have to get this off my chest

[darkglow]

ok this might get long.. and i'm just gonna rant a little bit here on my soap box..

let me just start out by saying the shows the band put on in Tuscaloosa and Alpharetta were un-fucking-real.. the song lists and the way those songs were played together were a masterfully executed story to me.. thanks to the band and all my friends new and old, who made a great weekend even better.

but some things i saw this weekend troubled me, deeply.

About halfway through Neko's set in ATL.. I decided to take a walk up and grab an empty seat near the top because the sound seemed to carry across the ceiling and out over the lawn very well.. i think that was the intention behind the design of the pavillion over the GA pit.. I got around 4 hours of sleep last night so it was awesome to kind of take a load off and take the atmosphere all in from 2 shows in the deep south on a weekend of good weather in August. I stayed on the rail the entire show in Tuscaloosa.. so i just wanted to look at things from a different perspective.

I was up front near the center of the pit for the first 6 songs from MMJ but had to take a much needed break for the restroom.. and as i was walking back down from the top of the pavillion.. i took a seat in one of the many empty reserved seats because it looked damn near impossible to get back through the sea of people.. i just enjoyed the view of the whole place and the sound and catching glimpses of people rocking out in the foreground.

when they started playing the really heavy and deep jam of dondante i remember that throughout the song i went from sitting in a seat to standing in a crowd of people 100 yards closer to the stage.. the song was building and it seemed like a gravitating type of experience for me..

it seemed like the GA area of the venue last night was a very disorienting experience.. alot of rude and obnoxious people..

i don't normally criticize how people behave in public until it interferes with other peoples' experiences.. but i distinctly remember looking at all the people in the pit and observing that during the don dante jam, about 80% of the pit was pre-occupied with something other than the music..

They were getting their picture taken with their best Joe Cool pose.. or engaged in a 10 person conversation about nothing.. or even the always awesome hand full of glow sticks thrown in a line drive fashion directly over their heads and hitting folks in the face. i remember noticing that alot of people had turned their backs on the band and were acting all crazy and laughing about dumb shit or saying something rude and/or obnoxious..

it made it all the more easy for me to notice that 20% who were rocking out and how much trouble those others were causing.. now I know I've been known to badly sing along to the lyrics.. or yell out a "holy shit".... or jump around and/or grind on bystanders.. mostly I might even exchange high fives and thoughtless expressions of emotion with my friends around me.. but i think for the most part.. i like to be around people who are respectful of other people in that they are sharing a tight space.. seemed like most of the people down there had no interest in what was going on as far as the show goes.. like they were caught up in this sense of self-importance and how crazy they could act or how cool it was that they were there for such an "epic" show and how they need to tweet something to their twitter about the show

to the dad who kept re-assuringly patting his son on the back after he'd frequently turn around and see what this group of crazy people was doing behind him.. to the (at least) 10 or so people who's view was blocked 100% by a moron waving a homemade flag he'd made and brought just for the show.. i'm sorry

in tuscaloosa the guy next to me on the rail was so out of his mind fucked up that he was asking me to tap the video tech busy with the video camera on the shoulder and ask him to go get him a bottle of water..

this is the same guy who jumped the rail and with a strange, crazed look on his face, got on the stage to grab one of the setlists.. one of the MMJ roadies ran over to stop the guy.. and kind of stopped in his tracks and let the whole situation just happen.. but really, who wants to touch a man wearing those extremely tight spandex cycling shorts with tevas.. no shirt.. and puke all over his sweaty chest

there was no way i could have made it back up to where my friends were in the pit, so I ended up walking up to the grass lawn and just laying in the grass and rocking out by myself.. the people up there seemed to be more into the show and werent distracting in the least bit.. holy shit I can't believe they played Cobra in the encore.

i'm now convinced that MMJ shows have evolved to be only enjoyable in the pit if you can manage to stay surrounded by decent, respectful human beings, and it's sad.

