CBC Radio 3 Blog - Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

01

I think the musician should continue,

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by TheRadioHead

And the audience should take care of the abuser...

02

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by LimeJello

Hi Lana,

Just saying hello. I love your show. Also, I think your pretty cute. :-)

Dr. Noodle

03

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by CDNz1

I'm usually a warm & fuzzy person

<---See?

I must agree with TheRadioHead on this one...

04

They should keep going

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by AlexOfAnders

If for no other reason than to spite the guy or gal who's being a dick but also for the thousands of other fans who are just as pissed off at the offending party as the artist. There's tons of people I don't understand at shows, the main ones being the people you mentioned but also the "over-talker" who stands near the front yet constantly tries to talk over the band's songs. You obviously aren't there for the music, your more interested in who Martin is dating or what you had for dinner.

Still, for the artist, as much as its disrespectful, that's one guy in a big crowd. Keep playing, screw that guy. All we can hope is that he or she's a dick because their life sucks.

05

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by brainwash

I wouldn't do a show in Liverpool for this very reason. Scoucers are very aggressive with their affection!

06

Keep going... please!

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by hgummo

I agree that the musician should keep going, although I really feel for them when people start doing really stupid and disrespectful things. Keydive and I have already complained lots about the loud talkers at Amy Millan so I won't go into a lot of detail on that again, but I think Amy handled that situation very gracefully and did the best she could to keep delivering a good product to the people that actually were paying attention. It's usually only a couple of people that ruin the experience for everyone else, so I think the artist/band needs to put on their game face and either shrug it off or try to deal with it as best they can for the people that do want to listen.

And I agree with TheRadioHead. The offending audience members should be "taken care of" by everyone else.

07

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by cathyort

This is what happens when you toss a plastic cup of beer at someone in Detroit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacers%E2%80%93Pistons_brawl

Unfortunately, rude people are everywhere, including concerts. Never an easy way to deal with them. There should be, but there's not. We all know what we'd LIKE to do...

08

I agree with TheRadioHead

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by oh gladiola

The musician should continue. The respect that he feels so entitled to could not be more present and concentrated than in the audience of a show. One drunk apple don't spoil the whole bunch girl.

Unfortunately I don't think the crowd would punish the idiot though.

09

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by tedly3000

If it was ME up there... I wouldn't continue. I've had an ashtry thrown at me once, and I didn't play after that. It's really up to the discretion of the performer. It's for their safety. That being said, it would really suck to not see the artist that you paid money to see.

It's Canada, and I would *ALMOST* agree with theRadioHead, but this is not hockey, it's a music show. I'd let the bouncers/security/whoever take care of them if there was only one perpetrator.

But yeah, that sucks that people throw stuff. VERY bad.

Check this out. I'm not a fan of nickelback, but this is awful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7F3O6WYfHQ. I'd have left the stage too.

10

@hgummo

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by AlexOfAnders

I really liked how Afie Jurvanen of Bahamas handled the loud talkers. He said something to the effect of "I used to get really pissed off at shows when people would talk during songs but then I realised something. They're talking about me! Am I right? (asking towards groups of loud talking girls) They're like talking about how there's this really good looking guy playing music and they're trying to get their friends out to see him."

It was great.

11

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by TeamQuiggan

I remember going to Ozzfest many years ago. It was a hot summer day, so a ton of water bottles were sold and subsequently thrown at bands that the attendees felt didn't belong. I remember Crazytown being pelted with so many bottles that they eventually gave up and riled up the crowd to throw everything they could at them. Crazytown was treated to a hale of bottles and boos(not booze), then made a vague shout out to the ladies. Later, Marlyn Manson was treated to a bottle in the face, he called out the dude and security brought him up on stage and nailed him with a half full bottle of water and swore at him. Fun stuff! I also saw George Strombolopolos.

At the Alexisonfire CD release show at the hide-away years ago, one of the local bands was having their last show ever, so the drummer lit his cymbals on fire, this got the crowd riled up and they pulled the drop ceiling down and threw it at each other. Later Alexisonfire invited their fans onto the platform and it collapsed. That was a fun show.

