[dbrunner@execpc.com]

I was one of the taller powderworkers in the front row, but I was
dancing.  I think that if someone arrives very early to the show, he
is entitled to keep a spot and also repel any late comers trying to
get to the front.  Some bodily contact is expected at a gerneral
admission show.  I also think that if someone is not inclined to
'dance, jump, and flail' he should not be expected to.  Maybe the
person is self concious, or not very well co-ordinated.

This was my first show at HOB and judging from previous Chicago shows
I was expecting a mis-behaved crowd.  But I was happily suprised.
Everyone I met was extremely friendly and well mannered.  It was great
meeting other Powderworkers.  The only problem I ran into was some of
the snobs, and drunks coming out of the elevator from the Founders
Club.

It was a great show and I may post a more detailed revew of the show
later.


> May 1st was an EXCELLENT show -- unfortunately I feel compelled to
complain
> about a few things:
>
> 1) Having the front center rows of the standing room only crowd
dominated by
> 7-foot tall behemoths (thus blocking the view for half of the crowd)
who
> refused to move/yell/show excitement for the Oils was kind of
disgusting.
> If you are tall and are TRULY excited about the show, fair enough --
get in
> front and make some noise and dance to the greatest band on Earth
(and some
> did -- this is not in reference to the tall Powderworker I saw in
front.)
> BUT, if you are simply standing there, COME ON...couldn't you do
that
> elsewhere?  And give some room to those of us who want to be active?
It's
> like that old mentality of having to simply be up there just to be
there.
> Mind you, this is coming from a 6'1 guy.  (And I danced and sang
myself
> hoarse)
>
> 2) Part of this mentality showed itself when these same lame zombies
-- who
> had staked out "their" land near the front -- started yelling
insults at
> these people who were trying to slide into the liveable spaces
between
> people in anticipation of the Oils coming on.  "KEEP MOVING,
ASSHOLES" was
> only one of the things I heard directed at these people.  (By the
way, I was
> not one of these people, having positioned myself well before)  COME
ON --
> "standing room only" does not imply ownership of a certain spot of
the
> floor, and for a great show, well, OF COURSE it's going to be packed
up near
> the front -- what do you expect??  Part of the experience of seeing
a good
> band and seeing a good show is reconciling yourself to the fact
that, YES,
> it's going to get damn packed, sweaty, and the guy/girl next to you
is going
> to have a good idea of your basic anatomy.  Give me a break.
>
> 3)  The worst of it.  One of these people trying to edge in was an
Aussie,
> who, perhaps had a little bit to drink (I'm not sure)  but was
trying to
> move in near the front and this tall American prick started yelling
> nationalistic insults, saying, "Step back, asshole," "Why don't you
act like
> a true Australian" (motioning over to a more docile bunch of Aussies
behind
> him) and other derogatory slurs and basically getting ready to throw
down
> with this guy.  Since when does nationality have ANYTHING to do with
getting
> excited at a rock show?  I hope you're a member of this list buddy,
because
> I'd like you to know that if things had come to blows you would have
found
> yourself in a minority.  I later went up and apologized to the guy
for this,
> saying, "he was just drunk" (which he was, very much so) and the
Aussie was
> like, "He's just upset because I'm a hardcore Aussie fan."  TRUE.
Side
> note: this tall waste of space maybe yelled a little, but his
actions fell
> into the "sedentary" region of activity -- step back and give some
front
> space for the less inhibited (yet still considerate) among us, okay,
pork
> chop?
>
> The final good note is that this is the best Oils show I've seen,
and PG
> seemed much more at ease with the crowd, easily sliding into
rambling and
> entertaining speeches, and the band's intensity was fabulous.  I'm
sorry I
> couldn't make it out to see tonight's show (with the promise of
rarities
> being played) but I'll be there for Taste of Chicago.  Go Oils!  We
here in
> the US have missed you terribly -- you certainly have "been away too
long"
> (as you opened with last night.)
>
> Peace,
> Brian
> Ps- Sorry for the language, but it's only being reported as it was
said and
> heard.
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger:
http://messenger.msn.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Powderworks mailing list
> Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu
> http://www.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks
>