Found this on myAIDS, amongst that bombardment of "bulletins" you get when you login:
"So last night I watched in horror as I found my fears coming true...
Last night was the first of two shows on the "Slave to the metal tour" - the biggest rip off I've seen in recent memory - even worse than battle of the bands because of the corporate whoring.
I watched as 9 bands who payed at least $300 (probably $400 in some cases) got to play 20 to 25 minute sets - if they went over at all then the club turned off the power. Sweet. So 9 bands each night - one night the promoters took at least (9X $300) $2700 from hard working bands who thought they had a chance of being signed or sponsored by a guitar company (or seeing Julia's tits).
Lets say house fees are $600. $2700 - 600 = $2100 in the promoters pockets. Double that because of two nights and the promoters make roughly $4200. The bands? They get fucked. A 20 min set? Seriously?
No one of them actually stood a chance at getting signed by Road Runner, Sponsered by Halo guitars.....maybe they coulda fucked Mistress Julia - she was drunk as shit and bent over a car. Woohooo thats how you support the metal scene you supposedly love? Help some fucking rip off artist by showing cleavage?
Please. We're better than that. You're better than that. Don't support Halo guitars. Bands - don't play these shows. Fuck 'em. They just want your money. They don't care about the bands or the fans. They just want to make your pocket book that much lighter. Fuck the three or four hundred dollars and use that at a studio and make a killer demo or record one killer version of a song. It'll take you farther than that stupid excuse for a show will.
Please spread this around - we need to help educate local bands - they already get fucked over so much its sad to see the people who are supposed to help them just fleece them.
Thank you.
Karl
PROVEN
www.myspace.com/provenmetal PS - This is meant as no disrespect to any bands who participated on the Slave to the Metal Tour - just the people organizing it."
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hipster parasites get fucked by the big business parasites that sold them their egofest in the first place - mass shock ensues.
Seriously though, I'm not completely unsympathetic. I do lament the fact metal has turned into a hollow marketplace.