We're sad to announce that after an amazing three year journey, Go Violets is coming to a close.
We are incredibly grateful for the opportunities that we have been given to make friends, meet and discover new bands, and travel the country. We’d like to thank our friends, family and fans who have encouraged and supported us along the way, especially in the Brisbane community.We will all be continuing with our own artistic endeavors so stay tuned.
You can see us play two last shows in the next month, one of which will be at Trainspotters on the 29th of March, and the other an all ages event with details to be released soon.
Love,
Go Violets
^-.-^
XOXO
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Hey, Brisbane! BOYCOTT RIC'S BAR!!!!!!!
The following is an email I sent their Operations Manager, regarding Saturday night's bullshit.
After receiving a call from a head honcho today who thinks we were "100% in the wrong", we see it fit to let you all know what a poor excuse for a live music venue Ric's has become.
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Hi Jodie,
I am seeing red over this. No-one has "died" as you said but our relationship with Rics has been severely poisoned by the actions of your venue manager and two security guards on Saturday night.
Here's the whole story. The Venue Manager can try and tell you it's false, but I have 5-10 friends who witnessed the entire thing and can back up every word I say. The CCTV should speak for itself as well.
10 minutes after getting off stage, I walked back in the front. I DID show the security guard my stamp, which apparently wasn't clear enough. So instead of calling me back, he forcefully grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I said "it's fucking there", with annoyance...as if you would say "Oh I'm terribly sorry sir, did you not see my stamp, apologies for inconveniencing you". This was taken as an "act of violence", when really I would wager that the guard was overflowing with testosterone, and had been waiting to pounce on someone all night.
This was confirmed by his "You got a problem?" which I wasn't given time to answer, as he yanked me out of the venue and he+another guard grabbed hold of me. I was yelled at to "Calm Down, you're being violent" and again was not given the chance to explain myself at all. At this point my friends are in disbelief and the venue manager appears, saying "Look I'm the venue manager, I just saw everything that's happened, I never want you in my bar again". Tried to explain myself....for the third time, not allowed. I'm walked out of the seating area and spend the next few minutes confused as to what the fuck just happened. I'll note that my bandmates spoke to bar staff, who shared my view of the guards' eagerness to get tribal at the drop of a hat.
A FOURTH time, I call the venue manager over and try to explain. He won't have any of it, and "doesn't give a fuck" that I just rocked his venue, or that I've done it between 10 and 15 times over the last few years. A lot of my friends have been ejected by this stage for "having the wrong shoes" (although they were there for our whole set, and consistently noticed people being let in with the same kind of shoes on). So I get my bandmates to lug my gear out of the venue.
I'm walking down the side (Ann St) with my pedalboard when I notice the Venue Manager is locking up the parking gate. I flick a cigarette past him (nowhere NEAR hitting him, just so he would notice) and when he looks at me, I spit on the ground as a sign of disrespect. If that is uncalled for after what he and his guards just put me through, I don't know what planet we're on. He then LEFT the venue (which I'm fairly sure is illegal?) to come and abuse me at my car. Multiple times he said I'd 'never be allowed back in again' and that we weren't getting paid, as I'd apparently "violated the booking agreement" by "being violent". What a joke...thankfully our drummer had already got the money from the sound guy.
My bandmates then came out and informed me that he had threatened to "break my fingers and limbs...so I wouldn't be able to play guitar again".
This guy is an absolute hothead (as were the two guards) and has NO place in a live music venue. He didn't even know who was performing at his venue, and didn't respect them enough to hear their side of a situation. That is 100% not on.
Here's what I think is fair. He and the two guards (who I would easily be able to identify) involved need to lose their jobs. I don't care how long he has been there. Even if my "lifetime ban" was removed, I would be extremely wary about entering Rics again...especially to play a show, where I would be recognised by this idiot and very likely treated the same way.
Slow Riots have done a lot for Rics...it has become our Home Base, and we consistently pull a good crowd there. The nights are usually fun, but this one was an absolute nightmare.
I do hope we can work something out. Please respond by next Wednesday the 19th, or unfortunately we'll have to go very public with this, and let our many friends in Brisbane's music scene know how far Rics Bar has fallen. That is not something I want to do, but if you're unwilling to remove the scumbags who are ruining your venue's name, it's the only option.
Regards,
James Hilan
Slow Riots
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There you have it. Thanks heaps to Krystn, Alex and the other folks who always took care of us at Rics (ALL have since left or been replaced...go figure).
Brisbane bands, we hope this encourages you to go play the many other venues (The Waiting Room, The Lab, The Underdog to name a few) who actually treat their artists with some respect.
Leave Rics Bar in the dust.....the people in charge now are not deserving of the good reputation that their predecessors built up over the years.
~ SR
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