Post by BeerBlessings on Jul 8, 2008 20:02:39 GMT -5
Pub Sing is near and dear to us all, so please let this be a civil discussion, and not a flame war between "those who don't like change" and "those for something new". .. This is all for a discussion of the merits of this Pub Sing, and way to improve the negatives, and not meant to be a "Give us Stumbull back!!" rallying cry.
"We love Stumbull! Give us Stumbull! Nothing else will do!" - I only buy that if you are talking about your two favorite pub wenches with "Big Tips"!
My first thought on the move.. "Hey, that pub won't be big enough!" .. Well, I was wrong. I never saw it without an open spot. Granted, this may change if there are more people going to the pub itself as the season progresses, but I admit I was hasty in my initial thought.
I do miss my favorite pub wenches though. Sorry, I'm partial in that respect, and not afraid to admit it! ... But the rest of my thoughts have nothing to do with that admitted bias.
That was my only bad thought at first. Everything else was "Hey, I can't wait to see what they do with it!" I've since reconsidered.
Good:
1) Drift Stage is bigger, and can fit more people. Coolness!
2) Drift has a second story to be used... Potential!
3) There are pyrotechnics. Or at least I heard there would have been if they worked properly on Sunday. Waiting to see them this weekend!
4) THere's more space. More space = bigger capacity = potentially more to partake in Pub Sing!
Bad:
Look at #4 again... The area in back is much more open. This is a double edged sword, and sadly, I saw the bad side much more than the good side. Everyone in the back was clumped together in groups talking amongst themselves. No one was paying attention!!!
On Sunday early afternoon, Axel asked me what I thought so far. I told him everyone seemed distracted at Pub Sing. I wrote it off to being Opening Day, and everyone saying hi to people they haven't seen in forever..
Well, Sunday was just as bad if not worse. It's not because you're seeing old friends. It's because no one is bothering to pay attention. They are "at" Pub Sing, but not many people are really "invested" in it.. Or at least that's what it looked like to me.
I stuck around at the back corner near the pub on Sunday, with the intent of giving Pub Sing my honest opinion. See previous statements. No one around me paid any attention what-so-ever..
There's not so much to draw you in to Pub Sing, but there's plenty of open space and people hanging out to draw your attention *away* from the goings-on of Pub Sing... (Bah, I hadn't thought that being cramped at Stumbull would be a good thing, but you had no option BUT to pay attention and get into it.)
Pirate Dave, O'Rourke, newbie Dennis, and I were at the back corner discussing this, and one big reason is because NO ONE IN BACK CAN HEAR SQUAT!! Now, we weren't so far that we were in the lanes. Maybe 5-8 feet away from the last seats for reference.
Pirate Dave yelled very loudly "CAN'T HEAR YOU!", and Merlin caught it.. prompting him to say "Can you hear me now?" .. We did, but just barely.
Shortly after, Morgana was talking to Merlin. We could see her lips move, but the only word we heard was "Merlin" at the very end.
We were actively paying attention and couldn't follow anything from our corner.... People will be brought "into" Pub Sing if they can hear it, and will turn away if they can't.
Sooo.. Is there any chance at all of getting two more speakers? One on each pole at the back corners may help remedy this problem.
My opinion thus far: "Pub Sing 2008? Why bother?..." Grrr.. I see potential, but I see that potential backfiring so far! Having more room is working *against* Pub Sing! WTF?
Now, further thoughts on Parting Glass... I started my thoughts in another thread, but let me make it clear that is about *Parting Glass", and NOT about "any song that's not Health To The Company"
I love Parting Glass. It's a beautiful Irish song.. Now, I admit another bias: I love Irish and celtic music. But Parting Glass has no business closing a day of fun, because it sends you off on such a sad note!! It's like ending someone's birthday party with Taps.
The only way to make Parting Glass work as a closing song is by giving it the intro "Now, let us all pay respects to all of our dear friends who have come and went from our lives..." And I'm sorry, but if we ever closed a Faire day lamenting the dead, I'd wish I was joining them.
To see more of what I mean, get ahold of a copy of Porter and Stout's "Three Sheets to the Wind", their live album they reocrded earlier this year. Either get your own, or borrow someone else's.. They include Parting Glass, and an intro that says it all...
In the intro, they say they do Parting Glass on their album because they actually have a good chance to do it at the show. They do it because the the song is so great. They also say that they will never do that song at Pub Sing because it is so sad and there are much better songs to end the day with.
I find it very ironic that they recorded the album mere *days* before it was announced that Parting Glass was the new closing song. They had no idea, and I find that absolutely funny every time I listen to it...
Anyway, I give Pub Sing so far a D. It's not a total flop though. Only a handful of the uber-patrons left early because it wasn't worth it! ..But that's still a handful too many. Especially for the playtrons..
Perhaps it would score higher than a D. However, we wouldn't know because we can't hear it well enough.
Lastly, on Sunday, I overheard "Heck, we should just go to Stumbull and have our own Pub Sing.." I have a funny feeling that unless things improve, that might actually start to happen.
So, to sum up..
Pub is adequate, though I miss my favorite pub wenches.
Bigger stage = cool.
Many patrons are distracted.
You can't hear in the back.
Parting Glass is too dang depressing.
