masterfrederick

Having gone to the firejam off and on over the last seven years, I have seen it deteriorate drastically into a total clusterfuck of unsafe and chaotic practices. When I first started going, there was an etiquette, a sense of order and respect. There was a line, and you held your place in it and it was respected. No one cut in front of you, they all waited their turn. It was also safer-- two or more safeties at all times, and no more than two performers per safety. Last night I went for the first time since (I think) November. From the moment Joseph and I arrived, it was apparent that there was nothing more than total entropy at work there. People just cut in front of one another, no general area for fueling, audience in the backstage areas, props were stepped on and tripped over, no one cared about anything but themselves and when they would be able to go out and show off again. Someone knocked over at least a gallon of fuel in a bucket. I got everyone in the vicinity to clear the area around the spill, but of course someone had to be a dumbass. This idiot was stoned off his ass and at least a little drunk, and on god knows what the fuck else. He of course thinks it would be cool to ignite the fuel spill, torching a good twenty feet of concrete. For the first time in seven years I saw a fire extinguisher prove necessary to suppress a ground fire. It was all I could do to keep myself from deciding at that moment that nothing would beat the sense of satisfaction that comes from having to ice down my knuckles and beat seven kinds of shit outta the guy-- no easy feat, given I have only ever found five kinds of shit. Suffice to say after that little incident-- and the fact that the asshole had not only shown no concern whatsoever for the safety of anyone at the jam, but he denied lighting it in the first place, claimed it was no big deal, and proceeded to light up and go out on stage, performing in his obviously impaired state-- Joseph and I decided to head out and not return to the Firejam ever again. If this is indicative of what it will be in the future, the Darwin Award Candidates can fucking HAVE it. There is no longer any safety to the environment, no respect for others who have been waiting, and no control over the druggies and drunks. Fuck that noise. I'll take our stage at events ANY DAY.