I never understood why people agree to put their name on a flyer and then choose to no-show. The second I see an artist do that I’m left to question why they are cool disrespecting the scene like that.
Yesterday I went to a show because I recognized and supported 3 of the openers. Two of those 3 openers chose not to show up. I don’t think people realize how big of a deal that is, especially when someone like me puts their money into a show to see them.
I suppose all I can do is write about it after the fact, but I think people need to know some of us are paying attention. When you break your commitments, your word is not bond.
Sometimes, things happen
There are good reasons to miss a show for sure, most artists don’t have them.
I think people didn’t take the promoter seriously. I heard someone was salty their name was misspelled on the flyer. People put HSR on flyers all the time, my artist-name is Holden Stephan Roy.
Allow me to be clear, if you don’t pull up to a show over a typo, I’m left bamboozled. Are you really so big of an artist that you can afford to do that?
I don’t think I’m relevant enough to draw the kind of attention to squash a career. I do know that both the artists I came out on a Friday night to see that didn’t pull up, damaged their relationship with the part of me that is their fan.
Maybe this doesn’t matter to them. Over the time I’ve been in the music industry I’ve seen how fickle people are with their word. If I see you agree to a show, and then you don’t come, I’m left to believe you are okay with fucking over anyone in business.
To me that’s pretty corny. The people who make it in this game, don’t no-show over typos. They research the promoters they deal with and understand what they are signing up to.
I can’t say I will be perfect and hit every event, in fact I fucked over the Raymond Center twice promising to pull up and no-showing without notice. We all have moments, but they have consequences.
Thanks for potentially hurting the relationship with the venue
When 40% of your card chooses not to come it has an impact. There were not a lot of people at this show tonight, so every human helped. Multiple people pulled up, saw the vibe, and moved on.
I’m not saying that had those two artists showed up it would have made that much difference. I don’t believe either of these artists has that significant of a pull.
Maybe I’m wrong and their collective efforts would have spawned an entire audience. I can’t imagine the no-show people were killing it with prospects, or else why skip the event.
Now Piranha Bar is a nice venue. One that has a weird relationship with Hip Hop. I’ve personally been part of shows that ended up with brawls and violence back in the day.
Piranha Bar finally lets us do a show again and 2 of the 5 acts are no shows.
It just comes off so unprofessional. The show was supposed to start at 9 and when I pulled up at 9:30 there was definite concern as to when it would start over missing artists.
All I can say is while this should reflect only on the promoter and those artists, it will have a carry over effect onto all of us. When the people who agree to perform can’t be bothered to pull up, why would the venue, or fans, take us seriously.
Meeting beautiful souls
I had the pleasure of meeting two lovely ladies that were great spirits. One of them told me that they believed the people that would pull up at this show are the ones who were meant to be there. I felt those words.
Honestly the max number of people in the room at one time was 25, including staff. In another phase of life I would have written off the night.
Upstairs in the other room, there was a psytrance show that appeared to be much more populated. Still, our little 25 person show became an intimate experience.
It felt like a vibe you’d get at summer camp. Each of the people staying for the show, realizing this is it, we’re all we’ve got. I wasn’t booked, in fact my initial intention was to go to a different show that ended up being sold out. But tickets early is the lesson.
For whatever reason I really was meant to be there.
I met two wonderful people that have the kind of vibe that I feel would be my tribe. End of the day this is how you build your village, put yourself into rooms where you meet new people. A lot of us are on a journey to connect and when you really let yourself be out there, you will find some cool folk.
I also had a great convo with the security guy as we discussed the finer nuances of booking people in the scene.
Always bring your USB if you rap
I walked up to Maniks when I saw the amount of people and I took my chance. I let it be known my USB was on hand and if he needed it could do a set. There were a good 15 people I have never met before.
One does not hustle pickle merch staying stagnant. Maniks allowed me to open the show once the night had taken its course. I did my three joints and eft my impact.
While I may have an attitude about life, I try not to be weird about the circumstances thrown my way. In this case, I just came prepared. Another homie that pulled up and supported was less prepared but otherwise also would have graced the stage that night too,
What’s crazy is the sound at this venue is so good. The lights are really nice. The quality of my performance was fire. End of the day it was just an intimate crowd in a big room.
I enjoyed performing but alas the vibe was a little bizarre. I’m not too ego driven to rap to an empty room, but I wish more people had pulled up to support.
Some people came from Ottawa to see this show. Wild how people in the city couldn’t be bothered. I wasn’t booked so I don’t take it personally, but I constantly puzzle on how we can improve as a culture.
The other opening acts
I performed at 11:00 PM and was probably done about 12 minutes later. Regulators went on at 11:45 PM and rocked their set hard. I really love what they do.
Massive, 7:Thirty and Snake combine three distinct wavelengths into a single unit. Each member brings their a style of rapping to the table and it blends perfectly in their delivery.
Massive has an intense energy. Easily he’s the most expressive of the group. He is loud, in your face and pacts a passionate punch with each well thought out lyric.
7:Thirty is the in between guy. He has a powerful presence and makes sure each line is felt when he speaks. Talk to him nice or don’t talk to him at all. His demeanour comes off more laid back and in control, but like he ready to let go at any time.
Snake has a calm and collected energy when he raps. I feel a steady seriousness in him where you can feel his energy pouring out in his delivery. He is the balance that keeps everything on lock while they are on stage.
Jimmie D also brought his flair.
Léon Fa Du Fond was cool too. He came on after Regulators and I believe rapped in English and French. He had bars but deadass by the time he went on my focus was waning. I can say he is worth seeing and had a crazy line about not needing a wife as he does his own laundry.
Maniks did his thing
This is the second Maldito related event I’ve been a part of. It’s a big part of why I didn’t reach out to be on this one, and I feel Maniks didn’t ask me to perform for the same reason. It makes sense to have different folk be on the lineup.
Maniks is an incredible performer. He brings a high level of energy and charisma to the stage. His music is arguably over the top, but so is his personality, thus he sells it well. Maniks understood how to perform to the remainder of a crowd as though 1000 people were in the room.
I can imagine the difficulty it is to be in the position he is in. Not only was the turnout what it was, half the people had already left. That stress as a promoter is real, I pray people pull up next Friday for the NARS event.
Maniks put so much effort into creating a stage ambiance. Everything was branded to support the Maldito theme. The man really goes all out to make his work more than just a regular performance.
Given the level of effort he gave us, it makes me a bit sad that more people didn’t come out. Such is the music game.
I need sleep
It’s 3:21 AM as I write this part of my first draft. I am on a mission to bang out a blog for each day I go out and do something. When you see a few days go by with no blog, I was probably home more.
I felt the passion of my frustration at the no-shows and as my food cooked, I got to work writing. That’s right I dodged the Uber Eats demon today.
I want my blog to be my written testimony. Let there be no question about how I feel on things because this blog is here presenting how I see the world. I will certainly annoy some folk and deal with the consequences of my words, but my goal is to elevate the scene.
I have to be in Ville Emard at 12:00 PM or so for Shobiz’ video shoot. As it is I’m looking at a day without a lot of sleep, followed by another. Update, Shobiz514 let us know it was now at 3:00 PM. Oh well.
Live Long and Prosper Everyone