Even some of the playtrons are already not bothering with it, and not because "It's different."
Please people, disagree with me. Show me that I'm mistaken in my observations. Pretty, pretty please... Alright, long-winded mode is being turned off.
"We love Stumbull! Give us Stumbull! Nothing else will do!" - I only buy that if you are talking about your two favorite pub wenches with "Big Tips"!
My first thought on the move.. "Hey, that pub won't be big enough!" .. Well, I was wrong. I never saw it without an open spot. Granted, this may change if there are more people going to the pub itself as the season progresses, but I admit I was hasty in my initial thought.
I do miss my favorite pub wenches though. Sorry, I'm partial in that respect, and not afraid to admit it! ... But the rest of my thoughts have nothing to do with that admitted bias.
That was my only bad thought at first. Everything else was "Hey, I can't wait to see what they do with it!" I've since reconsidered.
Good:
1) Drift Stage is bigger, and can fit more people. Coolness!
2) Drift has a second story to be used... Potential!
3) There are pyrotechnics. Or at least I heard there would have been if they worked properly on Sunday. Waiting to see them this weekend!
4) THere's more space. More space = bigger capacity = potentially more to partake in Pub Sing!
Bad:
Look at #4 again... The area in back is much more open. This is a double edged sword, and sadly, I saw the bad side much more than the good side. Everyone in the back was clumped together in groups talking amongst themselves. No one was paying attention!!!
On Sunday early afternoon, Axel asked me what I thought so far. I told him everyone seemed distracted at Pub Sing. I wrote it off to being Opening Day, and everyone saying hi to people they haven't seen in forever..
Well, Sunday was just as bad if not worse. It's not because you're seeing old friends. It's because no one is bothering to pay attention. They are "at" Pub Sing, but not many people are really "invested" in it.. Or at least that's what it looked like to me.
I stuck around at the back corner near the pub on Sunday, with the intent of giving Pub Sing my honest opinion. See previous statements. No one around me paid any attention what-so-ever..
There's not so much to draw you in to Pub Sing, but there's plenty of open space and people hanging out to draw your attention *away* from the goings-on of Pub Sing... (Bah, I hadn't thought that being cramped at Stumbull would be a good thing, but you had no option BUT to pay attention and get into it.)
Pirate Dave, O'Rourke, newbie Dennis, and I were at the back corner discussing this, and one big reason is because NO ONE IN BACK CAN HEAR SQUAT!! Now, we weren't so far that we were in the lanes. Maybe 5-8 feet away from the last seats for reference.
Pirate Dave yelled very loudly "CAN'T HEAR YOU!", and Merlin caught it.. prompting him to say "Can you hear me now?" .. We did, but just barely.
Shortly after, Morgana was talking to Merlin. We could see her lips move, but the only word we heard was "Merlin" at the very end.
We were actively paying attention and couldn't follow anything from our corner.... People will be brought "into" Pub Sing if they can hear it, and will turn away if they can't.
Sooo.. Is there any chance at all of getting two more speakers? One on each pole at the back corners may help remedy this problem.
My opinion thus far: "Pub Sing 2008? Why bother?..." Grrr.. I see potential, but I see that potential backfiring so far! Having more room is working *against* Pub Sing! WTF?
Now, further thoughts on Parting Glass... I started my thoughts in another thread, but let me make it clear that is about *Parting Glass", and NOT about "any song that's not Health To The Company"
I love Parting Glass. It's a beautiful Irish song.. Now, I admit another bias: I love Irish and celtic music. But Parting Glass has no business closing a day of fun, because it sends you off on such a sad note!! It's like ending someone's birthday party with Taps.
The only way to make Parting Glass work as a closing song is by giving it the intro "Now, let us all pay respects to all of our dear friends who have come and went from our lives..." And I'm sorry, but if we ever closed a Faire day lamenting the dead, I'd wish I was joining them.
To see more of what I mean, get ahold of a copy of Porter and Stout's "Three Sheets to the Wind", their live album they reocrded earlier this year. Either get your own, or borrow someone else's.. They include Parting Glass, and an intro that says it all...
In the intro, they say they do Parting Glass on their album because they actually have a good chance to do it at the show. They do it because the the song is so great. They also say that they will never do that song at Pub Sing because it is so sad and there are much better songs to end the day with.
I find it very ironic that they recorded the album mere *days* before it was announced that Parting Glass was the new closing song. They had no idea, and I find that absolutely funny every time I listen to it...
Anyway, I give Pub Sing so far a D. It's not a total flop though. Only a handful of the uber-patrons left early because it wasn't worth it! ..But that's still a handful too many. Especially for the playtrons..
Perhaps it would score higher than a D. However, we wouldn't know because we can't hear it well enough.
Lastly, on Sunday, I overheard "Heck, we should just go to Stumbull and have our own Pub Sing.." I have a funny feeling that unless things improve, that might actually start to happen.
So, to sum up..
Pub is adequate, though I miss my favorite pub wenches.
Bigger stage = cool.
Many patrons are distracted.
You can't hear in the back.
Parting Glass is too dang depressing.
Even some of the playtrons are already not bothering with it, and not because "It's different."
Please people, disagree with me. Show me that I'm mistaken in my observations. Pretty, pretty please... Alright, long-winded mode is being turned off.