sudds94 Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 Like in my post from Mighty High #3, with the trash problem as well as other posts I've read recently, I thought this was a great blog to read and think about or pass on.... especially after the "balloon" scene from Pittsfield Peace, Kris Wednesday, May 23, 2012 <a href="http://darkstarorchestra.blogspot.com/2012/05/vending-vendors-future-of-shakedown.html">Vending & Vendors - The Future Of Shakedown Street I'm going to preface this blog by saying this is not an official DSO statement. These are just my thoughts. ... that's what blogs are for, right. Vending .... Back in the day, it was a fun part of the overall experience of going to shows. A whole mini economy developed around the Grateful Dead where artists and food vendors, who were usually on tour, sold their art and tasty treats to the locals so they could get gas money to get to the next show, food, maybe hotel or camping, and of course, tickets. We all know this. Of course there was the bad apples who never went into the show and were just sucking off the scene, selling counterfeit tickets, and doing other illegal activities, ...which as we all know, caused problems. For the most part, the venders were there to catch as many shows as possible and they used vending as a means to get to the next show. Most of the major problems happened toward the last few years of the Grateful Dead when the whole scene was enormous. They Grateful Dead were playing football stadiums where there could often be just as many outside a show as inside. Vending in recent years has carried on of course. Phish shows have quite a scene, Furthur, and Widespread Panic to a lesser degree. I'm sure others exist. The smaller scene makes it much less of a problem than in the early 90's which is nice. It's nice because the colorful characters who gravitate to such a vending scene are a part of the whole concert experience. Also, it's fun to go hang out with your friends during the day near the venue and get all the talking out of the way so you don't have to catch up by talking during the music (hint, hint). At such times, it nice to have a cold soda pop or a grilled cheese to munch on. So what am I getting at?..... Vendors at DSO shows. Seeing a couple of vendors at a DSO show is not uncommon. Sometimes even a small shakedown street will pop up on occasions. It's been a little rough for vendors at times because they have been trying to sell to a crowd of hundreds and not thousands or even ten's of thousands. ... hard to make enough gas and food money to get to the next show. Lately, I've been noticing a few more venders which is leading me to believe there is beginning to be enough people where venders can sell enough to help supplement their travel expenses. And I have to say, it's nice seeing the familiar face from night to night in the audience. We are all making friends and that's a large part of what makes this music and scene so fun. O.K. ... So what I'm a getting at still? ... In my opinion... ALL VENDERS ARE WELCOME AT DARK STAR ORCHESTRA SHOWS .... as long as they are not doing those things they know the shouldn't be (illegal activities) and as long as you are not upsetting the particular venue where we are playing. We want to be invited back! I'm not a fan of the laughing gas venders. You guys stay away. You are not welcome. Hippy crack creates a bad scene. Mostly the people who sell gas balloons are no fans of the music and are just there to take advantage of the audience. Although I (nor any other band affiliate) can be responsible for your actions ... as far as I'm concerned, IF YOU ARE AT THE SHOW TO SEE THE MUSIC, YOU ARE WELCOME TO VEND (at your own risk). FOREMOST, BE RESPECTIVE TO THE VENUE, THE FOLKS WHO WORK AT THE VENUE, AND TO YOUR FELLOW SHOW GOER. ...and CLEAN UP YOUR TRASH. DO THE RIGHT THING AS YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS. We, the band, have no pull over what the venue allows so if they say pack it up, PACK IT UP. Follow what ever the venue personnel request so we can continue to come back. The cool thing about the size of our scene is, at this point, we can have a scene with out it being a major problem. Have fun and take care of one another! Dino FEEL FREE TO COPY AND PASTE THIS ANYWHERE ELSE or any other message board... but only if you copy the whole message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riggerdude Posted May 26, 2012 Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 The gas guys at mighty high came in late a night. 3 crews or so. THEY WERE NOT HEADS. Came in, made a ton of money, and made a mess. {one guy was using our car as cover, i told him go to his campsite lol, he said its cool dude. i said its not cool get the fuck out.) Thinking maybe a bb gun and just shoot the ballons. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP chuckvegas Posted May 27, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 Disconcerting to see that type of crew outside the Colonial and Bergen PAC too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advisory Board Herdygerdy Posted May 31, 2012 Advisory Board Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Thinking maybe a bb gun and just shoot the ballons. LOL Please be careful if you decide to do that... I know for a fact that those Philly/New Jersey Nitrous Mafia fuckbubbles can and will carry more then just a BB gun... don't do anything that will come back on you ten-fold.. As for what Dino said (and well said at that), I couldn't agree more.. I love the vendors, and as long as they are there to support the scene, and to make a few bucks to get to the next show, then more power to them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maningreen Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 That's a great statement Dino. My thoughts exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Supplicated Velvet Thunder Posted June 2, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 It is about time vending started happening at DSO again. It was really picking up when JK was in the band (my first DSO show in Feb 2009 in ATL was INSANE with the amount of little crafts vendors and contributed to why I really GOT IT that night!) but then Furthur happened and everyone was gone. I have old posts on here from my first longer run of DSO shows late summer of 2010 about being so sad I was the only vendor (every now and then there were tie dye undies, as well hehe) cause you just can't do it when you are the only one, they hassle ya out. Fast forward to now. Not only Smoke and Lauren anymore!!!! I have seen these kids, Justin and Melanie (yeah, you remember, with the awesome jerry face patches and cool stickers and pins that SHE designed) at EVERY SHOW since west coast and I think it is seriously their vibes that