To my favourite music venue in Halifax, I will have to say I am very disappointed in you for last night’s show. Now before I begin my rant of displeasure I wish to state unequivocally that this is the ONLY time this venue has ever let me down, and that I stand firm in my support of everything this venue represents and tries to achieve in support of some of the best and most talented people in the music scene.
That being said, boy was I pissed last night! My friend and I reserved tickets ahead of time, arrived for our reservations at least 2 hours before the show was scheduled to start to get that awesome table with the great view, and spent time and money on food and drinks which I am happy to do to support something I believe in and enjoy. I was super excited to see this band at this venue and was even more excited to have good seats and was feeling pretty pleased with myself and how the evening was unfolding. Two random people who had only been to this venue twice came in and who didn’t have much experience either with the venue or the band and joined our table. I was only too happy to sing the praises of both the band and the venue, and tell them they were in for a treat and explain to them the typical rules of the venue…and then the hipster nation showed up. We’re talking the 20 something hipsters found in any bar downtown, on any night who are drunk and loud and all too happy to stand in front of the stage and dance around and have a great time. Now I have nothing against this, and often am in the mix of those people, but that is not the expectation that this venue has staked their good reputation on. I was sitting there, unable to stand up because it was too crowded and hot, and am currently suffering from an injury which makes standing for long periods of time difficult, and all I could see were the backs of the people in front of me. This venue is not made for this type of so-called ‘rock- concert’ like feel. I did not buy tickets or get there 2 hours in advance so I could look at the backs of the hipster nation, I came to see the band, and I did see them, on the occasions when the band was more than considerate enough to ask the people in the front to sit for a few to allow the rest of us to see. Now, there is no denying the energy, and raw talent of the band, who put on a great performance, but feeling like though I was a loyal and enthusiastic customer who had just been betrayed by their favourite spots all in the effort to sell a few more tickets, to bring in a bit more money in bar sales to the absolute detriment of ALL of the other patrons who had done the same as I had (gotten there early, staked their claim to a great spot, and were spending their money on food and drinks). I just want this venue to know this is not acceptable. I am not pleased with my experience, and though I would never ask for my money back or walk out on the staff and not pay my bill, but I saw a lot of people who did and the poor wait staff was so upset that people were choosing to show their displeasure by skipping out on the bill or not tipping. I shouldn’t have to reassure your staff they are doing a great job and say I am sorry management chose to do this.
Unfortunately this has soured my experience and my love for this venue, and I certainly do not feel like a valued customer, and I am thoroughly disappointed in how the night turned out. Management of this venue or whoever made this decision should be very ashamed of the decision made last night to piss of the many loyal, familiar faces who followed the rules of the venue, and went in with the expectation that the night would be like any other awesome night of music, food and drinks at this venue. Instead it feels as though you chose to alienate them and punish them for their loyalty so that you could sell a few more tickets. I will have to say we’re in a fight my favourite music venue and I, and I think I deserve an apology along with all the others who I know felt the same last night. —Anonymous
This article appears in Jul 18-24, 2013.
Yes, because the venue let these people in the door specifically so that they could do this to you…
fool
I think you should contact ‘your favourite venue’ first to see if they will respond to your concerns. if they then give you the bum’s rush, then bitch away.
if, by your posting here, they lose enough business to close down, it will be your loss, right? since you like them so much?
Perhaps, oh, I don’t know, they sold more tickets so that more people could appreciate a good band?
Pretty sure they weren’t selling them for profit in bar sales. The hipster nation pound Schooner and pack flasks.
no pbr?
Sounds like the chill lesbian vibe of the CoHo was co-opted by a bunch of ne’er do wells. And no PBR.
Ivan Sonofabitch – single handedly making PBR less hip – can by bloody can.
>: )
A bar has one mission – to make money. They can sell all the tickets they want to whomever they want. As long as they don’t exceed the occupancy limit then there is not much you can do about it.
nobody knew you were injured. Or didn’t like the heat. Or didn’t like crowds. And even if they did, I doubt their first concern was to cater to ONE PERSON at a packed event.
Fucking regulars think they deserve celebrity treatment.
Mike stood at the beginning of the show and announced to the crowd it would be a rock show setup. Knowing he might receive some backlash for the late decision, he also openly announced he expected to receive feedback and would respond.
A lot of people wanted to see this show and the only way to accommodate the masses was to change the setup. Hipster nation, as you call it, happened to include a lot of local music industry folk – some of whom have performed on the stage you speak of. Had you surveyed the crowd you might have noticed this. Perhaps at one time or another, you paid to see them.
It’s unfortunate that you weren’t able to get up and join the masses, as I did, who were clearly enjoying the show and, in my opinion, making the evening more enjoyable, not less. But really, in addition to your passive-aggressive rant, contact the venue and make sure the lovely folks there know how you feel. If you respected them at one point, perhaps the adult thing to do is to share your feelings with them and give them a chance to respond.
And to anyone who skipped out on their bill or didn’t tip the wait staff because they were upset with the show – you’re a total ass. If you drank the drink, ate the food and were provided decent service – pay for it.
Thanks OP … another list of great reasons to stay the hell away from these dives.
Can’t for the life of me understand why anyone who pays for a seat can then have that blocked by others who refuse to sit in theirs !
I’d have insisted on my entrence fee to be refunded…. You did consume food & drinks so should definately pay for that.
Similar complaints from Jazz Festival attendees this year- a gentleman in a wheelchair was interviewed on CBC for his frustration with not being able to see the show through the dancing people in front of the stage. I hope that event organizers and venues that do a lot of this will take these kinds of complaints into account when setting up for their next events, so that everybody can enjoy the show.
I just realized how silly it is that people get this upset because they can’t WATCH music. Certainly the dancers didn’t significantly alter the acoustics of the place.
I know that the musicians performance is important… but I found that thought quite amusing.
heh heh – ‘watching’ music
fools
How DOES an inanimate object fight, OB?
Poorly, I’d say.
whats this? some people were dancing in front of you at a concert? oh poor OP!
How the hell do you dance to jazz?
That would look weird and awkward.
http://assets0.ordienetworks.com/images/Gi…
Here’s how I dance…
rockin it.
http://assets0.ordienetworks.com/images/Gi…
The show at Jazz Fest was Dr. John on opening night … if the crowd had remained seated, it would have been an insult.
http://youtu.be/guUN-5Xpdt0
People stand up for music in friggin’ church, so I’m told.
OB, you chose to sit away from the stage and not move to see the show. Welcome to the concept of live musical acts. Goodbye to the idea that the universe revolves around you and your schedule. Good job, indie rock dick!
Have a drinking game and read this bitch. Every time you say the word “venue”, do a ta-kill-ya shot. With lime and salt. Wasted!
Yeah, one could use a few drinks after all those ‘venues’. Got to the point after a few of them all I could hear was the grating nasal voice of a woman in some Seinfeld episodes going on a lot about her ‘fiancé’ and using the word ad nauseam.
the venue’s not responsible for your particular happiness, but you should def mention this to them, vs. internet bitching. i hate that shit too. re: hipsters and beer comments- pbr is a cheap beer everywhere else in the world ive ever been. everything is nearly the same price here-stupidly expensive, regardless of quality. schooner is the same garbage. what’s a hipster to do?
G
Musicians make music to express they’re emotions, and to let other people react to it anyway they want. Which dancing is for….SO LET THE PEOPLE DANCE GOD DAMMIT.