Toronto has gotten a reputation as a shitty city to play at because of the bottle barages.

12

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by TeamQuiggan

Oh, I saw Jimmy Eat World in Hamilton, during the ENTIRE SHOW there was this dude in the front row gave Jim Adkins the finger.At one point during the pre song banter Jim said to the dude "You paid 30 bucks to stand there and give me the finger? How does that even make sense?"

13

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by keydive

I have had two expereinces where the crowd was being a dick. the most recent was Amy Millan here in Calgary the scenster crowd was not into the show at all and seemed to be there to pay a $20 cover and drink $5.75 beers. It reminded me of being at an open mike night. People didn't shut up the whole show and it made it rather hard to listen to her sing.

The other experince was many a moon ago in Regina when Matt Good got hit by a shoe I never saw who hit him with the shoe. What really appalled me at the time was that the crowd after seemed to think it was funny. There were a lot of very cranky people in that crowd that night as he was not very far into his set.

14

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by krib

Man, I was thinking, "what are you people talking about?" (re: scouser), but then realized I had it confused with "scorrier" from the Meaning of Liff by the late great Douglas Adams.

A scorrier is defined as a small dog trained to snuffle amongst your private parts.

Good thing you can find anything on Google these days, or I'd be very confused still!

15

@Yort

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by CDNz1

I almost forgot about that!

The funniest sidebar to that was Chris Chelios holding back Kid Rock who wanted to "get involved".

16

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by The Real Shakey

One time at a concert in Montreal an unruly set of fans set off a firecracker near the stage. The band stopped and the bassist cursed out the fans and spat on them.

After some introspection this clash inspired the bassist to write an album on the divide between fan and artist. That album was The Wall, by Pink Floyd.

I don't know where I was going with this story, but there you go.

17

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by hookie

I was recently at Massey Hall for a Wilco show. I sat in the upper balcony and as soon as Wilco took to the stage, the people beside me (in their early 20s) stood up. There were about 6 of them. The crowd was a good mix of young and older people and it happens that there were older people sitting behind the standers. One older woman asked a young stander to sit down so she could see and he seemed like he was considering it but then the older man with her started throwing punches and the old guy and young guy got into a fight. Security stepped in and took the young guy away and I don't think he came back for the rest of the show. It didn't ruin the experience for me at all, in fact it added to the excitement, but I felt bad for the young guy.

18

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by TeamQuiggan

I don't like going to shows anymore because it feels like the crowd doesn't even care anymore.

19

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by krib

At Ness Creek this past summer, I saw the Tom Fun Orchestra close on Saturday. They made a request to the audience that, if anyone had any beer out there, they could take it around to the side door to the backstage area because they could really use a beer.

About 15 minutes later, a couple of volunteer stage hands come on stage with a blanket, filled with beer for the band. Nobody threw any beer on stage, open or closed.

The funny thing is that there's a beer garden on the site and the organizers spent the whole night telling the audience not to have open liquor outside of the beer garden because the RCMP are patrolling and will write you a $250 ticket for having open liquor.

20

@TeamQuiggan

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by The Real Shakey

Too true. I saw Young Galaxy on TV a few weeks back performing Destroyer, my favourite song by them. The audience of 16-19 year olds, all trying to out-cool each other, just stood there. No dancing, no shaking.... nary a head-nod.

I felt so bad for the artists. They may as well been performing to an empty room.

21

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by brainwash

22

@CDNz1

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by cathyort

I was surprised that was five years ago already!

I don't get out to see the number of shows most of the bloggers here get to, but I will say I've never seen musicians hassled/heckled/bombarded. The rudeness seems to be confined to fellow concertgoers. This was kind of funny: when we saw Sam Roberts/Mother Mother at St. Andrew's, I made my husband squash in front as close as we could get. This woman in front of us kept leaning, and I mean LEANING, backwards on him. He finally had enough and politely asked her to stop. She acted totally offended and insisted she wasn't leaning on him!

Kid lives just a few miles from us, y'know.

