072 Cats and Dogs (and a Monkey)

I have something very special lined up for tomorrow. Very special indeed... We’re on our way to Detroit from Champaign... and a funny thing happened to us in Champaign. The club, the Cowboy Monkey is outfitted with a lovely outdoor patio and it attracts quite the attractive crowd. Quite the crowd that tends to be uninterested in anything onstage and more interested in the drinky drinks. Hence, for Carolina and Rescue’s set, the showgoers were inside and the leisurely drinkers stayed outside, cleverly avoiding the cover charge, yet still taking advantage of the inside bar via the wait staff... But then, just as we were about to take the stage around midnight, boom! A thunderstorm! It started raining cats and dogs! When we started the first song I looked out in the crowd and the place was packed! Everyone was forced to come inside and that made me feel good. We played to a crowd of at least 150-175, and even though a good amount of people were loud and obnoxious especially during the quiet jams, I thought it was an altogether fun night...

And at the end of the night when we were settling, the promoter said the paid attendance was 68. “68? There was at least 150 people in here. Do you mean that when it started raining, everyone got in for free?” “Yep.” I didn’t know exactly how to react and the promoters could tell I felt a little gipped. But it all ended on good terms... However, It brings up an interesting point. What are your thoughts? Should they have been given a free refuge and a free show to boot? And should the showgoers who paid earlier feel a bit cheated as well? And lastly, and this question is more hypothetical, would the show have been a better experience if the rain never came and the place was only half full for the show? I just don’t know.

I need some book recommendations. I may pick up another Paul Auster, which has been on my list for oh about 2 years now....