(in)security

So, I’ve waited quite a while before making this post. (They say that you should count to ten before reacting. I lost count after 1834 and was still angry…)

Let me preface this post by saying that I’ve been to shows with heavy security (Maiden at the ACC) and shows with negative security out in bum-fuck-nowhere (Tweed-fest) I prefer higher security in general. (Being a lady [and a non-"smoker"], my preference is slightly different from many of my male metal buddies.)

The way I see the security is as follows:
1) Everyone gets away with everything.
or
2) No one gets away with anything.
or
3) Something somewhere between 1 and 2

Along this sliding scale, everyone has their preference, but everyone understands and will deal with any level they are shown.

Recently, I came to understand that a particular club didn’t fit into this sliding scale. (Please excuse the lack of specifics, since I’m not interested in getting sued.)

The security at this club is terrified of the big dudes so they won’t stop these guys from assaulting other patrons with weapons. ‘But wait!’ you exclaim, ‘you said that you frequent lawless shows.’ Ah! How observant you are! Shows with lax security are one thing, but let me continue…

The security (I assume) feels a bit emasculated from the terror they feel from the big dudes, so they enforce the rules on the little people. Please allow me to describe an example. One night, the security cut me off because my “swaying” (aka belly dance that I was demonstrating to my girlfriend) while the large man who was drunkenly vomiting on their property was left alone. (My hubby recently described a scene where a Large Drunk Man was throwing beer at the band on stage. He threw 3 beers before he lost interest. Security didn’t stop his assult, nor did they stop him from buying the beer that he threw.)

I decided to have a word with management.

I spoke initially with the person in charge (I have begun to doubt the validity of her claim to this status.) She expressed her company’s Serious Stance on weapons in their club. My previous experience with her security team proved this statement to be false. (security saw a large man with a weapon, but failed to act upon this threat despite numerous patron complaints about the man with the weapon.) At this point the head of security returned to the club (with the owner who quickly slunk away before I was able to confront him about the state of his establishment.)

When the head of security finally identified himself, I explained my concerns about my safety in his club directly to him. After a rather heated discussion (the next day, a friend texted me to ask why I was yelling at a security guard), the conclusion that was reached was that I should leave the club because he (the head of security) had no interest in increasing the safety of his clientele. In fact, the “person in charge” and some random other lady (the door girl, I think) snickered when I mentioned that I only entered their venue because I have some knowledge of self-defense.

In the end, I followed the head of security’s advice: just don’t go to the club. (His actual words [to my complaint of feeling unsafe in his club] were: “then grab your coat and leave.”)

I will no longer enter this club. (at least until my Muay Thai sparring improves significantly.)

This really sucks because many great bands play this venue, but I really don’t want to be harassed by other patrons+security.

Here is my main point of this post: (x2 for the ladies)

Watch your back.
Don’t trust security to protect you. These people are employed to protect the financial interests of their bosses, they have no interest in keeping you safe. Please make sure that you have good friends around.

LADIES…
Please learn to defend yourselves. Every city has a gym or club that offers self-defense classes. Consider these lessons invaluable. Seriously, do it. No price is too high.

Please bring a friend to the ladies’ room.

Please know which friends will help you if you are in trouble (who will risk a broken nose to get a jerk off of you).

Seriously… you are ON YOUR OWN. You cannot expect security to protect you.

The first time I’ve ever won something…

So, I don’t mean to brag, but OH MAN! This is the first time that I’ve ever won anything!

For those that didn’t see the initial post, Hellbound had a contest for:
Baroness -Blue Record
Revocation – Existence Is Futile
Black Anvil – Time Insults The Mind
Dying Fetus – Descend Into Depravity
and also a poster of the cover art for the new Baroness. (very sexy)

I have to admit to only being familiar with Dying Fetus, so I’m looking forward to delving into some new bands. I’ll post my reviews as the come.

If you guys haven’t checked out Hellbound, I would recommend subscribing to their feed. They regularly update with reviews of all the new albums.

