ungh

[dragonlady7]

I am a little light-headed and morningy today. Bleargh. I was out until nearly 2, sitting by the door at Nietzche's watching the doorman hand out the ballots-- one ballot per price of admission. Then I sat there with a Sharpie at a table and explained, about two hundred times, "Just make a mark on the one you want." Lots of people said, "Do I circle them or put a checkmark?" "Anything you want," I said. I started telling people they had to draw hearts and smileys. I tried to convince one guy he had to draw a moustache on the face of the band's frontman. I eventually cast my vote by drawing outsize male genitalia on the singer I liked.
The turnout was huge. It was a big event. But it wasn't due to Artvoice's efforts, really. It was due to the efforts of the bands. (Which was the plan all along.) And the winning band was the one that mobilized its fans. They got everybody to show up. Lots of moms and dads-- one older man and woman stood by the table looking perplexed as their daughter tried to explain the band to them. Lots of brothers and sisters.

The staff favorite was a big gay dude who does funny disco songs. His act was awesome. They worked really hard. I was absolutely appalled by how many people walked out during his set (all told, it was probably only about five people; I think the rest were going out for cigarettes, but still, why would you walk away from watching that?). I really was. Honestly, what's wrong with a giant burly man in a pink dress singing about gender stereotypes and children's dolls? It wasn't at all offensive. His stuff is great, and he was a super-nice guy. But his fans didn't come out. One of my coworkers claimed to be a huge fan, but did he come through that door? No he did not. To the man's credit, though, a whole lot of people did. He came in second. And a lot of the people handing in ballots for him did so in an amused fashion after his set: they hadn't come here to vote for him, but they couldn't not after he was done. So on his own merits, in an impartial house, he would've rocked the box.
But all four bands were talented and hard-working. All four bands played solid sets. All four bands had original songs and a reasonable following of fans. It's just that the one that won got the bodies through the door. We kept joking that these people had gotten off the fan bus together, and it was literally almost like that. Big groups, ten people at a time, voting for this band. But: one admission, one ballot. There was no monkey business. Most of them even stayed for the show, though they didn't have to. (Our first two through the door just came in, voted, and left. Fair enough.)
Which, I suppose, should bode well for them should any club owner be looking to book somebody. Who gets bodies through the door? We have a direct count of who came into that club for which band.

Anyway. I think I'm awake tnough to leave now for Rollergirls. My skills assessment is today.

The seisun yesterday was lovely, by the way. I made $6 and there was another singer there who sang this song, and I am just ignorant enough to have never heard it before, and just sappy enough to admit that it made me cry this morning when I looked up the lyrics.

Comments

[gypsum.livejournal.com]

Do you know a fiddle player from that session named Steph?

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

There wasn't one there by that name any of the times I've been, but, I think a Stephanie was mentioned last night as a fiddle player who has been there in the past and knows a lot of good songs.

[mother2012.livejournal.com]

We should have gone. I couldn't get Dale to get off his duff and do so. I might have pushed harder, but was very tired myself. Now I'm sorry.

[kkatowll.livejournal.com]

Loved your description of the voting. Wish I were there to draw penises on people's pictures. :)