“There was nothing they could do, it went up so fast”

At least 60 dead at a Great White show. I’ve gone to countless shows just like this. I’ve even played a club very similar to this. My prayers go out to them today.

What I’m about to say is for those people that listened to Great White and won’t admit it. If you always didn’t like them – then the following isn’t for you…

If you think it’s cool to question how so many could be at a Great White show these days because it’s passe, you’re an asshole.

For us music is more then a fad or a phase. For us music isn’t something you grow out of – it’s something that carries you thru. Good music is timeless. Good music is forever. If you find yourself “growing out of music” – consider why you listen to the music you do. Don’t be a poseur.

If you want to question anything, question the pyro usage in such a small club.

Update: News coming out pretty much damns the band and/or it’s management. Looks like they’ve been using the pyro without permission. Everyone is pointing fingers.

Now if you’d like to ask how could a band such as Great White can get so many to its shows without industry support – that’s a good question! Networks of fans. Word of mouth. Many bands survive and some even thrive, on tour, without major label support, without radio airplay. And it’s not limited to just metal bands. You can find examples in all genres. Where the industry doesn’t provide, underground culture will.

Garret asked a couple days ago where this generation’s protest songs were. I’m sure they are out there, but as this NYTimes story says, with the consolidation that’s occured in the industry, chances are slim you are going to hear them. But they are being played, at shows the industry isn’t supporting, being supported by fans, thru word of mouth.

2 thoughts on ““There was nothing they could do, it went up so fast”

  1. in all likelihood, there was a “don’t ask, don’t tell” aspect to the use of fireworks. when i used to do a/v shows, we’d use pyro … and we had to have licenses, and professionals, handle them. permits.

    i’ll be interested if great white had such people, or if it was just a couple of untrained band setup guys who doubled doing this stuff.

    dangerous, indoor pyro. really dangerous. i can’t say i ever felt comfortable around it. for any stage show, we’ve got loads of cheap draping (duvateen) and foam sound insulation, tons of gaffer tape, sets of cardboard and plywood (very flammable). i felt it begged for disaster every time it was used. i always pegged the emergency exit before performance time.

    we liked inflatables and laser effects better.

  2. Doesn’t really matter who caused the fire or if there were permits pulled (and I *think* if there were permits, we would have heard by now), because the clubowners and the band are both going to be paying off lawsuits from now until the end of time.

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