NC tonight!

That is understandable but it's exactly the opposite from what the people at the Milestone told me. The place has been running 20 + years and they have had semi-national bands play there, you can check their site for a complete list.

Don't get me wrong, I am not upset with IE. There's just a couple of things I don't understand....1:Why would A venue thats been running that long have a show in an unsafe place, endangering bands and fans? And 2:Couldn't this situation have been completely avoided when the show was booked? Unless the venue just absolutely lied about the place in an attempt to get better bands there, I don't see how all of this happened. Like I said, I'm not mad at IE but I think anyone on this forum would be upset if they drove 2+ hours to see a show and it get cancelled at the last minute.

Also...I was there pretty early...I was there before the tour bus left....and I DID hear what I thought were gunshots, but I did not see Tim standing outside. The place may have been very unsafe but do the bands not look into these things when planning their tour?

Thank you for the post Squeak, I do believe the things you said, I just wish the whole situation could have been avoided and hope that IE comes back to NC this year. If they're looking for a better venue, try the Tremont Music Hall. I've saw Blind Guardian, In Flames, Dragonforce, and countless other bands there.
 
To put an answer out to your questions...

It is highly possible that the venue caters normally to bands that have one amp, one microphone, and a drum kit. The problem is that these two bands obviously need a whole lot more than that. The power situation may or may not been totally dangerous, but how exactly would the band be able to perform if just the house lights trip the breaker? That could very well cause sparks or whatever if anything else was plugged in. But the fact was that there was not enough power for even half of one band to play.

There are a few things behind how a venue could've gotten a band like this booked in the first place. For one, a booker can be going by recommendations from other bookers/bands/friends about venues in areas that they are not familiar with and just contact the venue. Also, it isn't like the bookers have been to every single club they book at. Each tour has specifications that they send to each promoter ahead of time, including what kind of gear they are bringing. If the promoter knew that their place wouldn't be able to handle that kind of power, then they shouldn't have booked the gig in the first place. The bookers can really only go by what a promoter or club owner tells them... it's kind of like the honor system. You just believe they say they have what they have and that's that. Bookers cannot know everything that goes on at every club unless someone else happens to warn them or whatnot. I also don't put it passed a lot of promoters and clubs I know to "stretch the truth" about what their venue is - and I am not totally implying that in this situation since I do not know what went on behind booking this club and the questions that were really asked.

As far as to why they booked at this venue instead of Tremont or a couple of the other ones in the area. It could be that those other venues were already booked or the bookers don't know those clubs or the fact that maybe the other venues passed on the tour package because they didn't like it or didn't think it would sell enough or think that it would oversell or whatever. I just think it's a really sad situation. On nearly any tour the size of this, the bands have nothing to do with booking the shows or picking the clubs they are playing. They put the trust in bookers and promoters and hope that when they arrive at a venue that it is decent. That's how tours work.

I have this helps you (and others) understand a little bit more what transpires around making a show happen. I am truly sorry that you were not able to see them perform and I understand the frustration - I have had that happen when I drove EIGHT hours one way to see a show and it really sucks.
 
Thank you for taking the time to post that Squeak. Like I said, I do not blame IE and I am not mad at them in any way. After reading your last post, I understand the way things work a little better. I still am upset over missing the show but there will be more, and I will just have to be patient.
 
interesting information. Maybe the guy that booked this show should be shot? If someone is booking a show, don't they ask about house equipment, stage size, fire capacity, etc? I know there may have been issues with electricity, but its bullshit to have someone blindly booking events for the band. That guy needs to be fired, or something.
 
Alina did just explain that the bookers that book the tour rely on the local promotors to meet the band's requirements and if they can't they shouldn't book the show:

Also, it isn't like the bookers have been to every single club they book at. Each tour has specifications that they send to each promoter ahead of time, including what kind of gear they are bringing. If the promoter knew that their place wouldn't be able to handle that kind of power, then they shouldn't have booked the gig in the first place. The bookers can really only go by what a promoter or club owner tells them... it's kind of like the honor system. You just believe they say they have what they have and that's that. Bookers cannot know everything that goes on at every club unless someone else happens to warn them or whatnot. I also don't put it passed a lot of promoters and clubs I know to "stretch the truth" about what their venue is - and I am not totally implying that in this situation since I do not know what went on behind booking this club and the questions that were really asked.
Click to expand...
 
nckissfan said:
interesting information. Maybe the guy that booked this show should be shot? If someone is booking a show, don't they ask about house equipment, stage size, fire capacity, etc? I know there may have been issues with electricity, but its bullshit to have someone blindly booking events for the band. That guy needs to be fired, or something.
Click to expand...

