Ben Gibbard: “Shut the Fuck Up!”
Ben Gibbard played two sold-out shows last night at the 9:30 Club. Unsurprisingly, it was a pretty young crowd; the staff was checking hand stamps like hawks. Being Playing a solo acoustic show, Gibbard gravitated toward the ballads, and during nearly every song some frat-boy, douche-bag type would yell, "Gibbard rocks!" or something along those lines.
At one point the shouts made Gibbard pause midsong and say, "That's a really strange reaction to this song." Later in the night, he commented on how aggressive a D.C. crowd is, which caused an uproar of cheering and applauding. He added that while he appreciates that people are so excited that it's making them shout things, would they please "shut the fuck up."
The question is, are D.C. crowds that different from crowds in other cities?
4:20 pm
No, in fact a lot of times I think a DC crowd is particularly boring, what with all the crossed-arm head nodding. I was at the early show and the outburst that Gibbard reacted to was the first intrusive one of the whole night, which is pretty good considering it was the last song. Overall, considering the demographics of his fan base, I thought it was a chill and respectful crowd.
4:51 pm
Ben Gibbard is the new John Zorn:
http://citypages.com/databank/22/1062/article9490.asp
9:34 am
i think DC crowds are more subdued, but i am a pretty quiet, just-stand-there kinda guy at most concerts anyway, so it doesn't bother me.
gibbard's outburst was definitely directed at the one frat guy douche who was wearing the white nationals hat (with a green W and shamrock) backwards and his toady sidekick. the full quote was "i'm glad you're enjoying yourself, but for the next few songs, could you please shut the fuck up". it was great, because the guy DID shut up after that. without gibbard's intervention, it was starting to look like a few people in the crowd were going to take that guy out vigilante style anyway...
4:32 pm
Please, please, City Paper, help stop the relentless flood of embarrassing danglinf modifiers pouring forth from today's newspapers. "Being a solo acoustic show, Gibbard gravitated toward the ballads..." So the man is a show, and all by hisself?
You guys know how this grammar thing works, right?
1:35 pm
I go to a lot of shows in the DC area and a lot of shows at the 930 club. Attended both Ben Gibbard shows that night, and believe I am in a position to certify that the night was an anomaly.
Unfortunately, there was more than one guy shouting at the late show. The opener, Jonathon Rice, commented to a guy who was shouting during the opening (facing the stage, up front and to the right). Ben Gibbard was, I believe, addressing a guy (facing the stage, in the middle on the mail floor, and just left of center).
There were NUMEROUS people there who were there to hear one song, or maybe two. A few 22ish or 23ish young people around me talked pretty much throughout the concert except during one or two songs, drawing dirty looks and an admonition or two from those in proximity.
Don't know what lesson to draw from this. Maybe at quiet shows with young audiences at the 930 club, it might be a good idea for the artist(s) to to initially remind the audience that the show will not be loud, so if anyone needs to have an extended or loud conversation with friends than please go to the lobby or outside.
All in all, Ben Gibbard sounded great as did Jonathon Rice, but that was the worst audience in months at the 930 club. Which is to say, its amazing that no more than 5 or 10% of an audience can have such a negative impact on the show and on the remainder of the audience.
9:45 am
Yeah, I'm not surprised. I've been to a some acoustic shows at 9:30 and people would not shut the f*ck up indeed. DC crowds have little respect for the artist it seems, especially opening acts. That's why Ben Harper has refused to play DC for years.
9:51 am
THANK YOU BEN HARPER!
10:24 am
That is indeed an egregious dangler. I blame the blog editor.
4:49 pm
what a pussy.