Hayseed Dixie - Skinandi's 23/08/07

**Metalattakk** · 24-Aug-07, 00:50

Originally Posted by The Pepsi Challenge

Relax... and enjoy your hair.

No wonder your reputation is in tatters, Barry. Seems you were last in the queue for gumption. Ah well, I did my bit, but alas you seem incapable of doing anything other than take a running jump at that big unbreakable (to you) wall that the rest of us call 'Reasoned Debate'.

I'm even happy to supply some Elastoplast to stem the flow of nonsense that just drip, drip, drips out of your veins whenever you try to bludgeon the gates down.

Don't give up hope, Pepsi-Barry!! You'll get there in the end!

As for the gig tonight -

Astronot were good as ever, but an extemley short set combined with the high ticket price meant that the audience were not quite as high-energy as expected. It's no' the same without the mosh pit.

Hayseed Dixie -

Good band, and a good bunch of lads too. They took a lot of time after the gig to sign autographs and let peorple take photos and really mixed with people well. Which is good.

I personally thought that their own material was far superior to the cover versions they did, which always seemed too frantic for me.

Ok, so 'Breaking The Law' and 'War Pigs' were good versions, and 'Holiday' by Green Day and Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way' were very good, but the rest were just 'rattle them through as fast as possible' in my opinion.

But then, that's just my opinion.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 24-Aug-07, 16:31

That's a good, honest review, Metalattakk, seriously. Why not jar the Groat for a reviewing job? No-one from the paper bothers to review local bands, in Caithness, anyway.

**theboss** · 25-Aug-07, 16:52

Originally Posted by Metalattakk

As for the gig tonight -

Astronot were good as ever, but an extemley short set combined with the high ticket price meant that the audience were not quite as high-energy as expected. It's no' the same without the mosh pit.

Hayseed Dixie -

Good band, and a good bunch of lads too. They took a lot of time after the gig to sign autographs and let peorple take photos and really mixed with people well. Which is good.

I personally thought that their own material was far superior to the cover versions they did, which always seemed too frantic for me.

Ok, so 'Breaking The Law' and 'War Pigs' were good versions, and 'Holiday' by Green Day and Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way' were very good, but the rest were just 'rattle them through as fast as possible' in my opinion.

But then, that's just my opinion.

Cheers for the support Metalattakk, was good to see you at the gig.

Had two great nights with the Hayseed Dixie lads. Great banter. I actually enjoyed the Thurso gig more than the Ironworks even though there were more folk at the Inverness one. Really enjoyed both dates though. However, my playing did suffer a little in Inverness when I looked to the wings to see "Barley Scotch" (Hayseed frontman) standing in his birthday suit with his "banjo" tucked between his legs... it kinda threw me for a wee minute!

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 25-Aug-07, 17:00

How many turned up to the gig, in Thurso, bossman?

**moncur** · 25-Aug-07, 17:19

I couldnt make it to the gig. Unfortunately I had tickets to see the chilis at hampden that night :P

**Jeid** · 26-Aug-07, 01:09

I don't think we were much over 200 in Thurso.

**theboss** · 27-Aug-07, 09:36

Originally Posted by The Pepsi Challenge

How many turned up to the gig, in Thurso, bossman?

As Jeid said i think there was roughly 200ish. I was severely disappointed with the lack of faces from our very own music scene. It seems everyone was gigging that night. They missed a night of fantastic musicianship and some damn good banter.

I hope the lack of numbers doesn't put the promoters off taking more bands of the same quality north again.

**moncur** · 27-Aug-07, 18:13

could have been a couple of simple factors that affected the attendance.

1. its not quite the end of the month so many folk are skint at the mo.
2. it was a thursday night so folk may not want to go out when workin the next day.
3. was it an over-18s event? If so then a good few astronot fans wouldnt be able to go as a lot of their fans are underage.
4. sad to say it but the price tag. was it 13 quid? some folk are happy to pay it but theres a lot who arent happy, especially for a thursday.

Hopefully people who did got will tell their friends and if hayseed dixie do come back, there will be a better turnout.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 27-Aug-07, 18:40

From what I can gather it sounds like the usual apathy factor. Shame, really. When I took a couple of my pals from Edinburgh up to play in April, I advertised in the paper and put up posters round town, spread the word and hoped, at the very least, a few peeps from here would come along. It didn't happen. But while the turnout wasn't great, the reception we got in Wick was grand. Don't know if we'll ever go back to Caithness to gig, but you never know. My guess is a lot of the public - those slightly interested in live music - should spend less time on the Internet and their heads in the Argos catalogue, and go support live music. God, when I were a lad, we'd go see any old garbage that played gigs. Ain't that right, Metalattakk?

**Jeid** · 27-Aug-07, 19:43

Originally Posted by moncur

could have been a couple of simple factors that affected the attendance.

