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I was reading the I’M NOT OK thread......I thought I was being mean for feeling disappointed with my first Jack Johnson concert.
Now, I have to admit, I am happy that the environmentalist activism was before the show, and since I expected it...didn’t feel like it was shoved down my throat.
I loved The Culver City Dub Collective, they were original and outstanding...Paula Fuga is an incredible singer...LOVED her too.
Rogue Wave, on the other hand, was excruciating, boring and every song sounded just like the last and just like they spent a week listeneing to Hawthorne Heights and then changed the lyrics a bit.
Then there was the 45 minute wait for Jack’s part of the show to start. Good music, and I got a pretty good contact high from all the weed being smoked. When I purchased my tickets I wasn’t made aware that the SEAT I had paid for was festival style, and if you didn’t get there really early, you might as well have purchased a lawn seat. We are always early and we were in the 3rd row of the middle section. How were we to know that we’d be seated next to and behind the biggest PRETENTIOUS A$$HOLES of our entire section. They decided they needed to stand. When they were asked to sit down they refused. When it was pointed out that they were the only ones standing, at that standing was unnecessary and blocking others, they refused. When they had things thrown at them by the 10 rows they were blocking and the “SIT DOWN” chant went up, they sat, only to stand up a few minutes later. There was one woman in front of me, who made it her personal mission to remain standing, challenging the others to do the same. Her husband was too drunk to stand, but at least gathered enough cojones to finally make her sit down.
I have recently been to concerts ranging from My Chemical Romance to The Doobie Brothers.....this was the worst all-around experience in recent memory....Jack’s musical message of peace may have world-wide appeal, but it didn’t make it to the audience!!!
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What’s up with all the Debbie Downers signing up just to complain about their experience?
So you sat next to a bunch of nasty people, that’s just how it goes sometimes.
More importantly, this is a great site, tons of info, and I hope you are able to take away some useful green tips from it.
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Well, I didn’t take this post as a “Debbie Downer” message at all...unless it’s true that they were one of those that signed up just to complain about their experience. I know that’s not the case with the thread (I’m Not Ok) referred to above...now they seem to have some misdirected anger. But, just because someone shares a negative experience, or observation, doesn’t make you a “Debbie Downer”. The audience/world does have nasty people, and that fact itself is the real downer...not the person relaying their feelings of the experience...so ultimately the nasty people are the downers...It’s a tricky twist...to see the “pretty side” and also the ugly side.
You can’t really just shrug off the ugly side...maybe you can...then good for you. But to me it seems that we all need to deal with it...in some way, at some time...there are just some different ways of experiencing and coping with the not-so-pretty-side...and most jwant to talk about it, but are not always able to because of being placed into the negative box...so I guess it comes down to what experinces are worthy of “complaining"/talking about?
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Sorry Man, I’ve had a great time at Jack’s shows. sometimes the negativity of your surroundings can override the quality of the music. I’ve been to 47 DMB shows. I’ve had nights that the music was great but I had a horrible time.
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Porcello - Sep 06, 2008 02:27am so I guess it comes down to what experinces are worthy of “complaining"/talking about?
It’s just a shame to see a new person sign up and the first thing they need to talk about is how terrible their experience was. I had a bad crowd experience at 1 of the shows I went to also. You either deal with it, or let the anger grow inside and ruin your night. Just stand up and get back into the music…
I just hope the original poster here sticks around and takes away some positive things from the site, even though their negative concert experience is still bothering them.
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Porcello - Sep 06, 2008 02:27am so I guess it comes down to what experinces are worthy of “complaining"/talking about?
Heather87T - Sep 06, 2008 11:55am
You either deal with it, or let the anger grow inside and ruin your night. Just stand up and get back into the music…
It sounds like they did “just stand up” to the annoyance, AND the annoying people didn’t listen...and that’s the key...people don’t always listen! Especially the annoying ones.
How do you “just get back into the music” when something ugly is literally right in front of you? Isn’t that just a twist on Jack’s line..."wearing wool sunglasses”.
Heather87T - Sep 06, 2008 11:55am
I just hope the original poster here sticks around and takes away some positive things from the site, even though their negative concert experience is still bothering them.
