Why Children do not Drive Cars
I have been a part of local music here in Wausau for far too long, for a while. Local music is one of those mind numbing things, a soul crusher, but every now and again you get to see something amazing like Jeff Gay and the Straights. But more often than not you walk past a bar and hear a bad version of some hackneed Allman Brothers cover. Tonight though, Natty Nation came to Wausau to play the Fillmor, and it should have been a special event, but it was not. It was a demonstration of the selfishness of the amatuer and fanboy.
Someone cautioned me about trying to build community, and in that I should not write something negative, but I am sorry in advance but this is the sort of thing that bothers me so much. I often lament to friends that everyone wants to have a party, but no one wants to do the work to set it up, and no one wants to clean up afterward. They all just want to dance dance.
So the Fillmor is a new venue in Wausau, and it is struggling to find its feet. It is making giant mistakes, and it is recovering a little bit at a time. So, that being said, this was not their mistake.
A local man came to the Fillmor like a businessman, and asked to book a show. Said that he would do the work, that he would pay the band, that he would promote the show and he would collect the cover charge. This is a big city common thing, a promoter in the big city way of looking at it. This person was someone that asked me to be his reference, and I did. I told the venue that this was a good idea, and that this would work out well for the venue.
I vouched for this guy.
So the venue accepted the gig. Booked it. It was a no cost night. This person was going to pay the band, he was going to take the cover at the door, the terms were from the band to him. The venue had nothing to do with it. As such, the venue had no financial responsibility for the gig. It finally caught a break. The bar would be their money, it would be a profit rich night.
A few weeks ago this young man contacted the venue and told them that he had a wedding to go to in another city, and as such could not make the show. He was sorry, but it could not be avoided. He hoped the venue would not cancel the show. The venue, being morally sound kept the date, accepted the financial responsibility for the price this young man negotiated and signed the contract.
So, what should have been a free night, now was a few thousand dollars of cash outlay for the venue, because this young man did what he did.
Now, you ask, why does this matter, why are you typing at 214 am? Well, I was at the venue, and I SAW THIS YOUNG MAN. Dancing. Not working. Just having a good time. AFTER he told the venue that he would be out of town, and could not live up to his obligations.
This is the bush league crap that someone who is a fanboy pulls. Now the venue looks stupid, loses money, and burns a bridge with the band. The dude who vouched for the young man looks foolish because the young man is a liar and a scumbag, and showed up.
This is why local music is hard. The idea of being groovy and cool is fine, but at the end of the night someone has to hand someone several hundred dollars, and often times that is a less than groovy feeling. Amatuers be banished.
Cheryl Mathis said:
What a bastard. Such a shitty situation.
October 5th, 2008 at 8:09 am #
Dino Corvino said:
You look at someone like Jim Carlson, and the work he does is unimaginable. The idea that he is in essence a cottage industry, having sold thousands of “Out of Fashion”, and not really ventured that far from home, is a real testement to the reach of his marketing idea.
When national sized acts come to town, they invariably ask why there is not more music here, and dudes like this young man are why.
October 5th, 2008 at 11:48 am #
Boogenstein said:
I was disappointed that so few people turned up at the show. I am sorry to hear that there were problems. I guess that you cannot name this moron but could you describe him? I would like to know who to give a cold shoulder to.
October 5th, 2008 at 5:26 pm #
cupcake said:
Was there not a contract or written agreement between this guy and the Fillmor? Seems like he should be held accountable. Did you, or Dan or Bill, confront him? I know how they are struggling and we all want the Fillmor to succeed, so I feel really badly.
October 5th, 2008 at 5:33 pm #
Dino Corvino said:
First off, I do not have a relationship like that with the fillmor.
The contracts would have been from the guy to Natty Nation.
From the fillmor to the guy.
In this case, he broke the contract with the band, and the venue.
He essentially rented the joint for no money. He got the door, the venue got the bar, and did NOT have to pay band.
This is how it works in bigger towns.
He screwed the band, cuz honestly the venue could have cancelled free and clear.
He screwed the venue, by forcing them to take on a garauntee that they did not negotiate.
He is a baad person.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:21 pm #