Small Venues

Ok guys,
I’d like to solicit some opinions here. Something’s been bugging me for a few days.

Let’s say you go to a bar on Commercial drive and for sake of argument you brought a friend along that you haven’t spoken to in a long time.

When you arrive, some one gets up on a small stage with a mic and announces. “Hey folks, we’re gonna have a comedy show tonight. It’ll start in 15 mins”

Do you say to yourself “oh dear, I didn’t want to take in a show tonight. I’d better find another bar”, or do you say “let’s check out this show, it could be fun”, or do you stay at the bar and attempt to talk louder than the comedian on stage and ignore him.

Personally I find the third option to be fucking rude. Someone is on stage, trying to refine their craft and express their art. For you to ignore them and make it harder for them to perform is a real asshole move.

That being said, I know I’ve been enjoying a quiet drink and then a jazz band has set up and I’ve found myself shouting to be heard while me and my friend try to continue our evening.

I didn’t come out for live music, I just wanted a drink and to talk to my friend (something that’s already difficult to do with stereo music blaring). So I get the attitude of trying to stubbornly continue your evening, but music is a little different than comedy. And normally in these cases I finish my drink and leave.

I don’t understand why people are so unsupportive of amateur comedy. Are there no other bars you can go to that don’t have are performance going on? On the Drive I call bullshit.

And do these bars think it’s a good situation to let these people use your tiny stage when you haven’t advertised the event and are doing nothing to support them. Like “yeah sure you can use the stage on Wed, but if the customers shout you down and insult you don’t do anything to affect drink sales”. Maybe these bars shouldn’t bother having a tiny stage if they aren’t going to promote and support the event.

I dunno, I just think it’s a shitty situation for all involved. For the comedians, for the wait staff, for the customers that came to see and show AND those that didn’t want to see a show.

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