Is it offensive to you....?

[slap-pop-karl]

I think if you need to make a point do what ever it takes, even if its illegal (yup I want to be a police man). Got to get your points across.

[SteveC]

I get a little irritated that they have SportCenter, etc. on screens by the band while the band is playing. I'm not saying don't have it on around the venue, but do you think on the TV's right beside the band you could turn them off during the set.

 

Nudity - I suppose it depends on what kind of rep the venue wants to have. It would certainly appeal to a specific audience.

[Paul K]

I've got nothing against boobies, either the winged variety or otherwise. I do think it would be a bit distracting, much like the damn Pac-Man test screen of years gone by. That yellow man bites it at the exact same spot each time! Turn left, dummy! But he never listens to me. And I wonder what kind of business decision that is to show "these kinds" of videos; what clientel are thay after?

 

DJ types are forever trying to out-blast the non-existent competition. I dunno why, but I hated it even before I got old. I assume that this DJ/sound guy comes with the package. Get the bar owner to can the DJ/sound guy, and just pay you more money. It's worth a shot.

[Griffinator]

You're a Pac-Man test screen.

[Paul K]

Chatted with my wife about this. She is the voice of reason. She said to ask the DJ/soundman what was up with the videos and volume; if he says "Sorry dude, it's the boss's idea" or "yea, baby, ain't those boobies great!" then you'll know what you're dealing with, and will have a better idea of how to proceed.

 

And she said: don't be expecting those well paying wedding gigs if your fan base is cultivated at a bar that shows the booby videos. She is wise.

 

And it sure is fun typing the word "boobies". (Griffinator: hold your tongue! This one's too easy.....)

 

 

[...]

I'm still not offended.

[jeremy c]

I'm not offended either. But I wouldn't bring my wife (or some other babe ) to that club.

[...]

I'm not offended either. But I wouldn't bring my wife (or some other babe ) to that club.

 

Heh... I'm also lucky in that regard that my wonderful girlfriend would not be offended either. She's a much hotter and very female version of me.

[tnb]

I'm not offended either. It's not your club and the owner doesn't need your permission to do anything that goes on there.

[jeremy c]

 

Heh... I'm also lucky in that regard that my wonderful girlfriend would not be offended either. She's a much hotter and very female version of me.

 

I'm assuming that she is considerably better looking than you.

[...]

 

Heh... I'm also lucky in that regard that my wonderful girlfriend would not be offended either. She's a much hotter and very female version of me.

 

I'm assuming that she is considerably better looking than you.

 

CONSIDERABLY!! ...and that is an understatement.

[dcr]

Well, I mean, she'd have to be ...

[Bottomgottem]

Well, I mean, she'd have to be ...

 

http://www.briantimpe.com/images/LDL/RBShirt/Monkey3.jpg

 

Oh, I don't know. The shirt does add a certain something.

[Tom Capasso]

I wouldn't like the naked videos. My wife would not like that at all. I'm always after family and friends of all generations to come to our gigs, and it would be uncomfortable for lots of us. At our last gig, I had my wife, lots of cousins, one of my cousin's kids (in their early 20s) and my father there. Offended? Not sure, but certainly uncomfortable.

 

The volume thing is unfortunate. The places we've played have been split between moderate and too loud on the "break music" thing.

 

Tom

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

...and it would be uncomfortable for lots of us.

 

 

Ah. Well brought up. I wouldn't find the videos offensive, but I probably wouldn't feel comfortable in such a place. I think I'd be wondering what sort of place I'd walked into.

[Nicklab]

Good points Tom. I think that my job has made me a little unflappable, and it's tough for just about anything to shock me. Hell, I've had women strip naked while I've been playing, jump onstage and start molesting the singer!

