Hi all,
We've been booked in to a newly re-opened pub that's fairly local to all of us in the band; it's been booked for the end of May, and has been in our diaries for about a month now.
I've recently found out however that the pub is run by - and all the regulars are members of - the Gypsy community. That in itself wouldn't necessarily be an issue, but I've also heard that there have been several 'incidents' over the last few weeks where the police have had to attend en masse (knives being pulled, people being dragged outside for a severe kicking etc.).
Now, if it were up to me, I'd tell them to shove the gig, but I realise that's not exactly 'professional' - and the drummer thinks we'll be fine. So, people of the Fretboard, at what point would you walk away and cancel a gig? Is the above enough to justify it?
Comments
Seriously with everything you have mentioned i would pull the plug.
There’s nothing you can do about the unexpected, but under no circumstances will I ever again play at any venue which has a reputation for, or a recent unaddressed history of being unable to deal with any trouble which breaks out. It’s not worth the risk to myself, and I simply don’t want to be associated with, or in any way supportive of any enterprise which accepts it. Fortunately my band mates took a similar view, as a result we cancelled some bookings and turned down others, but if they hadn’t seen it the same way I’d have walked without a second glance or a moments regret
It doesn't sound good to me frankly.
Also heard from a couple of other people as well that were there when things kicked-off, so it's not just rumour.
We'll be the first band to play there as well; asking other bands about their experience had crossed my mind, but it's not possible in this case.
Just chatting to the band and the drummer still wants to do it (he's a punchy Scot, mind), but myself and the bassist/singer have both mentioned bailing. So hopefully we'll can it; just not worth the potential risk and aggro IMO.
If your booking is for a event and they can't get someone else, they might get upset with you or demand that you arrange the replacement etc - depending on whether you have proper contracts or not etc.
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Music's great and all, but it's not worth risking your health for.
This sounds overly simplistic but it's really not.
For example, if you don't want to do the gig, but you don't want to let someone down or damage your reputation more than you don't want to do the gig, then on balance you do want to do the gig.
If you really want to do the gig, but it would be shit for everyone because you're in hospital with two broken arms and you don't want to stand there useless in front of a bunch of drunks, then on balance you don't want to do the gig.
Bandcamp
Spotify, Apple et al
I would walk away.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein