Ryman Blues

[johnmarkva]

Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman got ugly for some last night. I've been there for more traditional evenings and it has been great. I like all kinds of music and looked forward to seeing Greensky Bluegrass, but wondered how they would fit in for the "BG Nights series"?

As expected there was a sizable exodus of what I assume are more traditional patrons after a few songs. What was really disturbing is the Greensky types that follow the band decided they were going to stand thru most of the show. A large contingent were in front of us and refused to sit when asked nicely. The management said they had paid for the seat and could stand if they wanted. No refund for us and no action to ask them to sit. That is inexcusable IMHO.

I've also noticed that both last night and in the first BG night with Vince Gill that what I assume are bridal parties show up as part of a package? They don't seem to be interested in the music and they talk and play with their cell phones. Happened again last night although that was eclipsed by the other situation.

We decided to leave rather than endure the bad scene last night. A real bummer. Before the Greensky fans showed up "Town Mountain" performed and were very enjoyable. Just had to vent a bit. Can't choose your neighbors as they say...

[9lbShellhamer]

A huge part of the Greensky "show" is their lighting. Were the house lights on or did they have a light show?

[johnmarkva]

They had the light show and it was very cool - what I could see of it.

[Willie Poole]

"They paid for their seats and they can stand if they want to" Recently at a baseball game in Washington when they were playing the NY Mets a whole row of Mets fans were standing and would not sit down so the ushers politely ushered their butts out of the park, I don`t care if they pay they money or not but to disrupt the show for other people is and should be a "no-no" at every place like that....I know at ball parks the main problem in too much beer and things get out of hand quite a bit but as far as I know they don`t sell beer at The Ryman do they..But people do drink before coming tot he shows...

Willie

[johnmarkva]

They do sell beer, but these folks were going to stand intoxicated or not. It is a "thing" with the true Greensky believers it seems that to support the band you have to stand. It could've gotten out of hand since some ugly words were exchanged with others around us. Just a shame to ruin the evening. The Ryman needs to be ready to deal with this in a better way. I wonder if the band had known if they wouldn't have asked the faithful to give it a rest in the "mother church"?

[Josh Levine]

Not sure about "true believers", but many fans of Greensky go and expect to move around and dance throughout the show. It is a shame that this ruined your expectation of how you would enjoy the show. Sounds like you may have been getting some push back because you were telling others that they should experience the show in a way different from their expectations. Sounds like something you may want to check with the venue about before a show if possible to get a sense of what the seating rules are. I know I went to see the Steep Canyon Rangers at a local theatre a little while ago. I got there early to get a good seat as it was GA. Midway through the show people got up and started to dance and that area filled in, which gave me a few options to get up and dance, move, or enjoy the show where I was sitting with an obstructed view. I moved and sat in a different seat, but it wasn't on the other patrons to change their experience because it was not how I wanted to experience the show.

[Bill Kammerzell]

"They paid for their seats and they can stand if they want to" Recently at a baseball game in Washington when they were playing the NY Mets a whole row of Mets fans were standing and would not sit down so the ushers politely ushered their butts out of the park, I don`t care if they pay they money or not but to disrupt the show for other people is and should be a "no-no" at every place like that....I know at ball parks the main problem in too much beer and things get out of hand quite a bit but as far as I know they don`t sell beer at The Ryman do they..But people do drink before coming tot he shows...

Willie

It is up to the venue, management, ushers, etc. Verizon Center and Nat's Park are pretty much the same during Baseball/Hockey Games. For the audience, it really becomes just a matter of respect and courtesy for other patrons. I enjoy what I have heard (limited) of Greensky music thus far. At an outdoor venue standing up is pretty common. During most of the indoor musical venues I have been to and my experience with patrons standing throughout the show has been this; the common threads I notice are, younger, self absorbed, self centered, and high. Nothing personal. Just reporting.

[MikeEdgerton]

The Ryman is a venue that exists to make money. If they can't fill the seats with true believers that want to stand and they start to lose the audience then I would guess they would not have that band back. If on the other hand they sell out every show that features Greensky then I'd guess that the folks going to the show might want to check out the lineup before they get there. To me this is a heads up for anyone going to Nashville. Do some research before you blindly buy tickets.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Not sure about "true believers", but many fans of Greensky go and expect to move around and dance throughout the show. It is a shame that this ruined your expectation of how you would enjoy the show. Sounds like you may have been getting some push back because you were telling others that they should experience the show in a way different from their expectations. Sounds like something you may want to check with the venue about before a show if possible to get a sense of what the seating rules are. I know I went to see the Steep Canyon Rangers at a local theatre a little while ago. I got there early to get a good seat as it was GA. Midway through the show people got up and started to dance and that area filled in, which gave me a few options to get up and dance, move, or enjoy the show where I was sitting with an obstructed view. I moved and sat in a different seat, but it wasn't on the other patrons to change their experience because it was not how I wanted to experience the show.

If I plan on strictly listening, I do ask about accepted conduct by patrons. If I want to dance, I also know where to go.

[sgarrity]

The venue needs to know who they're booking and plan accordingly. People enjoy music in different ways. Music is supposed to make you want to move! it's not like this was a symphony or opera performance....

Couldn't you have just changed seats?

[MikeEdgerton]

Couldn't you have just changed seats?

Everytime I have been to a show at the Ryman you had assigned seats that you paid for and there weren't many if any unfilled seats.

