Some will annoy you
Or bore you
As they do
Just stop
Think
Calm
Walk
They try to make you take the poison
Try to get some kinda reaction
You don't need this situation
Ignore this irritation
Get your groove on!
The Wildhearts - "Get Your Groove On" (2003)
Well, I've had some bad nights out in my time but I think last night really has to rank as being among the worst. In a nutshell, the original plan was we (ie Primitive Promotions) were putting a gig on at the Vine in Leeds with two local punk bands and one guest band from Edinburgh headlining. All would've been fine except:
* One of the bands pulled out at the last minute (the second fucking time in a row this has happened to us!). Generous soul that I am I volunteered to do an acoustic set to pad the evening out.
* Unfortunately, two of the lads who I'm supposed to be forming this glam-metal band turned up. I was expecting just to talk to 'em rather than be playing but no big deal - they said "ah fair enough, we can see if yer any good or not then." The cheeky fuckers walked out halfway through my set (okay I admit I was a bit rusty due to lack of practice and some of the early songs I did pretty much sucked due to said lack of practice) but they could've at least waited until the end before telling me I wasn't what they were looking for (as it turns out, most of the people thought the last few songs I did were actually quite good). Suffice to say that's two people comprehensively off my MSN contacts list who I now want absolutely nothing further to do with and who have joined that small but elite band of people who come under "shitbags of the highest order" in my opinions book.
* We needed 28 people to break even on the night (and ensure this place let us do a gig again). We got a total of 11 paying customers. Two of whom left during my set (see above) and a further three of whom were subsequently kicked out for having a fight during the second band on. All of which, as I'm sure you can imagine, made for an atmosphere comparable with that of the moon. Or Darlington FC's home games.
* One of our mates got the shit kicked out of him by some scally fuckwits on the lookout for someone who wasn't wearing Burberry to beat up while stepping outside for a cig. Predictably as soon as they saw two more of us coming to the door to help him, the cowardly shitters did a runner. All of which left him slightly bruised but otherwise okay but his girlfriend in near-hysterics for obvious reasons. 
* And just to really top the evening off, the bouncer spent half the evening in the bookies meaning the two of us minding the door kept having to tell drunken townie numbskulls that no, they couldn't come in unless they wanted to pay three quid and yes, if you keep shouting threats at us and our girlfriends we will get the bouncer from the pub next door to come and twat you. Suffice to say at the end of the evening we ensured the pay packet we gave to the venue was 15 (the bouncer's fee) lighter than it should've been. As far as I'm concerned, he deserved it.
...but apart from that, it was a GREAT evening, honest!!
We have another gig to organise tomorrow night at the Fenton (a smaller venue in Leeds). This time we only need 17 paying customers, unlike at the other place the bar bill doesn't come into it and the venue is in a back room thus negating the need for a bouncer. And also the bands playing haven't yet pulled out (fingers crossed) and have promised to bring some friends/fans with them. So hopefully it can't be any worse...
At least some good news tonight - I've finally got the spyware that bloody DVD player (which didn't work incidentally) shunted onto my computer lifted meaning I can now go online again with everything running at more than half speed (the reason I've been a bit quiet the last few days). So I guess I've got some catching up to do tonight...
Ah well. Onwards and upwards. Later dudes and dudettes.
Yorkie
PS And as an afterthought, I'm gonna put an ad up on a couple of websites and try and get an Oi! band together - I think that's more my musical calling in life. Any lead guitarists, bass players and drummers in Leeds who like SLF, the Ruts, the Upstarts, the Rejects and the Business, you know who to call.
Or bore you
As they do
Just stop
Think
Calm
Walk
They try to make you take the poison
Try to get some kinda reaction
You don't need this situation
Ignore this irritation
Get your groove on!
The Wildhearts - "Get Your Groove On" (2003)
Well, I've had some bad nights out in my time but I think last night really has to rank as being among the worst. In a nutshell, the original plan was we (ie Primitive Promotions) were putting a gig on at the Vine in Leeds with two local punk bands and one guest band from Edinburgh headlining. All would've been fine except:
* One of the bands pulled out at the last minute (the second fucking time in a row this has happened to us!). Generous soul that I am I volunteered to do an acoustic set to pad the evening out.
* Unfortunately, two of the lads who I'm supposed to be forming this glam-metal band turned up. I was expecting just to talk to 'em rather than be playing but no big deal - they said "ah fair enough, we can see if yer any good or not then." The cheeky fuckers walked out halfway through my set (okay I admit I was a bit rusty due to lack of practice and some of the early songs I did pretty much sucked due to said lack of practice) but they could've at least waited until the end before telling me I wasn't what they were looking for (as it turns out, most of the people thought the last few songs I did were actually quite good). Suffice to say that's two people comprehensively off my MSN contacts list who I now want absolutely nothing further to do with and who have joined that small but elite band of people who come under "shitbags of the highest order" in my opinions book.
* We needed 28 people to break even on the night (and ensure this place let us do a gig again). We got a total of 11 paying customers. Two of whom left during my set (see above) and a further three of whom were subsequently kicked out for having a fight during the second band on. All of which, as I'm sure you can imagine, made for an atmosphere comparable with that of the moon. Or Darlington FC's home games.
* One of our mates got the shit kicked out of him by some scally fuckwits on the lookout for someone who wasn't wearing Burberry to beat up while stepping outside for a cig. Predictably as soon as they saw two more of us coming to the door to help him, the cowardly shitters did a runner.
All of which left him slightly bruised but otherwise okay but his girlfriend in near-hysterics for obvious reasons.
* And just to really top the evening off, the bouncer spent half the evening in the bookies meaning the two of us minding the door kept having to tell drunken townie numbskulls that no, they couldn't come in unless they wanted to pay three quid and yes, if you keep shouting threats at us and our girlfriends we will get the bouncer from the pub next door to come and twat you.
Suffice to say at the end of the evening we ensured the pay packet we gave to the venue was 15 (the bouncer's fee) lighter than it should've been. As far as I'm concerned, he deserved it.
...but apart from that, it was a GREAT evening, honest!!
We have another gig to organise tomorrow night at the Fenton (a smaller venue in Leeds). This time we only need 17 paying customers, unlike at the other place the bar bill doesn't come into it and the venue is in a back room thus negating the need for a bouncer. And also the bands playing haven't yet pulled out (fingers crossed) and have promised to bring some friends/fans with them. So hopefully it can't be any worse...
At least some good news tonight - I've finally got the spyware that bloody DVD player (which didn't work incidentally) shunted onto my computer lifted meaning I can now go online again with everything running at more than half speed (the reason I've been a bit quiet the last few days). So I guess I've got some catching up to do tonight...
Ah well. Onwards and upwards. Later dudes and dudettes.
Yorkie
PS And as an afterthought, I'm gonna put an ad up on a couple of websites and try and get an Oi! band together - I think that's more my musical calling in life. Any lead guitarists, bass players and drummers in Leeds who like SLF, the Ruts, the Upstarts, the Rejects and the Business, you know who to call.
VIEW 11 of 11 COMMENTS
Mate, I don't mean this in a horrible way, but that journal entry actually made me chuckle a tiny bit. I don't mean at your expense, it's just that you couldn't make some of that shit up!
You deserve full respect for doing all this stuff though. You really have a crack at the whole gig and promotions thing.