Rock and Roll

[ycartrob]

Timmy brought up an interesting topic on the Birmingham show thread:
 Twightzzz I hope you and your wild and "Drunk Ass" friends don't ruin the enjoyment for other MMJ fans around you.I like to have a good time and do like to drink but I try to be respectful to people who came to enjoy the majestic qualities that make up a MMJ show.I'v been to shows were  drunken people have talked and yelled through some of Jim's quiet acoustic tunes,which can ruin the whole ambience of his great songs.Have a great time but please have respect for the band and their fans without destracting from the show on stage.

Now, here I am, 41 years old, and going to my 5th and 6th MMJ shows in Birmingham and Athens (yes, a road trip!). Plus, I quit drinking and smoking about 15 years ago (I gave it the All-American effort, it just didn't work out). I was at the Exit In show 2 years ago when the drunk guy halted the show and started up a conversation with Jim during the middle of his acoustic set, I was lifted off the ground by a huge, friendly, drunk guy during OBH at the second Headliners show in Sept. 03, I was high fiving and pushing on the drunk guys from Arkansas at the Exit In show last June and I bounced around a bunch of dead beats with their hands in their pockets at the Knoxville show at Blue Cats on my 40th birthday.
My point?
Well, I have been that drunk guy at the show (ANY concert I saw between 1980 and 1989), and I have been around that drunk guy at the show and I have been around people who were sticks in the mud at the show. Not once, have I thought to myself, "Gee wiz, I hope people aren't loud and/or drunk at the show tonight". It is rock and roll folks, ROCK AND %#@*ing ROLL! WITHOUT the drunk guy, rock and roll would have died a long time ago, it comes with the territory.
Now, do I wish the drunk guy behind me didn't sing EVERY word to Hopefully, in my ear, during Jim's acoustic set? Well yes, but my panties remain unwaded (or diaper ;))
I saw The Who in San Francisco about 5 years ago, and after a blistering version of Goin Mobile, Pete walked to the edge of the stage and called out a guy on the front row (it was at Shoreline Amphitheater) and said, "You gonna just SIT there in your 100 dollar seat or are you gonna stand up with the rest of us. This ain't no $#@*ing Kenny G show man..."
That's all.
Rock hard at the shows guys and thanks to MMJ for providing part of the soundtrack of my 4th decade.

[antoniostrohs]

ycartrob,I have to agree mostly with Timmy said.I also was at that show in Nashville.And for me that drunk guy totally ruined Jim's acoustic set.As I remember Jim was a  little upset about it.It almost started a fight in the crowd with people trying to get him to shut up.To me it was a magical evening when just about everyone there was quiet and you could just about hear a pin drop.It was very distracting to me and to most of the crowd around us.I don't go to shows to just hang out and get wild with my freinds.I usually go because of the love of the music.Socializing is great in between songs and sets.I am 45yrs old and as Mr.Conaway and others here can testify, I'm no stick in the mud either and my wife and I are usually always down in front of the stage right in front or near Jim and we are dancin' and singin' .People are entitled to enjoy the show anyway they want as long as don't infringe on my enjoyment or anyone else's.Just because people don't jump up and down at shows and act crazy doesn't mean they're not enjoying the show.Some of my friends are some of the biggest fans but don't venture down front and stiil have fun.I think all Timmy was just trying to say was to have  all the fun you want but don't ruin it for others.You know and I know that some people go to shows just to say they were there and stay at the bar and talk all night and never even listen to the band. God bless you because you are more tolerant of drunks than me.Many of us can attest to how some drunking frat boys and girls have made other concerts a little less enjoyable. To me thats not Rock and Roll .You are right that does come with the territory,but doesn't make it right.I was also at the Headliners shows and too many others to count and most MMJ fans are some of the best behaved and most loyal fans in the world..That's just my opinion.

[EC]

I'm also gonna agree with antoniostrohs and timmy...  There is drunken fun, and there is beligerent idiocy.  The fuckers who yell at the singers during quiet moments DO in fact ruin the show.  For everyone.  For us, who have to have our moments of reverie blown, and most especially for the band.  It sucks to have your throughline chopped up, and it especially sucks if you're doing a quiet, solo acoustic set, where you're trying to connect to the crowd, and you're pretty vulnerable up there all by yourself (and you're probably tired, and hoping that everything sounds okay), and some guy is yelling at you, or just yelling through your set.  And it's hard to tell the drunk guy to shut the fuck up, because the drunk guy is in one of those crappy kind of "you wanna fuck with me?" moods and won't listen anyways.

