But I swear those are love elbows, similar to the head-butting.
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