Open Mic
Open mic went well, though I was a bit annoyed a few times during the night when the band [Jezreel] 's leader was usurping my event at PoN.
First, while we were still setting up [and no one's supposed to come in during that time - not until 7pm], the band comes in [Andy let ppl in early...] and puts in their CD while we're trying to get ours to work. Not that I don't like their music, but I want "chilled out" music, or music that's different - something like you'd actually HEAR at an open mic, y'know? I was really annoyed, because he didn't check with us if it was alright or anything, he just had his sound guy put music on. He's been to PoN a few times to do events or play on Fridays [as was the case this past week], but he's a visitor, and Hans and I do open mic, NOT him and his band, so he had no right to put in his music w/o checking to see if that's what WE wanted or if it would be okay....
So, where was I...oh yes, the band leader was usurping my power to host the evening. What an annoyance to BEGIN with...but here's the kicker, you'll just love what he said when I went up to start the night.
I walk up to the mic, and Norm [band leader] stands up and leans in toward me and says this:
Norm: "Hon, you might want to think about getting everyone to quiet down and take seats before you start."
Me: "Thanks, but I know what I'm doing."
UGH! Honestly. He may as well have called me "sweetie." He kept treating me like I was 5 years old, and presuming that I know nothing. The night went really well except for Norm [again, band leader] continually undermining me and assuming that I'm young and know nothing about how to run an open mic or take leadership of anything. Hans said to me in the car, "I'm glad YOU know something about standing up to people like that, I certainly don't."
Can you believe that AS I WAS STANDING AT THE MIC, just about to ask everyone to settle in because we were going to get started in a few minutes, he presumes I don't know what I'm doing and tells me to quiet people down?
As if I don't even know enough to tell people to quiet down before I start the event. As if I don't know that people should stop talking before I announce someone to come to the stage. How rude.
Not to mention that just after I had asked everyone to quiet down, HE AND A FEW OF HIS BAND MEMBERS decided that it was THEN that they wanted to start talking EXTREMELY loudly so that I couldn't announce the first performer...and so I had to SPECIFICALLY single them out and ask them to quiet down. RIDICULOUS!
But the night went well, except for Norm not respecting my authority over the event. I actually told him that I felt like he should've asked before starting his own music and doing a few other things later on in the night, and do you know what his reply was?
He said that he's really been a member there for 3 years and he knows I haven't been there as long as he has, and that I have to remember that we're BOTH involved with Point of Need.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! He's from NovaScotia, Canada. His band first came through 3 years ago, and he's been back 2 other times [i think] aside from last night - whenever they're coming through to tour or from another event.
I've been a member and a leader of PoN for 1.5 years, and am involved in many many aspects of it's leadership and functions. PoN didn't have an open mic or anything like it [which would draw people from elsewhere] until I DECIDED TO START IT. Don't take this as pride, but truth - I know that music and the arts minister to my spirit, and I feel that God allowed this to happen - but no one else (aside from Hans, who supported my mission to do this) even helps out with the event. Not even Andy and Tammy, the founders of PoN, come to help. Aside from Hans, I'm doing this on my own with the blessing of Andy and Tammy.
So it's MY event for whomever comes in. I'M the only one to make decisions on what happens, because I'M the only one who cared to use MY TIME to even put this on [again, aside from Hans].
And then HE has the audacity to tell me to remember that we're both serving PoN and basically is telling me that I'M out of line by trying to keep things the way they've been going, even though I'M the sponsor of the event????!! PoN doesn't even buy the snacks and things we have there - WE [hans and I] do, and any money that comes from the sale of the snacks goes right back to PoN.
I don't want a "rocker" atmosphere there. I want it to be calm, and I want it to be inviting. We had a packed house last time, and same this time - even w/o the band's family/friends that came. He had no right to lead the event [like telling his band to put on music at the same time we were trying to get ours in...], and was out of line to take charge.
It went well, but I got really annoyed, and he didn't seem to care when I tried to talk to him about what he kept doing. Oh yes, and while up at the mic with his band, he decided to take some of their time to let everyone in the audience know how I was being pushy and too serious about the event.
I just want it to be calm, nice, a place for people to share, where they're not being squashed by someone who thinks he's great...like I was on Saturday night. It put a bad feeling in the air, and I'm not the only one who noticed it. I was firm, yes, but polite.
I think I'm justified in my annoyance. End rant.