1. its not quite the end of the month so many folk are skint at the mo.
2. it was a thursday night so folk may not want to go out when workin the next day.
3. was it an over-18s event? If so then a good few astronot fans wouldnt be able to go as a lot of their fans are underage.
4. sad to say it but the price tag. was it 13 quid? some folk are happy to pay it but theres a lot who arent happy, especially for a thursday.

Hopefully people who did got will tell their friends and if hayseed dixie do come back, there will be a better turnout.

1. People still have money and if they wanna go see live music... especially a band as good as Hayseed Dixie, then they'll pay.
2. Thursday? So what? We saw Foo Fighters on a Tuesday night. Hell, if you're gonna be hung over, at least get paid for it. Plus, just because you're going out, it doesn't mean you have to drink or get pissed. I had two beers all night and had a great time. On Friday I had no beers and had a great time.
3. It wasn't an over-18 event.
4. Erm, people aren't paying for the night, they're paying for a quality touring band. £13 is small change for a band of quality.

Someone said to me the other day that the average people would pay for a packet of fags before they became too expensive was... and this to me is quite frankly outrageous... it was... £18. For a packet of FAGS!!

£13 for an evening of entertainment is pennies.

**the_big_mac** · 27-Aug-07, 21:58

Originally Posted by Jeid

Hell, if you're gonna be hung over, at least get paid for it.

Lol, my old motto still lives stong!

In fairness tho, 13 bucks for an hour and a quarter was quite disappointing.

I work there and didnt even know that under 18's were allowed. We could have advertised that one a bit better.

I also agree with the skintness issue, I'm rooked until next week now. And with whole lot of lead playing on Sunday before, im sure that there were a few faces there that didnt go on Thursday.

**Jeid** · 27-Aug-07, 22:25

It sure does live strong! Why bother lying in bed dying all day, inflict your misery on others... don't be greedy.. share it

Yeah.. but you know how it is, these things aren't very well advertised.

Seemed like they played for longer than that.

As for skintness... As you'd say, "you'ren" a buffty!

**Aaldtimer** · 28-Aug-07, 02:27

I went to this gig and really enjoyed the performance. OK a wee bit on the short side but they didn't exactly hang about between songs. I sounted 7 songs in the first 20 minutes! I know , sad, but after 40 years of gigs you get to notice these things.
The one thing I can never understand is the percentage of people (about 25%) who are willing to pay £13.50 for the gig and pay no attention to it whatsoever, but just get out of their faces and bawl at each other the whole night! It was a poor turnout for a great band. The gig was well publicised and people could have bought their tickets at the start of the month when the pennies could have been a bit flusher than last week.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 28-Aug-07, 07:45

Originally Posted by the_big_mac

Lol, my old motto still lives stong!

In fairness tho, 13 bucks for an hour and a quarter was quite disappointing.

I work there and didnt even know that under 18's were allowed. We could have advertised that one a bit better.

I also agree with the skintness issue, I'm rooked until next week now. And with whole lot of lead playing on Sunday before, im sure that there were a few faces there that didnt go on Thursday.

Commercial touring bands SHOULD be playing a standard 90-minute set. It's the norm, and value for money. So yes, I'll agree that £13 for an 85-minute show is a little disappointing, and one that surprises me, as Hayseed Dixie are renowned for playing 2-hour shows.

The under 18s situation: was this not advertised on the posters and in the local press, no?

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 28-Aug-07, 07:52

Originally Posted by Aaldtimer

The one thing I can never understand is the percentage of people (about 25%) who are willing to pay £13.50 for the gig and pay no attention to it whatsoever, but just get out of their faces and bawl at each other the whole night! It was a poor turnout for a great band. The gig was well publicised and people could have bought their tickets at the start of the month when the pennies could have been a bit flusher than last week.

I can't understand it either. The worst ones are the all-acoustic shows where seemingly large scores of obnoxious buffoons pay over the odds to stand at the back and talk throughout the entire show, spoiling everyone else's enjoyment.

As for the publicity. Well, if it has been properly advertised and people still don't go - I think Jeid said about just over 200 people turned up? - it strongly suggests no-one is prepared to support commercial touring bands in the area. In other words, there's not a market for such acts in Caithness. Should a Shania Twain tribute band turn up, however... Perhaps tie-in the next possible 'name' band who venture to the Far North with a pool competition. You'll get people turning up in droves for that.

**Bobinovich** · 28-Aug-07, 09:43

Originally Posted by The Pepsi Challenge

Commercial touring bands SHOULD be playing a standard 90-minute set. It's the norm, and value for money. So yes, I'll agree that £13 for an 85-minute show is a little disappointing, and one that surprises me, as Hayseed Dixie are renowned for playing 2-hour shows.

The under 18s situation: was this not advertised on the posters and in the local press, no?

Ahem Pepsi - an hour and a quarter is only 75 minutes last time I looked

.

Sorry, couldn't help masel'

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 28-Aug-07, 18:45

Thanks for pointing that out, Bob. I've had about as much sleep this (Embra) festival as Paris Hilton has brain cells. Am just surprised it wasn't Metalattakk at the nit-picking.