23

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by brentchicken

One of the best handlings of that which I saw was at the Slayer 'God Hates Us All Tour' when they hit Toronto. There was a punk band up first, and the punkers decided that tossing bottles was the way to go. That carried over to the Motorhead set - and Lemme took no guff. One bottle hit the stage, and he stopped the band. 'Anyone out there see some bright boy winding up to toss a bottle - cripple him. One more and we're all off the f@ckin stage.'

No one threw a single thing after that.

24

a Jolie Holland story

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by Bio Spice

at Babylon in Ottawa once, Jolie Holland was performing, with CR Avery as her official opener. The venue had also invited an additional opener, and they had a whole bunch of friends out, adn it may have been their first show, so they and their friends were all pumped... BUT they weren't there to see the other bands. yet, they stayed, sat in the front, and talked loudly throughout the songs, only stopping to clap between songs. Jolie got pissed and stopped playing with much scowling and sulking and turning of her back on the audience and her band looked at us like we were the little brothers and sisters getting in trouble with Mom. it was... awkward. and the only people who really suffered were the people in the audience who had paid to see her. i thought she should have sucked it up and dealt with it through the arts of verbal communication and or/humiliation of the offenders. giving her the benefit of the doubt, she was probably tired out from touring, and fed up.

if your personal safety is at stake, i'd say it's a slightly different story.

25

@ TeamQuiggan & The Real Shakey

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by brentchicken

I hear you! It's hilarious how the audience comes out to shoegaze just as much as the bands sometimes. Ah whatever - dance your ass off anyway, it's what you paid for.

26

A non-musical story

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by Absotively

In university, I had one prof who was notorious for not tolerating anyone eating, drinking, sleeping, or coming in late to lectures.

The thing was, his hearing and vision weren't so great, so you could get away with coming in late (at least) if you sat quietly in the back. Which was fine, because sitting quietly in the back was the polite thing to do if you came in late anyways.

One lecture, some idiot came in quite late, made his way somewhat noisily to the front row, and sat down.

The prof demanded several times that the idiot in question leave; when the idiot continued to refuse, he left himself.

The rest of the class made our opinion of the events pretty clear, and it never happened again.

The point here, if I have one, is that although it's nice if some one who is presenting something to you is tolerant of idiots, they have the right to leave if the idiocy exceeds their limits, and they have the right to decide what those limits are. It might be hard to judge if a plastic cup is about to be followed by something more solid. I'd prefer to see an artist stay, obviously, since I'm one of those who wants to see them. But I don't think I have the right to demand that they do.

27

@brentchicken

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by TeamQuiggan

I hear you! But it's hard when you are one of 3 people that think that is an appropriate thing to do at a Bloody Hollies show. We weren't even moshing, just dancing!

28

tough call - how about money?

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by flagpole music

i tend to believe they should go on, but i can see the attempted 'nip it in the bud' aspect & think that might win.

this time a plastic cup but who knows what next & what the harm would be? susre the stories about kraft dinner cheese powder at BNL are hilarious but what about when people started chucking whole boxes? or there was some country star who used to get change & eventually got cut bad enough for stiches in the head.

it sucks for all. becuase it's tough to get the finger scolding even from the artist to stop it. i've seen some pros with the talking (andy white - gracious but firm in the way only someone raised in belfast can be)

it sucks when anyone thinks my hard earned cash is that disposable & maybe a fine by the venue would eventually cure most people? if the venue has to refund ticket money & they've caught the person this could totally give them pause about going again.

29

The Brandon, Manitoba tradition

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by Silvorgold

The tradition in Brandon, Manitoba at any big concert with more than 150 people is for some douche to throw a cup of beer at the musician. When I saw Sam Roberts, that's exactly what happened, no less than 5 times, this one person (or bunch of douches) kept throwing cups full of beer on stage. thankfully it didn't go anywhere near Mr Roberts. And you know what? people got so pissed off with it to the point that a bunch of the crowd pulled the douches, and kicked out the douche(s) THEMSELVES! That happened at another concert last year, I think it was at Hawksley Workman, same result.

