Robben Ford Discussion

[elizabeth]

I am not a violent person...never have been...but sometimes I fantasize about ringing the necks of all the people who TALK while musicians are playing. SHHHHHUT THE HELL UPPPPPP!

Whew! I feel much mo' bettah now that I got that off my chest!
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[JohnnyZ]

Elizabeth,

I share your same frustration. I've come to the realiztion that, no matter when, there will always be people talking when you're trying to listen. So what I've begun to do is, instead of getting all worked up, I try to block the idiots out and concentrate more on the music. I found that this works quite well, and I'm less stressed and enjoying it more. And, if the morons choose to talk, well, it's their loss!

~JZ~
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[jconstant]

Elizabeth, I could not agree with you more!!

It amazes me how people can a) be so rude and 2) want to talk when they paid money to come see a peformance that you would think they want to pay attention to.

Get this - I saw B.B. King a couple of months ago and a woman in a wheelchair wheeled herself up to the stage IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOW and was pestering B.B. to sign something for her. He gave her a look like, "Hey, lady, come on. I'm doing a show here. Give me a break." I was speechless.

[elizabeth]

Thank you, you guys. I was worried about sounding like a fire-breathing b#%$^, but this really makes me crazy. I just want to hear Robben (and Gregg) or whomever is performing. Is it me, or do we need to put out a book on etiquette in the new millenium, that covers things like CELL PHONES (don't get me started,) talking, and drinking more than one can handle???

Hey, maybe I could be the next Emily Post; what do you think?

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[StratCat]

I actually noticed this last time Robben was here - esp during 'It don't make sense' (and it doesn't!!!). Why people would pay good money to go and see a good gig and then stay up the back and talk with their mates at the tops of their voices is beyond me.

I have a worse problem though...

Singers that consistently carry on conversations with each other during solos. Also at the top of their voices.



So I usually take to playing a solo while they are singing shortly afterwards. That usually gets the point across.

What Robben and others need is a pink noise generator at their feet. Give that a blast for a few seconds at full volume through the PA. Then follow up with 'oh... I'm sorry... DID I INTERRUPT YOUR CONVERSATION???"



Chris
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[Daved]

[Bb]

I sense there is a cultural difference here. In Japan you are unlikely to see people talking when musician is performing.

a. Ethic wise, it is regarded as very rude to do so. b. Respect for the artist. c. You paid a good money to come to listen for a real professional artist's performance not to chat with your partner which you could do anytime.

Or maybe we are so homogenizely cultured that we share the same feeling without having to voice it out each time. But it is interesting to know how people react differently.

[jconstant]

[Bill Morgan]

[AndyR]

Jconstant wrote:

[Aeolian]

A few years ago some friends who are not heavilly into music said they were going up to Pearls, a small jazz club in SF's north beach. I hadn't thought they were into this but it was a nice excuse to drive up and hear some great music. We ordered dinner and about halfway through eating it, the group started playing. These folks, and many others in the club, kept chatting away as if they were at a dinner party and someone had left the stereo on. I tried to politely mention to the people close to me that we ought to keep it down, and felt myself sinking in my chair out of embarassment. I was so relived when during the break, the owner of the club got on the mike and explained about respect for the musicians and courtesy. Amazing that it was necessary but it did make in impression and the second set was much better.

The first show I saw Jimmy Earl play with Robben in Palo Alto, some clown was yelling from the audience, especially about the "bass player" (most folks expected Roscoe as Tom was there and this was during the BlueLine era). When Jimmy took a solo, you could see that he was concentrating and felt a bit out of place (even though he's a great player in his own right). The buffoon in the audience kept it up and Robben walked to the front of the stage in that direction, held out his hands in a pleading gesture and yelled "shut the f**k up!". He immediately got this contrite look on his face and said something about it being Jimmy's first night and he was trying hard, but the audience was cheering and that was the last we heard from the clown. Daved has pointed out how things going this far can really ruin a performers evening, and ruin it for everyone else. But I think the crowd's reaction made Robben feel better and the moment was gone in an instant and they played their hearts out the rest of the night. It was otherwise a great night. The opening band was Wedemeyer's trio and it was great to see all these musicial friends supporting each other, sitting on the side of the stage during each other's sets. The energy level was up, and once the clown was silenced, the music ruled.

Every show at Yoshi's begins with the announcer reminding the audience about no recording, flash photography, and their standard line about setting "all pagers and cell phones to 'stun'". Maybe it's necessary as the guy at Pearls did, and you see at the beginning of every movie at a theatre, to remind folks about respect for the music and allowing the rest of the audience to enjoy the show. Ushers at a classical music event will come and ask noisy participants to keep quiet or escort them out. Respect for a popular musician doesn't necessarily mean being quiet, but it does mean paying attention and reacting with the appropriate feedback to the musicians efforts.

The cheering and applause is supposed to acknowledge the performer, not call attention to oneself.
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[JohnnyZ]

[BlueRunner]

I must go to all of the wrong places. I keep missing all of this rude behavior. Seem as if nearly all of the clubs and other venues I've been to recently were full of people who were respectfully quiet during the music, and then got plenty noisy during breaks. Oh well.

As for the weirdo who got on Robben's case because Roscoe wasn't playing bass, it reminded me of a concert I went to in '72 or '73 in Portland. I'd bought tickets to see George Jones. About 20 minutes after the show was supposed to start the promoter came on stand and announced that Jones was "ill" (this was back in the days when he got "ill" a whole lot). He said that anyone who wanted their money back could head out to the ticket window, but if for anyone who wanted to stay, George had some "friends" who'd agreed to come over and play for us. About half the audience left and got their money. My date and I decided what the heck, and waited almost and hour and a half for the "friends." The "friends" turned out to be Merle Haggard and the Strangers, who were in town on an off night between concerts on a tour. I still remember it as one of the most amazing concerts I've ever attended.
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