If I could get everybody's attention real quick, I have something to say. BOYCOTT BB KINGS @ UNIVERSAL CITY!! I don't know how the other ones are but the one in CityWalk in LA is awful. I just did a set for a battle of the bands and even though I played acoustic I got a decent reaction from the audience. I did a pretty sweet set and the people enjoyed it. I was so proud of my performance that I purchased a copy to take home, I was planning on including it in my press kit. The original price was $300 but since I was a solo artist I talked them down to $150.
I got around to watching it today and was just blown away at how bad the quality was. The picture was hazy, the angles were very poorly shot, and the editing was just patchy. Worst part of all is the sound was terrible. I had to crank the volume up high in order to hear my guitar. They also took out the audience from the final mix so it sounds like I'm playing to an empty house. Include that with the angles that shot only the first two tables in the very front (which were empty) and it also looks like I'm playing infront of nobody. I fast fowarded thru the dvd, all on one track, and noticed I only played for 20 minutes. I remember them cutting me off half way thru my set, but i thought I had somehow played a 30 min set already, it seemed pretty quick. I was scratching my head wondering why they cut me off so soon and realized that the dvd was in two parts, the second part being my official 20 minute performance, the first part was my sound check. They counted my sound check against me, and even better they recorded the sound check and included it in the dvd! I don't know who thinks that a soundcheck is part of a set list, if there's anyone out there that does and works for a club needs to be fired.
I also failed to mention that I paid $30 for 2 cheese burger combos and $13 for a chicken salad (that me and my fiance split, I didn't eat everything by myself). So not only did I get screwed over on my set I got ripped off on my food. They didn't even give me a free beer! I had free drinks but only water and soft drinks. WTF?!?!
So lets recap shall we. They cut off my set, counted my sound check against me, sold me a low quality dvd, served me over priced/over cooked food, and I didn't even get a free beer (at least a Bud Light come on!).
And what do you think happened when I called back? That's right, a whole lotta nothing. I complained to the video guy about my dvd and he had the manager call me (the guy that also booked me). The manager calls me back, his name is Trevor by the way, and tells me that all he can do is offer me any day I want to come in (without selling pre-sale) play my set over and they'd re-shoot it with the quality and professionalism they promised me when I first played. I'm sorry, but when it comes to the Entertaiment Business you don't get many do overs. Somethings you can let slide, but when a club fucks you over this much the best thing to do is spread the word and make sure they don't get returned visits. They're telling me that they probably won't return my money so my only option is taking the time slot. Uh uh, that's not how I roll. If they don't give me my refund I will take this to the press. I've heard that BB Kings isn't the greatest but I found out first hand how shitty this place really is.
If they don't return my money for the dvd, which is all I want, I will gather other musicians who have had the same problems with this club and take it to the press and give them plenty of bad publicity. I know I'm not the only one who's been mistreated by these guys. So if you've been fucked over by BB Kings send me a messege to my profile and let me know your story. We could probably do some real damage to these guys if we get enough support. Because this is just robbery, I was robbed plain and simple.
I got around to watching it today and was just blown away at how bad the quality was. The picture was hazy, the angles were very poorly shot, and the editing was just patchy. Worst part of all is the sound was terrible. I had to crank the volume up high in order to hear my guitar. They also took out the audience from the final mix so it sounds like I'm playing to an empty house. Include that with the angles that shot only the first two tables in the very front (which were empty) and it also looks like I'm playing infront of nobody. I fast fowarded thru the dvd, all on one track, and noticed I only played for 20 minutes. I remember them cutting me off half way thru my set, but i thought I had somehow played a 30 min set already, it seemed pretty quick. I was scratching my head wondering why they cut me off so soon and realized that the dvd was in two parts, the second part being my official 20 minute performance, the first part was my sound check. They counted my sound check against me, and even better they recorded the sound check and included it in the dvd! I don't know who thinks that a soundcheck is part of a set list, if there's anyone out there that does and works for a club needs to be fired.
I also failed to mention that I paid $30 for 2 cheese burger combos and $13 for a chicken salad (that me and my fiance split, I didn't eat everything by myself). So not only did I get screwed over on my set I got ripped off on my food. They didn't even give me a free beer! I had free drinks but only water and soft drinks. WTF?!?!
So lets recap shall we. They cut off my set, counted my sound check against me, sold me a low quality dvd, served me over priced/over cooked food, and I didn't even get a free beer (at least a Bud Light come on!).
And what do you think happened when I called back? That's right, a whole lotta nothing. I complained to the video guy about my dvd and he had the manager call me (the guy that also booked me). The manager calls me back, his name is Trevor by the way, and tells me that all he can do is offer me any day I want to come in (without selling pre-sale) play my set over and they'd re-shoot it with the quality and professionalism they promised me when I first played. I'm sorry, but when it comes to the Entertaiment Business you don't get many do overs. Somethings you can let slide, but when a club fucks you over this much the best thing to do is spread the word and make sure they don't get returned visits. They're telling me that they probably won't return my money so my only option is taking the time slot. Uh uh, that's not how I roll. If they don't give me my refund I will take this to the press. I've heard that BB Kings isn't the greatest but I found out first hand how shitty this place really is.
If they don't return my money for the dvd, which is all I want, I will gather other musicians who have had the same problems with this club and take it to the press and give them plenty of bad publicity. I know I'm not the only one who's been mistreated by these guys. So if you've been fucked over by BB Kings send me a messege to my profile and let me know your story. We could probably do some real damage to these guys if we get enough support. Because this is just robbery, I was robbed plain and simple.
davehidden:
I never played there, but in my years of touring and hearing things, they are about as bad as the House of Blues chain. A bunch of dicks mostly. So, I may not have had a personal experience there, but have had some like it, and would love to stand by and support your cause. Fuck those guys!