Talking During Sets...especially Ballads

[Gypsy Bob]

Howdy folks...welcome me

Geezer time: twas a time in the day when the GD played Stella Blue you could hear a pin drop. Allowed for a real special moment for all...seems today it's hard to recreate those moments with the insecent talk during Ballads...try listening and connect to the magic.

[Evangeline]

Funny, I do not remember a lot of silent moments at GD shows, even during Stella Blue. I think people have always partied at shows and between the lowering of inhibitions due to that, and the general excitement of a show, people will always make some noise. Maybe memory just sweetens things a little?

[Gypsy Bob]

happened a lot in the early 70's...even at MSG!!! Comes A Time...the point is Listen ... there's so much to be gained/shared.

[Rbarracoph]

happened a lot in the early 70's...even at MSG!!! Comes A Time...the point is Listen ... there's so much to be gained/shared.

It was hit or miss and really depended on where you were sitting. Unless your Keith Jarrett or at a classical concert I don't think you'll ever get the lunk heads to shut up.

I'm glad I wear in-ear monitors now because it blocks them out! RB

It was hit or miss and really depended on where you were sitting. Unless your Keith Jarrett or at a classical concert I don't think you'll ever get the lunk heads to shut up.

I'm glad I wear in-ear monitors now because it blocks them out! RB

The other option is to do what Chris Robinson does. He stops the band mid-song and admonishes the audience for ten minutes. LOL RB

[Tom]

The other option is to do what Chris Robinson does. He stops the band mid-song and admonishes the audience for ten minutes. LOL RB

Did you see the video of the Crowes from Penn's Peak? Some guy gets tossed for smoking inside and Chris rants about venue security for throwing him out. You can smoke on the deck all you want. I guess some people never learn....

[lilyfields]

Welcome Gypsy! Welcome me too! Funny how we both started posting on this board on the same day!!!

You know my feelings on this subject all too well!! Please keep your mouth closed (unless of course you're singing) and your ears open.....and keep your body to yourself too unless invited! Seems to be getting worse these days.....sometimes I feel like I need to be bubble-wrapped!

Lots of love - enjoy the show!

[Evangeline]

Welcome Gypsy! Welcome me too! Funny how we both started posting on this board on the same day!!!

Syncronicity!!

[nwnj steve]

I noticed the last time dso was at penns peak security was very lax compaired to times before that ,they used to be up top with those laser pointers picking out people in the crowd ,haven t seen that in awhile

[cm_hayden]

I actually remember Jerry bringing a crowd to a complete silence during Stella, Peggy-O, and China Doll. There's been times I preferred talking to a loud off-key sing along.

[Gypsy Bob]

I actually remember Jerry bringing a crowd to a complete silence during Stella, Peggy-O, and China Doll. There's been times I preferred talking to a loud off-key sing along.

One of the many gifts Jerry & Jeff share is the ability to "Feel" the lyrics and convey all the subtleties. These are the times when you may have listened to a tune 100 times but you're actually hearing it for the first time. A noisy crown obfuscates the process.

[Guest Lisacat]

The other option is to do what Chris Robinson does. He stops the band mid-song and admonishes the audience for ten minutes. LOL RB

oh please, please do that. But I think Lisa Mackey needs to be the one. All the talkers will leave the show with their tails tucked between their legs after that.

[Dstone5553]

Funny, I do not remember a lot of silent moments at GD shows, even during Stella Blue. I think people have always partied at shows and between the lowering of inhibitions due to that, and the general excitement of a show, people will always make some noise. Maybe memory just sweetens things a little?

happened a lot in the early 70's...even at MSG!!! Comes A Time...the point is Listen ... there's so much to be gained/shared.

I was at many a show with many thousands of people where you could hear just the head of a pin drop on a Stella or a Dew etc. Usually, those were the Tuesday/Wed/Thurs night shows in places like Sacramento, Louisville and Indiana.

For DSO, it's hard to get that on weekend nights (outside of SF) cause many come not so much to hear music that has the power to be spiritual, but for a party on a Friday night.

Additionally, maybe because these places are smaller, you can more easily hear peoples' conversations. I've had no problem asking people if they could stop talking because I really want to hear the people on stage and not them, but on the East coast, that can sometimes be impossible because there are too many of them and asking things of inebriated folks can be a losing proposition.

One thing I can promise you though, is that NONE of the people on this forum are the people jabbering away on ballads at DSO shows, so you've come to the right place to vent but the wrong place to accomplish anything in terms of getting people to be more considerate of their surroundings. But it's great to have you anyway!

On another topic altogether, I have a question for anyone. When you say MSG, you are talking about the Felt Forum, which was the name of the 5000 seat theater inside the Madison Square Garden building when you saw the GD in '71, I believe.

I'm wondering if that theater is still intact? I know they had a place called The Theater at Madison Square Garden and now call it the Washington State Mutual theater or something like that but I'm wondering if this is the same theatre that was the Felt Forum when MSG opened...the one where the GD and Doors and many others played.