has really made the vending come back to DSO and I told them so at Penn's Peak cause they are some really great people who are doing exactly what Dino describes above. As for me, I have mightily enjoyed these last 2 tours of NOT vending cause it gave me a chance to remember why I vend in the first place (to make it to as many shows as possible without losing the house lol) and now that we are headed home I plan to sit down and make the magic happen once again so by CO I can show Mango what its all about.... being one of the usual suspects/familiar colorful characters/ubiquitous willing participants is an essential part of what makes people come back night after night. yeah, they come for the music, we ALL come for the music, of COURSE, but what the intangible notes woven together so long ago is finally showing now that we can see the larger pattern is a mighty large group of folks who just aren't satisfied with a handful of shows a year or each run. the world has moved on and we are finally opening our eyes to it. where else would we find an economy based on what we contribute to EACH OTHER not what we can buy or steal or swindle? do your part. call out the kids with the offensive ass lot trash thug jerry pin tell the nitrous thugs to beat it and find your local security and point the bastards out. hassle the security if they have been bought off (odds are they were not, so try! it works and they don't come back the next year and after consecutive nights of shut downs they WILL go home). point out vendors like Justin and Melanie and Smoke and Lauren and tell everyone to buy something built to last instead of something that is just gonna fade away if their love for the music REALLY means something to them. vendors are the first in and last out. usually we are the ones that keep it clean and keep the peace. its our job (literally) to show everyone else that is just there for that show what kind of vibes to carry and pass through. its our world, we make it the rainbow we want it to be. DSO is about to get REALLY BIG, ya'll, we gotta keep the concert goers kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudds94 Posted June 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 I do your part. call out the kids with the offensive ass lot trash thug jerry pin tell the nitrous thugs to beat it and find your local security and point the bastards out. hassle the security if they have been bought off (odds are they were not, so try! it works and they don't come back the next year and after consecutive nights of shut downs they WILL go home). point out vendors like Justin and Melanie and Smoke and Lauren and tell everyone to buy something built to last instead of something that is just gonna fade away if their love for the music REALLY means something to them. vendors are the first in and last out. usually we are the ones that keep it clean and keep the peace. its our job (literally) to show everyone else that is just there for that show what kind of vibes to carry and pass through. its our world, we make it the rainbow we want it to be. DSO is about to get REALLY BIG, ya'll, we gotta keep the concert goers kind. That was PERFECTLY said!! Thanks SVT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maningreen Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 Furthur Miami 2010 John first tour or whatever they were using Melanie's Stang as cover when we got out of the show. Well lemme tell you i was so not happy about it. I got pretty upset, popped the balloon on the tank and let him know exactly how I felt and he backed away and let me pull out. Thats when i pulled out the marshmallow gun and gave 'em a little scare. lol ... I scared the hell out of Melane who had no clue what was going on. I just want to know how the law can send 20 officers over to shut down the coolest shakedown ever in the middle of the day but not even recognize 35 people all gathered around inhaling huge yellow balloons directly accross the street at midnight????? We need a lot of BB Guns in high places. Or better yet like Stephie said rise above with kindness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Vortex Posted June 3, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 I don't recommend engaging with the balloon folks to try to stop them. Although I can't generalize about all of them, they can be very unfriendly if they feel threatened (to say the least). Best you can do is just not buy from them and hope the venue clears them out. STAY SAFE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octal Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 The bad vibes are not scared away by more bad vibes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Supplicated Velvet Thunder Posted June 4, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 INDEED. gotta fight bad vibes with peace signs and kill em with kindness. don't be unkind, those people are CRIMINALS. so leave the 'guns' at home and use your mind instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advisory Board Herdygerdy Posted June 6, 2012 Advisory Board Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Know how to kill a hippie?? With a bar of soap and scissors hahahahah I crack myself up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Supplicated Velvet Thunder Posted June 6, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Ahhhhhhhh Herdy u better stay away! My fragrance n tangles are just that, MINE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerrapinJen Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 do your part. call out the kids with the offensive ass lot trash thug jerry pin tell the nitrous thugs to beat it and find your local security and point the bastards out. hassle the security if they have been bought off (odds are they were not, so try! it works and they don't come back the next year and after consecutive nights of shut downs they WILL go home). point out vendors like Justin and Melanie and Smoke and Lauren and tell everyone to buy something built to last instead of something that is just gonna fade away if their love for the music REALLY means something to them. vendors are the first in and last out. usually we are the ones that keep it clean and keep the peace. its our job (literally) to show everyone else that is just there for that show what kind of vibes to carry and pass through. its our world, we make it the rainbow we want it to be. i completely agree and couldnt have said it any better myself. we have the power to make the scene what we want it to be and to make something really incredible happen. i am honored to be a part of this little world we are making for ourselves. whatever we chose to support to continue will last. nicely put, steph. i think you hit the nail on the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.