Jobsworths - Springsteen concert

[Mojooo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18859...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-musi...

I think I will explode with rage next time I hear someone describe the person who switched off Springsteen/McCartney as a jobsworth. It seems to be the buzzword that every tt and his dog is using at the moment. The silly thing is that said person is being described as a jobsworth from the council when it wasn't even a council person who pulled the plug (it was the concert organisers)

Firstly, I am a huge Springsteen fan and I would probably have been annoyed as well but do these muppets not realise that these events have well established rules and regulations for a reason? Chances are that Westminster Council provide a licence not on their own whims but by following the law or guidance from the Government.

I don't see why Springsteen should get an exemption to play on all night. I am sure they all know the rules.

I do have some sympathy for Westminster Council - if they restrict a gig til 10.30pm they are spoilsports but no doubt they will get it in the neck from their residents/Councillors if they allow a gig to go on too late.

It seems they can't win when they do their job. The one thing I know about Councils is that they have to follow the law. When they start making up their own policies on a whim it usually ends in legal issues as almost everything they do is governed by law. So why the surprise when they follow the law?


I find it interesting that people say it was a Saturday night... yes so, does no one go to sleep early on a Saturday? Plus bear in mind this is a 3 day event and there is also a Madonna concert straight after it seems.

What do you reckon? Should they allow gigs to go on until 11pm? Should just allow organisers free reign to make their own decisions?

[SystemParanoia]

ban all gigs i say

[anonymous-user]

Maybe someone should buy him & his whingeing bandmates a watch!
Perhaps the neighbours wouldnt mind him & McCartney on this occasion, but the poor sods have to endure madonna & Gangster crap at other times, so the rules are there with good reason..

[Mojooo]

Maybe the jobsworth will have his revenge by limiting next years festival to 10pm!

[jules_s]

I heard on the radio this morning the original curfew was 10:15 and they had that extended to 10:30

Still playing at 10:40 was taking the piss somewhat it seems

[Steve Zodiac]

If Springsteen wants to play for longer, why doesn't he just come on earlier?

Or is that too simple or not rock 'n' roll enough?

[Neil_Sc]

I believe they pulled the plug because of maccas bloody awful vocals

[Slaav]

Although I don't agree with the rules; too early a finish for a summer evening gig, they are there.

If the promotors etc break the rules and just allow it to play on, no licence next time. SImple.

Why on Earth is everyone not attacking the numpties with watches who didn't know how long they were gping to be on for???? If it is (eg) 90 mins for a set with short break, then allow 95! And start 95 or 97 mins before curfew? If you want the chance of an encore (or three) then start (guess what) 100 mins before curfew!!!

You can bet your bottom dollar that if there is still time, and the gig is going well, and the crowd knows there is time for 1 or 2 more, guess what? They will go completely ballistic cheering for another encore.

How hard can it be?

[NDA]

Why can't people just listen to their favourite beat combo on the wireless?

All these teenagers drinking cola and listening to loud music. Dreadful.

Ban it.

[theboyfold]

Does anybody know how late he was on stage? (If at all)

[Mojooo]

10.40 it ran til. I believe 10.30 is the average finishing time in stadiums not just because of noise but because of transport/getting people home.

Its easy saying that people can make their own minds up to leave but its not easy walking through crowds of 50,000 if you want to leave at 10.30 as planned.

Madonna is also on this week - so thats 4 concerts in one week!

[scenario8]

Slaav said:

Although I don't agree with the rules; too early a finish for a summer evening gig, they are there.

If the promotors etc break the rules and just allow it to play on, no licence next time. SImple.

Why on Earth is everyone not attacking the numpties with watches who didn't know how long they were gping to be on for???? If it is (eg) 90 mins for a set with short break, then allow 95! And start 95 or 97 mins before curfew? If you want the chance of an encore (or three) then start (guess what) 100 mins before curfew!!!

You can bet your bottom dollar that if there is still time, and the gig is going well, and the crowd knows there is time for 1 or 2 more, guess what? They will go completely ballistic cheering for another encore.

How hard can it be?

The Boss, as ever, was being a popous arse and was on for three and a half hours.

[Disastrous]

A shame that Britain, once again, can't just relax and enjoy an event. By contrast, he played Milan earlier in the tour and was allowed to play the second longest set they've ever played, long into the night. Crowd and band had an amazing time by all accounts. It's a pleasure seeing a performer still enjoying the act of playing live to an appreciative audience and not just doing the bare contracted minimum.

Hate the British attitude to things sometimes

[Mojooo]

Its easy saying they should just relax and let him play on but its a bit too simplistic looking at it like that because it ignores all the reasons why the laws/rules are there to start with - doesn't it?

[Sprouts]

scenario8 said:

The Boss, as ever, was being a popous arse and was on for three and a half hours.

Aye, so by my reckoning the plug should have been pulled at about 7 o'clock

[Disastrous]

Mojooo said:

Its easy saying they should just relax and let him play on but its a bit too simplistic looking at it like that because it ignores all the reasons why the laws/rules are there to start with - doesn't it?

I'm ok with that, to be honest. I'm not a big fan of over-legislating things at the best of times and 10.30 is way too early to call it a night IMO!

Besides, I don't think you run a risk of having to let everyone do it, as most current, st, pop acts would struggle to find enough material to fill an hour, let alone 3.

I suppose it just bugs me that Britain doesn't seem able to appreciate when an 'event' is taking place and relax. Whether you're a fan or not, having someone as big as Springsteen playing in the middle of your city is quite a big thing and it doesn't happen every day. I'm not a U2 fan, for example, but wouldn't object to them keeping me awake once a lifetime, if they were playing a gig on my doorstep as its quite exciting regardless.

[CommanderJameson]

Never mind all that.

Let's focus on the serious question here: When in the name of arse did Bruce Bloody Springsteen become "Hard Rock"?

[Regiment]

CommanderJameson said:

Never mind all that.

Let's focus on the serious question here: When in the name of arse did Bruce Bloody Springsteen become "Hard Rock"?

Same time Queen turned into a heavy metal band...who I saw Thursday night at Hamersmith Apollo and was the greatest night of my life.

[IainT]

Regiment said:

CommanderJameson said:

Never mind all that.

Let's focus on the serious question here: When in the name of arse did Bruce Bloody Springsteen become "Hard Rock"?

Same time Queen turned into a heavy metal band...who I saw Thursday night at Hamersmith Apollo and was the greatest night of my life.

Some early stuff is, by the standard of the day, heavy metal to be fair. The stuff from the early 70's (Brighton Rock for example) is bloody awesome.

[singlecoil]

Turning off at 10.40 sounds perfectly reasonable to me. It's a question of striking a balance between the rights of people with conflicting wishes.