What Can We Get Unnecessarily Upset About Now?
Apparently, the backblogs and angry emails have been read. The following is a statement Jasper, MCR and myself received from Anthony Morrow, Publisher of Detour last night.
After witnessing undue pressure put on bands, venues, sponsors, and
the fans, Detour has decided to postpone Rock City until summer 2008.
The festival will still feature the best in local Detroit talent
along with a slew of the national acts we love.
We're not in the business of warring festivals. We attempted to
broker a deal where both events could coexist, but this didn't work
out. Detour will not be a part of any event that divides artists and
their fans. We want people to play and attend our events and read our
site out of passion, or simply for fun, and not because they feel
like they have to take a side.
Thank you to the bands that agreed to take the journey and stand up
with us. We're saving a slot for you next summer.
And remember, if you're planning a festival in the coming months, let
us know so we can book something on the very same day.
Detour
Well folks there's basically two ways to look at this.
The optimist, the believer in democratic discourse and the power of the consumer would probably side with Fred "Sonic" Smith right now -- "people have the power."
The cynics, which ironically are many of the people participating in the democratic discourse would say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
You can continue to speculate on the reasons why this decision was made, I've printed Tony's statement in its entirety and I don't know no more than you do.
But let me give you some conspiratorial thesis statements to run with.
I kid, I kid.
You know I love you guys.
Apparently, the backblogs and angry emails have been read. The following is a statement Jasper, MCR and myself received from Anthony Morrow, Publisher of Detour last night.
After witnessing undue pressure put on bands, venues, sponsors, and
the fans, Detour has decided to postpone Rock City until summer 2008.
The festival will still feature the best in local Detroit talent
along with a slew of the national acts we love.
We're not in the business of warring festivals. We attempted to
broker a deal where both events could coexist, but this didn't work
out. Detour will not be a part of any event that divides artists and
their fans. We want people to play and attend our events and read our
site out of passion, or simply for fun, and not because they feel
like they have to take a side.
Thank you to the bands that agreed to take the journey and stand up
with us. We're saving a slot for you next summer.
And remember, if you're planning a festival in the coming months, let
us know so we can book something on the very same day.
Detour
Well folks there's basically two ways to look at this.
The optimist, the believer in democratic discourse and the power of the consumer would probably side with Fred "Sonic" Smith right now -- "people have the power."
The cynics, which ironically are many of the people participating in the democratic discourse would say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
You can continue to speculate on the reasons why this decision was made, I've printed Tony's statement in its entirety and I don't know no more than you do.
But let me give you some conspiratorial thesis statements to run with.
- All the band's asked to play Rock City showed up at the plush Royal Oak offices of Detour and in a show of solidarity forced the mighty media mogul to sign the Magna ROCK!
- Hamtrack vowed to legalize the smashing of Loftus's passenger side window, in addition to the Loftus driver side smashing law already on the books.
- The Majestic Complex doesn't even really exist, it's all a dream matrix-stizz... also you just pooped in your matrix tube.
- Paycheck made them an offer they couldn't refuse... free matching track suits with BFF embroidered on them.
I kid, I kid.
You know I love you guys.
posted by Gorilla at 8:40 AM
11 Comments:
Is anyone surprised by this? I for one am not! Please tell me their is someone out there that can come up with a conspiracy theory that is remotely close to what the truth is. First, did any of these pressured bands even hear a whisper from the Metrotimes to play or get your info prior to the DETOUR request? Second, do any of these bands remember when they got their info or request last year? Third, does anyone else besides me, believe that Blowout, if it was even going to happen this year would have been an after thought and or a cluster f*#k? Not due to whatever person would be doing the booking or even the rash of petty crime that seems to be getting worse in Hamtramck but due to Metrotimes own issues with even getting a decent music section put out each week. Or perhaps it could be that the Metrotimes wasn't even going to do it this year and was going to leave the metro detroit area without the one thing we look forward to in the winter as local music fans. So to sum up this rant, let me thank Tony one more time for making sure Blowout happened while not even being employed by the Metrotimes even though Rock City probably would have been an overdue change from the last 10 years of the same old thing!