i realize this may make me sound critical or judgmental to some people, but i think it would be less than honorable to not speak out against people who are very obviously acting like jackasses in public and screwing with the vibe..

i wish there were a "blue coat crew" kinda like during the grateful dead's prime touring days.. who were basically just fans who volunteered to play security.. only they didn't run around threatening people by shining a flashlight in their eyes or carrying a nightstick.. they just talked some common sense into some people who needed it or carried people out who were giving people a hard time.. "maintainers of peace" i guess you could call them

i feel like MMJ as a band have worked very hard to create a unique kind of experience and very many people are missing the very point intended.. and it's sad

sorry for the long rant.. i just thought about this on the 5 hour drive home from ATL.. maybe i'm just grumpy from lack of sleep and all that driving this weekend..

[slappymoe]

to summarize:

the world is full of idiots.  it's damn near impossible to avoid them.

[Fully]

I completely agree with you. I had to deal with several douchebags (I rarely ever use that term, but it applied to the wasted Tuscaloosa frat boys) and I just wondered, "Why the hell would you spend money to go to a concert that you obviously care nothing about remembering or allowing other people to enjoy?"

[the_wizzard]

Sorry to hear about your crowd experience, DG. I do believe what you describe is a bunch of drunks. And unfortunately, they are at every show. In the immortal words of Slick Rick:
"Hey kid, walk straight, master your high"

[kydiddle]

Sorry to hear about that. It's very frustrating when you have those kind of people at a show, when there's so much love and appreciation that comes from the group on this forum. You should read the Merriweather thread about the crap that went on there.

[el_chode]

It's funny how much this echos the Phish threads just before the hiatus and now - a bunch of kids who are there for the "check-in" if you will, and not for the music.

By and large, this is part of why I like You Wanna Freak Out. Granted, that song was mainly about the "too-cool" crowd, but the point still holds - some people are just there to collect the badge, say they were there at that particular time and place, and not actually do the "work" that's required to really have the badge of losing your head at a show, then have the balls to criticize the band for doing too much of this or not enough of that.

Aside from my back injuries, this is another reason why I don't like going up front as much anymore. Too many people either ruining other people's time by not giving a shit, or others who care too much (the ones who tell people they can't stand here, don't stand because I want to sit, etc).

[Jon T.]

I saw them play at the Tabernacle in 06 and it was a pretty awesome crowd and I had a great time.  I saw them play Chastain Park in 2010 and it was easily my least favorite show.  A big reason was because of the crowd.  We decided after that show that we probably wouldn't be going back to ATL for a show.

[davymac]

I completely agree, most everyone around me in the pit were talking to each other /taking pictures ike it was a fraternity band party or some shit.  I hated to see the band get hit with glowsticks too.  I wish they would have just pulled a tenacious d move and make their heads explode.  They still killed it though

[BigHerm]

I was on the rail (Carl side) and didn't notice any of this, aside from the glow sticks... Then again on the rail it's pretty easy to block everything out. There was one obnoxiously drunk guy that kept yelling "CARL IS THE SHIIIIIIIIT" but he moved on quickly, probably next to you  ;D

Great show, set list left something to be desired... and then the encore happened. Awesome.

[La barba de Castro]

I was on the rail, dead center. Carl side seemed to be calm and respectful save for a few, while Jim side was just nuts.

I think one of the problems with the Alpharetta show was that they seemed to have over sold tickets to the pit. It was one of the most densely packed pits Ive ever been in and it only continued to get worse as the show progressed.

One thing that I personally have problems with at shows recently is the number of people taking pictures/videos the show instead of actually watching the show. Now, I get taking some pictures and a few videos here and there, but to sit there for about 70% of the show with a camera in your hand is ridiculous.

