Quiet in the Jazz tent...

[FLSusan]

Just a heads up to those who will be going to their first Jazzfest in '10: Please be respectful of the musicians and audience by not talking loudly during performances (esp. in the Jazz tent).

I really hated having to ssh! people who talked through Irvin Mayfield's and Ellis Marsalis' performances. If you must talk loudly, a louder tent/stage might be better suited to you and your friends.

[VWGal]

Just a heads up to those who will be going to their first Jazzfest in '10: Please be respectful of the musicians and audience by not talking loudly during performances (esp. in the Jazz tent).

I really hated having to ssh! people who talked through Irving Mayfield's and Ellis Marsalis' performances. If you must talk loudly, a louder tent/stage might be better suited to you and your friends.

Man oh man, do people talk -- and at almost every single stage! Makes me crazy...but I just pick up and move to another spot. For sure the jazz tent has wonderfully respectful listeners, it's like a breath of fresh air some days.

[Dr. A.]

the worst for me was 08-rob wagner and hamid drake, a combination i was greatly looking forward to seeing live. it was raining, and the jazz tent piled up with people that could not care less about music, just staying dry. i think rob played that day, but i could be wrong. i couldnt hear a damn thing over the roar of chatter all around me-and too crowded to move to a quieter place.

actually, i had the same thing happen at my daughter's 7th grade choral performance this week, except it wasnt raining and there was no excuse for such rude behavior. it is fine to yell and scream with each other at cowboy mouth-we all can still hear and the audiance uproar is part of the performance. agree-not when music listening requires some degree of attention.

[chrisjoseph]

I don't get people sometimes. They come IN to the music tents to talk (not whisper). Loudly. And then they act hurt/offended when you either give them a look or politely ask them to either whisper or to take their conversations elsewhere.

[Cleophus]

I've been with groups of friends who are guilty of this. It is really embarrasing. I hate having to be the guy to tell them to STFU, but that is the right thing to do.

[festbabe]

Ha! I got snipped at by Mike to "take it outside if you want to talk". I was embarrassed, but he was right, I was talking to someone during a show (hey, I was explaining what a "Threadhead" was-it was important!).

[sophisticated sissy]

They were making such a racket over at Acura that I didn't even notice the talkers when I was in the Jazz Tent! :D

[denideadhead]

Haha Had a TALKER experience during Doc Watsons set in the Blues Tent...the tent was packed so I was off to the side and this girl was just chattering away to her friend who actually looked mildly annoyed...after about three songs of this she got up and left ! All my aggravation left with her and I laughed out loud as this huge collective sigh rose up and a few Thank Gods briefly filled the air from seemingly the whole section !!

SO yes indeed it is ok to share a comment about the music or a quick I am going to get something to eat but if you need to talk at length please go someplace else to chat !! FYI the food area tents are great for conversation you can sit, have refreshment and you don't have to shout....:)

[chrisjoseph]

I wish before each music set that the MC's would announce:

1) no smoking
2) Cell phone ringers off, and no cell phone conversations
3) No talking above a whisper, and if you must have even a whispering conversation, please take it outside the tent.

It seems that we have forgotten (never learned?) politeness, consideration of others, etc.

[kapeman]

It seems to get worse every year. It is the reason Ive just about given up on Acura and Gentilly, and even the tents were a problem. During one set
I started fantasizing about a music festival that you could attend only if you proved worthy......exactly how that happened...well I didn't get that far.....
but I'd sure like that....can you imagine- hearing and listening to music at a music festival!!

Chris - your idea of the announcements is an EXCELLENT one.

[Voodoohead]

It might even be a good idea to equip the Tent security people with the "Quite Please" Golf signs during the performance. Am also annoyed at the people who set up there chairs on the walkway near the Acura Stage - pretty rude - need to get some security there.

[denideadhead]

I do believe that in the jazz tent and in the blues tent there were the occassional cell phones to vibrate please reminders?? But that surely did not stop people from talking on them!!

[chrisjoseph]

All it would take is to kick out a few violators.....

[VWGal]

It might even be a good idea to equip the Tent security people with the "Quite Please" Golf signs during the performance. Am also annoyed at the people who set up there chairs on the walkway near the Acura Stage - pretty rude - need to get some security there.

