I'm sorry because the way i've wrote my post many of you had the impression i was blaming entirely the band for what happend.
Let me just clarify my thoughts
- concerning the show being canceled and just about a minute before its starts was totally the promoter fault (it was clear already a week in advance it was going to rain, still the stage was covered just on the upper part and not on the sides, and because of that when i saw in the afternoon Maddy photo of the stage on instagram i've commented "hope the show will happen anyway" actually being quite sure it wasn't going to).
- i've seen the band playing outdoor three years ago in Brescia, it was raying way harder than saturday and they rocked the hell out of it, so i know for a fact if the conditions (and i'm referring specifically about the stage) would have allowed them to play, they would have had without a doubt
So what made me feel depressed?
Well, a combination of elements.
Fist of all, for how i see this business, they are sellers, and i'm a consumer. And in this case they were selling a concert, it didn't happen, which is somenthing that can happen, they'll refound (anctually the promoters of course) my money, case closed.
This is the grown up part of me being rational.
But there's another part of me, the fan who has followed the band since 2001, and this part feel his connection to the band also to a personal level. Which it doesn't actually exist: i don't know them personally, i cannot pretend the contraty based just on hours of videos interviews or live concerts.
But, think about this: we were, me along circa 1 thousand people, already into the arena, a lot of us driving from very far away, having taken half to a whole day off from work, willing to take a lot of rain for three hours, that a minute before the beginning of the show were told it was not going to happen. Why couldn't the band just come out to say they were sorry? I can picture them being very frustrated by the whole situation, but there's a thing called empathy, and they've showed none. Also because it was actually the second time in a row that DT canceled a show in that area - the first one was Trieste for TA - (and believe me, lots of us were hoping for them just to come out and say hi).
Then, my personal experience: i had, for the first time, and not because i've begged someone, an after show pass. I've won it thanks to the Astonishing App game. And the guy from Turbo Tape was sooo kind to me as the prize was supposed to be for another concert.
So we were there, wet tired and mad because of what just happen, trying to ask to the security guys news about the after show.
And then, all of a sudden, they told us "after show canceled as well, go out!"
So imagine how we were feeling at that moment: no show, no meeting with the band, no more explanations.
As there were two guys friends with MM trying to call him and others two trying to call DT stage manager, i was keep telling the security guys to wait two more minutes. As a result, half of the guys were kicked out anyway, so we remained in 5 (the two MM friends, two friends of mine who broghts some wine by request of JR and myself). DT stage manager, i guess his name's Bred, was really kind to pick us up and bring us into a backstage area.
Then MM came, and then JR (i won't share details of what happened during those moments, i'll just say i've understand that after shows are really meant by the band as an occasion to meets their friends, which of course makes totally sense, and that btw both were really super kind. For whatever reason, JP and JMX didn't show up. Who really pissed me off was James. Again, there could be a million reasons as to why he did act that way, still i'm having hard time believing he couldn't act differently: so what happened was that while we were there with Mike and Jordan he came near us, but run into the catering area. A couple of us called him, but he didn't answer.
What was really a poor move, is that 10 minutes later, he came out the catering area with his hood covering his head and walked away ignoring us.
Was he aware of what was happening there? I don't know. But he saw 5 fans, calling his name, and after all that happened he just ignore us. What would have cost him to just say hi? Really, aren't we all flesh and bones at the end of the day?
Again: do they really own us something just because we buy their cds or concert tickets? Aside from the items we pay for, absolutely no.
I know what happens to your head when you're just used to a situation, and after 30 years they all well are "into the machine", which is a really stressfull and demanding one. But aren't we all as well in our dayily routine? C'mon, it's not like they're doing the hardest job in the world, it's not an easy one for sure but not harder than many we all do.
So bottom of line, and i know i could be perceived as a real drama queen, i guess it will be very hard for me to feel any sympathy or empathy for these guys anymore.
And who knows me (for example wasteland) knows how much pain is giving me this thought, 'cause i've always been very active in DT related communites and fb pages (not fan clubs, as i really hate their attitude - not this noxon one though) trying to involve as many people as i could. During these years i've brought a lot of friends who were not into DT, and even my father to many concerts (actually, the only one i've asked for an after show pass once - unfortunately my mother, who suffer of multiple sclerosis was supposed to be in Padova two months ago but she got the flu and couldn't come). I've spent countless hours on the net finding news, videos and stuff to share with people on fb, because that has always been my spirit, to share.
Once again, is because of this i should fell like they own me anything? Not at all, this is something i did for myself because i wanted to.
But after last saturday, i don't think they completely deserve it, at least not anymore.
Finally, it has been a very funny ride because of dt.forums. This has been my place for 8 years (i guess), damn i've seen these pages way more than pornhub (which is what the web was meant for.... boobs, not DT
), so it's hard for me to leave. But i want to depart from this segment of my life, as things change and so do i, when you find out things are different than what you've pictured for years, as nice as it can be to live into memories, it's hard to come back.
Thanks DTF
Farewell DT