|
GIVE BACK TO THE SCENE How I spent my summer, or My Best Tour Ever There have been a lot of posts recently about the deterioration of the scene, about how 'sketchies' are ruining It for everyone. Yes they're a drag, but actually pretty easily dealt with: BYOB/D/F. Don't get me wrong, I'm the first to buy a phatty veggie burrito from a touring couple so they can ditch a campsite for a hotel, but people who feed off the scene are giving us all a bad name. You know the type- those who don't even care if they make it into a show, don't care about the Scene or Phamily- just there to feed off of others. What better way to keep them in check than to give them no reason to show up in the first place? But, IMO, there's a much more serious danger than that: the crush of new fans who don't Get It. I'm talking about well-intentioned, well-meaning people who aning people who regard <insert your favorite jamband here> as nothing more than 3 1/2 hours of music. People who have no appreciation for the Family nor contribute to the overwhelmingly kind & generous community. If we lose that core, the scene will quickly resemble the blandly superficial drones surrounding so many other bands . Filling up venues with people this type of people is the biggest danger of all. It's all the more ominous because it's such a subtle change to a situation where people stop being a community and start becoming of 15,000 individuals. Someone said in another post that the thing that makes Phans different fans is that at normal shows people don't talk to each other. There's very little interaction or sense of Family. But that's such an important thing, (to me) just as important as the music itself. What I'm trying to say is: IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WHERE THE SCENE IS GOING, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Please don't just leave, don't forsake the scene. If you're conscientious enough to read R.M.P. and these dopey phan pages, you're exactly what the scene needs: people who are responsible, discreet, and caring enough to save it. |
|
This was my small contribution to each of my summer shows: I "gave back" $8. I went to Wal-Mart and bought a 24-pack of party bubbles and a bag of 72 balloons. Then I walked around the lot & venue and handed them out to people. For free. Didn't sell them, didn't trade them; I just gave them away. If you could see the smiles generated by a gift of one balloon or tiny bottle of bubbles, you'd do it in a second. So find something bubbles, balloons, stickers, whatever. Drop a few bucks on something cool and give it away. It matters. It's important. |
|
C'mon, with extremely few exceptions, what other band would ever inspire its fans to gladly follow them around the country? Admit it, <insert your favorite jamband here> has changed your life. Why not spend a few dollars which you'd otherwise use for your own selfish purposes and instead spread some happiness? Peace, mike |
