The People V.S. Pearl Room

Actually HOB has the best backstage. Full course meal from the kitchen / restraunt, plus the club loads and unloads for you.

Backstage at HOB is amazing!

Metro is very nice as well. Very spacious.

I have never been at the Pearl Room....

Double Door gives you a small private room.
Not very exciting or plush.
Clostrophobic if you have more than 5 people in there.
 
Going to college in Champaign, I met a lot of people who were from your neck of the woods.....

Granted, life there I am sure is not as backwards as people say, though I know for a fact that I was the first Jew they ever met, and same goes for the blacks we knew in the dorms and in class....
 
Yeah, some towns for sure are like that. The town of 20,000 Veggie and I are from was diverse and everything. We even have gang wars! And my nextdoor neighbors are big time cocaine dealers from St. Louis! :lol:

How far is Shelbyville from where you are from?
That's where a few folks I knew were from, and going to college was a major shock for them....
 
Going to college in Champaign, I met a lot of people who were from your neck of the woods.....

Granted, life there I am sure is not as backwards as people say, though I know for a fact that I was the first Jew they ever met, and same goes for the blacks we knew in the dorms and in class....

We went to school in a corn field, but there were 200 black kids in our high school. Our hometown is amazingly diverse, even if it isn't... That great anymore (not that it ever was, but as you get older, you start to see how crappy stuff is).

Oh lord, I'm turning into Bob. XD
 
Plus, you know what...when a band is on tour, the headliners are typically on a tour bus...and they don't care about the actual location of the venue since they're in & out without hardly anytime to do much else. As long as it's a cool place, the staff is cool & the fans show up & kick ass, they love it...and the Pearl Room goes way beyond most!!

Yeah, I certainly understand the importance of all that, and of course didn't have any knowledge about the quality of their showers and couches and stuff. So yeah, if that's top-notch, that'll win over all but the most ego-driven bands.

So maybe it's just weird for me. I just think of Nightwish a few months ago on the HoB stage, with the giant backdrop, lights from on-high, towers of encircling balconies, and Anette who specifically said that it was the most beautiful venue she'd ever played in. I think "how are they going to downshift the show to the small, drab, utilitarian Pearl Room without being disappointed?" But they're pros, so I'm sure they'll handle it just fine!

Neil
 
You really must have no clue. Having known lots of bands and traveled with some. It sucks when you pull up to a place thinking one thing and seeing anouther. Lots of bands who are from out of the country are not just going to travel 45 minutes to see the sights. I remember Therion being very excited at the HOB show because they were able to explore the city before the show. Leaves's Eyes were really exited to be in the city and being able to check stuff out. For us it is a easy 45 minute drive but to a person who doesnt really know the country. It is tough.

My brother, who tours a lot, always hates it when a promoter tells them one thing, they get to the club and it is something totally different. It happens a lot to bands.

The Athiest interview I read basically was like, "we are stuck in this town for a couple of days with nothing to do because there is nothing around it".

I'm not about to get into a pissing match with you over who knows more bands or who has traveled the most miles with various bands because I don't know how that proves a point. You're obviously into making sure the bands have a good time...as the guy who pays part of their paycheck, sure I want them to have fun, but I'd rather they focus on their job and put on a great show. For some of the bands out there that could mean, hey instead of running around Chicago looking at the big buildings how about get in a room and rehearse some new songs since you've played the same set for the last 20 years.

And if you're THAT bored...45 minutes and unfamiliar territory should not be any excuse to ease your boredom, that's just laziness at that point. I've been to all sorts of places around the world and never let a little distance get in the way of anything but then again I'm more adventurous than some.
 
Security at the HoB has been quite worse, IMO. I just think people may be forgetting this because the Pearl Room has recently been getting a lot of the shows which the HoB used to...and therefore, the chances of witnessing/experiencing an issue with security at the PR are far greater now.

All things considered, the security at the PR is not bad at all. And people also forget that most shows at the PR (currently) do not have the barricade between the crowd & the stage like every other same sized venue in the Chicago area does...thus, opening it up to more chances of security issues...like fans getting on stage...a HUGE band safety issue in the wake of Dimebag's murder.

And no worries...there WILL BE a barricade at the Powerfest.

I've never been hassled by security at the HOB, just seen how they handle the people. I somehow managed to get hassled by security every time I'm at the Pearl Room for just looking the wrong way. It gets annoying but I'd still rather go to the Pearl Room than any venue in the city just for convenience.
 
Maybe Athiest should have been pro-active and done some research once they booked the show:

A) Find out where Mokena, IL is and the distance from the city. They could then plan something to do.

B) Contact the promotors/friends for suggestions of places to see and things to do either near Mokena or in the city.

I don't know any details of the conversations or expectations between the promotors and Athiest, however it almost seems like they were expecting more to be done for them, when the reality is that they could have done it themselves. It's not the promotor's job to entertain the bands 24 hours a day, but I'm sure they would have no problem assisting the band if asked for ideas, should the band want to venture out themselves on their own dime.

I somehow doubt A or B were ever even close to being comprehensible or articulable thoughts in Kelly Shaefer's pot-addled brain.
 
Seeing as the Pearl room is 5 minutes from my house, I think it kicks ass! Plus, it's beyond easy to meet the bands there.

True, the security can be slight dickheads. Look up the infamous "Cell phone incident at the Symphony X show" to see what I mean, but I heard that was actually a band edict. Silly Michael Romeo.

GateXII, I've been to at least five shows at the Pearl Room, at least three of which were sold out. Any idea why they never open up the balcony?