Why Houston Paramore show ended

[cardcaptor922002]

I got a message from this guy who was working at javajazz but his last day was the day of the paramore concert and he sent me this. He asked me to spread the word and he hopes that everybody will try to understand.

 

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"hey wow the few songs u guys sang were awesome-U guys are all so talented The gay cop had to act like mr.tough and send everyone home-which was PATHETIC! i'm sorry that happened! -we should have all gained up on him-HE WOULD HAVE LOST"

 

it's funny how no one understands what actually happened. considering i worked for the venue, and that was my last show - i was just as pissed about it being shut down early like everyone else was.

 

 

02/15/2005 - thursday, minus the bear, the no. 12 looks like you, we're all broken

 

at this show, firemarshalls came due to an over-capacity amount of roughly 1200 people being at the show. with javajazz never having a fire code rating, they were almost shut down indefinately, as well as this show being shut down. however, for the next few months, javajazz was required to follow fire code and only allow 600 people into the venue tops - at all times.

 

this is why javajazz has a no-re entry policy, to ensure people stuck outside that if someone leaves, they have a chance to get in and watch the show.

 

with that being said - realize that when a show sells out, it's not necessarily completely sold out.

 

after this, slight adjustments were made to the venue to allow more people into the venue.

 

09/16/06 - paramore, hit the lights this providence, cute is what we aim for

 

given the fact that this show was going to be packed, we removed the booth seats from inside and placed them outside so more people could come in.

 

at this show, when i wasn't checking to find people who snuck in, i was working behind the barricade pulling people out from crowd surfing, or overall exhaustion.

 

typically, the crowd at this kind of show is made of individuals who don't care too much about anyone else. no one gives each other room to breathe, and barely gives each other room to move around, just so that they can get themselves closer to the bands.

 

this is why we have barricades.

and this is why i gave countless bottles of free water to people in the crowd. i understand that not many people can afford to pay for water because they either don't show up to the show with money, or because they blow it on merchandise. no matter the reason, i didn't want to see anyone getting hurt. it's not fun working at a venue and having to take care of people at the same time. all i do is lights and sound engineering - i'm not a medic. regardless, i care for the overall well being of everyone present - so everyone enjoys the show - whether they work there, play there, or just watch the show there.

 

next door to javajazz is a private membership social lounge, who has a grudge with javajazz due to the fact that they signed their lease agreement without realizing one standout fact about the space next door: ATTENTION: VERY LOUD NEIGHBORS

 

someone's mother decided to attend the show, and due to the packed parking lot, decided to use her handicapped pass and park in the handicapped spot. the owner of the place next door decided to tell her that spot was not handicapped, and it belonged to him. she moved her car, and didn't make too big of a deal about it when she came inside.

 

after we found this out, our staff became quickly upset about it, and brought it to the attention of the officer we call in for larger audience shows (like the paramore show). being a law enforcement officer, and a friend of ours, he made it very clear to the neighbor that it was not morally right to do such a thing to an older woman, nor was it legal to claim a public handicapped parking space as his own. in turn, the next door neighbor decided to play dirty and call the fire marshalls.

 

for the first time since february, the firemarshalls showed up at javajazz and were going through firecode regulations trying to find a reason to shut us down. they planned on doing this by 9:30, but found no substantial reason to do so. as they stuck around, they noticed the ferocity of people in the crowd - refusing to let each other have enough room to breathe, and so on.

 

doing their jobs, they decided to stick around in the event that something bad happened. and lucky for them, something did. 4 girls passed out during paramore's set due to extreme dehydration - the kind that you're not supposed to get anywhere near if you have common sense. 3 of these 4 girls were later hospitalized once the show was shut down, all thanks to everyone looking out for themselves and not for others.

 

it was then that we brought this to paramore's attention. hayley herself asked people to watch out for each other - which is not something that bands do just to look cool or get appreciation. they play music so everyone can enjoy it and have a good time, not to fuel the chances of people hurting themselves for the band. because no one was taking her seriously, our on duty officer was asked by the band to bring this to everyone's attention.

 

the general public, especially kids, have very little respect for police officers - which is why many people have respect for them doing what they do for a living. all he asked everyone to do was back up and give each other space. provided that the crowd would have agreed to do so, the show would have continued. however, AGAIN, no one listened, no one cared for the overall group - but for themselves. it was then that the firemarshalls disagreed with what was going on, and decided to shut the show down.

 

paramore was upset.

the staff was upset.

our officer was upset.

all the patrons who attended the show were upset.

no one was happy about how this turned out.

