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How do you handle Complaints?

#81
I've only had arm chair quarter backs critique my playing. Never anyone straight up complain to me at a show. However I run one of several healthy eating stores we have a menu that solely offers glutton free options. There is no other totally glutton free eatery's around here, and places that offer glutton free items usually only have a couple things to choose from.
I had a guy complain to me about not having glutton in anything. He went on to tell me that no one should eat glutton free etc. And that we should add glutton to the menu. I kindly asked him to show me his research on the topic. He obviously couldn't because no such studies exist. I then informed him that literally every other restaurant and store has plenty of gluton full options and to try one of those establishments.
Some people can't stand the fact that they are not the center of the universe.
 
#83
Ask the lady to ask the hostess/host to move them to another table.
I've had the listeners seated way in the back. The people who want to talk right in front. I've had the talkers complain to the manager and the listeners one table over complain to the manager saying they wanted us to turn up. :)

I've had hostesses seat people right in front of us when the place is switching over from dinner to late dinner/drinks. I heard the tables' alarm when they saw the black cases. "They're going to be loud!" I went to each table and assured them we wouldn't be. They commented at the end of the evening that we weren't and thanked us. Please understand we burned with intensity. It was no cocktail gig. :) Intensity we wouldn't have toned down.
 
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#87
el murdoque said:
When i run FOH, i always have that empty fader just for these people.
I'll just say that some technical mumbojumbo is to blame that i can't do much about it and then adjust the issue on that empty fader. Most are happy with that.

I sometimes get the 'too loud' thing when i play. I usually tell these people that we can't turn down the drums since they are acoustic and they set the minimal volume for all others.
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I've been doing the empty channel thing too. :)
 
#88
Biggbass said:
How do you handle complaints at gigs?

Last fall I was approached in the first break by a young lady at one of our gigs who said she was leaving because it was just too loud and she didn't expect the live music to be as loud as it was. It surprised me that she made a point to tell me why she was leaving. And that was an acoustic set! Everyone else loved it. One person out of an audience of approx 100 complained.
Recently , and again while the entire audience was enjoying and reacting positively, one person complained that the music was too obscure and suggested we play something more mainstream. We were playing Classic Rock Hits...obscure?...really?

How do you respond to those people who seem to be mismatched for your band but show up at the gigs and then complain?
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Point them in the direction of the Band Leader......HA!!!
 
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#89
el murdoque said:
When i run FOH, i always have that empty fader just for these people.
I'll just say that some technical mumbojumbo is to blame that i can't do much about it and then adjust the issue on that empty fader. Most are happy with that.

I sometimes get the 'too loud' thing when i play. I usually tell these people that we can't turn down the drums since they are acoustic and they set the minimal volume for all others.
Click to expand...

Actual conversation:
Bar manager: "The drums are too loud, can you turn them down?"
Me: "I can't turn them down, they're not miked"
Manager: "Oh, ok - can you mic them up between sets, and then turn them down?"
Me: "Um, no..."
 
#90
Rage on her and tell her to go "GFY" Lol..... and then yell at everyone else in the bar you can all "GFY" also!!!

Well really though if majority's of the crowd is into it and people are hanging around tell her thanks for the feed back we'll take that into consideration
And keep playing (even turn up a little)
 
#91
el murdoque said:
When i run FOH, i always have that empty fader just for these people.
I'll just say that some technical mumbojumbo is to blame that i can't do much about it and then adjust the issue on that empty fader. Most are happy with that.

I sometimes get the 'too loud' thing when i play. I usually tell these people that we can't turn down the drums since they are acoustic and they set the minimal volume for all others.
Click to expand...