It could be his fault, but it also may not be. (Also, for the record in case anyone is not clear about it, the booker is a person who books an entire tour and a promoter is the person who works at the specific clubs or works for the club in obtaining acts to play). As I put before, some club owners/promoters may claim to have certain "specs" (aka specifications, as in the power, amps, lighting rig, stage size, club capacity, etc) when in all actuality, they don't have anything close to it. Or, the clubs think they can handle the specs the band/tour sends them and then realizes when the bands arrive that oh shit, they can't. I also know a LOT of clubs who swear capacity is, say, 600 when the fire marshal code chart on the wall specifically says capacity is 375. And then sometimes those clubs pack the shit out of the place with 750 people, all in the name of success and money. I'm saying this as stuff that can handle in general with lots of different clubs, by the way. It is sometimes hard for bookers to know what a club is like when they are hundreds or thousands of miles away and having never been to that club's state, let alone venue. In a perfect world, a booker would go at some point to every potential club to inspect them theirselves, but you know that can never happen. People have to just trust each other and as in real life, sometimes you get screwed and you learn from that and never deal with them again.


@Marlies - thanks for linking this thread on myspace. I just want to give people a really good idea of even SOME of the shit that happens into preparing for a tour. It is a bitch, to say the least. And what pisses me off is when people have riots because a band stops playing and cancels the rest of the concert because they are concerned with the safety and well-being of the band and the fans. I have read quite a few news pieces where stuff like this has happened. Or at the very least, people go away pissed without trying to understand why. Rainmaker, I am in NO WAY talking about you dear, just in fans in general and shows in general. :) I am hoping that by posting some of this, people can have more of a sense of what's going on on a normal basis. It's not as "cut and dried" as people tend to think.
 
I know you weren't talking about me Squeak. I know alot of ppl that get pissed over stuff like that when they have no clue as to how or why a certain event occured. I will not lie, yes, the fact that IE had to cancel upset me greatly because they are by far one of my favorite bands, but at the same time, I was not and will not be pissed at the band over things that I, myself, am not an expert in. I was really just curios as to how these things could happen because honestly, I know the jobs of promoters/bookers etc but I never really knew just how things worked when it came to setting up and booking a tour. I don't want anyone here to think that I am upset with IE. I am upset that the show didn't happen but I feel confident that they will return in the near future and I'll be getting tickets asap. Once again, thank you for posting all the info Squeak.
 
The Milestone isn't as bad as it sounds here. It isn't that pretty, inside the walls are covered with stickers and spary paint, mostly for various bands. I live about 15 minutes away from it and go there at least once a month if not more. It is in a bad part of Charlotte, it's nickname is the ghetto fortress, but I don't think it's the worst part of Charlotte. I've never heard of anything happening at The Milestone because of where it is. As to what bands have played there I can give a list of some that I know of. High on Fire, Soilent Green, M.O.D., Crisis, Valient Thorr, Watch Them Die, Jucifer, Captured by Robots, Slough Feg, Green Milk From The Planet Orange(Japan), Peelander Z(Japan), Gito Gito Hustler(Japan), The Atomic Bitchwax, Alabama Thunderpussy, Facedowninshit, The Sword, Orange Goblin(UK), Scissorfight, Kylesa, Baroness, Slunt, Big Business, and The Melvins. The biggest band recently was probably The Melvins, it was sold out weeks before the show. Here is a picture of what Jucifer uses: http://www.afterbirthcasserole.com/milestone/site/Modules/Photos/Uploads/Large/1210.jpg

I can't say what happened with Destruction or Into Eternity, I just thought I would say what I knew about the place. I was at the concert and it was still ok even though Destruction and Into Eternity weren't there. The bands that did play were Apotheosys, Secrets She Kept, and Wehrwolfe.
 
