Tuesday, December 08, 2009 Lebanon, New Hampshire
Well, it seems of late that many of my ‘thoughts’ have centered around responding to people who are irate about this and that… things I have done… things I haven’t done. It’s kind of like a relationship with the world. Do I need more therapy? Hmmm… a topic for another time.
Anyway, to get serious. The Hot Tuna All Stars just played the Beacon Theater. It was a sold out show and Jack and I thought it was one of the best incarnations of the band that we have fielded and one of the best shows that we played. That’s just us. Anyhow, most people seemed to like it but some interesting negative comments surfaced. I’m going to reprint a couple of them here and then make some observations of my own.
Firstly:
Dear FP Folks.
Yes, this is a difficult message to write, but its written in the spirit of
friendship and is written solely to provide constructive criticism. My
friends and I (all current and ex NY'ers) have been Tuna fans since we heard
the first Hot Tuna album back in 1970 (or was it earlier)? We go to every
tour, usually multiple shows, to reminisce, and enjoy the bands evolvement
and varying styles/configurations. Its all good, as they say.
But I must tell you that after leaving the Beacon Theater, we all admitted
to ourselves and each other that we did so with a profound sense of
disappointment. Yup, as usual, the band COOKED. And G.E. Smith was a very
special guest indeed. But the show list was SOOOO short. Just 14 songs.
One set, no encore. This was not our father's HOT TUNA!
It was especially galling to note that the next night, the band played a two
sets, 21 songs out on Long Island. Given the added costs (tolls, parking,
pre-show meals, etc), and hassles traveling in to the shows in NYC, I'm sure
you can appreciate that we felt somewhat shortchanged.
Often times, we hear that its because of a curfew at the Beacon Theater.
Yet, other bands (such as Rat Dog) routinely play until midnight. And, If
the price is an abbreviated Hot Tuna set, can't we do away with opening
acts? With no disrespect intended towards Loudon Wainwright, the crowd was
(and is always) there to see HOT TUNA.
Leaving the theatre, there was much grumbling about not coming to the Beacon
any more.
I don't want to give up the tradition of the Thanksgiving/Christmas fall
show at the Beacon, but many were talking about blowing it off next year and
sticking to the Jersey shows (if any).
I hate to complain, because HOT TUNA is part of my life. But I'd be remiss
not to give this word of concern from one friend to another.
Best Regards/Peace-Out
Kenny
And another:
Hello, I’ve been a fan of Jorma & Jack for 30 plus years..I’ve seen them many times starting at the Paladium NYC early and late shows , Capital Theater..’ in the 70’s-80’s…..recently Tarrytown music hall (Aug) 09 …last Sat Beacon theater, going to see Jorma & Bromberg in Tarrytown in Jan and many more in between. I cant tell you how disappointed I and everyone around me at the Beacon Theater was when there was no encore…we were shocked and saddened ..everyone was talking about it walking outside leaving the show… I heard it was because the Beacon has new rules now ..I have one more show this year to go to at the Beacon and that’s Gov’t Mule and then I’m done with that place….Its not the same Beacon theater… with the price of tickets these days it would be nice to see Hot Tuna play at venues where the fans can at least get a encore…
Thank You
Madelyn
Well, I don’t take things like this lightly especially in the economic times we live in but I feel I do need to comment. Firstly, thanks Madelyn and Kenny. These are good points and I’d like to take this opportunity to lay a little of my thinking on you.
I personally love Loudon but I hear you about Tuna Time. Point taken. On the subject of encores, I’ll take the bullet for that one. We played an hour and forty five minute set. I felt it was a strong one and that we said what we had to say. The curfew at union halls is very strict and the one at the Beacon ends at eleven PM. The overage charge is per minute and let’s just say that it is very expensive. Bob Weir may be able to afford that… Jack and I can’t. Towards the end of our set I was faced with the choice of ending our show and allowing about five minutes for applause and another five or so minutes for an encore, OR simply playing another two tunes. I opted for the latter. Obviously a bad call on my part. Again, point taken. Mea culpa.
Before I move one, I’d like to address the union matter. I come from a union family and I support unions. I’ve been in the Musician’s Union for almost half a century. Like everything else in this world, unions are far from perfect but before unions, workers were little more than institutionalized wage slaves. OK… it’s a union hall, the men and women who work at the Beacon are professionals and it’s their fiefdom. That’s just how it is in Manhattan and always has been for the more than forty years I’ve been working there. So be it. It looks like we’ll be at the Lincoln Theater next year so this will be moot point for Tuna’s 2010 NYC show.
OK, I’m being a windbag. Again I hear what Kenny, Madelyn and others are saying. I’m taking these thoughts as constructive criticism, not complaints. I’m just going to say one or two more things. These are not ‘but’ comments. A ‘but’ negates everything previously said.
The December 6th show at the Hampton Beach Performing Arts Center was a different thing altogether. There was no opening act (asked and answered) and it was acoustic. There was no curfew there. Again, it’s their fiefdom too. The songs in an electric show are much longer and frankly, I just don’t see a 21 song electric set as being realistic for us. Well, I guess we’ll have to see about that one the next time the All Stars get together.
As one of my friends back home has observed, one ‘Aw shit,’ wipes out twenty ‘Attaboys.’
OK… things we can do to make it better. In union curfew situations… ‘An Evening With Hot Tuna’ would be the way to go. We can do that. Electric and Acoustic shows are apples and oranges. They are totally different things in every respect. Jack and I and our gang will continue to do our best to bring honest music to our fans. We’re not fooling around out here. I hope you all know it’s always coming from the heart! We are living in troubled times and we appreciate the fact that our livelihood depends upon disposable income and that there is precious little of that out there these days. So a heartfelt thanks to all who buy a ticket to see and hear us play! We will continue to do the best we can. A final thanks to Madelyn and Kenny who took the time to write. You have been heard