Warning to drunk belligerent guys at upcoming shows:  Don't make me pull out my paddle!!  ;)

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

Warning to drunk belligerent guys at upcoming shows:  Don't make me pull out my paddle!!

oh behave!  ;)



Seriously though, now that I have your attention...

Here's the thing, and anyone here over 30 can attest to this.  Back in the day, there were two kinds of concerts:

1.  The Big Exploding 10 Million Watt Stadium/Arena Show
2.  The Outside Venue

Nowadays, we've got several kinds of venues/shows going on.  Other than Joni Mitchell, Neil Young or some other folkies, I don't recall anyone back in the day playing "quiet" sets.  

BUT, when someone did, the audience was respectful and usually kept their drunken pieholes quiet.  It's that respect that is dwindling (and I don't just mean at concerts).

On the other side of the coin, people SHOULD enjoy themselves at shows, as long as they aren't infringing on someone elses good time.

The MMJ tent is big enough for everyone, of all walks of life and persuasions.  But let's keep it clean, folks.  Shouting "rock and fucking roll" at Jim during an acoustic number is the equivalent of yelling "look at me!  i'm so great!"  what's the term...egoism?  where you just don't give a shat about anyone except your own good time?  if nothing else, for the love of God, maybe try to think you're distracting Jim from playing.  why would ANYONE want that?

just my two cents.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

oh, and antoniostrohs and mrsantoniostrohs rock it like a hurricane, I can attest to that for sure.

[ycartrob]

wow. I guess times have changed. I remember at the Day of Rock and Roll at the Louisiana Superdome in 1980, seeing Boston, Van Halen, Heart, Blue Oyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, and Nazareth, (all for $10) having an entire beer spilled ON MY HEAD, slipping on a puddle of vomit, having a guy behind me yell JOURNEY ROCKS for 45 minutes (they weren't playing anywhere near there), losing our car, FINDING our car, and never once did I think the show was ruined. In fact, the only time I thought any part of a show was ruined was when I blacked out after the 2nd song of the ZZ Top DEGUELLO tour or when I saw Robert Hunter here in Nashville at the Belcourt. He comes out with gray, long hair, sandals, and a couch, and a couple of kids up front start yelling their favorite Dead songs for him to play. He played Scarlet Begonias, then walked up to the kids and said, "You got your song, now quiet down". It wasn't at a B A R, it was at a theater.
My point?
I like to hear my own voice...AND, I hear all you guys loud and clear, talking about the loud drunks, but don't let it ruin the show for you man. Show them some love or do what I do, put your arm around them and point at Jim on stage. They may keep yelling, but that worked for me once.
Hopefully see you guys in Birmingham or Athens. I'll be the guy with the ear to ear smile on, not letting anything, remotely, possibly, ruin the show; unless MMJ doesn't play. Then if that happens, it's on!
Here's hoping they play I Needed It Most and it moves everyone in their own way.  ;D

And Conway, you'll always be the man on this board, but listen to Rust Rever Sleeps during Neil Young's opening acoustic set, and you hear all sorts of comments, laughter, and screams (as with ANY live recording, unless it's LIVE AT LEEDS, and then Kieth Moon is the one hogging the back ground!) I really think we have become more intolerant as a society.
OK, love to all you Jacket fans and thanks for keeping an open mind! Here's to Jim's acoustic sets being so quiet you could hear a pin drop!

[antoniostrohs]

"Here's to Jim's acoustic sets being so quiet you could hear a pin drop!" ycartrob

I enjoy your sarcasm.But to me that was an amazing moment when everybody thoughts and emotions were transfixed on Jim and all were in complete awe.But to me or any artist performing,being quiet and not yelling during quiet moments of some sets just shows a little respect.I'm sure if you ask any of the artsist you mentioned,that most would prefer to have a little more subdude reactions during certain parts of their sets.You must be very tolerant indeed if you can have someone spill beer on your head,fall in vomit and have someone screaming in your ear and call that a good time.I wish I could be more like that.
Party on dude.

[ycartrob]

antonio, no sarcasm what so ever. I love jim's voice and I love it when it's quiet. Again, no sarcasm at all.

[Chills]

Oh yeah, it's great when it's quiet during the quiet songs.
I don't agree at all it's intolerant to be annoyed by loud comments during the quiet songs... There's a time to relax and a time to totally freakin' rock out!

However that Day of Rock n Roll seemed fitting for obnoxious drunk behavior!