[Tracy 2112]

It's only going to get worse. As a society, we are losing respect for the people on stage b/c so many are being brainwashed into thinking they are part of the show; that when they go into public places, they are participating in "reality TV". That, and glowsticks.

trust me, it's only going to get worse...



and, you're getting old. I did my time on the rail and still do from time to time, but I don't like to put up with the nonsense as much as I used to.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

It's only going to get worse. As a society, we are losing respect for the people on stage b/c so many are being brainwashed into thinking they are part of the show; that when they go into public places, they are participating in "reality TV". That, and glowsticks.

trust me, it's only going to get worse...



and, you're getting old. I did my time on the rail and still do from time to time, but I don't like to put up with the nonsense as much as I used to.

Agreed.

[darkglow]

I do believe what you describe is a bunch of drunks.

i drank 3 LARGE beers before the show at a pub down the road from the place and about 3 or 4 throughout the night at the vzwireless ampitheater.. hell i drank all the way up onto about 9:30 when MMJ went on so I could have plenty of time to sober up for the drive back to FL..

i do not and probably will not ever accept "i was drunk" as an excuse for someone to make such ridiculous decisions..

i'm not saying it's not okay to act a little crazy when your drinking or whatever.. but i think that Tracy is right...

Welcome to the "Jersey Shore" era of American culture

[darkglow]

case in point...

at Hangout fest 2011 I remember taking a very warm tequila shooter and shortly after taking it the liquor did not take so well to my stomach and i made a sour face like i might throw up.. my friends Rob and Trish helped guide me up to an open space where I could upchuck if need be.. I wound up regaining my composure because of this gesture and was fine.. crisis diverted

[Ruckus]

case in point...

at Hangout fest 2011 I remember taking a very warm tequila shooter and shortly after taking it the liquor did not take so well to my stomach and i made a sour face like i might throw up.. my friends Rob and Trish helped guide me up to an open space where I could upchuck if need be.. I wound up regaining my composure because of this gesture and was fine.. crisis diverted

I remember that out of control drunk with the neon green shorts that peed on himself and then busted through the crowd to get to the rail ;D ;D ;D

[el_chode]

am i the only one who limits his beer intake as to avoid the possibility of hitting the bathroom during the most epic part of the show? because you know that's how it works. you gotta pee, and hten the best thing ever will happen the minute it's too late to pinch.

[Ruckus]

am i the only one who limits his beer intake as to avoid the possibility of hitting the bathroom during the most epic part of the show? because you know that's how it works. you gotta pee, and hten the best thing ever will happen the minute it's too late to pinch.

Same formula for me.  No beer, just liquor.  Go once before the show and I'm good to go.  Works 90% of the time.

[Tracy 2112]

am i the only one who limits his beer intake as to avoid the possibility of hitting the bathroom during the most epic part of the show? because you know that's how it works. you gotta pee, and hten the best thing ever will happen the minute it's too late to pinch.

[celi]

Amen. Also near the Carl side, on the rail for Alpharetta. What an amazing show - probably one of their best that I've seen. But for crying out loud, I used to get annoyed by the frat segment that basically just took up space and spent more time talking to their "brah" on the phone, but I learned to let it go... deep breathing... in with the good and out with the bad. BUT when these douches start pelting the band with glow sticks... one, it should never happen at all, but 2, during Dondante? Are you freaking kidding me? I was out of my mind livid. Still can't believe it.
Plus, these idiots are changing. Can't be older than 20... they're like little drunk babies, and they could care less about watching the show. In fact this twit behind me had her back turned most of the time. I really hate sounding like that old lady down the street that yells at the kids when the put a foot on her yard, but for fuck's sake, who raises these little morons? And yes, it simply IS just like getting a badge for them. They have no interest in this band. Pfft.
How I miss the days of 40 Watt shows and Blue Cats...

Bigherm, I also heard the "Carl is the shit" guy! Didn't he also ask to marry him? :)

[celi]

am i the only one who limits his beer intake as to avoid the possibility of hitting the bathroom during the most epic part of the show? because you know that's how it works. you gotta pee, and hten the best thing ever will happen the minute it's too late to pinch.

No. I totally do this too. Plus, my rocking out is seriously restricted with a cup in my hand.