[Bill Kammerzell]

The venue needs to know who they're booking and plan accordingly. People enjoy music in different ways. Music is supposed to make you want to move! it's not like this was a symphony or opera performance....

Couldn't you have just changed seats?

I love to dance. So does my wife. When we want to dance, we generally go somewhere, where there is a designated area for dancing. Dance hall, dance floor, etc. Or an outdoor festival. When the venue has an atmosphere of a theatre, and/or assigned seating, there are plenty of other ways to show our appreciation. Stomping our feet, clapping our hands, hooting, hollering or rising to our feet at the end of a number and applauding loudly. The Thursday before there was both a lively crowd and a lively show put on by Dawg, Del and family, Jesse Mcreynolds and Vince Gill.
No one there appeared to have the need to block anyone's view. Its the old "When in Rome" sort of thing.
I'd love to see Greensky. In view of what I just read, it will be at an appropriate venue.

[Josh Levine]

People could just as easily say to you get on your feet if you want to see the band "when in Rome". I've gone to plenty of shows, at theaters, where people stood and danced the whole time. That is the kind of show Greensky puts on and they put it on in theaters throughout the country, every night.

[sgarrity]

Everytime I have been to a show at the Ryman you had assigned seats that you paid for and there weren't many if any unfilled seats.

The OP said there was a sizable exodus once Greensky played a few songs.

[MikeEdgerton]

The OP said there was a sizable exodus once Greensky played a few songs.

I got the impression that the people leaving were leaving because people were standing in front of them. I don't think moving from one seat where you had people standing in front of you to another seat where people were standing in front of you would have helped.

[MikeEdgerton]

Apparently what is allowed at the Ryman differs from what Gaylord allows at the Opry. Is the Ryman still owned and managed by the same group?

http://www.opry.com/faq

Apparently the Ryman has a different code of conduct.

http://ryman.com/about/faqs

Gaylord Entertainment Company, the venue's owner since 1983, adopted the Ryman's name as its own when it transitioned into a real estate investment trust in 2012. The company is now known as Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., and Ryman Auditorium is contained within its Opry Entertainment Group division.

Still owned by the same company.

[Bill Kammerzell]

People could just as easily say to you get on your feet if you want to see the band "when in Rome". I've gone to plenty of shows, at theaters, where people stood and danced the whole time. That is the kind of show Greensky puts on and they put it on in theaters throughout the country, every night.

Exactly. Which is why I would go to an outdoor venue to see them. Not pay for a reserved seat when I can watch the show from a grassy knoll seated on a blanket. Doing it for years. I made the mistake of seeing Tedeschi-Trucks at the Warner in DC.
Not much dancing. But listening to an amped up 8 or 9 piece band with 2 drummers and a brass section in a 2500 seat theatre isn't the best idea I ever had. Would have been much better to see at Merriweather Post or Wolf Trap.

[Mandoplumb]

People could just as easily say to you get on your feet if you want to see the band "when in Rome". I've gone to plenty of shows, at theaters, where people stood and danced the whole time. That is the kind of show Greensky puts on and they put it on in theaters throughout the country, every night.

Totally disagree if being seated wasn't the norm and what one would expect then why the seats, just sell admission tickets like a car show.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Totally disagree if being seated wasn't the norm and what one would expect then why the seats, just sell admission tickets like a car show.

So, you're going to gum this up with some sort of common sense post like that?

[JAK]

"The end is beer"

[Josh Levine]

Totally disagree if being seated wasn't the norm and what one would expect then why the seats, just sell admission tickets like a car show.

Seat location still matters in terms of how close you are to the artist, even if you are standing.

[mtucker]

We went to Nashwood a few years ago for their annual shindig and had front center seats in the stadium, the young'uns sang the words to every song and never sat...of course everyone was drinking from the big red cups so to speak! between the singing and all the cowboy hats we just decided to join them and it actually ended up being a lot of fun!!

[johnmarkva]

If I stand up to "join in" then I get others behind me upset. Plus I paid for a seat and prefer to enjoy the music sitting for the most part. The Ryman isn't normally a "party atmosphere". I was expecting a rowdy crowd, but didn't know they would be so rude. I was there with my wife and son and didn't see many options for three people to relocate. Although if we had waited seats were opening up. It was just a bad scene. BTW, I've been to jam band concerts in a variety of venues and never had the kind of attitudes we got. We just asked them to sit or go to the back to dance. We were cursed at and threatened. It wasn't "normal" for any kind of show.

[Petrus]

Some people can't stand for extended periods of time.

And now I'm off to Google "Greensky" to see what the commotion is all about.

[FLATROCK HILL]

If I stand up to "join in" then I get others behind me upset. Plus I paid for a seat and prefer to enjoy the music sitting for the most part. The Ryman isn't normally a "party atmosphere". I was expecting a rowdy crowd, but didn't know they would be so rude. I was there with my wife and son and didn't see many options for three people to relocate. Although if we had waited seats were opening up. It was just a bad scene. BTW, I've been to jam band concerts in a variety of venues and never had the kind of attitudes we got. We just asked them to sit or go to the back to dance. We were cursed at and threatened. It wasn't "normal" for any kind of show.

Unfortunately "normal" isn't what it used to be. It is sad commentary on the decline of polite society when the Ryman is no longer suitable for family entertainment.

Rude is Rude...period. There is no excuse.