GREY MATTER: SCENE STEALING

[Originally published: Issue #6, circa 1989]

We would like to use this space to address a very serious problem at Club Pizazz: thieves. Anyone who was at the IGNITION show knows that some person (?) tried to steal one of the microphones and this caused problems, even though he didn’t get away with it. Well, everyone should know that somebody had a camera stolen at another recent show.

We’re not going to go off on some holier than thou speech on how wrong it is to steal. But just think about it. You’re stealing from someone who probably has a lot in common with you. It could just as easily have be your (or your friend’s) stuff that is taken. We don’t need any more people who act against our scene (we have enough, thank you). You’re ruining a great scene and then you’ll be the first one to bitch when there are no more shows. This scene doesn’t exist for you to make a financial gain – that’s not what it’s about. If you don’t care about the scene, stay out of it. If you do, show some responsibility, or at the least, some degree of maturity.

Promoter Chuck Meehan puts a lot of time, effort, and money into putting on shows, not to mention all the aggravation. We get some of the best bands (local and national) for very reasonable prices, and yet you try to steal from him stabbing him and all of us in the back. Nowadays in Philly, shows already have a rather unfriendly overall feeling. But if this keeps up you’ll be too busy keeping your eye on the person next to you to enjoy the show, and you won’t even be able to take your jacket off without worrying about losing it.

We want some kind of unity. That doesn’t mean you have to hold hands and sing together. Just show respect for each other as fellow scensters, or better yet, as human beings.