Yep, we've tried to have metal at Dragon*Con. The last attempt ended up being a miserable failure. Unfortunately our band-booking guy has looked mostly elsewhere since, with a few oddball exceptions (Mindless Self Indulgence, etc)....
In the words of Jon Schaffer, "Dude. That was a weird show."
And it was...but it was also lots of fun.
It was handled with some good ol' incompetence, too.
Yep, that's what happens when the bands arrived late, they arrived ill-prepared to showcase their music (I was told they were drunk when packing, and therefore forgot to bring a boombox or anything), etc.
Dragon*Con is all about promotion. Bands do not typically receive a guarantee, but out-of-state bands get comped hotel for the duration of the convention, and a merch table to showcase their wares and their music in front of 35,000-40,000 people. Other bands who have been savvy at promotion have done quite well for themselves at Dragon*Con, even during their first year -- and not necessarily goth bands, either. In TTD and Vainglory's case....well, they arrived only a few hours before their show, and had already missed their best chance to promote by a day or two.
As for your personal chances to return with a future show, Jeremy.....you completely threw that out the window when you insulted certain directors and participants online, after the event.
Yes, I know. You've said on this very forum that you like to call things as you see 'em. But you also have to live with the results of tactlessness, and the resulting bad taste "poisoned the well" for metal at Dragon*Con for years.
--Paul C.
director, Dragon*Con Band Concourse and Acoustic Stage