 

since this show, many people blame javajazz, and many people blame the officer on duty that night. but neither deserve it. this show was shut down because of the sum of peoples individual feeling of ignorance (selfishness) and looking out for themselves, instead of a feeling of camaraderie (togetherness) and looking out for each other.

 

since then, javajazz has shut down the venue temporarily until october 6th at the latest. the rockville (side stage) may be shutting down and becoming an arcade as far as i know. it's pure luck that the venue was not sued by the girls who passed out - even though it was their own fault for not maintaining their own health. it's also pure luck that the venue was not fined by the fire marshalls.

 

all i'm asking in this message is that you understand the reason why these events occured, and to please support your local music scene, without ignorance towards others. it's not about siding with one type of music/band/venue and hating on others.

 

javajazz coffeehouse was the first all ages venue in unincorporated harris county, and has since grown and become the best all ages venue in houston. it's very obvious that venues that sprouted up afterward (fuel, wired, the coffee retreat/the dark room, java junction, the harbour, and many others) all began because they wish to do the same that javajazz did - whether it be to make money, or support music on a local/nonlocal level, or for all genres. the fact that the owners choose not to obtain a liqour license and be just like any other venue in houston shows that they care for what they do, and how they do things - rather than become all about making money for themselves.

 

with that being said, i apologize for taking up the time you spent reading this, and thank you.

 

have a good day/night.

-chris

[fergie]

Thanks for posting this. I wasn't at the show, but it angers me so much the way people treat each other at shows like this. And then they go on to blame the venue for it ending early. >=(

[kerrie]

so it was kinda over firemarshalls finding a way to close the venue eh.

[lalalalisa]

so it was kinda over firemarshalls finding a way to close the venue eh.

 

no, it wasnt. people were not thinking about the effects that their actions had. nobody was willing to sacrifice a better spot for other people's health.

[kerrie]

then its their fault the show was cancelled.

[kerrie]

and its also the fact they had too many people there so the fire dept was just finding a good excuse to shut the place down. But thats just my way of reading it.

[XParamoreFanX]

Wow.. thats crazy.

 

And yeah, it got so bad at the Atlanta show Hayley was even like "If you see someone down, pick them up, and pick them up FAST. We care for eachother here."

 

I hate how everyone only thinks of themselves at shows.

[get carried away]

typically, the crowd at this kind of show is made of individuals who don't care too much about anyone else. no one gives each other room to breathe, and barely gives each other room to move around, just so that they can get themselves closer to the bands.

 

yeah, thats true. well im glad the guy posted this to clear things up. i feel pretty bad for the people who went there, expecting to see a whole paramore set, but you have to take the safety precautions first.

[thebrowncoat]

That's not the way it is at all shows, but it's a shame this mentality is starting to show up at a lot of shows - one of the defining things about punk shows was that everyone took care of each other...I don't see that as much as I used to...

[ilu]

That's not the way it is at all shows, but it's a shame this mentality is starting to show up at a lot of shows - one of the defining things about punk shows was that everyone took care of each other...I don't see that as much as I used to...

 

That's so true. Although every show i've been to people always helped if you looked like you were in trouble....i've got floored many a time and someone's always helped me back up again etc. It's sort of down to getting a balance between enjoying the band and wanting to get as close as possible, and being aware of others i guess.

[Itsgettingcloser]

you guys thats how live shows at an indoor venue in the summer go. Its the crowds fault for not taking care of themselves and drinking enough water. Its just common sense dress lightly and drink a ton of water before you go to a show you know will be crowded and very hot.

[favorite_song]

I was there and I must agree, some people seemed to only care about getting themselves closer. There were some people who were very nice, passing around waterbottles, helping fan people, etc.

 

Also, the girls who passed out, it wouldn't be entirely their fault. My friend drank two bottles of water right before the concert, but she ended up right at the front and couldn't get at all. She could barely move.

[whatsername104]

that's so annoying. people like that really get to me. ya, it's hot and all, and you want to pay attention wo the music and everything, but you have to realize that while you are trying to get to the front you are pushing everyone around and all. and you have to think about it this way: would you walk down the street and just hurt people? um, i don't think so.

 

it's the same thing. when you're at a show, you should realie that some thigns you are doing are putting others in danger, and you should wach out for it.

[lordjedediah]

those kids are so punk rawk

[Guest haunted_dreams55]

Wow, thanks for posting that. It does meake me made whaen peole do that. Don't they understand that we have to have room to breathe.