bradm Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 What show(s) have you been to that made you ask, "Where the Hell is everybody?" You know, those shows where a great band is playing (often from out of town), flat-out blows you away, but there's just you and a handful of friends at the venue. For me, Smokestack at Cafe Dekcuf, 2002.10.10 would be in this category. They were on an Ontario tour (they're from Michigan), and when they got to Dekcuf, found about twelve of us there. Despite that, they proceeded to wow us completely. I bought the album (and have it on right now) and have grown to love it; I just wish that more people had been there, both so they could enjoy the show I loved, and to show the band more support and appreciation. Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoMack Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Since I'm going to NYC to see Panic next week, I'd have to say it was Panic at Club Soda in Montreal 1997. I was introduced to their live show a couple weeks before after doing some Further and all of Phish for the summer. We went to the Electric Factory which seats like 5000 (I really don't know the total to this one), then we crossed the Mason Dixon and saw them in Bristow the next day with 20,000 or so. A week later we were in the old Club Soda for a NOT sold out crowd of maybe 250. It was crazy. And the whole place was wild wild wild. I suppose it was more of a "no one's here!" then a "where is everybody" but hey... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Hah, good one. When we were at Ryerson in the early 90s, my then-girlfriend-now-wife and a couple of friends when to the now-defunct campus bar The Edge to see Monteforte, the cover band featuring most of the members of The Pursuit of Happiness. They were awesome! They did (and still do) these power-punkish covers of 70s and 80s pop songs like "Sweet Caroline", "Our Lips Are Sealed", "Bettie Davis Eyes", "The Break-up Song", etc. There was like maybe 10 people total in the bar, and we were thinking "where is everybody, these guys are hilarious!" The good news is you can still catch Monteforte from time-to-time at such Toronto haunts as Healeys. http://home.interlog.com/~charzi/tpoh/bioinfo/mf.htm - highly recommended! Peace, Mr. M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 One other I forgot: Eric Truffaz at Babylon (which was discussed here). Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 These shows come to mind: The Derek Trucks Band @ Alfie's on the Queen's University campus, October 2000. The bar easily holds 500-600, but there was probably only 100 people ( liberal estimate ) there. Still, the smal turn-out made it easier for me to meet and talk to Derek before and after the show. John Entwistle @ the Warehouse 1999 ( now the Kool Haus ). The cavernous Warehouse holds around 2000, but the Ox only drew 200. Nice turn-out for one of the pioneers of rock bass... and there were tons of complimentary tickets floating around too ( several were in my pocket ). Alvin Youngblood Hart @ the Silver Dollar Saloon 2002. The place gets far more crowded every Wednesday for Crazy Strings' bluegrass/lesbian nights. Grammy blues winner Hart played to a less than half-capacity Silver Dollar Saloon that night, but he still put on a killer show. I met him too! And finally: Any good band that are scheduled to open for bigger and more popular bands. Opening acts never get good attendence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 "The Derek Trucks Band @ Alfie's on the Queen's University campus, October 2000" Funny, that was the first one I thought of. I think you are being rather liberal in your guess-timation. Is it possible you were so wasted you were seeing double? Probably a 100 came through the doors, but I dont think there was ever more than 75 people in there at once. Heck, what do I know? It was 3 years ago! Still, that was easily one of the best gigs I have ever seen in a bar. Afro Blue encore, yikes........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 It seemed like 100 people Booche. Alfie's is a wide bar. I'd like to add that Entwistle looked really pissed-off for the entire gig. I can't blame him. The show was barely promoted. The opening act was a band comprised of the Ox's roadies. Still, Entwistle put on a 90 minute show with an encore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 quote:Originally posted by MoMack: Since I'm going to NYC to see Panic next week, I'd have to say it was Panic at Club Soda in Montreal 1997. I was introduced to their live show a couple weeks before after doing some Further and all of Phish for the summer. We went to the Electric Factory which seats like 5000 (I really don't know the total to this one), then we crossed the Mason Dixon and saw them in Bristow the next day with 20,000 or so. A week later we were in the old Club Soda for a NOT sold out crowd of maybe 250. It was crazy. And the whole place was wild wild wild. I suppose it was more of a "no one's here!" then a "where is everybody" but hey... i have a similar experience w/ panic... at the suny buffalo show 11/16/98...there was 150 people there in this HUGE gymnasium. but there were about 50 security guards, no beer sales, no smoking...it was terrible. but i got to meet sunny before the show and talk to him for a few minutes. and you could just walk right up to the rail with no problem. that was after the cancelled the toronto show for poor tix sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchoulia Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Any number of late 90s Comfort Zone shows that happened to fall on weeknights...KDTU comes to mind...Karl D. & Co. were in fine form and there were sooo few people there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-towns Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Weeknight shows in Calgary, Nero had like 20 people, Tala had like 15. If any bands are looking for a great place to play, try to get into the Liberty Lounge on the Mount Royal College campus or the Night Gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 The 2 nero shows I caught recently in the US were surprisingly sparse. Especially after the moe.Down hype, I thought at least the bar would be half full. nero ripped up both places, it was actually nice to see them without fighting for floor space (like I had to in Guelph the last time they were there). Seriously though, there were like 7 people in Buffalo, maybe 20 in Rochester. raq in Hartford was the same way, I think I counted 14 people there when I saw them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Stoned Phillips: Any number of late 90s Comfort Zone shows that happened to fall on weeknights...Yeh, some of the Wednesday nights I was there in the last days blew my mind and there were like sometimes only 10-15 people in the room - first time I saw Downtime (with PEI Punk!) was like that, very smokin' - M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Gruvsten Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 ha...i remember showing up for Slowcoaster at Jimmy Jazz in the summer....hell 20 people makes that bar feel 'not empty' but I walk in juiced right up with a head full of fungi expecting a party........and it's just me. That's it. So I took a deep breath, sat at a barstool, got the beers going fast to calm my nerves and tried not to make eye contact with the band too much, but you know they were the only other people there really...by song 4 I was a mess and just trying to stay on my stool, it must've been obvious....A few others trickled in eventually and at set break I gushed to the band like a 15 year old groupie. messy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Saw a pretty high-end BNB show @ Call The Office in London once, although I know where everyone was that night: Frontier Town. Still, BNB played really well for the ten of us or so gettin' down. Goddamn, was I ever high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Hey Ottawa folks, I heard rumours of poor turn-outs for certain shows at the Ottawa Bluesfest. Is this true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 All the way from freaking Cuba to play at FRONTIER TOWN, for under 25 people.... Best act @ The Town BY FAR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 That would be the Slip in Kingston (May of this year). We got there a little earlier and, save for band and crew and two other guys, were the only ones in the bar. The only board folks were Kung and myself, I would say there must have been about 25 people max at this show, and yet the band didn't seem phased in the least. It was great fun, just too bad there weren't more there to enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elemeno Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 goodforest festival 199something chippawa ontario.. ekoostik hookah, zen tricksters and a few other bands.. 50 people tops and 20 of them were close friends, the rest were staff and their guests.. they were expecting 500 or more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Secondtube, good call! The young man in question is Roberto Martinez Pereira, just amazing! I found a sound clip on this site: http://www.jazzfest.markham.on.ca/ArtistBio03Pereira.htm - M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 i'm listening to his cd now.... its very very good as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Jaimoe: Hey Ottawa folks, I heard rumours of poor turn-outs for certain shows at the Ottawa Bluesfest. Is this true? MMW at the NAC was really sparse. They were giving away tickets in the VIP tent area, but, for some stupid reason, didn't do a "live rush" (which makes cheap tickets available to students and the like). MMW were obviously not happy, and did a one-set show with a lot of ambient stuff right off the bat. Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Well, since the last time I the played (that I know of) was summer/02 I'd say they aren't really together. But they SOOO should be! I've never seen a girl on horns though, every time I saw them, from the Merle Saunders shows on, they always had guys on horns. Man I really wish I'd seem them when Mr. Shields was still on keys. Although seeing Merle was pretty sweet. I don't recall who was playing keys when I last saw them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 If you're talking about a Merl Show about 5 years ago, I was there man! And there was girl with a goofy hat playing sax if I remember correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 I'm thinking Ratdog, Oct. 29, 2003. If I was there, I'd be wondering "where the hell is everyone". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberHippie Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Huh... Well there ya go, I don't remember the girl, but I was at about 4 Merle/OSB shows. Guess I was smoking lots of grass... Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.