[John A]

The beauty of GA at West Coast shows was that one could surround themselves front of board with like minded folks who paid attention....not so easy with reserve seating back East.

[Herdygerdy]

I absolutely HATE talkers during the ballads!!!!!! I swear I think some people make it a point to be highly loud and obnoxious when the ballads are being played!! I've "shushed" a few people here and there, and they look at me like I'm the crazy one....

I've seemed to notice (atleast how I see it), that the "Ballad Talkers" are people who aren't Deadheads... Dead fans, yes of course, but Heads, I don't think so.... Just my humble opinion tho....

[Octal]

I brought a girl to Furthur's two night run at the Mann Center in Philly July 10th and 11th. First night she finds an old friend she hasn't seen in a while, spends almost the entire second set talking to them. Next night is texting the entire second set. Yuck. And she was annoyed about how I found this extremely disrespectful. And latter that night she was too tired to "let it shine."

I've even stopped singing along to songs, not only because I don't have enough of relative pitch yet to pick out the vocal melody lines quickly (who here actually does?) and the ability to control my voice to chromatics, but also because I want to listen to the whole thing. Rock music is for dancing, singing along and having fun. But this is more than rock music. One needs an artistic sensate aspect to them to feel some of these songs.

Tip: Flail your arms around spinning wildly. Everyone will leave you a big hole to dance around in, and be farther away from you. And if not, then you can "accidentally" punch one of these people in the face. What's a better way to top of a "Comes a Time" than to punch someone in the face?

[Herdygerdy]

if not, then you can "accidentally" punch one of these people in the face. What's a better way to top of a "Comes a Time" than to punch someone in the face?

HAHAHAHAAAA!!! "Comes a time when the blind-man takes his hand, punches you in the face and says Don't you see?"

Gotta make it somehow, right?

[jdbbfly]

welcome gypsy bob. this is twirly jill (go figure) from the vibes board.

after seeing shows for 25 plus years, i've finally started wearing ear plugs. now i don't hear all the chatter and i don't have to get all pissed off.

unless you're the drunk-y idiot that crashes into me.

peace

jill

[chuckvegas]

It is always good to revisit this topic. I've never been a fan of those who insist on having their 5th or 10th high school reunions at a show, either. And while I have never accidentally on purpose slugged someone while flailing away, I have slimed a few over the years. C'est la vie.

[Herdygerdy]

, I have slimed a few over the years. C'est la vie.

Slimed isn't the word for it, Chuckles.... When they did "Ghostbusters" back in 84, they should of cast you as "Slimer" a.k.a. the first ghost they caught...

[Guest Lisacat]

I've seemed to notice (atleast how I see it), that the "Ballad Talkers" are people who aren't Deadheads... Dead fans, yes of course, but Heads, I don't think so.... Just my humble opinion tho....

and I humbly agree with you. I believe most deadheads view going to a show as going to church. While it is a time for fun with friends and maybe a couple drinks, its also time for prayer through dancing, introspection, connection with others, and an overall celebration of gratitude. For a fan, its more of just a night out, having some fun with friends, drinking some beer, and hearing your favorite songs like truckin' and sugar magnolia- absolutely nothing wrong with that. And so going along with the church analogy, I view talking during a ballad as sacrilegious as talking during the blessing of the sacrament (thank you mom and dad for 13 years of Catholic school). Too bad there are no nuns at shows walking around thwacking the talkers on the back of the head during ballads. Maybe I need to start wearing a habit instead of my typical show getup. I also think there should be a quiet room like we had at church- where all the parents would take their babies and young children so they could scream and cry and not bother anyone. In this case, it would be a room in which fans could see through a glass window (maybe a tv or two), talk through all the ballads, and spill as much beer as they like.

Now lets talk about the beer spillers....why would anyone in their right mind think its a good idea to walk through a bunch of freaky dancers or spinners with a full beer and not give warning? It blows my mind that people are this clueless. Here's a hint....most dancers are dancing with their eyes closed about half the time (though we are acutely aware of the space around us). We are not bad people, we will let you through with a smile, but you need to give us warning. A tap on the shoulder works just fine. But do not trust so much that an arm is not going to fly into your beer as you are walking through. (this situation happened to me last weekend- I got spilled on head to toe, I cleaned it up- of course the beer owner did nothing, then I got chastised by the security guard and told to stop dancing. NOT the way it should work).

[dancin on a pin]

and I humbly agree with you. I believe most deadheads view going to a show as going to church. While it is a time for fun with friends and maybe a couple drinks, its also time for prayer through dancing, introspection, connection with others, and an overall celebration of gratitude. For a fan, its more of just a night out, having some fun with friends, drinking some beer, and hearing your favorite songs like truckin' and sugar magnolia- absolutely nothing wrong with that. And so going along with the church analogy, I view talking during a ballad as sacrilegious as talking during the blessing of the sacrament (thank you mom and dad for 13 years of Catholic school). Too bad there are no nuns at shows walking around thwacking the talkers on the back of the head during ballads. Maybe I need to start wearing a habit instead of my typical show getup. I also think there should be a quiet room like we had at church- where all the parents would take their babies and young children so they could scream and cry and not bother anyone. In this case, it would be a room in which fans could see through a glass window (maybe a tv or two), talk through all the ballads, and spill as much beer as they like.

