Exeter 25th October

Sat Nov 1 07:19:29 EST 2003

Hawkwind is the only band I go to the front for. Only because most of the
folks are around my age and don't need to act like Buffoons to enjoy the
show. I never got to experience the guy your talking about. If someone
grabbed my arms I think there would be trouble. I'm not a big guy but thats
BS. Cheers Stephe
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Majka" <jmajk at INDY.RR.COM>
To: <BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET>
Sent: Saturday, November 01, 2003 6:57 AM
Subject: Re: Exeter 25th October


> In general I'm pretty cautious about being in the front at any show just
> because it tends to be the most physically dangerous place to be.
Granted,
> Hawkwind has  a tendency to draw a somwhat more sedate audience such that
I
> don't really expect a "pit" to develop, but I've had uniformly bad
> experiences at the front.  This opinion may be unduly influenced by a
single
> person who seems inevitably toshow up at all Chicago area HW shows, go to
> the front, and generally cause trouble.  I'm sure others probably remember
> this person as well.  I particularly remember in 1995 at the Park West,
> standing right in front of the stage while this guy shouted and whistled
at
> maximum volume pretty much nonstop for the entire show, to the annoyance
of
> everyone nearby.  He was flailing around as well, knocking into people,
and
> at some point said to me, "You don't look like you're having fun," and he
> grabbed my arms and raised them over my head and flailed them around
against
> my will for probably ten minutes... other people got similar treatment.  I
> remember the same character right next to me at the Strange Daze 1998 show
> where all the same behavior ensued, except this time people were more
pissed
> off and would give him a good shove any time he got too close.  Of course
> this precipitated some minor fighting and eventually the guy was seemingly
> removed.  At the same show it seemed like fans were extraordinarily
> territorial as well.  At one point when I was knocked into by the above
> mentioned fellow, I was jostled two feet to my left where the gentleman
> behind me took my shoulder and informed me that he had been standing at
the
> front of the stage for hours waiting for Hawkwind and wasn't going to have
> his spot taken by a newcomer!  As if I hadn't been there for hours as
> well...  *sigh*  it was very much a "can't win" situation.  In general,
I've
> found that it isn't necessarily the most hardcore fans one finds at the
> front... it's mainly the most aggressive ones.  Mainly these days I don't
> even bother troubling myself but just try to get a good view in a
> comfortable area.  In some ways the issue is reminiscent of many
punk/indie
> rock bands I've seen.  All the scenesters/mohawk kids etc gravitate toward
> the front, while the fans of the band are lurking shyly somewhere near the
> back.  A sad state of affairs.
> John Majka
> jmajk at indy.rr.com
>
>
> > I always find in these "smaller" venues you're better off near the
front.
> It
> > took alot of persuading to get Andrea up there as she gets panicky
> > normally,( I mean at OTHER gigs) but at Hawkwind, everyone seems to
> respect
> > each others space. The novices seem to gravitate towards the back! I
felt
> > very out of place? People obviously didn't have much idea about what
they
> > were about to see.... I'm glad (VERY) that I moved to stage left??
> > Wonderful!!Al.
> >
> >
> > >From: Colin J Allen <colin at CALLEN18.FREESERVE.CO.UK>
> > >Reply-To: BOC/Hawkwind Discussion List <BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET>
> > >To: BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET
> > >Subject: Re: Exeter 25th October
> > >Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 19:17:15 -0000
> > >
> > >The new material is there, it is just not allowed out to play yet:).
> > >
> > >It was a bit of an odd gig; the promoters (Future Sound of Exeter) put
on
> > >regular events at the Phoenix and try to get an eclectic (and full)
> > >line-up;
> > >I also thought that the guitarist in the bar band was very good,
although
> I
> > >thought that Dbkaos was the guy in the hall before Hawkwind went on;
the
> > >band in the bar were (I think) Sembalance with the Iconoclast.  The
food
> at
> > >the Phoenix was worthy of mention as was the lovely, lovely (and
> virtually
> > >unique) mixing desk; it was just such a pity that they kept such a
> careful
> > >eye on the latter after the gig:(.  Now that I would not have minded
> > >lifting
> > >and pushing to the van!
> > >
> > >Colin
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Please note that this electronic mail system is not intended to form
any
> > >legal contract or binding agreement. This is for information purposes
> only.
> > >Please also note that this message should not be interpreted as any
form
> of
> > >valid information. You use the information contained in this message at
> > >your
> > >own risk.
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Jill Strobridge" <jill at THETA-ORIONIS.FREESERVE.CO.UK>
> > >To: <BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET>
> > >Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 10:42 PM
> > >Subject: Re: Exeter 25th October
> > >
> > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Michael Blackman" <michael_1968 at OZEMAIL.COM.AU>
> > > > To: <BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET>
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 6:53 AM
> > > > Subject: Re: Exeter 25th October
> > > >
> > > > > There ought to be a page at Mission Control just for the roadies
and
> > > > all
> > > > > those fine individuals who work so hard behind the scenes to make
> the
> > > > gigs
> > > > > happen.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > Yeah - there definitely should.    I must confess to a twinge of
guilt
> > > > sometimes when I leave a venue and look back at the stage - empty of
> > > > people but piled high with equipment - knowing that some poor folks
> have
> > > > still got to dismantle all that lot and pack it away before the
> evening
> > > > is really over.
> > > >
> > > > Anyhow I finally introduced my sister and her family to a Hawkwind
> gig -
> > > > Hawkwind People here are my relatives - Relatives this is Hawkwind.
> > > > Thankfully it seemed to go ok - no Damascenian conversions sadly -
the
> > > > neices have been too brought up on mainstream I'm afraid but the
> eldest
> > > > has learned how to get work at Glastonbury (thank you Merrick!) so
her
> > > > horizons might broaden a bit and everyone seemed to enjoy the
> > > > experience.
> > > >
> > > > A strange mixture of a gig though - there was a DJ in the main hall
> > > > right up until Hawkwind played, with a very trippy visual show but
not
> > > > much else by way of inspiration.   The support band (who
> > > > were.........?dbChaos) set up in a tiny cramped corner of a smallish
> bar
> > > > space and the lead guy played (to my ear) some fairly decent guitar.
> > > > But it was very very packed and everyone was standing on everyone
else
> > > > so there wasn't much room to hang around and socialise never mind
> relax
> > > > and listen.    Everyone managed to squeeze into the main hall -
> > > > just -but there was no way I was ever going to see much of the stage
> so
> > > > it was a question of watching the lights (which were flashy and
> dramatic
> > > > but clearly not the Chaos Lightshow - it was a real shame about
their
> > > > computer failure) and listening to the sound - which was good and
> > > > powerful without being excessively loud - very well balanced.    I
> found
> > > > it difficult to separate out the different guitars (but then I don't
> > > > have the ear of experience)  but thought that overall it had a nice
> > > > depth and surroundsound feel to it and certainly everyone around me
> was
> > > > having a wonderful time!
> > > >
> > > > I'm (selfishly) glad there wasn't much new material but I confess I
> was
> > > > expecting more - in fact I was expecting a lot more!    Where has it
> > > > gone then??
> > > >
> > > > Anyhow - hi to everyone I met - everyone I recognised and didn't
know
> > > > the name of, everyone I would have known the name of but didn't
> > > > recognise and everyone for whom I managed to get both right.
> > > >
> > > > Ah dear - signs of senility.........
> > > > jill
> > > > -----------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > Jill Strobridge <jill at theta-orionis.freeserve.co.uk>
> > > > -----------------------------------------------------------------
> > > >
> >
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