Blowout was never off. To say otherwise is misinformed or dishonest. Let's just move on and enjoy both!
That's too bad. I, for one, was planning on coming back into town just so I could egg the Casa de Loftus that weekend. But seriously, I think that a little friendly competition could've given both events a spark and made that weekend even greater than it was before. Oh well.
Also, what's up with these cut+paste commenters who lurk on both this universal resource locator and over at Web Vomit? Is their opinion SO valuable that they have to make the exact same comment on both sites? No buzz -- Gorilla, you should ban these jackanapes.
Anonymous 1 above has no idea of what the fuck he or she is writing about. The Blowout was NEVER off. It was announced the exact same time it's been announced every year. Tony (who didn't come up with the Blowout concept; Chris Handyside did) knows exactly when the dates were announced. That's why they decided to start planning their own for that time in a totally underhanded fashion. It was Detour who spread the "news" that Blowout wasn't happening to serve their own purposes. There has been so much misinformation spread by various posters here and on other Websites that it simply boggles the mind.
Anonymous 3 ....Metro times rep.....
nice try....just make blowout good
Not a Metro Times "rep" -- but somebody who knows the truth (and not rumors) regarding this whole ridiculous controversy.
Let me repeat just so you get it: Blowout was never, ever off.
Does anyone else feel there's a lot of pressure on Metrotimes to make this year's Blowout the best it's ever been? The deck is not stacked in their favor (hasn't been in a while) so they've got their work to do.
that may be true. maybe it was always going to happen. but its a shame so many bar owners either weren't sure or thought it was dead. Thats the truth. and if you dont believe that,,,,then your truth is your version. I heard it from them straight up. underhanded....where did detour spread this? through blogs the same as you are doing? damn the controversy is over!! let it go already!!!! for someone who isn't at metro times( I don't believe that for a second) you sure are politicking hard. And clearly the truth you are so sure you have is Metro times version. and work on your music section it has really sucked lately....
Thanks to all our new readers, we love you all and we agree that we really need something to be angry about... even if its resolution.
A few points
"making sure blow out happens"?
I guess it's planned, but anyone who's ever been involved with something of this scale can tell you, it ain't a done deal until the deal's done.
And folks, as much as I also liked 1997-2002 -- it's over.
Chris Handyside is a really nice guy, I have nothing but nice things to say about him... but he works in an ad agency and he's more likely to tour Greece as a Dirtbomb than come back to run Blowout. Invoking his name may make Jack White wince, but it has little other practical uses.
>>>but its a shame so many bar owners either weren't sure or thought it was dead.
All the bar owners had to do was ask. The Blowout was announced the exact same time it's been announced every year. Any doubt as to whether it would happen was started by other interested parties.
>>>Thats the truth. and if you dont believe that,,,,then your truth is your version. I heard it from them straight up. underhanded....
Well, bully for you. See above regarding the bar owners. Did you check with the owners of the Majestic Theater?
>>>where did detour spread this? through blogs the same as you are doing?
Eventually the truth will come out. Or it won't.
>>>damn the controversy is over!! let it go already!!!!
Laugh out loud! Says the guy/gal who didn't "let it go" above by asking all kinds of "conspiracy" questions that revealed the poster was talking out of his or her ass. Consider taking your own advice, my friend.
>>>for someone who isn't at metro times( I don't believe that for a second) you sure are politicking hard. And clearly the truth you are so sure you have is Metro times version. and work on your music section it has really sucked lately....
And you are obviously posting Detour's version of the "truth" because they don't suck, right?
And again, you do NOT have the facts. That's my final comment on this subject. Now, let's see if you can take your own advice and "let it go."
dang ...metro is really really hanging on to this....look how long the posts are....and all their posts are so defensive....I'm so taken back...and they don't seem to even try to hide it. I've been out of town for a week....looks like I missed a lot. weeks and weeks of quiet and this is what happens when I leave? Its like the metro times idiot parade. go do blowout. thats the only semi decent thing you put out anymore...no wonder they are losing money with clowns like tht working there....thank the stars detour...whether you were fired or left it was probably a blessing.
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