AH. Mod Vowel time… Mod Vowel doesn’t have anything really fascinating happening right now. Mod Vowel will be in attendance for some great shows in Mobile this weekend. One being Morris Minor at The Blind Mule. This event kind of serves as a jumping off point for the rambling that you’ve come to know and love.
When Mod Vowel first came on the scene, it was explained to the Vowel that shows in Mobile never started on time. If it said nine o’clock, it was really code for around ten thirty.
The show with Morris Minor starts ON TIME at TEN. Wild huh? A venue in Mobile that might actually have gotten a clue? Last weekend, Mod Vowel attended the musical stylings of the extremely quirky band, Shield Your Ears. A song that incorporates Humpty Dumpty will get the ole Vowel every time. However, this vowel went to the Mule early to get some eats. They honestly have some of the best food in Mobile, but this is not a foodie blog, this is a tuney blog. The bands seemed to be loaded in at a proper time but in typical Mobile fashion, it was ten o’clock and no tunes. 10:05 struck and still, no tunes. Mod Vowel was left scratching that old vowel noggin. Mod Vowel had been told that the new magnificent booking duo at the Mule had set strict rules. Shows start on time. Shows are only five bucks. And shows don’t suck.
About the time all these thoughts ran through said noggin, Mod Vowel spotted Old Lady Hayes dash up the stairs. She came down, had stern words with the band and we had music by 10:15.
This weekend sees the Mule hosting some great bands : Dread and Asunder (formerly A Bridge To Burn) on Friday and a Mod Mobilian favorite and no stranger to the scene, Morris Minor on Saturday. Morris Minor is promising two eargasmic sets of tunes for your ears so don’t miss it. And here is the best thing, it will start on time.
In the past few years, shows in Mobile have gotten underway later and later. It is the venues fault and the patrons fault. The venues have been doing a disservice to their patrons by not staying on top of these musicians and making sure that things get underway at the proper time. Granted, there are some times when tech issues pop up and those have to be dealt with and the majority of folks understand that. But blame is also shared by the patrons who just accept this as the norm( “Ten really means eleven or eleven thirty on Mobile time”) and bitch about it to their friends but still showing up late because they don’t think the show will start on time.
And when that happens, venues try to hold out a few minutes to get more people in the door so the band isn’t playing to an empty room.
My Mods, it is time to correct this way of thinking. If you see that a show is scheduled to start at ten, be there at ten. Start holding your favorite music venues to a higher standard.