As a maintenance technician I do this all the time to annoying machine operators " hey the machine is making an unusual noise"? Oh ok I walk over with a tool and make a fake adjustment then walk back to the operator "hey I adjusted the kanootin valve and tweaked the Johnson rod a bit should be good now" and I kid you not later that day in the lunch room "hey that adjustment you made did the trick! Thanks!
...... no problem
 
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#92
socialleper said:
I don't.
I worked in retail for 10 years, and I've given away all the @$%&s I had to give. People are jerks, it is all just white noise to me now.
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I'm with you on this one dealing with the public will cause you to lose faith in the human race. I worked as a night manager at a convenience store in my home town in Ohio for about 5 years .... the worst has to be the Lottery people! Shoot me if I ever have to do that job again!
 
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#94
IMG_4037.png


we received this message to our band facebook while we were on stage at a benefit a couple years ago. What else are you supposed to say? In 8 years she is the only person to ever complain about our singer. Usually I'm sitting there trying not to be offended while people go on and on about how great she is. (we are a top 40 cover band, no screaming involved)
 
#95
rtslinger said:
Complaints? what are complaints? We give our fans what they want to hear they have been following us for years most of our song choices are theirs. We are all pros and control our volumes and give them our blood sweat and tears 110% every show. Club owners love us because we build their following. I think 21 shows already this year booked out to Dec 23rd can a test to that. If there were people complaining about something it would be handle with listening and learning if it was something we need to change to. If it were some drunk take it with a grain of salt and move on people say stupid stuff when the brain and the mouth are disconnected
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I'm not sure 21 shows the rest of the year is a brag worthy number. But I'm glad you don't get any complaints. We have more shows booked than that, and we get occasional complaints.
 
#96
Funny volume complaint story:
While playing an upscale wedding in Inverness Ca. Yrs ago we were playing our first set out side in a large clearing. The youngish bride and groom were partying and really enjoying the set dancing with the whole wedding party. We were on a stage near the top of a small hill looking downhill.
I spied at the far corner of the clearing at the bottom of the hill about an eighth of a mile away a MONK, fully robed striding in our direction. I pointed it out to the BL and said "$100 says it's a volume complaint". The Monk goes straight to the bride, says something in her ear then walks away.
The Bride then comes to us and says, "that Monk just said you guys are too loud and disturbing the Monastary Monks meditations who have taken a vow of silence", with a laugh. The BL says, do you want us to turn it down? She says in a loud voice "hell no, f*+# them, crank it up, its my wedding day and we'll party as loud as we want!
We laughed so hard we nearly fell of the bandstand. A fun day was had by all, except, presumably the Monks.
 
#97
Hounddog409 said:
My question is, if folks are saying they cannot hear the vocal or can't hear anything due to guitar problem....do you ignore or make changes?

i just played a bar gig Thursday and heard from many after the show that the vocals were barley audible. I asked why they didn't they say anything and was told that they all had mentioned it to our sound guy and where ignored.
Needless to say that will not happen again.....
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It's a club where people are trying to sing along, so my goal is always to have the vocals in top(some of their PAs allow this, some don't, depending on the drummer or band arrangement). Most of the time the person telling me something was either right in front of the guitar amp or so close to the stage they were behind the mains.
 
#99
One of the posts reminded me of back when I used to do laser and lighting at a big nightclub.
This place had over 2000 people every Friday and Saturday night and well over 1000 every other night of the week. We had the most impressive lighting show in Australia at the time which included a twin beam, 7 watt, 4 colour laser show. It cost the club owner $150,000 (this was in 1991) and was a most amazing piece of equipment. No matter how good a light show we did the thing that most impressed people was at the start of the night when i'd light a cigarette using the lazer beam.....but i digress.

Anyway, with this lazer, plus two 1.5KW strobes and numerous other effects, it was not a very good place for epileptics. Around once a month we'd have someone hit the floor in a seizure. It was not uncommon for people to come up to the DJ/Lighting booth and ask "can you stop using the lazer and strobes.....my friend is epileptic and feels like he/she is going to have a seizure".

I'd politely reply that they and their friend could go to one of the other clubs in town as there is over 2000 people having a great time and the boss wouldn't be happy if I wasn't using his $150,000 toy to it's maximum effect.
 

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