Oh yes, and the band is going to be back in town in 4-5 weeks because they need to pass through again...and Norm said, excitedly, that it might be during the week of next month's open mic! Yea! [<--heavy on the sarcasm]
First, while we were still setting up [and no one's supposed to come in during that time - not until 7pm], the band comes in [Andy let ppl in early...] and puts in their CD while we're trying to get ours to work. Not that I don't like their music, but I want "chilled out" music, or music that's different - something like you'd actually HEAR at an open mic, y'know? I was really annoyed, because he didn't check with us if it was alright or anything, he just had his sound guy put music on. He's been to PoN a few times to do events or play on Fridays [as was the case this past week], but he's a visitor, and Hans and I do open mic, NOT him and his band, so he had no right to put in his music w/o checking to see if that's what WE wanted or if it would be okay....
So, where was I...oh yes, the band leader was usurping my power to host the evening. What an annoyance to BEGIN with...but here's the kicker, you'll just love what he said when I went up to start the night.
I walk up to the mic, and Norm [band leader] stands up and leans in toward me and says this:
Norm: "Hon, you might want to think about getting everyone to quiet down and take seats before you start."
Me: "Thanks, but I know what I'm doing."
UGH! Honestly. He may as well have called me "sweetie." He kept treating me like I was 5 years old, and presuming that I know nothing. The night went really well except for Norm [again, band leader] continually undermining me and assuming that I'm young and know nothing about how to run an open mic or take leadership of anything. Hans said to me in the car, "I'm glad YOU know something about standing up to people like that, I certainly don't."
Can you believe that AS I WAS STANDING AT THE MIC, just about to ask everyone to settle in because we were going to get started in a few minutes, he presumes I don't know what I'm doing and tells me to quiet people down?
As if I don't even know enough to tell people to quiet down before I start the event. As if I don't know that people should stop talking before I announce someone to come to the stage. How rude.
Not to mention that just after I had asked everyone to quiet down, HE AND A FEW OF HIS BAND MEMBERS decided that it was THEN that they wanted to start talking EXTREMELY loudly so that I couldn't announce the first performer...and so I had to SPECIFICALLY single them out and ask them to quiet down. RIDICULOUS!
But the night went well, except for Norm not respecting my authority over the event. I actually told him that I felt like he should've asked before starting his own music and doing a few other things later on in the night, and do you know what his reply was?
He said that he's really been a member there for 3 years and he knows I haven't been there as long as he has, and that I have to remember that we're BOTH involved with Point of Need.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! He's from NovaScotia, Canada. His band first came through 3 years ago, and he's been back 2 other times [i think] aside from last night - whenever they're coming through to tour or from another event.
I've been a member and a leader of PoN for 1.5 years, and am involved in many many aspects of it's leadership and functions. PoN didn't have an open mic or anything like it [which would draw people from elsewhere] until I DECIDED TO START IT. Don't take this as pride, but truth - I know that music and the arts minister to my spirit, and I feel that God allowed this to happen - but no one else (aside from Hans, who supported my mission to do this) even helps out with the event. Not even Andy and Tammy, the founders of PoN, come to help. Aside from Hans, I'm doing this on my own with the blessing of Andy and Tammy.
So it's MY event for whomever comes in. I'M the only one to make decisions on what happens, because I'M the only one who cared to use MY TIME to even put this on [again, aside from Hans].
And then HE has the audacity to tell me to remember that we're both serving PoN and basically is telling me that I'M out of line by trying to keep things the way they've been going, even though I'M the sponsor of the event????!! PoN doesn't even buy the snacks and things we have there - WE [hans and I] do, and any money that comes from the sale of the snacks goes right back to PoN.
I don't want a "rocker" atmosphere there. I want it to be calm, and I want it to be inviting. We had a packed house last time, and same this time - even w/o the band's family/friends that came. He had no right to lead the event [like telling his band to put on music at the same time we were trying to get ours in...], and was out of line to take charge.
It went well, but I got really annoyed, and he didn't seem to care when I tried to talk to him about what he kept doing. Oh yes, and while up at the mic with his band, he decided to take some of their time to let everyone in the audience know how I was being pushy and too serious about the event.
I just want it to be calm, nice, a place for people to share, where they're not being squashed by someone who thinks he's great...like I was on Saturday night. It put a bad feeling in the air, and I'm not the only one who noticed it. I was firm, yes, but polite.
I think I'm justified in my annoyance. End rant.
Oh yes, and the band is going to be back in town in 4-5 weeks because they need to pass through again...and Norm said, excitedly, that it might be during the week of next month's open mic! Yea! [<--heavy on the sarcasm]