#1626816 - 06/25/03 09:09 PM
Ever "blackballed" a club?
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Tedster
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 5933
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Ben Loy the Grundybassman gave me the idea for this on the "ever walked out on a gig" thread.
Some club owners are just plain assholes. Every band in the area knows it. Yet, bands continue to play there for whatever reason, furthering the little Napoleon's ego and helping him to continue treating bands like shit.
Have any of you ever, or heard of it happening in your area, blackballed a club? Ya know...talked to all the other area bands and hit an agreement that none of 'em would play there? Ever thought about it?
_________________________
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#1626817 - 06/26/03 01:08 AM
Re: Ever "blackballed" a club?
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Lee Flier
10k Club
Registered: 09/13/00
Posts: 15398
Loc: Atlanta,GA,UNITED STATES
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Well, I've never heard of this happening in an actual, organized way, but I've seen de facto blackballing because somebody is such an asshole that no bands want to play at the place. So it just sort of ends up that no one decent plays there and then they either change the booking person, or go under.
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#1626818 - 06/26/03 11:32 AM
Re: Ever "blackballed" a club?
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jpmiii
Senior Member
Registered: 11/09/00
Posts: 362
Loc: wellsburg, WV
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I've never seen it done with 100% participation from all the bands but in certain circles of bands who had alot of mutual friends. Like Lee said usually the club ends up with a bunch of lesser bands (experience and professionalism) playing the place. Eventually the club seems to learn it's lesson when less and less people show up, the club owners/managers start begging the better bands to play again and generally start behaving themselves.
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#1626819 - 06/26/03 11:46 AM
Re: Ever "blackballed" a club?
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CMDN
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Registered: 11/13/01
Posts: 6058
Loc: Philadelphia,PA,UNITED STATES
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There are certain places that just have a bad rep -- even in the "underground" scene. They book nonexistant shows, steal money or add tons of bands to shows without notice... Generally speaking, the word gets out about them, and people just don't take their gigs. In fact, most towns or regions have an underground online database of places to play, which lists and ranks venues for the area. Only very uninformed, new artists play these rooms or work with these promoters, and they usually won't do it more than once.
Scumbags usually wind up drowning in their own filth.
_________________________
\m/
Erik
Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?
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#1626820 - 06/26/03 01:28 PM
Re: Ever "blackballed" a club?
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Tedly Nightshade
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Registered: 01/03/02
Posts: 4649
Loc: applegate,OR,UNITED STATES
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Unfortunately pay to play and getting jacked around are pretty much standard. Very few people are willing to pass up an opportunity to perform for the sake of the larger picture.
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A WOP BOP A LU BOP, A LOP BAM BOOM!
"There is nothing I regret so much as my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" -Henry David Thoreau
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#1626821 - 06/26/03 02:43 PM
Re: Ever "blackballed" a club?
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Rick K.
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Registered: 07/05/01
Posts: 1659
Loc: phoenix,AZ,UNITED STATES
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I can't say we've specifically 'black balled' a club. I can say, without hesitation, that because of our relationships with other groups, we've 'discussed' clubs and owners. It's really strange when someone from another band calls you up and asks you about your gig and how sure your schedule is. See, what the club owners DON'T know, is that WE as bands do talk.
Recent example. We were playing at a relatively popular bar out in po-dunk Tonopah, Arizona. Every truck driver from Memphis to California knows this place. Well, we were under a verbal 6 month contract when we came back from a 2 week vacation. Our first week back was horrible! I think there were maybe 200 people thru there in 3 nights. Awful. Well, we come to find out that the week before we were to come back, there was a huge fight where several guys went to the hospital, one in a coma, one with a broken back and several others with broken noses, fingers or whatnot. Anyhoo, come to find out that the owner approached another band, telling that band that we weren't pulling a crowd. So, I get the call. I told that band how much we were making. He called the club owner back and told her it would cost almost double the price she was paying us. Needless to say, they've got a crappy band and hardly 200 people there thru the entire week. The owner's wife keeps calling me to try to get us back. We're booked. Sorry. Nor will any decent band go out there. The clocks a ticking...
This is strange, but true. EVERY club that we've been 'burned' at is now CLOSED. I don't think it's because of us. I think that what goes around comes around. Bad Karma. Something, but they're out of biz now, and NOT missed!
Rick
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#1626822 - 06/27/03 05:36 AM
Re: Ever "blackballed" a club?
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Jotown
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 07/04/02
Posts: 4413
Loc: The Galactic Center (°26 Sagit...
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I have one rule about where I will work:
I don't work for any assholes. I only work for people who dig what I do, and don't percieve me to be just another guy with a guitar.
It has taken me a long time to get to a place where this is possible, but for the last 8 years or so I have been able to keep this rule intact.
_________________________
Jotown:)
"It's all good: Except when it's Great"
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