 

But then I think about friends or family that I might invite to a gig and that makes me rethink how I would regard this kind of situation. I wouldn't be comfortable with this if I wanted to invite a bunch of people out to the gig and I knew it would be like this. *SOMETIMES* it depends on the context. If it's something like the old Bettie Page films, maybe there's a crowd that's cool enough to deal with that. But if it's something that's a bit raunchier...who knows. What I do know is that if this bar has a rep for this kind of thing, they're alienating potential parts of their clientele.

[The Bear Jew]

Color me not offended.

 

I know, I know. You're all in shock.

 

My old band used to play a club where the owner thought it was funny to run loops of various movies on a giant screen behind us when we played.

 

Anyone ever seen Tetsuo The Iron Man?

 

Yeah, that one was one of his standards. He liked to mix it with footage from Girls Gone Wild, hunting videos and whatever struck his fancy.

 

Sometimes we'd see people staring at us in what we thought was awe over our performance... and then later realize they were actually watching a Japanese dude turn into a robot with a drill for a penis. And I'm not even gonna tell you what happens after that.

 

There was a period of time when I played with my old band where not a single show would pass without some form of onstage nudity from an attendee. It just sorta developed that way.

 

But anyway... Like Bump, my girl wouldn't be offended, either. It takes a lot to offend either of us. Ditto the folks who tend to come to our shows.

 

Having said that, I can totally understand people feeling uncomfortable with stuff like that going on--it's not exactly fair to expect random music fans to be OK with that. They came to see a band and have a few drinks, not watch nude videos. For some, that would be a bonus, but for others, it's a drawback.

[Ross Brown]

Maybe "uncomfortable" is a better word. I have seen it all and I am not shocked by anything. I am offended the assumption that it is OK to play without warning/advertising/signs etc. I too invite folks to our gigs. Since my first post, I learned that a potential bride and her mom and dad had come to hear us to see about having us for another wedding gig... I found out that they left right after the videos started. I guess they got what they should have expected.... not. That is what is offensive.

[natobasso]

If it's not a strip club isn't showing nude videos illegal?

[yourlord]

Not offended.. I would play a whore house if the pay was there..

[Griffinator]

I learned that a potential bride and her mom and dad had come to hear us to see about having us for another wedding gig... I found out that they left right after the videos started. I guess they got what they should have expected.... not. That is what is offensive.

 

Absolutely. And I would relay this to the booking manager. If he's unsympathetic, then you need to make the best financial decision for your band - and not play at that club anymore.

[Eric VB]

[...] a potential bride and her mom and dad had come to hear us to see about having us for another wedding gig... I found out that they left right after the videos started. I guess they got what they should have expected.... not. That is what is offensive.

The problem is that whatever goes on during your show gets associated with you. And you are your brand name, and once your brand name is soiled it's not easy to regain the public's favor. It's all business.

 

I'm pretty sure my band would not be ok with full nudity on the screen, to the point where if they didn't turn it off we would probably leave. (We've asked venues to change the channel before -- not that it had anything to do with nudity -- and they've always obliged.) And no, we won't play topless joints.

 

But I guess it's different when 50% of your band is female. And not the Spice Girls kind of female.

 

Ross, has your wife made any guest appearances during these shows, and how does she feel about taking the stage after one of those vids? (How do/would you feel about her in that situation?)

 

We usually provide our own break music. That's good because we can control the content, and therefore, what gets associated with us.

 

There is one venue that provides break music for our shows. They also have the big screen running behind us during our shows. But it's showing our DVD with our band logo and photos and stuff. And the break music fits us and is at a good volume. (Guess we just got lucky?)

 

Ross, maybe you can negotiate with the venue owner to get your content to play during your shows? Or at least to have a say in what is shown? Your position has already been validated. Not only did your band lose a gig, but the venue lost a table of customers. And their family and friends. Forever.

 

If the guy doesn't have enough business sense to realize that he's turning away customers and good talent, well, maybe his place won't be around for long. So is it such a bad decision to stop playing there, if need be?

