Canceling Shows is Bad

Went to go see Frantic Clam, Bankrupt and the Borrowers, Follow that Bird, and Cry Blood Apache at Trophy's on Friday night. Little did I know it would turn into one of the weirdest nights I've experienced in a while.

The bill was supposed to be three bands. It had been promoted that way for weeks but then Cry Blood Apache somehow snuck in at the last minute. I'd never heard of them and neither had anyone I talked to (granted my sample size was pretty small), but I was excited to see another band.

The addition of Cry Blood Apache meant that Follow that Bird had to go on at 9:30, which is damn early, especially at Trophy's. I was there around 9 and the place was almost empty. Thirty minutes go by and we hear through the grapevine that Follow that Bird canceled at the last minute. I guess there was some bad blood between the birds and Trophy's previously, and this didn't help smooth things over. On top of that, Cry Blood Apache was nowhere to be found. They were scheduled to start at 10:30pm; they didn't bother to show up until 10:40. That's just bad form.



And then the audio assault started. Let me preface this next part: I am a fan of creativity and experimentation. I think it helps push us forward as a whole. However, some sounds need to stay away from my ears. Cry Blood Apache creates those very sounds. Here's a taste. Compare it with their MySpace page.



Most of the crowd bolted for the back patio. It was so bad that people outside got mad when the door to Trophy's opened. They wanted it contained. After the merciful end of the noise, Frantic Clam took the stage about an hour late. After that, all was right in the universe; both Frantic Clam and Bankrupt and the Borrowers played great sets.

The bottom line here is twofold:
1) Don't cancel your shows. It sucks for the audience, it sucks for the other bands, it sucks for the venue, and it sucks for you. When you are headlining ACL Fest and they forget to sort your M&Ms by color, then you can go ballistic and refuse to leave your trailer. Venues can act childish at times and you pretty much have to suck it up, play the show, and learn from it.

2) Don't misrepresent yourself. Go listen to Cry Blood Apache on MySpace; I'll wait. Then check out the clip above and tell me if they are the same AT ALL. I understand there being a difference between your recorded and live material, but come on.

Oh, and a distant third...don't worry about what some guy posts on his blog. We're all full of shit anyway.