Aside: Micro-Lending

Please excuse the off topic post. I was inspired to share a recent find. I have heard a whole lot about micro-lending (where average people lend a bit of money to people in developing countries) and was immediatly interested in the idea. I have always wanted to help out 3rd world people, but never knew how quite how to go about it. Micro-lending seems like the solution.

If you have a spare $25 and want to feel great abut yourself, check out this site: http://www.kiva.org

I decided to lend to Grocery store in Uganda, and a Corner shop in Nicaragua.

I don’t know if my loans will be repaid. I’m looking at this like a donation, and if I get the money back, all the better (it also means that these women are taking off!)

$25 is a lot for me, but it’s worth even more to these people. Anyways, now I’m officially on the micro-lending bandwagon.

Hellbent for Cooking

I found Hellbent for Cooking: The Heavy Metal Cookbook through an interview with author, Annick Giroux, on Sirius’ Liquid Metal. The idea behind the book was to get the favourite recipe from a large number of the top metal bands.

Genius? I think so!

I have yet to get my little hands on this book. *hint*hint* *wink*nudge*

In all seriousness, this book looks Amazing! (plus is was made by a Canadian Lady) I’ll review it once I’ve gotten myself a copy and tried out a few meals.

I just didn’t want to leave you guys out of the loop if you hadn’t heard about it yet.

If you’ve got your own epic recipe, share it in the comments.

I am NOT my brother’s keeper

I go to a lot of shows. I go to a lot of local shows. I go to a lot of show with a headlining band that has a following of 3 (well 3 + their girlfriends).

I’ve been to a venue so small that I had to walk over the stage to get to the ladies’ room. Scratch that, there have been two of them.

I’ve been to shows with only one guy moshing. (Yeah, it was pretty hilarious.)

I’ve been to shows where I could give you the name and contact info of everyone in the room (including the bands and their girlfriends and bar staff and the management.) Keep in mind that I am only a little bit popular, and not the sort of uber-popular chick that knows everyone all the time.

I just want to make it clear that I have been to the poorly attended shows. The apathy of the fans (often, but not always) is apparent. The dismay of the bands oppresses the room.

Look Bands, I get it. It SUCKS. I know that you probably aren’t getting paid tonight. I know that you probably won’t sell any merch.

Oh, poor Band is upset. Get over it! Save the moping for the Emos! I paid my cover. I took time out of my increasingly packed schedule. I am here. Stop whining, and play the songs that I came to here.

It is not MY fault that no one else came.

When you complain about the low turnout, you aren’t winning any fans. You are, with each Emo comment, becoming a band I am less interested in seeing again.

Take a note from the superior bands in the local scene. Montreal’s Blackguard has given their best to crowds that I could fit into my apartment’s bathroom, and the whole time, Paul (the singer) thanked and complimented the audience. Is it any wonder that their audience grows with every repeat visit?

My point it this: I am here, and interested in your music. The people who aren’t here aren’t around to listen to your lecture.

Play your best. Win some fans. Make the best of the night.

The Governor’s Ball

The Mighty Metal and Comedy Show

The Governor hosts a metal radio podcast featuring a variety of interviews, music and the amusing section, Sly Advice.

I’ve known about the Governor for several years now (heck, he even presided over my wedding), but I’ve had a hard time sorting out the best way to listen to the show.

Last week, I made a commitment to watch less television, and in my quest to kill the quiet, I re-discovered iTunes. I started out the podcast exploration with Six Pixels of Separation and Media Hacks (As a freelance designer, this counts as part of my work day)

After itunes had downloaded all the work related content, I found that I still wasn’t done working, and I wanted something else to listen to.

Before this weekend, I had been downloading the Gov’s show and just saving it somewhere and then finding it, and then hitting play. Usually, I would listen to the show in my hubby’s car, and that was a pain because I never got to listen to the show all the way through.