The recent postings on several different websites regarding the cancellation of the Destruction / Into Eternity show scheduled for Feb. 8th, 2007 at the World Famous Milestone in Charlotte, NC are very inaccurate and quite slanderous of a very unique and historic music venue.
The postings were obviously made by someone who was not at the show, yet professes first hand (and sometimes, second and third hand) knowledge of what transpired that led to the cancellation. For clarification, these are the FACTS from someone who was actually there and goes to the club frequently:

First, the location and safety of the club is a non-issue. The Milestone has hosted shows in this location since 1969 with very few problems, no more than any other live music venue. The building is old but completely up to code and inspected regularly and occupancy is strictly adhered to. As far as appearances, what would any building look like after hosting live rock and roll for nearly 40 years?
Second, The electrical power was not and has never been an issue for live performances. Yes a breaker tripped in the bar section of the club that powered the beer coolers but was quickly reset. The stage and sound system are on completely different circuits. Jucifer has played here several times with a guitar rig of 10,000+ watts with no problem. To imply that the venue is unsafe and or dangerous is slanderous. All codes have been met and are strictly adhered to.
Third, There is no drum riser at all. The stage is approximately 12 X 20 and side platforms can be added to increase this if needed. The monitors on stage for this performance were (2) 300W powered 15” EV cabinets w/horns, backed with (3) more 15” monitors w/horns. This is a far cry from the 5 or 6 inch home stereo speakers as stated. This monitor setup was the main complaint of the band, they wanted more volume in the monitors to protect the singer’s voices. (5)15 inch cabinets w/horns pushing somewhere around 1000 watts is enough monitor for any club setup unless the singer is as deaf as Helen Keller. The club offered to put up any amount of monitors they wanted It was then that the tour manager said it really didn’t matter, the guys were just “too sick to play.”
Fourth, The club has a very good working relationship with the local police and it is very doubtful if any of the local authorities would have suggested this area is unsafe. Not only would this reflect poorly on their ability “to protect and serve” but it would also be an insult to the residents of the area. Using the term “gangbangers” to describe the youth of the area is derogatory stereotyping and is not used by the club, the local people and especially not used by the police. Charlotte is a big city with many diverse areas. Maybe future shows for these bands should be limited to Churches, rest homes or daycare facilities that they feel are safe. I thought this was Thrash, not polka.
Fifth, As far as the bands that have played this historic venue, you only need to look at the Milestone website. (www.themilestoneclub.com) Many of those bands have a much larger draw than either of these bands that cancelled. Yes, the Milestone is a smaller venue but until this night, had never had a band cancel due to inadequate facilities or equipment. Many of the larger acts have expressed that the hospitality and friendliness of this venue was a welcome change for them.

The bottom line is, the band(s) did not want to play this show and were looking for any excuse to blame it on the venue, the promoter or anybody they could to save face with their fans. The venue was not at fault. Neal and his crew at the Milestone, who are all musicians, are the most enthusiastic supporters of the music scene of all the venues around and to hear someone spreading lies such as these is almost as sickening as egotistical “rock stars” that try to make excuses for their lack of concern for fans that travel many miles to see them.
 
One more comment. It seems Schmier has posted on the Destruction site that they would never play a "toilet" like this that does not pay again. Shmier, you missed an easy payday, Neal has met every guarantee ever given even if it meant losing money because of a band's lack of ability to draw. As far as playing here again, the Milestone wouldn't have you but.....I really hope you have the nerve to show yourself in Charlotte again!
 
I am one of the promoters for the Charlotte show. The information posted above is correct. If visiting The Milestone is of interest to you, please, visit the official website and have a look at the venue. The specs of the club were known and the show was not canceled until very late in the day.

I know that Neal offered to buy whatever equipment the tour manager felt was lacking, as did I. After reviewing the equipment, we were told that the monitors weren't satisfactory. I offered to immediately bring in new monitors and the tour manager told us that the Destruction was just too sick and hadn't had a day off in a long while. I asked if Into Eternity would perform and I was told that they were too sick, as well. ****This has not been mentioned, yet. I also told him that if the venue was a problem in any other way, I would make arrangements to move the show to a more acceptable location. Again, I was told that the cancelation wasn't due to the venue, it was due to illness.****

I've never had a problem at The Milestone, nor have any of the bands (nationals or semi-nationals) I've had the pleasure to be associated with performing there. The venue is smaller - the capacity is just under 400 - and the house specs are in NO WAY hidden or falsified about this venue.

