Musings on W&M show 4/22

[BlackKettle23]

As a W&M alum, Williamswus native, and huge Wilco freak, I think this would be an appropriate time for my first VC post . I graduated from W&M last year and now live in Arizona. Once I saw that they were playing at a venue 3 miles from my house, there was no question that I would have to see this show- no matter the cost. Knowing that the student activities board was putting this on, it crossed my mind that I could have saved a few bucks if I'd had a current student friend buy the tickets. I decided that it wasn't worth the trouble and promptly requested off from work, bought 2 GA tickets from the Wilco website, and got a fairly cheap plane ticket. Just a few days before I was to leave I was reading these boards and learned that the first 500 people with student tickets and student ID's would be allowed on the floor. Realizing that I could finally use my w&m ID card for something cool, I phoned a friend and arranged to buy two student tickets from her. I was a bit worried about my non w&m buddy who was meeting me in town for the weekend, but figured I could get him down on the floor no problem. We showed up at the Hall insanely early and were one of the first 4-5 people there. By the time they opened the door I hadn't found a buyer for my two GA tickets so I just ate them. We got down on the floor without having to flash IDs. As the hall started to fill up in the stands much faster than on the floor, I started to feel a wave of guilt wash over me. The segregation of the audience is antithetical to what a rock&roll show is all about. After hearing my musically handicapped buddy say "I feel bad man, I don't even know more than one or two Wilco songs and here I am 5 feet from the lead singer while there are hardcore fans that weren't even let on the floor," an idea came to mind.

Given the large number of people not paying attention, being rude, loud, belligerent, ruining the experience for people there to hear the music, what do you guys/girls think about a merit based ticketing/seating system for shows? The idea has serious flaws, the largest ones being: 1.How does one determine an objective measurement of a fan's love for/knowledge of - a given band? 2. Is this idea even more antithetical to rock&roll than just keeping nonstudents off the floor? The actual enforcement and implementation of such a system would be difficult and could certainly be discouraging for new fans or for a potential fan who feels he or she needs to "earn" their way closer with each show. Also, some die-hard fans don't even want to be up front. Getting even more facistic with the idea, you could have smaller shows that are open only to objectively certified "true" fans (something similar to Jeff's living room shows for charity), and to newbies who can pass a lie detector test proving that they are geniunely interested in hearing Wilco's music and that they will not scream shit at Jeff like "You're SO FUCKING HOT!!" - actual quote from W&M girl during the beginning of Hell Is Chrome.........or just make people walk 5 miles in the mud to the venue (think Phish's last shows)

 

I'm just throwing ideas out there to see what ya'll think. My personal take is that anybody should be able to go see a concert regardless of how much or little they "deserve" to be there. I was introduced to some of my favorite bands by hearing them for the first time live as I sure many of you were. Having all sorts of people in the audience makes things exciting and unpredictable and also gives the band a challenge. It always sucks when someone who doesn't appreciate the music like you do has a better seat, but who knows, maybe that concert will snap a Nickelback/Train/Kid Rock fan out of their delirium and make them totally reevaluate not just their musical tastes but their whole approach to life.

 

whew....

 

Anyway, the show was tremendous, Nels fried some synapses in my brain with his guitar ferocity, I sang along with Jeff all night (and, not trying to defend W&M students' ignorance of the Wilco catalog or say it was a poor setlist - I would have been ecstatic to hear the band do a straight live run through of disc 1 of Being There - my favorite Wilco disc-, rather than just rock the fuck out all night......

 

I did manage to take several short videos which I can happily send to anyone who wants them. The video of the screaming session was too long or some shit and it won't transfer to my computer...

 

I hope this isn't the longest/most rambling post in VC history. Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

Edited April 27, 2006 by BlackKettle23

[Preferred B]

I appreciate the effort of the long post, but the concepts send shivers of horror down my spine. No way, no way, no way. Equal opportunity for all. If any of those plans were enforced regularly, I would probably never have gotten the chance to fall in love with any of my favorite bands as an enthusiastic newbie at a show. The W&M plan sounds a little unfortunate in some ways, but it's not the norm.

[BadInnPlaid]

yeah...i was the one that started the thread about the silly rule at first...then, i had heard through the grapevine that they had abandoned the decision to only let students on the floor...so my friends and i got there a few hours earlier..and waited with a bunch of people..none were students...when they first opened doors..we thought for sure everyone could get on the floor...we even talked with the students working the show to find out what the fastest route to the floor was...they then "officially" opened the doors...we sprinted down with all of the other people to find students waiting at the floor, only allowing those with student IDs on the floor. i felt bad for the poor kids having to work the floor, they had to deal with angry people who couldn't get on the floor when it really wasn't their fault at all...the guy who was running the show nervously paced until 7:30 when he decided it was okay to let non-students on the floor too...while i got on the floor, and wasn't that far from the stage..it was a mildly frustrating situation, but at least i was prepared (since i had heard about it earlier)...this post makes no sense...i'm sorry...just thought i'd put my 2 cents in.

[Guest privatedoodle]

This was my first Wilco show, although I've listened to them for a long time. I didn't get there early, as we had people over at our house before the show, etc., etc. I was bummed when I couldn't get on the floor, and would have been even more bummed if I had known at the time that only students were allowed to be on the floor.

 

Anyway, the system for tickets/floor seats should be merit-based, and there should be the following rules:

 

1) Whoever shows up first, gets the best seats.

2) Fill in the floor until it's not safe to put anyone else down there.

 

That's it.

The people who really want to be there will be there and will get the good seats. The people who don't care too much will come later, and their seats will be in the stands.

 

I was kicking myself for showing up late, but I wasn't pissed because it was my own fault for being late. By the way, even from the top of the stands, the show was f'ing incredible.

 

These are the words of my friend Jeff. A week before the show, Jeff had never heard Wilco. I brought him over to my house and played YHF for him, and he went out and bought a ticket. After the show, this is what he said:

 

"I hate you, Mark. You've ruined music for me. After this show, no other music will ever sound good to me again."

 

I guess that's what Nels-Cline-brain-synapse-frying will do.

 

Peace,

Mark

 

PS - Where do you meet cool people at William & Mary? I met a few at the show, but it wasn't exactly the place for making conversation. I've lived in Williamsburg since January, and most of the people I've met here have been kind of stuck up or just plain unfriendly... Any Williamsburgers here?