Dear Williamsburg Waterfront

I had a nice time at the Band of Horses/Grizzly Bear/Karen Elson show on Sunday night. Good sound, great pizza margherita from Roberta's.

But I have a big bone to pick with you. Why did you quarantine fans who wanted to drink (i.e. spend money on the refreshments that you were selling) off to the side and the way back while those who didn't drink got much closer to the stage? And then why were there huge open spaces between the two groups?

Readers of this post might not know what I'm talking about, so here's my attempt at a panoramic picture.

And here's the big crowd of drinker-fans (criminals?) behind all that open space, and not one, but two barricades. Not only do they seem to be enjoying the music, but they also appear to know the words to the songs! It's a shame the band couldn't see them.

Were you worried the drinker-fans would get out-of-hand? That's the job that your, quite frankly, bored-looking security was there to do. For years and years, clubs and concert venues have managed drinker-fans with considerably few problems.

I'm also not convinced this was good for the bands. Instead of having enthusiastic and, sure, tipsy fans within their sight line, they had a weary-looking half-crowd of sober people and babies. (Babies are adorable, but they're not the demographic that gets rock bands going.)

In conclusion, this neo-Prohibitionism concerns me. Can you re-think it for your other shows this summer?

Sincerely,
Anya

 

Comments

[Anya Strzemien]

08:18 PM on 06/22/2010

Dear Paw1, I have nothing against people who enjoy shows sober or dislike watery well drinks (I'm with you on that one), but why can't the people who DO like watery well drinks or canned beer watch the show with you? That's all I'm saying.

[Paw1]

10:10 PM on 06/22/2010

Because the venue says they can't, Anya, not me. I go to 20 shows a year and I've never been to a venue that physically separates drinkers from non-drinkers. I have no issue with your article but it's not your place or your rules. If given the choice of seeing a band I like sober from 30 feet away or drunk from 100 feet away, I choose sober. Or I'd choose to see a different show somewhere else.

Thanks to you for the advance warning. I'm planning on seeing Primus there and now I know not to drink during the show.

[Paw1]

07:23 PM on 06/22/2010

Can't help but state the obvious: if that's the venue setup, drink before the show, or...wait for it...

don't drink and enjoy the music sober (for a change).

Or...go someplace where drinker-fans are embraced, not segregated. Lord knows there are enough live music bars in both Brooklyn and Manhattan to satisfy the thirsty music lover.

Myself, I'd rather drink pre-show and avoid watery well drinks or overpriced canned beer at the venue. Just saying.