Stop Talking!!!
I probably shouldn’t blog when I am fuming hot mad (and trust me, I am really really angry) because it perhaps lacks a little perspective but I need to get this out before I sleep….
When someone goes to see a band, they want to hear the actual music. Now, this seems like it’s common sense. You might be sitting here reading this and asking yourself Why is she telling me this? Well…unfortunately, sometimes it seems that the people I am around at shows don’t understand that there are people there who did actually come to hear the music instead of hone in on every word that falls precariously and loudly out of their mouths.
Now, I understand when you’re seeing a rock band and you aren’t all into it and maybe you want to stay in the back and talk. Tonight, I just got back from seeing Rob Dickinson of Catherine Wheel play a very intimate 100-200 person venue (Schubas) which was mostly acoustic in nature with interspersed guitar pedals (occasionally, a Metal Zone). Two people stood slightly off to my right talking up front about all sorts of things varying from if they had enough money to get another drink to how to spell the words “Double Door.” I wish I was kidding.
Backtrack a little bit. It’s six years ago and I’m a new Chicagoan having relocated from New York. I’m sitting at Park West trying to listen to Chan Marshall of Cat Power play her delicate mix of folk insanity when two couples to my right start talking really loudly. The question to me is…do they know how loud they are talking? Is this just “Oh look at me I’m here to be seen with my friends at a Cat Power show” or are they just completely clueless? I waited about 2 songs, glaring so hard I think I may have burned a hole in their shirts had I not spoken up finally and said, “I paid eighteen dollars to hear Chan sing not you talk.” Does this sound like an over-reaction? There are hundreds of bars in Chicago that don’t even charge a cover. Why would these people choose to go to this one and pay to ruin someone else’s experience? You can’t grasp the delicate nature of Chan when there’s a constant stream of irritating noise..it’s just not possible.
Since then, I’ve shushed people at a few other shows but none of them were as bad as tonight. Now, this couple had been trying to make chit chat with us earlier when Rob was setting up his gear. So, in a way I felt really bad even shushing them but when you RUIN one of my favorite songs (“Delicious” off of Adam and Eve) don’t expect me to be happy about it. I could tell I wasn’t the only one whose blood pressure was rising to dangerous heart attack levels, either. Several girls around me were also relieved when I lightly tapped the male of the species on the back between songs and said, “You seem very nice but could you please not talk when Rob is trying to play.”
Brace yourselves people. Do you know what his response was? He turns and asks, “Are you serious?” Am I serious? No, I’m joking. You’re right up against the stage ruining the entire set for everyone and why would that even bother me? I said, “Yes, I am serious.” His next response? “Why? Are you trying to film or record this?” (I think maybe because I had a camera with me.) “No,” I replied, “I want to hear it.” (Him that is…I mean Rob Dickinson and not you and your girlfriend who is continually putting on incredibly strong perfume every other song.)
And he was astounded. Was I mental? How could I actually come to hear Rob Dickinson when I could listen to him explain to his girlfriend what drink to get him? People, here’s a public service announcement from me: STOP TALKING AT SHOWS. If you want to get out of your apartment so you can escapade yourself and your girlfriend around, GO TO A BAR that does not have a live band…OR if it’s a rocking band STAY IN THE BACK.
I’m not a rocket scientist. I don’t work for NASA. This is obvious stuff but apparently there are a growing number of people that seem to be missing out on it. Reality is out to lunch.
March 5th, 2007 at 6:46 am
THANK YOU for being the kind of person that will actually tell (or ask) those people to be quiet. Too many of us are too timid to say anything. It’s been a while since I’ve been at a show quiet enough for that to make a difference, but it happens to me in movies as well.
March 5th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Oh movies yes that’s another place. I think in some ways its partly the fact that our culture has moved into a sort of me me me culture where we’re immersed in our own little cell phone ipod worlds. (Not that I don’t own a cell phone but I don’t think it helps some people). It’s like people just forget that there are others around them and that they aren’t the actual show. If it isn’t an excessive thing…like if it’s just a whisper here and there or if it’s not obviously disrupting to everyone around them, I usually just don’t say anything but this was like, “Come on!”
Another show I was at where this happened was The Concretes at Martyrs about a year ago. These eight feet tall monsters were up front completely drunk and talking throughout theirs and New Buffalo’s set. During the Concretes set someone in the audience had asked them to be quiet to no effect but during New Buffalo, the female lead Sally Seltmann continually asked them to be quiet or move to the back and they actually made fun of her. The human race can be really oblivious and really vicious….
March 6th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
ahaha, this made me laugh. it’s a bitter bitter laugh but it made me laugh all the same? did i tell you about the do make say think show? i bet you it could easily rival that story in classless audience members…
anyways, i’ve been in the same position almost as often as not. AND i have one friend who will talk through each and every show… words will only lead to temporary silence. but i can usually relocate to solve this problem. i totally agree with the depth of frustration this kind of thing produces and i really really really don’t get it. and i can at times be a little less tactful than yourself
it’s led to a few interesting exchanges.
sadly, i think some folks just go to shows to drink and chat. there’s a whole deal of cache in just saying, yeah, i was at the wicked nelson show.
i am also old enough to have seen this all taken to knew heights with cell phones… new favorite… calling someone in the front from the back and then talking about how wicked the show is, who else is up there and what they’re gonna do after the show…
March 11th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
yeah I think sometimes those people just definitely are going to be seen. Though, really I do think it also just relates sometimes to a general obliviousness about the world around you.