I like this idea -- as much as the volunteers try to keep things orderly, they add to the din by repeatedly having to loudly shoo people out of aisles, down in front, get to the back etc. (all of which is another bone of contention I realize). I am sure somebody could come up with a humourous NOLA-style reminder for the "quiet please" paddles, something like "Be Quiet or Leave!"....

[Fred (Texas JF Fanatic)]

this has worked for me before....
run your fingers across your lips w/smile (zip it please)

[Staxsun]

I like this idea -- as much as the volunteers try to keep things orderly, they add to the din by repeatedly having to loudly shoo people out of aisles, down in front, get to the back etc. (all of which is another bone of contention I realize). I am sure somebody could come up with a humourous NOLA-style reminder for the "quiet please" paddles, something like "Be Quiet or Leave!"....

My favorite is the sign they used for years at our local PGA tournament. It says, "Hush, Ya'll".

[FLSusan]

My favorite is the sign they used for years at our local PGA tournament. It says, "Hush, Ya'll".

I think I'd choose that one too! It gets the point across and it is funny at the same time--how could anyone get angry?

[FLSusan]

They were making such a racket over at Acura that I didn't even notice the talkers when I was in the Jazz Tent! :D

Sometimes the sound bleed is really bad at festivals. I remember Dr. Michael White trying to play over the bass line of Lil' Wayne at Voodoofest last year. That was an interesting musical experience. Dr. White still managed to wow us over all that din.

[FLSusan]

I wish before each music set that the MC's would announce:

1) no smoking
2) Cell phone ringers off, and no cell phone conversations
3) No talking above a whisper, and if you must have even a whispering conversation, please take it outside the tent.

It seems that we have forgotten (never learned?) politeness, consideration of others, etc.

Maybe they will begin to implement these suggestions next year. Surely they read the forum...

[Cleophus]

I wish before each music set that the MC's would announce:

1) no smoking
2) Cell phone ringers off, and no cell phone conversations
3) No talking above a whisper, and if you must have even a whispering conversation, please take it outside the tent.


Some kind of announcement like this is a great idea, Chris.

[Staxsun]

Sounds great, however, the people that do all of that talking usually are the people who arrive in the middle of the set. Those who are there waiting for the act are those who usually listen more intently.

[Belle]

Sounds great, however, the people that do all of that talking usually are the people who arrive in the middle of the set. Those who are there waiting for the act are those who usually listen more intently.

The jazz tent seems to be where I can never find a seat cause no one ever leaves. They park and stay.

[Moon]

We had to bail on John Scofield because of yakkers. This is something I never experienced at JazzFest before and I don't like it.

[jazzjones]

We had to bail on John Scofield because of yakkers. This is something I never experienced at JazzFest before and I don't like it.

That's one of the shows I most would have liked to have seen had I made it to 2nd weekend (was there 1st). Sorry they had to ruin Sco for you.

I've had this problem at the jazz tent, too. This issue is one of my biggest pet peeves. It never ceases to amaze me how some concert patrons believe that their right to blab loudly and ceaselessly somehow supercedes others' rights to enjoy the music.

It's an issue that irks me at "quiet" shows at theaters and small halls everywhere, not just Jazz Fest.

Why do people pay $$ to go to concerts and then proceed to ignore the music and treat the show like cocktail hour?

And what process of reasoning leads them to believe that I paid $$ -- and devoted time and energy to getting there and taking care of childcare logistics -- just to hear them yakking?

Occasional comments, whispered, and chatting between numbers, are perfectly fine and welcome and appropriate, IMO.

But constant, loud talking -- to concert companions or to people on cell phones -- is just rude and arrogant beyond belief.

I agree with what's been said here, in terms of encouraging concert organizers - at JF and everywhere else - to use announcements and signs and other measures to put concertgoers on notice that they must respect the rights of those who want to hear the music.

At JF, this would be particularly apropos at the tents.

Sadly, too many concert venues won't even acknowledge the existence of this problem.

[Frosty]

I agree this is a problem. I go to the Jazz Tent to have a loud conversation over the music and people keep giving me dirty looks. If they want quiet, they should go outside. I'm here to hollar over the music.

