Dan asks:
> I mean it's getting bad, and I don't know what to do. Maybe just wait
>til the end of the entire show and politely ask them not to do it next time?
>Plead? Bribe them to can it? Start packing heat???
>
If it bugs you and destroys your appreciation of the music, you are
obligated to yourself to say something (and probably a bunch of other
people would love you for it, too). I wouldn't be rude, I wouldn't plead,
I wouldn't stew about it and wait until the end--that wouldn't do any
good--just remind them matter of factly and nicely that they are at a
concert and say, "Hey, you should be listening". Get over the shyness.
And if you don't make it a confrontational moment, you are much more likely
to get a good response. If they ignore you or start back up again in a few
minutes, then you can ask them if they could move to the back or outside
the room since, um, maybe they don't realize this, but their conversation
is interfering with other people who are there to listen. If they sneer at
you then or blow you off, well, THEN you can get confrontational.
I wouldn't recommend doing this at a honky-tonk show, though. Unless they
are destroying a heart song that means a lot to you.
Dina