Ok? Who knows? And, who knows if they need the “positive things from the site” just because they shared a bad experience that most of us on this site can relate to...Again, what is wrong with talking about it? Doesn’t mean they’re “negative concert experience is still bothering them.” It seems to me that they DO get the positive message Jack is relaying and that’s the frustration of encountering annoying people at a Jack Johnson concert. That’s at the core of what Jack says and does, including this site/forum. It’s all connected. Annoying people in your face is just like the garbage covering the concert grounds or simply people still choosing not to recycle. It’s all about people who don’t see; don’t care. It just seems you’ve misplaced the positive and negative labels here...It is all so twisted. I just think it’s so important not to label someone as negative or a “Debbie Downer” just because they are saying something that isn’t from the “pretty side"…
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This is getting ugly, I’m just going to put my wool sunglasses back on and be done with it.
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Ok, then I’ll “sleep through the static”. Come on, it’s not that ugly...I am sorry that I wasn’t sweet and “polite”...but I’m true (and that’s the real sweet)...and a true conversation requires two...I have a different thought/perspective on the negative/positive labels/boxes and I needed to share it...because, when you call someone a “Debbie Downer” you need to receive the feedback...That’s all...Just the other side...What fun is hiding if no one is looking for you?
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Thought I would put my 2 cents in. As if you thought I wouldn’t.
It is great that this kind of discussion goes on. The sad part is that people can post so many things, and yet this is what gets a rise out of us. The truth is we are all on the same side. It is good to hear about people experience, but one shouldn’t come here to say they had a bad experience and then never post again. The overall experience that is provided is what should be focused on, but people seem to remember the bad stuff. It is natural, but we are more intelligent than that. I think that is a label we all deserve.
My only question is what are you implying by saying the ‘Pretty side”? Again, aren’t we all on the same side?
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nogali - Sep 07, 2008 01:22am Thought I would put my 2 cents in. As if you thought I wouldn’t.
It is great that this kind of discussion goes on. The sad part is that people can post so many things, and yet this is what gets a rise out of us. The truth is we are all on the same side. It is good to hear about people experience, but one shouldn’t come here to say they had a bad experience and then never post again. The overall experience that is provided is what should be focused on, but people seem to remember the bad stuff. It is natural, but we are more intelligent than that. I think that is a label we all deserve.
My only question is what are you implying by saying the ‘Pretty side”? Again, aren’t we all on the same side?
Honest question...no sarcasim...just not sure I understand...you think we should all be labeled intelligent? If so, I think it’s entirely possible, and that there may even be some out there, but for now I think the term intelligent is distorted...I often think of Jack’s line that “we’re clever, but clueless”...or that “we’re animals with fancy shoes”.
And, truly, why does it really matter if someone posts (and especially something negative..not the pretty side) once? This seems to be a bit of a hang up to the real issue...which isn’t that big...she shared a not-so-great first experience at the concert and stated that the messages sent, the forum(s) provided, don’t match the audience (and my two cents is...not yet). And, my only point is in defense to her being scolded as a “Debbie Downer” for sharing that experience, which has validity...and consequently, not all negative comments should be scorned...they have a purpose. Yeah, it’s sad, that it’s not yet all rosie things we can talk about...I can’t wait for that too! I want to be where life is all pretty too! But, we’re talking about life, right now, so who cares if someone’s ("negative" experience) post gets us talking about it? I can think of countless other worse reasons we gather around and pull together. How many “train wrecks do we need to see?”...And maybe it’s “getting worse off” because we choose to look away at the simple, not-so-bad, “negative” parts of life...like turning up the heat or something, until we look. I’d rather look at the simple bad things rather than tragedies. I too believe that we are all on the same side ultimately...but that’s not how it is right now...I also believe in the “pretty side” becoming so much greater...and that belief runs so deep. And, that’s what we’re trying to change...or maybe it’s “change” itself we are witnessing...whatever. But, we need to understand each other, how and why we are clearly divided (the not-pretty side) as well as how we are united (the pretty side). And again, I just don’t see the harm in sharing a bad experience...read it again, it clearly doesn’t seem like the people standing were in the “right”. Logically thinking, and assuming, they probably needed to be in the pit area and they were in the lawn area instead and they needed to look around at their surroundings and adapt to where they were, not where they wanted to be...especially when the chanting started...that’s an example of people standing together and speaking out for what is right.
