Recently I upset the Sisterhood of Alison Moyet with my comments about a concert she gave at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall, you can read these comments by following this link http://www.clickliverpool.com/culture/reviews/127202-review-alison-moyet.html or just looking up Review Alison Moyet on this site.
I was not critical of Alison Moyet; she gave a great concert and has a fabulous voice. I was critical of the supporting “Act” and her backing band. This is a point that the people who left comments seem to have, in the main, missed. Several people did support my views and no they are not friends of mine.
It was her punctuality that I was critical of, we were all there at 7.30 so why wasn’t she. The concert could have started at 7.30 there could have been an interval and she could have finished before 10 p.m and I would have enjoyed the concert.
It was the fact that on my ticket it stated 7.30 p.m. There was NO mention of support and on the poster out side The Phil the time stated was 7.30 p.m. I checked again no mention of support. Dear Alison wandered on stage at twenty minutes to nine and her concert lasted an hour and a half.
Since I wrote my review I have been amazed at the number of people who have contacted me to tell me tales of waiting for an Artist to come on stage. It does not seem to matter what it states on the ticket. At a recent “Westlife” concert at The Liverpool Echo Arena there was a support band and then an hour gap before “Westlife” appeared.
It appears also that you are lucky if Madonna gets on stage before midnight and there are many artists who are the same.
One friend was telling me that he and his wife went to see one of the reincarnations of Manfred Mann. The support sang 8 songs, there was an interval and the support came back and sang another song, before Manfred Mann came on stage. My friends had no idea who the support was and could have done without him. The concert was not well attended and when the main event came on stage they started haranguing the people who were there with “why didn’t you bring your friends with you or haven’t you got any” Tony told me that he would not go and see Manfred Mann again or recommend any-one else to.
Occasionally I go to see one of our local football teams; amazingly they kick off at 3 o’clock. You can set your watch by it; it is the same if I go to see a Rugby match, the time it states on the ticket is the time it kicks off. Not when the teams decide to wander on to the pitch. If a Snooker player turns up late he is docked 2, yes 2 frames and that could cost the player the match and the bigger prize money, which is why Snooker players are rarely late.
When I go to the Theatre, the show starts on time. Films start after a few adverts, but close to the time on the ticket, not an hour later.
It is the same with trains, boats and planes, if you turn up after the time stated on the ticket you have missed the boat, so to speak. Your fault, no come back, get another ticket and pay for it.
So why do Singers, bands, artists, whatever you care to call them think that it is acceptable to treat their fans, which is what they are, so badly, you do not pay good money to see some-one if you are not a fan.
At a party on Boxing Night I was talking to Paul, who is a promoter, he puts on a variety of comedy shows all over Britain. When we were talking about the late arrival on stage of artists, he looked at me and asked why was I being so naive.
Paul then went on to explain, you get a venue like the Liverpool Echo Arena and the management of the artist have done a deal with the Arena were they get a percentage of the bar takings. You have ten thousand people hanging about for a couple of hours; they are going to buy lots of drink and Band memorabilia. The longer you keep them waiting the more money the artist makes. The thing is to go on before the audience riot.
Saying that you are not allowed to take a bottle of water into a venue because of Health and Safty concerns is rubbish, it is because they want you to buy it at the venue and pay the high prices.
So not only do you pay an exorbitant price for privilege of going to see an artist, you are kept waiting until they have made a certain amount from the bar. Double rip-off, this is why there is so often trouble at the Liverpool Echo Arena, the artists want the drink sales. So I cannot see a ban on drink being imposed at The Arena, no matter how much trouble there is.
How long did Morrissey keep his fans waiting when he played The Arena? Would he have had a beer thrown at him if he had been on stage earlier?
There is a saying “Punctuality is the Courtesy of Kings” often attributed to King Louis the 18th of France. He was right, why should we put up with lateness, next time you go to a concert just see what time the artist comes on stage and if you are not happy, complain and maybe if enough people complain, artists will get the massage and be on stage at the time stated on the ticket. Remember these people would not be there if you weren’t.
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
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Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