 

Yeah, I know. There are always business-sleazy joints in town and no one can figure out how they manage to stay open. It's probably best to avoid those, too.

[Nicklab]

Maybe "uncomfortable" is a better word. I have seen it all and I am not shocked by anything. I am offended the assumption that it is OK to play without warning/advertising/signs etc. I too invite folks to our gigs. Since my first post, I learned that a potential bride and her mom and dad had come to hear us to see about having us for another wedding gig... I found out that they left right after the videos started. I guess they got what they should have expected.... not. That is what is offensive.

 

Wow. If this is keeping your band from getting more lucrative gigs, then maybe you need to do something. Either rethink playing this venue entirely, or ask the owner if they can tone down the videos when you guys are playing there. I'd even cite the wedding gig that you very well might have lost in the discussion.

[5 string Mike]

Ric hit the nail on the head. it's now guilt by association for your band with that wedding party. We all know that bad reputations spread faster than good ones, deserved or not.

 

Hopefully you can talk to the wedding people and try again at a known safe venue.

 

This proves that it's more than a matter of offense or uncomfortable situations by you and your band mates as individuals, but by potential clients and will they be comfortable with you playing in a place like that.

 

Good luck, hope things work out ok for you.

[Brocko777]

If I was to invite a client (say a wedding gig) to a performance at a club, I think I would have checked it out to see what kind of atmosphere it had.

My groups plays all sorts of places... I have done weddings and also played at 'gentleman's clubs' for 'rock' night.

I definately would not have invited the wedding party to the strip club to check us out, unless it was only the groom!

I think you know the answer for yourself already. Doesn't really matter what any of us feel or think.

As long at you stick to it you'll be the winner.

 

I wouldn't care about the nude vids personally but I would be using it to our advantage at that club.

Not knowing it would be played there before we gigged there, our fault.

Maybe note it in your promo for the gig that night you sent out to your mailing list.

 

Brocko

[Ross Brown]

I did not invite them, they checked out our schedule on our web site and decided to come check us out.

 

I agree it is ultimately my responsibility to know the venue and decide what to do, when to accept gigs, etc.

 

My wife sung there with us. I asked her, she said it is unfortunate because it is a good venue without the videos. She echoed my feelings.... imagine that.

 

Thanks for all of the input.

[Brocko777]

Ross, sorry I assumed about the invite to the gig. Use it tongue in cheek, let them know that the videos are optional at the wedding.

 

If you had the chance maybe approaching them about the vids and mention that you sometimes cannot control your environment.

I always use that when I play at a dive bar.

 

[zeronyne]

Anyone ever seen Tetsuo The Iron Man?

 

One of my favorites. It's funny that at one point, you see that one of the main character's arm enhancements is a Roland drum machine.

 

Oh, and if you want to be offended without nudity, try watching the video screens of a Skinny Puppy set. I'm offended or grossed out by NOTHING, and I had to avert my gaze many times. Think eye surgery and Gigi Allen.

 

No one has asked the right question: Are nude videos appropriate for the patrons? If so, then I'm not sure what the problem is.

[dcr]

Yeah, I'm not sure you have much say here.

 

Maybe it's offensive to the patrons, maybe it isn't. Either way, it's none of your business.

 

Maybe you're losing gigs because of it. Even so, that's none of the venue owner's business. Why should he/she care? They're not in business to help you get gigs.

 

So it just comes down to whether playing there is enough of a downer for it to be worth your band's while to keep playing there. That's something only you can answer for yourselves.

 

I'm not trying to be callous. I'm just trying to point out that the bar can do what it wants, & you don't have any leverage. So the only question is how much you want to play there.

[moot]

I'm not trying to be callous. I'm just trying to point out that the bar can do what it wants, & you don't have any leverage. So the only question is how much you want to play there.

 

The voice of reason. There are craphole bars I will not play no matter how much money is involved.

The band actually got another bass player to fill in while I was being "a primadonna."