Also, at a Sloan concert here in Brandon, there's always those TWO guys who try to get on stage. At the Sloan concert, these guys were pushing us (I hate standing at a concert and getting pushed) just so they could get to front of the stage, and then they immediately tried to get onto stage. Chris Murphy ended up grabbing one of the douches by the back of his shirt, and hilarity ensued as security kicked his derriere out the door! Man.. Chris Murphy has superhero strength, ability to sing and have one hand holding a douche is quite a talent!

30

@brentchicken / My Punk story

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by keydive

I was at a Elliott Brood concert back when I lived in Lethbridge and some punks showed up and lets say the only reason they came was because it appeared they were friends with the bartender. They were very drunk and not there to see the band what so ever so they started moshing in front of the stage and being general jerks(kindest word I can think of) Then one them walked right through the stage nearly knocking over the drum set. After this I don't know what happened because I was so pissed that these people were not thrown out that I left. As far as I know Elliott Brood continued to play.Which is very admirable but if I was them I probably would have left the stage at that point of the drum kit just about being knocked over.

As a side note that venue closed down a few months later because they started to be renown for stuff like that happening at their shows.

31

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by seane3

If this is how Morrissey chose to deal with the situation then it must be right. He's Morrissey.

32

@silvorgold

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by cathyort

Where the heck was security at the Roberts/Workman shows? Pretty bad if management just lets it happen and doesn't do anything about it.

33

Should go on... within limits

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by 124th Street Beat

Morrissey should have played on - if that happened at a show I was at I would hope that the band could come up with any number of inventive ways to stop that kind of crap (@brentchicken - love the Motorhead story!). I don't think that most people are ready for direct confrontation from who they are antagonizing. BUT if it doesn't stop - leave.

34

Tomorrow is TaTT

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by keydive

Before I leave I thought I should make sure to inform you all that tomorrow is Tweed and Tie Tuesday or TaTT (It is a weekly event here to help jazz up the office once a week). So I hightly suggest that if you have a tweed jacket and a tie you pull it out have a little fun.

35

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by Ninja Burger

I would think the artist would be witty enough to come up with something on the spot making fun of the d-bag who threw something, getting thousands of laughs and making the d-bag feel like a moron.

You gotta be able to get over yourself a little bit and take the high ground when your making shit loads of money for doing something you love.

36

@keydive

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by hgummo

I don't think I have tweed or a tie... so I'll have to live vicariously through you.

37

@Silvorgold

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by CDNz1

That's terrible...wasting all that beer...

38

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by mattyjames2001

Man I love tuning in to the sound of Ladyhawk. When are they gonna put out some new stuff??? (Answer the question myself: Duffy said not for a while. bummer)

Anyways, I have also seen Matt Good get hit in the face with a shoe. I thought it was hilarious at the time, but I was also 13.

Regina kinda sucks for performing. I wouldn't want to play here. Final Fantasy played to a room full of people that wouldn't shut up, then one drunk-ass girl even had the nerve to tell him to F*ck Off. (wtf???) Owen made a quip about not having to say anything in between songs, as we were doing enough talking as it was.

One time, I brought a friend to go see Feist (again in Regina.....) and he TALKED ON HIS CELL PHONE....LOUDLY during the songs, and wasn't even saying nice things!!! "Uh yeah Matt brought me to see the Ipod girl... HA HA... yeah the 1 2 3 4 girl! It's pretty boring! What are you doing?" . This brought angry glares all around, and the 2 girls with us moved really far away obviously.

39

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by mattyjames2001

Do you guys remember SARStock? that big concert in toronto with the stones/acdc/rush/the guess who/ kathleen edwards/ etc etc.... and Justin Timberlake before everyone loved him.

He got PELTED with bottles during his set, and again when he did a cameo with the Stones. Keith Richards appeared to come to his defence and give some weird sort of X with his arms to tell them to stop it.

At the press conference, they were asked about all the bottle throwing, and Mick and Keith just laughed it off. Apparently, they were cool with them throwing bottles at JT except they were getting too close to hitting Charlie Watts! Mick went on to tell a story about one time, they played a hall with a dessert table set up, and they got pelted with jellies and tarts. Maybe it's just an English thing to hate bands live?