Once I made the obvious leap (yes, I know, I’m not the brightest crayon), I “subscribed’ to the Governor’s Ball on iTunes (find it with the search function) and now I can easily access it right from my iTunes. Woot!

The Gov covers a wide range of bands from different styles and levels of popularity. (I love that Canadian content.)

The show is not only funny, but also relevant and informative. The Gov tackles a large selection of topics, and often prods the musician into giving up info. I was amazed at his ability to control interview subjects who just weren’t into it. He transformed the interview into an amusing and useful piece of broadcast.

I highly recommend that you check out the show. Either do the iTunes search, which I recommend, or head over to http://www.thegovernorsball.com for the direct download.

For the initiated, there is also the facebook fan page over at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Governors-Ball-The-Mighty-Metal-and-Comedy-Show/14577523367?ref=ts

Do you listen to the Governor’s Ball? If not, why? What other metal podcasts do you listen to?

Hellbound Give-away

For those who aren’t in the know, Hellbound has partnered with Relapse Records to offer a pretty sweet pre-Christmas give-away.

Check out the Hellbound post for details.

Dawn of Death Fest

Heaps of Dead — Nov 20, 2009 with Deamon, Disgust, The Unborn Dead, Strings of Ares at Sin City

This is my first time at Sin City. It’s a great venue, but it’s doubtful that they’ll have another metal show any time soon. Security was pretty worried about the moshers.

All the bands played well, and the crowd was decent (if a little thin.) Unfortunately we had to take off before Heaps of Dead because of the long drive back to Toronto from Peterborough.

I did score 3 setlists though.

Strings of Ares

Disgust

Deamon

Metal Girls v2

We’ve finally gotten a few of the pics from the photo shoot with the Toronto Strobists back. (Yeah, it’s only been a week, but I’m impatient.) In case you haven’t read my earlier post: I have recently joined a group dedicated to promoting metal chicks as real metal chicks rather than slutty-emo-goths. For those who are curious, I’m the most blond one.

Check out the Real Metal Models group on facebook, and the photographers on Fickr Toronto Strobists. The models were me, obviously, Nicole (who organized the whole thing), Zelda, Jenna, and Timara

Here are the things I learned from the photo shoot:

Modling is harder than is seems. I was at a loss for poses

I’m old! One of the models had to back out because she wasn’t old enough to sign the release form. Two were only just legal to drink, and the other was close to their age.

Some of the photogs were awesome, and some were a bit lacking in enthusiasm.



Overall, it was a great time, and I’d love to give it another go.

Manners and Metal

Most of the shows I attend are peopled by your basic fun loving headbangers, but every few shows, I run into some jerk that almost ruins the night for the rest of the crowd.

We’re a pretty easy-going folk, and most of us aren’t bothered by much. Some things, though, are just not acceptable. So here is my list of etiquette dos and don’ts for those metalheads who don’t quite get it. (In no particular order.)

Pay Attention: As comfortable you are in your own metal scene, be aware that every metal sub-genre and every city has its own social codes. Keep an eye on everyone else’s behaviour. Don’t worry about mimicking the others; just be aware.

Hold your Booze: If you become a giant jerk after a pint or two, then for our sakes and yours, don’t drink at shows. (Yes, your sake too, because there are many BIG metalheads who won’t put up with your antics.)

Know your Place: There are several basic areas at every show: High Action (up front), Mid Action (a few people away from the pit), Low Action (the bar or smoker’s pit). Don’t chit-chat loudly near the stage. Go to the bar. Seriously. If you’re getting angry at people knocking into your girlfriend, move her somewhere else. I don’t understand how people can’t figure this out.

Pit Properly: Don’t go looking to injure someone. Don’t mosh against people clearly not interested in joining in. Leave your beer/drumsticks/other random crap with a buddy instead of bringing it with you.

These are just four basic things that shouldn’t be too difficult for even the biggest dope. Ok, I’m done with my ranting for today.

If you have anything to add to this list, or disagree with some of it, just leave a comment on this post.