the beautiful blur

ok, so life is a blur and any blur is more fun shared (not to mention much safer) with someone enjoying the same blur (blur being anything, really, even something not very blurry at all, but in this case, life is quite very blurry due to sleep deprivation due to booking many more activities than can fit in the circadian rhythm and definitely reaching the teary-eyed blurriness that few survive intact, but then, that is what the mental hospitals are for), but this solitary blur is in fact much fun and so far, relatively sane except for the way the body is swaying and demanding rest in the usual ways (like a slight scratchy throat suggesting a cold coming on… the cold {for Orlando, FL} nights out in T-Shirts after sweaty concert bouncing can do that)…

so i wander home alone after the communal rush of bouncing and flailing to music in a packed house, side by side like sardines, acting like moths drawn to flames… all for the love of music… and so i wander home singing wish you were here… in multi-part harmony, not to mention in several different songs, while the euphoria waves carry me to the best places i know…

and the process was repeated tonight, which would be Friday night, except that Rasputin and Precious were there, one on the floor with the kids and up on the second tier saying he felt old because the place was packed with kids, but then, the music is for everyone who loves the music and we drag him out now and then just to make sure his blood is still circulating cuz we wonder sometimes when he seems to become part of the couch… the crowds of kids are so repressed lately… the energy is stiflingly low… and sadly, the artists reflect this… it seems to me that these are the days when music is more energized when played back from recordings than when played live… the inadequate audio systems and poorly trained sound people definitely do not help at all…

the bands were dressed and groomed more pretty tonight… last night they all went for the grunge unbathed look… but last night was a much better concert, more people, more varied and lively audience, bigger stage so more energy on the stage… and it did not help that the venue cut the time of the show so that the bands had to cut out songs and were not permitted an encore… even more ridiculous was watching big bouncers intimidate kids away from the merchandise tables before they could spend the money in their hands… bad business… in fact, here's the letter i wrote to the promoters (yeah, i did):

Hi Molly,

It is good of you to notify fans. What was very unfair was the way fans were cheated out of a full show. I saw The Spill Canvas show in St. Pete on Thursday and again at The Social on Friday and both Meg & Dia and Spill Canvas had to cut their sets short and not permitted an encore because The Social double booked concerts Friday night. We paid for a full concert at The Club at Firestone prices, which are almost always a few dollars more than The Social prices. We were cheated due to the change in venue and time limitations.

In fact, the bands were cheated as well as we were not even permitted to buy merchandise after the show as loyal fans with money in their hands were intimidated right out the door at 8:30 PM by big bouncers.

Bad business that leaves a bad taste in the psyche of concert-goers. Many were talking about not coming to a concert at The Social again and asking for a refund next time the venue and show we paid for was no longer going to be what we paid for.

I realize that the change in venue may have been due to the low ticket sales, however that should not mean the people who did pay for a show should be short-changed on music and merchandise and then bullied by the venue employees. If anything, the two opening bands should have had their sets cut or simply not played, rather than have the band(s) we paid to see forced to short-change their audience. Or the second concert could have started later.

Perhaps the big business that music is does not leave room for caring about fans, or even about giving a fair show to paying customers, but I think it should. At least the lead singer of The Spill Canvas was gracious enough to apologize to the kids who did not see the better show they put on the night before at The State Theatre in St. Pete. The cynicism that corrupts most big business slowly destroys quality and loyalty and music is not immune.

Maybe this reminder, put in front of the right eyes or into the right ears, will help new bands find the success they seek, rather than undermine their own success by putting on mediocre shows like the one we attended Friday night at The Social.

Thanks for reading,
ric
407-325-1482

----- Original Message -----
From: Molly French (mfrench@artistarena.com)
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:31 PM
Subject: The Spill Canvas 11/16 ***IMPORTANT SHOW INFO***

Hello The Spill Canvas fans,

I am writing to inform you that the Friday, November 16th show originally scheduled to be held at Firestone, *has changed venues*. It will now be at The Social (54 North Orange Ave, about 5 blocks south of Firestone). The doors will still be at 5:00pm and you will be able to pick up your will-call orders at The Social’s box office.

We apologize if this causes any inconvenience. Thanks and have a great time at the show!!

Regards,
Artist Arena
*** If you have any questions, please first refer to our Frequently Asked Questions page. ***

MOLLY FRENCH
************
ARTIST ARENA
212.420.8500
853 Broadway
Suite 1710
NY, NY 10003

I wrote that the next night after a bit of sleep... there was just too much euphoric blur to be thinking those thoughts last night... and anyway, i did get a little extra sleep cuz i took Friday off, but the fun of music inspires too much great energy to spend much time sleeping it off… and that was the day that was when it was in RealTime™ and now, this is the entry that became of the day that was when it was in RealTime™ and you are the reader who cared to return to this entry that became of the day that was when it was in RealTime™ and i thank you then and i thank you now and i thank you all the time…

and nothing can totally undo the wonder that music provides and it is definitely easier to enjoy the fun in spite of the influences of human greed when the beautiful blur is in effect (and to think, some need drugs to get here)... hopefully there will be another generation that sheds the commercial crap and rises above the conformity and fears and repression to set their energy and love free again... until then, i'll just do it by myself and hope some might feel it now and then, even if they don't acknowledge it...

and hopefully you feel the fun of the beautiful blur too :)