I wouldn’t know how to imply anything about the “pretty side”...it’s in Jack’s song, Sleep Through the Static...and to me it just speaks for itself...and I live that...because I see both sides. Anyway, in this case, it’s simply being at a Jack Johnson concert and being part of the live musical experience...whether it’s listening, singing and/or dancing, feeling the message live...that’s clearly the pretty side. And, any fan loves that...that’s easy...and easy is the pretty side. But, it’s a problem when people don’t try to understand the ugly side...in a tragedy format or in a simple “negative” comment. And it’s clearly a problem when people do things to interfere with the pretty side. And that’s what we’re living in...that’s what we’re all trying to change.
I don’t think I have any other way to explain this...I’m not a debator and what are we really debating?
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eeixen - Sep 06, 2008 07:46am Sorry Man, I’ve had a great time at Jack’s shows. sometimes the negativity of your surroundings can override the quality of the music. I’ve been to 47 DMB shows. I’ve had nights that the music was great but I had a horrible time.
Enough said...And I’ll replace the metaphor of music to glimpse into a bigger picture...Sometimes the negativity of your surroundings can override the quality of life.
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Porcello- You can stop throwing Jack’s music in my face any time. You don’t need to quote every lyric the man has written. You are assuming that you have the perfect interpretation and no one else is intelligent enough to comprehend. Everyone has a different interpretation of his words.. and my interpretation of the pretty side does not include throwing things at people to get them to sit down. That is a waste of time.. you aren’t going to change people like that, they are going to stand their ground just like you are trying to stand yours. This is a simple problem that deserves no deep philosophical thought.. stand up, move, or let it ruin your night.
Heather
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Porcello - Sep 07, 2008 03:18am
Sometimes the negativity of your surroundings can override the quality of life.
You shouldn’t let your surroundings have so much control over you. Usually shows are packed with a lot of drunk people some of them being fairly stupid… it’s a fight to get what you want out of it. If you let them bother you that much you are really the one missing out.
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There’s really no way to reach an understanding if someone does’t want to. I just can’t get on board with calling someone a downer for sharing a bad experience...it creates a bad feeling to witness something icky. How do you just move away? I only went deep, because I was trying to get you to see my point, and because everything has a deep side as well as the light side...I get the light side, can’t do it anymore, but I get it. Sorry I went too deep. Too bad for me? Who knows.
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redhouse7 - Sep 08, 2008 02:08pm Porcello - Sep 07, 2008 03:18am
Sometimes the negativity of your surroundings can override the quality of life.
You shouldn’t let your surroundings have so much control over you. Usually shows are packed with a lot of drunk people some of them being fairly stupid… it’s a fight to get what you want out of it. If you let them bother you that much you are really the one missing out.
Ok, you gave the opposite advice on the “10 Reasons Why I’m Not OK” thread...and so I agree with that one! Anyway, this is nice advice if it worked. I do get it! It’s “The Secret”...but it’s advice that’s worn-out. It just doesn’t work to look the other way. People do it all the time. And, stewing over things is a different topic and obviously doesn’t work...then, you just get explosions of anger that are generally misplaced. It’s all about balance...the good AND the bad. Again, isn’t this whole forum and Jack’s whole message all about looking at the world, from both sides and coming up with new ideas for change? I don’t know why we’re in disagreement and I’m tired of “fighting for what I want out of life”. I have a “good life”...I just feel like there’s so much more, yet unseen. And that’s why I love Jack’s thoughts/music and it’s why I’m here.
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This was a truly interesting read!!!
I had great fun at the concert!!
I just expected a “tree-hugging”, LOVE-IN.
Believe me, when the drunken jerks wouldn’t sit down, I kicked back, listened to the music, and occasionally tossed a verbal molotav cocktail their way, mostly for my own amusement!
You know, the woman who refused to sit got her panties all in a bunch when I politely suggested to her husband that he buy her a full length mirror!!!
However, I like the name “Debbie Downer”...sounds like a porn name!
Keep smiling!!!
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