40

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by MoniSki

I think they should keep going.

I just watchd that clip you gave, and I felt really bad for the audience. It isn't their fault. It's like in high school when there's that one talkative kid that won't shut up but the teacher decides to punish the entire class with a essay due by the end of the week. Not cool.

I do enjoy, yet feel really awkward,when the artist decides to take matters into their own hands and heckle back at the heckler.

But beer throwing is not cool. I went to a City TV New Year's Eve bash at Habour Front one year, and I remember being so excited to be at the very front. My parents acted as my shields from behind. However... as the night went up, the push became to intense, and once beer bottles started being thrown my parents decided it was too dangerous to stay up front. So we left. However, as we walked back to our car, we stumbled upon an underground mall, and when we got to the end, we went up escalators that took us straight into the CBC Headquarters. We had no idea where we were. But as we looked to our right, we saw Peter Mansbridge broadcasting from the atrium. It was a swell surprise!

41

@ jellies and tarts and beer, oh my...

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by CDNz1

I guess if I had to choose something to be thrown at me while on stage, these would be the ones.

42

@Cathyort

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by Silvorgold

Security here only appears to bark at you if you bring a camera into the venue, but either than that, they're too relaxed here.. pretty sad

43

Go on, heckle that heckler

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by AlexOfAnders

I personally love it when an artists calls an ass on being an ass, but usually in more of a fun taunting way. Not some 5 minute tirade about how crappy of a person the ass is or whatever. Even a "Dude! What is your problem?!" is fine, King Khan did that to some jerkface who decided he wanted to be in the middle of the crowd and thought the best way to get there was to cowcatcher his way to it.

Still, throwing liquids is also very uncool as most artists have expensive gear up there and aren't the richest of people. A whole beer on your new keyboard/guitar/double bass, could you imagine how crappy that'd be? If that happened I'd likely leave the stage if for no other reason than to try and undo the damage.

On people pushing though, I gotta say that if you aren't moving and your near the front, don't get mad if someone bumps into cause they're trying to dance a little. I try to distinguish a bump from a push though, like, crowds are tight so your going to knock into each other unless you sit still (what fun is that?). Pushing is like hitting someone hard enough they are knocked off balance, bumps you just get nudged.

Also, what think you on bands who throw beer at the crowd? I've taken a beer across the face but I was really into things and didn't mind.

44

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by brainwash

I went to the Black Lips show in Vancouver back in July and my girlfriend got hit in the face with a beer bottle, security was right on top of it, however, fearing a lawsuit they gave us and our friends a VIP seat and free drinks, not really thinking of a potential concussion she might have had (neither of us thought of that either until she went to the hosptial the next day).

So, sometimes security does do their job.

45

Hey Lana -

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by mcfflyer

When are we going to hear stories about your trip to the Rose City, Portland, Oregon? You certainly must have something to tell us.

Or else we'll get rowdy and start throwing beer. Or is it throwing beer at Alex? I can't remember.

Lee Hower - Sacramento

46

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by CDNz1

Katrina & The Waves - Walking on Sunshine There's "vintage"!

@ Lee

Great! Now we'll all get thrown out for throwing beer at Alex and his Movember 'stache. Nice mention by Ryan regarding your soundcheck escapades! Bravo!

47

@CDNz1

Posted on Nov 09, 2009 by AlexOfAnders

How about you "throw" those beers into a pitcher and we have a round instead?

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Comments

I think the musician should continue,

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

They should keep going

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Keep going... please!

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

I agree with TheRadioHead

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@hgummo

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@Yort

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@TeamQuiggan

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@CDNz1

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

a Jolie Holland story

@ TeamQuiggan & The Real Shakey

A non-musical story

@brentchicken

tough call - how about money?

The Brandon, Manitoba tradition

@brentchicken / My Punk story

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@silvorgold

Should go on... within limits

Tomorrow is TaTT

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@keydive

@Silvorgold

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@ jellies and tarts and beer, oh my...

@Cathyort

Go on, heckle that heckler

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

Hey Lana -

re: Today on Lanarama: Crowd Actions & Artist Reactions

@CDNz1

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