I have always felt the same way about shows. Drums always reminds me of communion. Typically near the end, a connection with the earth, primitive, ritualistic. A true blessing, so glad to have found a sacred space. Just home from work wishing I was at Tarrytown, looking forward to tomorrow.

[Guest Lisacat]

I have always felt the same way about shows. Drums always reminds me of communion. Typically near the end, a connection with the earth, primitive, ritualistic. A true blessing, so glad to have found a sacred space. Just home from work wishing I was at Tarrytown, looking forward to tomorrow.

funny about drums....I mean if you look at the whole progression of the show, it very much mirrors the progression of mass (I only know how the catholic ritual goes, perhaps it also parallels other faiths too- I would think so). I guess the first set then would be the liturgy of the word- the light stuff; and the second set- the liturgy of the eucharist - the heavy stuff (how I remember this stuff I do not know). Though I have to say I always was so happy during communion because it meant church was almost over. Drums is definitely very significant as it is typically the climax of the show, the point usually before the big ballad. There was a point at which I would get so bummed out during drums because it meant the show was almost over, but I now I look it more of as the time right before the most important part of the show. That super spiritual quiet introspective time. I guess if I were going to draw parallels (since we are talking church and I find the commonalities interesting) I would call the drums/space the "sign of the peace" part and the ballad the communion. Because after the communion, there is the fun joyful song typically sung, just like after the ballad, there is usually the fun (usually Bobby) song that will bring everyone in for a safe landing (and thank god for that!)

so now you all know what a loser I am considering I'm sitting in on a Saturday evening typing a post about the similarities between a show and church. I could be out dancing though but I'm banking my energy.

[nwnj steve]

the preachers were preaching tonite!!! let me tell you all. the drummers were drumming ,even rob b. had a drum set up near the church orgen.JEFFERY,TAKE YOUR HANDS OUT OF YOUR POCKETS AND START PLAYING THAT GUITAR!! that was the word being spoken tonite

[ducats]

I brought a girl to Furthur's two night run at the Mann Center in Philly July 10th and 11th. First night she finds an old friend she hasn't seen in a while, spends almost the entire second set talking to them. Next night is texting the entire second set. Yuck. And she was annoyed about how I found this extremely disrespectful. And latter that night she was too tired to "let it shine."

I've even stopped singing along to songs, not only because I don't have enough of relative pitch yet to pick out the vocal melody lines quickly (who here actually does?) and the ability to control my voice to chromatics, but also because I want to listen to the whole thing. Rock music is for dancing, singing along and having fun. But this is more than rock music. One needs an artistic sensate aspect to them to feel some of these songs.

Tip: Flail your arms around spinning wildly. Everyone will leave you a big hole to dance around in, and be farther away from you. And if not, then you can "accidentally" punch one of these people in the face. What's a better way to top of a "Comes a Time" than to punch someone in the face?

if you don't get called out for the "let it shine" comment i give up

[ducats]

and I humbly agree with you. I believe most deadheads view going to a show as going to church. While it is a time for fun with friends and maybe a couple drinks, its also time for prayer through dancing, introspection, connection with others, and an overall celebration of gratitude. For a fan, its more of just a night out, having some fun with friends, drinking some beer, and hearing your favorite songs like truckin' and sugar magnolia- absolutely nothing wrong with that. And so going along with the church analogy, I view talking during a ballad as sacrilegious as talking during the blessing of the sacrament (thank you mom and dad for 13 years of Catholic school). Too bad there are no nuns at shows walking around thwacking the talkers on the back of the head during ballads. Maybe I need to start wearing a habit instead of my typical show getup. I also think there should be a quiet room like we had at church- where all the parents would take their babies and young children so they could scream and cry and not bother anyone. In this case, it would be a room in which fans could see through a glass window (maybe a tv or two), talk through all the ballads, and spill as much beer as they like.

Now lets talk about the beer spillers....why would anyone in their right mind think its a good idea to walk through a bunch of freaky dancers or spinners with a full beer and not give warning? It blows my mind that people are this clueless. Here's a hint....most dancers are dancing with their eyes closed about half the time (though we are acutely aware of the space around us). We are not bad people, we will let you through with a smile, but you need to give us warning. A tap on the shoulder works just fine. But do not trust so much that an arm is not going to fly into your beer as you are walking through. (this situation happened to me last weekend- I got spilled on head to toe, I cleaned it up- of course the beer owner did nothing, then I got chastised by the security guard and told to stop dancing. NOT the way it should work).

with all due respect + an attempt at brevity: I'm a dancer AND a drinker. in fact I try to do both non-stop from the first note to the last. have made many a journey from the bar to "my space". i think its more on those of us dancing to not "invade" the space of others, unless ofcourse its a venue that you can find a spot where you can do your thing without intefering. and this space ofcourse has to have a path to the nectar that is also human free-which is the tougher part of the challenge.