72 Degrees this morning.
Second day of CMA Fest already
It has been fun, although I hope there are better days in terms of both performances and other aspects.
Ok, this is a rant today. I try to avoid rants, but if a rant is needed, a rant it will be.
First, one of our biggest concerns was that some of the arrogant “fans” who think it is their “right” to stand up in front of you the entire time blocking your view was in front of us. I’ll be diplomatic and say that they both were big enough to block the view of anyone behind them and they were old enough to know better. (There are areas where it is expected that the fans will stand up the entire time, but this isn’t it.). Hopefully they won’t be there again.
I also don’t mean standing up occasionally, even for several entire songs, this is standing their knowing they are blocking your view.
It is bad enough when some of the young (or drunk) fans stand up in front of you, this was persons who were old enough to know better.
Anyway, not much you can do about it except hope it doesn’t happen again.
Another factor, one that has us questioning if we are coming back is the emphasis on money over “fan” convenience or enjoyment.
The CMA Fest is set up to benefit some local charity on music education. We have been attending for (I think) eleven and we continue to see changes that reflect gouging the persons attending instead of making it a good experience.
Just several recent examples (there is always one or two more items each year):’
-No “physical” program this year. If the “App” was good, it may have been ok, but the App isn’t that good. Nothing fancy, just a single sheet of paper would have been fine.
-Shuttle buses, Apparently to save money and complete lack of concerns for the fans, shuttle buses (at midnight!) only stop at two stops near downtown Nashville, both almost as far from the hotels as they can. :While the number of people mean it is relatively safe, it doesn’t make a lot of sense except they are trying to make more money at the fan expense.
-There is a nightly concert at which over 70,000 fans attend. Security, ok, I understand that. but last night they closed at least one mens rest room, meaning the remaining one close to use was always packed. Apparently another attempt to save money at the expense of the fans.
There are numerous other small things they add each year, but this is illustrative.
The CMA Fest is supposed to be about the fans, not the money the volunteer organization makes (or what they personally, or the merchants make etc., although most of the workers arr volunteers). All of the performers actually perform for no fee or expenses of any kind.
I think they are killing the golden goose.
We have to buy our tickets a year in advance. We may try to sell them back or sell them on “stub hub”, who knows.
Fortunately, there are still moments when it is all worth it, in spite of the rude fans (a minority in any event), but we are seriously considering if it will be worth it in the future. Probably will not buy tickets in advance next year and see what they do next year.
Hopefully they will come to their senses and realize it is time to go back to making the convenience of the fans a priority.
I promise to be more positive in the future!
That’s it for now, Friday, June 12, 2015.2015 June 12 Friday (Nashville, CMA Fest)
72 Degrees this morning.
Second day of CMA Fest already
It has been fun, although I hope there are better days in terms of both performances and other aspects.
Ok, this is a rant today. I try to avoid rants, but if a rant is needed, a rant it will be.
First, one of our biggest concerns was that some of the arrogant “fans” who think it is their “right” to stand up in front of you the entire time blocking your view was in front of us. I’ll be diplomatic and say that they both were big enough to block the view of anyone behind them and they were old enough to know better. (There are areas where it is expected that the fans will stand up the entire time, but this isn’t it.). Hopefully they won’t be there again.
I also don’t mean standing up occasionally, even for several entire songs, this is standing their knowing they are blocking your view.
It is bad enough when some of the young women (usually always female) stand up in front of you, this was persons who were old enough to know better.
Anyway, not much you can do about it except hope it doesn’t happen again.
Another factor, one that has us questioning if we are coming back is the emphasis on money over “fan” convenience or enjoyment.
The CMA Fest is set up to benefit some local charity on music education. We have been attending for (I think) eleven and we continue to see changes that reflect gouging the persons attending instead of making it a good experience.
Just several recent examples (there is always one or two more items each year):’
-No “physical” program this year. If the “App” was good, it may have been ok, but the App isn’t that good. Nothing fancy, just a single sheet of paper would have been fine.
-Shuttle buses, Apparently to save money and complete lack of concerns for the fans, shuttle buses (at midnight!) only stop at two stops near downtown Nashville, both almost as far from the hotels as they can. :While the number of people mean it is relatively safe, it doesn’t make a lot of sense except they are trying to make more money at the fan expense.
-There is a nightly concert at which over 70,000 fans attend. Security, ok, I understand that. but last night they closed at least one mens rest room, meaning the remaining one close to use was always packed. Apparently another attempt to save money at the expense of the fans.
There are numerous other small things they add each year, but this is illustrative.
The CMA Fest is supposed to be about the fans, not the money the volunteer organization makes (or what they personally, or the merchants make etc., although most of the workers arr volunteers). All of the performers actually perform for no fee or expenses of any kind.
I think they are killing the golden goose.
We have to buy our tickets a year in advance. We may try to sell them back or sell them on “stub hub”, who knows.
Fortunately, there are still moments when it is all worth it, in spite of the rude fans (a minority in any event), but we are seriously considering if it will be worth it in the future. Probably will not buy tickets in advance next year and see what they do next year.
Hopefully they will come to their senses and realize it is time to go back to making the convenience of the fans a priority.
I promise to be more positive in the future!
That’s it for now, Friday, June 12, 2015.
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