Reason for Cancellation of 'Sacrifice @ Bar Lamb'. Issued by the promoter, January 9th 2006::

Regrettably, the Sacrifice @ Bar Lamb night has been cancelled after the pilot night last Friday.

I felt that the bands & fans were owed an explanation, so the reasons for the cancellation are as follows:

On arriving for the agreed sound check at 6pm, we waited around until 7.30 for the sound engineer to bother showing up. Doors were due to open at 8pm, there was no apology for the delay – yet attitude when we tried to sort out a workable onstage sound. We pretty much got ‘a that will have to do’ when it got to 8.30 and people were filling up the bar area. Despite the worst onstage sound I have ever experienced (only vocals & drums could be heard), the 3 bands played to what was a respectable crowd (for a hardly promoted night, being the pilot) of 100+ people.

It was pointed out to me that during the bands sets, the manager felt it appropriate & professional to stand by the stage pulling faces at her son, the sound engineer as if to say ‘this music is awful’ in full view of both the bands and the 100+ guests.

Between & after the bands sets, the music being played was constantly turned off, paused, being turned up and down. Not to mention that despite being advised that this was to be both a club & band night, the management covered the dance floor in tables and chairs making it impossible for those wanting to dance.

The promised free beverages for the bands were not forthcoming, as well as the fact that the bar closed at 12am (when it was still very busy at this time and a 2am finish was promised).

The above issues could have all been ironed out by February. Unfortunately, when asking the management how they thought the night went (baring in mind that they feel that their acoustic night is a successful one, and at which at my last attendance attracted about 30 people). I was told that ‘although on checking the volume outside the venue, and it being within their requirements, they felt that the music was too loud for their venue’. I pointed out that an non-promoted night attracting 100+ people was surely a success from a bar-takings perspective, to which they agreed before then blaming ‘evidence of cocaine abuse in the toilets – although it could be our regulars…’ as a reason for their disapproval of the night. I was told that we would need to have a discussion on the future of the night, though it was clear to me that Sacrifice had outstayed its welcome at Bar Lamb.

In 15 years experience of promoting & playing in bands, this was the worst venue that I have ever had the displeasure to promote or play in. It may look like the perfect venue, though under its excellent presentation is a place to be avoided unless you are an acoustic, jazz or blues band. Hopefully in the future, another venue can be located to move Sacrifice.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Wayne