Comments on: Best Gig Ever: Band Response

By: Hater of Haters

Hater of Haters — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:46:48 +0000

I’m glad that Improv Everywhere decided to act on this mission. Not only is it embarrassing to play at an empty venue; it’s also frustrating and a little pathetic. Whether or not the “victims” like it, the act did give them FREE EXPOSURE that only helps them spread their band’s name to others. This kind of publicity would cost thousands to get via magazine articles or by any other kind of public means.
And what’s this about mind F*&&^%g? (Censored for your enjoyment) The Band didn’t seem to mind, IE did nothing mentally or physically harmful, and so therefore any responses by those dense thickheaded idiots are only trivial.
Oh and btw: I live in a small town in OHIO and now even I KNOW about them. How’s that for free publicity?

By: Kaylee

Kaylee — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:26:35 +0000

For the record, and for all those criticizing IE’s actions, allow me to pull from my own experiences performing when I say even if it’s a “fake” crowd, it’s still a crowd. I’ve played and performed for dead audiences before. It’s always disheartening to see that no one is having a good time, it’s just a bunch of people looking impatiently at their watches, hitting the bar or just standing there looking bored as all hell. But even if there’s just one person who shouts “YEAH! ROCK ON!” at the end of your set, it feels like an accomplishment, even if they weren’t fans. So I’m supportive of IE in this, in helping a band rock out when they have a load of dead audiences left to play to.

By: kiwinerd

kiwinerd — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:37:56 +0000

What I think is most interesting about those who strongly criticized this mission is the dripping sanctimoniousness of their comments. Newsflash, guys: it’s not up to you, a third party, to play self-appointed mother.

Also, the band did go out to that particular gig with the intention of performing. Anyone who has performed (theatrically or, in my case, musically) knows that performing always puts your emotions right on the line. Performing is *always* risky, emotionally. People who can’t stand the heat normally stay out of the kitchen.

I agree that IE has a *positive* philosophy, and I congratulate IE on that and the fact that they actually have the guts to go out and perform random acts of fun and joy. Multiple times.

IMHO it’s the armchair quarterbackers who always judge but never act (hypocrites) that we actually have to worry about.

I must say, in my entire life on the internet so far (since the days of BITNET) I don’t think I’ve seen a more enjoyable web site than this one. keep up the great work. Kudos to IE!

By: world party

world party — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:43:42 +0000

the band was upset not at IMPROVEVERYWHERE but at rollingstone, spin, and the media for perpetuating the lie that troubles for the band STOPPED a few days after the stunt. in reality the band has been hidden from the spotlight NOW, just as it is beginning to come into its own.kudos to IE for helping expose them, even if it was too early.

its quite a shame really that 2008 GOP wasnt in spin and on showtime.

By: Kulick a shade short

Kulick a shade short — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 17:47:17 +0000

The best gig ever happened about 3 years ago, and since then the band Ghosts of Pasha has changed quite a bit. I am obviously a fan of the group (there are some) even though i have not actually met them.

At this particular point, the “guitarist” Chris Partyka has been singing and playing clarinet on the recordings for over a year, and the band has changed their manifesto from seemingly coasting on exploitation “fame” (2004) to recording noteworthy slacker clarinet beatles fodder but kind of sucking live (2006) to actually sounding energetic and even cool on recordings AND live, resulting in a single released on real label DARLA records and even an EP to be released later on. (2007)

I hate to come off like such a salesman, but it seems to me like an awful lot of people are still discussing something that happened 3 years ago and not paying attention to what the band is doing at present. Anyone can easily peek in by going to http://www.ghostsofpasha.com.

By: IE Fan

IE Fan — Mon, 14 May 2007 23:47:06 +0000

It was NEVER REAL?!?! Am I the only one that has ever been to a rock show and gotten caught up in the “mosh pit mentality” even if I didn’t really dig the band that much? For argument’s sake let’s say this happens to, say, 1/3 of the people at your average rock show. Does that mean that 1/3 of the audience is faking it, not really having any fun, and that the band should be pissed off at them for screwing with their heads?

I know it’s not exactly the same thing, but it’s close enough. From what I’ve read the IE agents, although starting out faking, really got into the show and had a really good time. Just like me in the “mosh pit mentality” scenario. I may not have really dug the band as much as some others, but I still had a really good time once I got into it.

In my book, band rocking out + people having good time = successful show. Who cares why they were there. It could just as easily have been 100 guys that were drug in by their significant others against their will instead of a group of IE agents. As long as they ended up having a good time then everybody wins.

By: I Smell You

I Smell You — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:20:14 +0000

There seems to be a bit of a schism over the reaction of GOP in the TAL program. In the end, no one was upset and they said so. They pointed out that their initial reactions were one set of events, and the settling into different ways of perceiving the event occurred with the passage of time. The point of view taken by TAL is basically an investigation into whether this was “playing with” reality or a “reality check”, or whether there are all kinds of “selective” realities being employed or lived out in peoples own minds. I don’t think IE made any attempt to be cruel, but in not trying to have a moral/ethical insight into what this kind of thing COULD do to someone’s psyche after they find out, I think could boil down to playing with people’s heads while ignoring the possible consequences. (A little socially irresponsible… ) The saddest thing is that even though it was an amazing feeling for the band and that they can make a choice, as good sports, to see it as something good, ultimately it was NEVER REAL! That has to smart, eh?

By: Peripatetic Circumambulant » TAL TV poor start

Peripatetic Circumambulant » TAL TV poor start — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 04:21:05 +0000

[…] a flash mob, I thought it would be funny. The television show features Best Gig Ever, to which the band responded. The group showed up at a Sunday night Ghosts of Pascha concert at the Mercury Lounge. The Mercury […]

By: RedBallon

RedBallon — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 22:38:12 +0000

Ok, let’s say that GOP has no hard feelings about the mission. The logic behind this mission and others like it (Ted) is still twisted. The claim is that GOP had the best gig ever—no, they didn’t. The best gig ever would be if REAL fans came to the show and loved it. The band obviously showed genuine emotion out there on stage, something most people could never do. And IE faked being fans (sure, maybe some really liked the music, I’m sure not all of them and that’s not why they were there). And you thought they’d enjoy that because…?
Stunts like this are creepy at best, at narcissistic and just fucked up worst. How about keeping mission involvement on a ‘volunteer only’ basis, so people just out there having a beer with a friend (Ted) don’t end up as part of your evening’s entertainment?

By: Kayak

Kayak — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:50:59 +0000

I could yak on for a novel about the merits of this mission. IE went to the gig with positive intentions, and those intentions paid off with an awesome gig, and a bit of exposure to the band.

All you naysayers are exactly the reason why IE is so vital. Unlike you, IE spreads positive vibes instead of negativity. They create stories instead of criticisms. They do things instead of sitting around complaining. IE aren’t the people who need to "get lives"…you are.

And if you want to be "left alone" so badly, get the hell of the general population and live on a desert island. Believe me, your negativity will NOT be missed.