I was very shocked at the late cancelation. Destruction and Into Eternity had fans driving in from West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina for this date. At least two arranged airline flights to be able to see Into Eternity, in particular, and still make it to work on Friday. I've been booking shows for 14+ years and I have never experienced anything like this. I'm very sorry to everyone who traveled long distances and wasted money and time. I do very much appreciate everyone who stayed to see Wehrwolfe, Secrets She Kept, and Apotheosys.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to e-mail me at: ecstephenson@gmail.com or to visit my MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/elizabethstephenson.
 
We have several venues that would have been "acceptable." The most obvious choices are Tremont Music Hall and Amos' Southend, as they are easy to locate and are the most well known venues in the area. I called both places immediately and both were booked, however, it is certainly possible to buy out smaller shows.

There are several more small to large theaters available and with the equipment that would be in house, in addition to what was available from the tour manager, would have been quickly ready for sound check and use, had the tour manager accepted.

Really, I've only had to change venues DAY OF three times in over 14 years. Each of those dates were due to emergency problems at the original venues (one location burst a water main, and the like). In this situation, I was not even initially contacted by the tour manager until after 5pm. Doors were set for 8pm and, in the event that they had wanted to change venues, the show would have had to be started late - though, I'm sure all of the pre-paid ticket holders would have preferred to grumble about a late start, rather than cancelling the show.

Elizabeth
 
Please, keep in mind that I understand that illness may prevent artists from performing. That's to be expected - we're all human. I do not appreciate reading that the provided venue was potentially not up to city, county, or state code - that is completely false. Reading what was recollected about the in house equipment is laughable - my primary concerns, at this point, are that The Milestone not lose future shows, due to misrepresentation, and that we had hundreds of people travel quite long distances, just to be told that two of the three bands who were listed to perform had cancelled.

The tour manager was very polite and appologized repeatedly for cancelling. He asked if there was anything he could do; I told him that I would appreciate it if he would post a message to the venue main page and/or to my MySpace page, explaining the circumstances, and I was assured that he would do that right away.

I'm still waiting.

If there was any truth to his claim that both bands were too ill, I certainly hope that everyone who was affected by this flu feels better and is enjoying the duration of the tour.

As far as The Milestone is concerned - please, if you're in the area, come and check it out - it's my favorite club in the state to work with. The staff are all knowledgeable and enjoyable to work with. The Ghetto Fortress is a landmark and some absolutely amazing acts have come through there, over all of their years.
 
thank you for sharing the information. I am starting to really feel like we(the fans) got the big shaft here. I just want someone to own up to why they really cancelled. I would rather have them tell me that they didn't like the facility, than to tell me they were sick. That's a copout, so you don't look so bad. However, with the information that is being provided, it makes them look worse.

I have been to the Milestone countless times, and never had any issues.
 
I figured Tremont and Amos would have been the main choices. I don't know what exactly went down last Thursday night but I appreciate everyone that has gave their information. All I know is that myself and alot of other fans were really upset over the cancellation but, shit happens, and I'm just waiting for IE to come back to NC now.

Elizabeth, I have to agree with what you said about the ppl at the Milestone. When I was told the show was cancelled, I talked to guy taking tickets for about 5 mins. He was EXTREMELY nice and didn't act like a jerk like most of the places I have been to. If I am ever in the area with no other plans, I will be sure to check out what's going on there.
 
I had a good time that night, drinking the last of the Milestones' Newcastle Brown Ale, and talking with the super cool bartender.

Tremont is a good club, nice stage, good size room. I have seen a lot of great shows there. I have not been to Amos' yet, but a friend tells me it is a cool club.
 
nckissfan said:
I had a good time that night, drinking the last of the Milestones Newcastle, and talking with the super cool bartender.

Tremont is a good club, nice stage, good size room. I have seen a lot of great shows there. I have not been to Amos' yet, but a friend tells me it is a cool club.
Click to expand...

Amos is really great. I actually would choose it over Tremont.
 
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