Guest Low Roller Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 An interesting phenomenon occurs when you combine a live band with the concert-going public in Ottawa. It's called the Ottawa Forcefield. The crowd stands in a semi-circle formation far away from the stage and potentially bobs their head, if even showing any signs that they are in fact not just mannequins. It happens at shows at Babylon, it happens at shows at Dekcuf, and it happened last night at GTB/JSB at Barrymore's. Whether it is the crowd showing the band respect or simply the crowd terrfied of standing too close to the stage and therfore making themselves stand out, something about this situation needs to be remedied. Last night the Forcefield was powerful. The GTB set was heavily affected by this ailment. When some out-of-towners decided that they were going to walk right up the band about halfway through the set, little did they realize the the Forcefield naturally pushed them back about five minutes later. I've also noticed that the longer you try to fight the Forcefield, the more it throws you back eventually. The Forcefield got progressively smaller as more people got on the dancefloor, yet it's effect could still be felt and seen as the size of the Forcefield oscillated back and forth. I don't think anybody even touched the stage at any point during the night. Does anybody have any real theories as to why this Ottawa-exclusive Forcefield exists, and the steps we need to take to get rid of it? Because I am stumped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 I was thinking about this today! (as we laughed about it last night) I just want to thank Mr. Staples for being the Jedi behind removing the forcefield!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Go-go dancers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 From my own experience - it always take me a couple of drinks to warm up -- then I can break through!! Sometimes I just need to catch the vibe and then I can enjoy the ride! (somebody get me some toothpicks to keep my peepers open!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 You're not stumped, you are looking in or at the wrong place. This is not an 'Ottawa-only phenomenon' I blame booze and bands. Basically, its not enough of either or both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 [color:"purple"] i blame willy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Seriously, I've seen this happen all over, it's not just an Ottawa thang. I remember one night in Waterloo at a New Deal show where drummer Darren Shearer was just begging people to approach the stage. So, the two whitest, awkward dudes in the bar - myself and hamilton - stepped into the void and started getting down with our bad selves. Then they turned the smoke machines on and we had the experience of bassist Dan Kurtz waving goodbye to us and laughing as he disappeared into a haze of smoke. Good times, good times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 no, no, that Man can DANCE!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 haha, and if he was in ottawa, he'd have everyone dancing! goodbye forcefield! (ps: i wasnt being serious... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 I think dancing for people has always been awkward. People become very self conscience when it comes to shake'n their bootie! I remember Paisley telling me once at Pepper Jack's "all you gotta do is shake your ass" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 awkward? sh!t yeah. especially when you're a little hairy white guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 (I knew you were joking) But seriously dude - I love dancing with Willy (especially at 5 am at a chalet in the mountains, me sporting a life jacket and wet noodle btw. my legs) now that's some good times!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 oh yeah, me too... i've dance with willy in a cottage or 2 in the past as well... personally, i like it best when he takes the lead so i can nestle my weary little head into his chest... he's so tall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 When Jimmy Swift played at the Lauzon's wedding, they started out with everyone about 30 feet away from the stage. Within minutes, Craig Mercer told everyone to move up to the stage. The entire crowd instantly obliged. This proved that coaxing from the band can actually make a difference too. If the band calls the crowd on it, they'll all look at each other and move up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Mike Bouchard of Gatineau Quebec, you dumbass. We all moved closer because it was freezing............. I've seen a number of bands try to coax and 'MISERABuLLY' fail (seems like I seen you there onstage for one or two of those ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 dumbass, yeah, yeah, dumbass Beavis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Man Low Roller I hear what you're saying! Where is the pulse? Is there a heartbeat? Is the audience still alive? Do these people find joy on a daily basis, or do they get all hepped up on their inward-looking intellect that being in the presence of danceable music they're too preoccupied to respond? It's my take that other than say a good 100 people, most of ottawa's concertgoers are lame. Lame in the pants, or lame in a conservative sense and they just don't feel like acting out for once. That's not confined to dancing because Lord knows there's alot of us who'd prefer not to do that, it spreads it's poisonous wrath over all things art and music-related in this city. The Xpress, although a good 20 minute distraction every week, is just scraping by with marginal writing and reviews. Sylvie Hill (My old neighbour when I moved here) is at least writing something risqué and interesting...and that is getting letters to the editor for profanity?! As I said to a co-worker last week, what this city needs, or rather what I REALLY need and can only get in places like Montreal or Toronto, is risk and uncertainty. I crave feeling uncomfortable in a neighbourhood, I crave going into a restaurant and not knowing if I'll make it out alive...Basically I crave a whole lot more spontaneity than seems to be present in O-Town. As safe, clean and comfortable as it is where's the Godddamned Danger? (Don't say Hintonburg you jerks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 I think dancing for people has always been awkward. People become very self conscience when it comes to shake'n their bootie! That's the way it is for me. I have to really, really, REALLY like a band to lose that self consciousness. None of you would have recognized me at the Dead Darien Lakes show. I threw down like I've never done before. Booze doesn't help much either because then I become self conscious about being out of control and falling on someone. Another weird thing is that I feel way less self conscious when I'm at an out of town show and am more likely to cut loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 hey ahess, you kinda hit the nail on the head for me as far as how i feel about london sometimes... but the flipside is that a larger metropolis like montreal or toronto doesnt really appeal to me, either... hello rock, hello hard place... at least once during the last 3 or 4 shows i've been to in london the crowd has been told by the band to dance, or do something, just quit looking dead... sh!t, who was it we saw the other week that didnt even come back for an encore cuz the crowd was too lame... part of me wants to say king cobb steelie, but another part of me doesnt believe it... anyways, i forget who it was, but it happened, and i really hated that it happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 I just don't really enjoy dancing that much. It's probably the same for a good deal of other people as well. I'm OK with it. I do realise how much the Forcefield sucks for those that do want to dance though. I just don't have a solution. AD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 do the two Scottie's dance in London? aaawwww Scott and Scottie dancey, dancey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 we should all dance like Phoebe runs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 hahaha... i wish... i havent actually seen scottie in a long time... responsibility's a bitch, i guess... haha.. and besides, our dancing opportunities have been few and far between recently... (scottie, if you're out there, we should get together soon... hope you're doin well, brother.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 I think dancing for people has always been awkward. People become very self conscience when it comes to shake'n their bootie! I remember Paisley telling me once at Pepper Jack's "all you gotta do is shake your ass" the quote is actually "you just have to loosen up your ass muscles" to dance with some funky mojo (a comment I try to use sparingly with the ladies for fear of mis-communication)... told to me by a chubby deadhead girl on the floor at Buffalo '89 who saw my yearning to get a heady groove on while I was feeling locked into my steeltown upbringing I used to hate Toronto when I lived there during the 'sports coat with a black t-shirt, heineken or black label in hand and don't even breathe because it might look uncool' days... taught me to just get loose and bust a move up front if you're lovin it, the hell with the corpse people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 sorry didn't mean to misquote -- I knew that was the gist of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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