So our band is playing two nights at the Paradise in Boston this weekend. Release shows for our new album and our first hometown club gigs since April. Big deal for us.But the Red Sox are in the World Series and games 3 and 4 are on Saturday and Sunday night. (!!! I’m a huge Sox fan, so on the baseball of things I couldn’t be happier). So the promoter (Live Nation aka ClearChannel), my booking agent Adam, and my manager all urge me strongly to CANCEL THE SHOW on Sunday. There aren’t enough pre-sales, they say, and there probably will be no walk-up sales with the game going on.
I never cancel shows if there’s anything I can do about it. One time I cancelled because my van blew up in the desert. The other time I had strep throat and physicallly could not sing. That’s it. And now I was being asked to cancel because the Red Sox were in the World Series and there wouldn’t be enough ticket sales that night.
Forget it, I’m doing it, I told them. I have a responsibility to anyone who already bought a ticket for Sunday (there were about 85 or so presold) and that’s the end of it. They basically told me, “Yeah, but you should really cancel.” No, I don’t want to cancel. “Yeah, well, you should really, really cancel.”
Finally, after being pressured from all sides upstairs, I caved in. I want to do right by people and I just want to do what makes sense. Fine, we’ll cancel…
Then Live Nation tells us that they can’t honor Sunday tickets for Saturday.
So that means if someone bought a ticket for Sunday, they would have to refund their ticket, get screwed on the non-refundable fees that they already paid, buy a new ticket for Saturday and pay the fees all over again. Just to go to the show on a different night than they actually wanted to go.
F that. We’re playing on Sunday.
I’m sort of still freaking out a little because if not many people go this weekend, Live Nation will say “I told you so” and may stick it to us in the future. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think people are coming. And either way, I’m going to play my heart out for anyone who does come. That’s all that matters, right?
We’re setting up TVs in the club so people who want to watch the game can do that while we play. Normally I would never do something like that, but it’s in Boston and the Red Sox are in the World Series. I get it. I just want everyone to get what they want.
Anyway, thought I’d share. I’d love to serve Live Nation a big turd sandwich this weekend by still filling the venue (and making them more money
?). But we’ll see. Either way, I’m psyched to play some tunes. Nate Wilson Group on Saturday! My good friends Dwight and Nicole and Jesse Dee on Sunday. Horns sitting in. It’s on. I need to stop worrying.
OK, anyway, hope everyone is having a good week!
-Ryan.
23 Responses
Yonder went on without a hitch last week during do or die game 5. They had huge screens up and everyone was happy. It wasn’t sold out like at the avalon last year, but last year they were with Sam Bush so it wasn’t just the game that affected the crowd. It was well filled nonetheless. The band played along with it nicely, cheering the team on during breaks. It’ll work out Ryan, don’t you fret.
On the flip side of that, liffy, I gave up Mike Gordon and Leo Kottke at Irving Plaza in favor of watching Game 6 of the 2003 World Series. Mike & Leo are some of my favorite musicians, it was less than a mile away and I see more concerts than 99% of the general population. Yet I still wouldn’t hit up the show over watching the Yanks. I hope for Ryan’s sake people will show up.
I saw Dr. Dog hit up the Paradise during game one of the AL East series and it was pretty empty… best of luck during a Beantown World Series… good attitude though, shows integrity on Montbleau’s end. But unfortunately, I don’t see a lot of people coming through for this guy
It’s tough to get people out in Boston when the Sox or the Pats are in any sort of postseason play. They should have known better than to schedule any sort of major show in Boston around World Series time.
Reminds me of Yonder 2004-10-21. Sick show in Boston the day after the Sox won game 7 against the Yankees in the ALCS, coming back from a 3-0 deficit. Plenty of good banter, and just a nasty set.
http://www.archive.org/details/ymsb2004-10-21.flac16
Don’t worry, Ryan, when the Rockies go up 3-0 after the first three games plenty of Sox fans will opt to see your show rather than watch their team get swept!
GO ROCKIES!
What about when the Sox goes up 3-0?
i watched G-Love w/ special sauce last night while enjoying the Red Sox game playing on 8 tvs around the club. great night and game!
we can do both.
deadmts said– “They should have known better than to schedule any sort of major show in Boston around World Series time.” We did know better, and took the last weekend of the month to avoid this, but the rules changed. I have been doing this nearly 20 years, our agent has for 15, and the promoter also knows better. Since when is the WS this late? FOX doesn;t want day games and it has stretched the post-season into Nov.! I feel bad for the Rockies, who had an 8 day layoff partly as a result, as well as the kids who can’t stay up til 1 am for a game. There has never been a series this late other than 2001, thanks to Osama…
I missed game 4 of the 2001 World Series because of the String cheese Incident’s show at the MSG Theater. I wish I could have seen the game, but the show was one of the most creatively impressive shows I’ve ever been a part of. We got word that the Yanks as won as we were all walking out and the corrider leading to the street from MSG absolutely exploded.
Normally the WS would have started last Saturday (10/20) but they pushed it back a few days for some stupid reason. Regardless, ever since 2001 I try not to plan anything for the second half of October until I see how the Yankees are doing. I highly recommend the practice.
i can’t wait for both shows…. i’ll be wearing by Bleausox
This is what TIVO is for- Let technology serve you, go to Ryan’s show- then have a party at your house watching the game afterwards! Make a vow not to listen to the radio for the scores. Really enjoy both- why miss a great show?
You did the right thing Ryan…no need to worry, it’ll all work out.
I’m in it for the music. We’re celebrating the birth of an amazing album from an even better band. This album will stand the tests of time.
Sure, people are going to miss the show, due to the World Series, or the fact it’s a “school-night”… but as for the rest of us…
We’ll be having the time of our lives, enjoying what it’s REALLY all about… THE MUSIC. Not the numbers.
Ryan proves again he is in it for the music. Most people don’t know that Ryan is about the biggest Red Sox fan you’ll ever meet; his dad had season tickets and took him all the time when he was younger, up until the tickets became unaffordable..
That being said, if you still need to cancel Sunday, I’m behind you on that. Only 85 tickets presold (capacity is 600 I believe). What if you gave people with Sunday tickets free cd’s if they came to Saturday (to make up for the extra fees)?
We saw you play to approx. 10 people during a blizzard in CT a while back and have been huge fans ever since! Anyone else would have canceled for sure!
From all of the responses to this thread it doesn’t look like Ryan is gonna have a problem
Go RMB. It’s your show… you do want you want with it. Sometimes decisions need to be made, and whether or not the fans show up, the band played their originally scheduled show. Loyalty. Honor. Music.
in my eyes, this is a win-win situation…..see the band, and watch the game!
The show must go on!!
What is the downside of not selling enough tickets? Everybody knows the Sox are playing in the WS, anybody who holds low attendance against you this weekend is a fool.
Righteous.
Aw, this was a really nice post. Taking the
time and actual effort to produce a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and don’t manage to get nearly anything done.