[kapeman]

I think we can all make our displeasure known in appropriate ways. If every yakker got dirty stares ( my favorite) and a hush finger across the lips, and if they encountered that over and over....maybe they would start to get the message

And I hate to say it but at Acura I will never sit next to a group of all women-
that just invites the inevitable............

[MzJoey]

With a "Respect the Music" on the back
and a nice smiling face with a finger on the lips...you could just point to your shirt....
I've had bad experiences with loud people being asked to shhhhh...
worst being at a Tom Petty concert, asking young drunk man to be quiet...he got in the row in front of me, and for the rest of the concert stood in front of me, blocking my view and shouting even more, others around me were annoyed, but nobody wanted to say anything.
I've been to a bizillion concerts by myself, after that...well I'm not as willing to go alone anymore. Another concert, I witnessed a lady asking for the two chicks behind her to be quieter during a quiet Natalie Merchant song...the chick actually dumped her drink over the lady's head.....

[festivalgirl]

Also, please do not bring your children's toys into the Jazz Tent and then let them throw the toys around. If your kid's not old enough to make it through an entire set, please set up your chairs outside of the tent.

[FLSusan]

With a "Respect the Music" on the back
and a nice smiling face with a finger on the lips...you could just point to your shirt....
I've had bad experiences with loud people being asked to shhhhh...
worst being at a Tom Petty concert, asking young drunk man to be quiet...he got in the row in front of me, and for the rest of the concert stood in front of me, blocking my view and shouting even more, others around me were annoyed, but nobody wanted to say anything.
I've been to a bizillion concerts by myself, after that...well I'm not as willing to go alone anymore. Another concert, I witnessed a lady asking for the two chicks behind her to be quieter during a quiet Natalie Merchant song...the chick actually dumped her drink over the lady's head.....

I'm so sorry that you've had to deal with such bad behavior. After having to shsh two women during a show in the Jazz tent this fest, one proceeded to kick the back of my chair during the remainder of the show. At least she was quiet after that but I did end up with a bruise.

[jazzjones]

I'm so sorry that you've had to deal with such bad behavior. After having to shsh two women during a show in the Jazz tent this fest, one proceeded to kick the back of my chair during the remainder of the show. At least she was quiet after that but I did end up with a bruise.

The person doing the kicking should have been tossed out of the festival.

This is precisely why venue owners/managers and promoters ought to be proactive in discouraging bad behavior, beginning with stage announcements at the start of the show and signage, and maybe a note on the tickets.

That way, those prone to talking loudly (to seatmates or to people on cell phones) or otherwise interfering with others' enjoyment of the show would at least be on notice that that type of behavior is officially frowned on

If I were king of the world, I'd also add some kind of keep-talking-loudly-and-you-get-thrown-out provision.

It's simply not fair to ask patrons, who have paid good $$ to see and hear a show, to be in charge of policing the bad behavior of the ticketbuyers who choose to be rude and arrogant.

Of course, here I'm talking about relatively quiet shows at theaters or other small venues (like the tents at Jazz Fest).
If excessive talking or other bad behavior happens with a big crowd in front of an outdoor stage, like at Acura or Gentilly, probably best just to pick up and move.
At big arenas with assigned seats, I guess it depends on what type of show is going on. If it's a super-loud rock show, loud talking wouldn't make much difference. If it's James Taylor, then there ought to be a mechanism to quiet down the rude folks.

[Belle]

While not talking...I loathe the sing along types too..I want to hear the artist on stage not some wanna be singing off key :p

[Cleophus]

During the Leroy Jones/Fairview Reunion set in Economy Hall 1st weekend, a woman joined the 2nd liners and she kept banging two metal horseshoes together.

Problem is, she had NO sense of rhythm whatsoever. Really annoying and distracting.

[Belle]

During the Leroy Jones/Fairview Reunion set in Economy Hall 1st weekend, a woman joined the 2nd liners and she kept banging two metal horseshoes together.

Problem is, she had NO sense of rhythm whatsoever. Really annoying and distracting.

I ran into those who brought their own instruments at many stages and wondered what they are thinking.

Join a band will ya?