i can't believe people are arguing about being late!
there should be no discussion!
when you are late when you said you would be there, you are making people wait and thus wasting their time!
as a person with 2 jobs, 2 kids, 2 bands and a big family, my time is valuable. when you are late, you are telling me that my time is less valuable than yours. YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHER PEOPLE!!!
sorry, there should be no debate on this - it's just plain rude.
This is I think a majority within musicians. Pro and amateurs alike. They don't get it that the BAR OWNER, or the ones who provides you with gig, cannot maybe accept anyone being late, because otherwise there's absolutely no reason to set a time that we should a) play b) rehearse c) drive to another location 4-5 hours away. d) train, public transport stops to run. I was in a band where one of these tardiness people existed and he was mad about people thinking such things matters one hour here and there. The audience sure think it matters if you're one or two hours late. If anyone feels stressed and not relaxed about having to keep time (whatever, in music or everyday life) then music isn't a thing for them. Period. Now, this guy got sacked, due to this, and started a band of his own where ALL MEMBERS in the band was like that. One hour here and there didn't matter, and guess what? If ALL of them are like that, sure enough, they got mad at each other, because no one showed up in remotely appropriate time, and didn't think they had to communicate with cell phone and give them a call that "hey I am a bit late". Because that one seemed to made them stressed out and nervuos and heart rate going ballistic. Now, that band didn't last for more than a weel, because everyone was like that. No one gave a f*. Of course, they couldn't get gigs at all, since bar owners where mad at them. They don't seem to get that they're just taking advantages and parasites on all the others that makes it on time. Mostly, when regarding gigs, they deliberately show up late, so they don't have to haul gear, which will probably make them have a heart attack. They don't think they're making use, impoe on, the rest of the people that pulls weight. They don't get that a band full of tardy people just will not cut it, and it's no reason for them to have band at all. They should just sit right home in their bedroom and do music on their DAWS, and do an occasional jam at a rehearsal space/party that is open 24/7 for everyone to invite.
This is an example of why "professional" reggae acts are not likely to tour the circuit. I've only experienced Scandinavian venues, when they hired bands like "Black Uhuru" and such. They even missed their flights from Jamaica and didn't turn up for the European tour. They thought they could skip the first few gigs, and just carry on, when the 3-4 gigs. The managing and tour company didn't want this, so they were sent home instead, again, and cancelled concerts and paid money back. Those reggae acts that actually makes it for some strange reason, are starting their shows way late. They wait until they're bonged out totally, and just waits for the "right feel" to entering the stage, and keeps the audience waiting for hours on end. That's mainly why tour promoters have not taking on them, and bring them on tour or any concert alike. The audience detects this, and when they finally enters the stage, the general vibe of the audience has soured so much, no matter how much the acts has waited in the wings to get bonged out and waited to the "right feel" in them to occur, so they can go on stage. That feel hasn't turned the audience from being soured, to a wowed audience, at no time.
There are numerous professional acts (Chris Squire and Axl Rose) that has a infamous reputation for lateness. Me myself doesn't play to impress other musicians in the band, and no one can come across with that towards me either. There's absolutely no one that has had so many advantageous traits as a musician, that I would keep him, but with that tardiness intact. I have no problem with musicians trying to get better at it. It's all part and parcel of the rehearsal practice anyway.
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Mind you, this is most important. Not ever once has one of these people complained to me (and no one else, as it is) that I've been on time.
Suck on that for a while.