EFO and Mike Ford

Don't know if anyone has posted this before, but i just found out that Eddie From Ohio is playing this Friday (May 30) at Hugh's Room in Toronto. And opening form then is our very own Fordy!!!!!!! :-)   Hope lots will be there (wish i could be).

Yeah, Kath posted about it after Dave Matheson told us last weekend after the Cohen tribute. But it can't be mentioned too much. Hopefully news of this will pick up the ticket sales. :)

But it can't be mentioned too much

Why?

Last I heard from Dave, ticket sales were fairly slow. Hopefuly as the show gets closer, they'll pick up. And the more it gets mentioned, the more area fruheads who might not yet know about it, will. :)

Damn... wish I could go. :)

According to the hugh's room website, this show has been canceled.  Bummer.  I did catch them in Rochester, and EFO was awesome.  I'll be uploading the show to archive.org for all to hear soon.

Aw hell, excuse me while I go off myself now. *sigh* I had to jump through hoops to get the time off to get to the city for this.

The Hugh's Room people say it's a SARS thing.

I'm sorry, but I've lost all respect for EFO. It's one thing to buy into the media panic - which is totally unfounded (I could go into a long story here about CNN wanting to interview Mike Bullard today and then cancelling when they found out he wasn't going to talk about people dropping dead on the streets, but I won't) but it's another thing entirely to buy into it THE DAY BEFORE their show. Seriously, that's just unprofessional.

Anyone who had tickets or was planning on going to the show, please call Hugh's Room at 416-531-6604 and LET THEM KNOW you would have paid $18 just to see Mike Ford play (if this is the case, don't lie of course).

When we got notice that the show had been cancelled, they hadn't even called Mike to notify him of the cancellation yet. I'm hoping if we play our cards right they might not shut down tomorrow night. Or at least, if we inundate them with enough phone calls, they'll know there's interest in Mike outside of EFO.

EFO's a lost cause, Mike isn't. Please call!!

If that's true, it's super-weak. The scare was worse a few weeks ago, and it was absurd even then. Wow.

Kath:

If you find out that Mike is still playing, please post here.   I'd still be interested in catching SARS, uh.. I mean seeing Mike still play. 

I just got off the phone with the owner of Hugh's Room...he said it's not financially worth it to open Hugh's Room just for Fordy and they're planning on closing tomorrow night. :(

Dammit - it's irate emailing time again...

Who are you going to e-mail? Hopefully not Hugh's Room, I mean they're on the receiving end of the cancellations just as much as anybody with a ticket. They certainly aren't in business to open up and present a show at an almost certain financial loss.

As for EFO, this decision may or may not have come directly from them. It could have come from their booking agency or manager.

Though I didn't have plans to go to this show, it's wouldn't have been the first time something like this happened to me and it certainly wouldn't be the last. I just wouldn't start yelling at people who may or not be to "blame".

But then, I just blame my cat for anything that goes wrong. She's cute and easy to forgive. :D

ok.....i understand why people are dissappointed that the show was cancelled....-i- was disappointed when i realized that i couldn't even -make- it to the show.....

but for people to say that they've lost all respect for them because of this is, i feel, a little excessive.

paul is right; this could have been a decision from their management or agent..-not- necessarily from them. and if it WAS from them, then they -must- have felt strongly about it because i -know- this gig was important to them. i also know that they are not people to just run away from things willy-nilly{i mean...hell...they parked in princeton and hired a van service in order to play the 9/21/2001 show 10 blocks from ground zero...and even -then- they didn't know until the day before whether the gig would happen or not}.

and at least they said the gig was 'postponed'..not 'canceled'...and that they will try to reschedule it....i know that is but a band-aid on the wound of no show this weekend, but at least it's -something-.

i understand the frustration of the torontonians with wanting people to come to the city...i understand that far too many people are being chicken littles about the city in general and the whole SARS thing and i agree that the media has blown it out of proportion.....

just don't deflect all the dissappointment and anger at the band. it indirectly affected them as well.

Dan, did you call Hugh's Room?? Please everyone do! And stay tuned to my next post (more strategically placed) for more incentives to call call call!!!

But seriously, if they get a ton of phone calls (and I know it's a slim chance, but it could happen), they might be reassured enough to open the place up. I *know* there are going to be a bunch of people who aren't online who are going to show up at the door tomorrow and discover that the show's cancelled.

Drea, Lisa, Fiona and I told Jian about the cancellation tonight at >play, and also about our phone campaign to get Hugh's Room to change their minds. He says if we get them to open the doors for a Mike show, he'll be there, and he'll sing.

So call call call call call call call. Fill up their message box. Make them marvel at the tenacity of the Fruhead. And the Edhead. And the Fordyite. Or whatever you call yourself.

Keep in mind that Richard Thompson cancelled his Wednesday gig at Hugh's Room for the same reason.

Can they PLEASE reschedule it for Frucon weekend?  How KICK ASS would that be?

A cancellation on the day before a performance is still highly unprofessional. If they'd had *any* doubts, the show should have been cancelled weeks ago. I'm not yelling at anyone but the band should know just how many people travelled quite a bit of distance and planned for weeks only to find out that the show was a no go too late to change plans.

I hate to say this, but the fact that people travelled 5 miles or 500 miles to see a show should ultimately have no bearing on whether or not they are able to cancel their own show. Even with bands like Moxy Fruvous and Phish, the MAJORITY of their audience is going to come from the area where they are actually playing. And most of those people will probably be able to go to the alternate date.

Highly unprofessional? Christ it happens all of the time. A performer gets sick on the day of the show, a flight gets cancelled, luggage is lost, family emergency, etc. If they or their management think that the risk it too high for them to visit Toronto for WHATEVER reason, just because you or I or anyone else believes the risk to negligible or nonexistent, who are we to decide what's an acceptable risk for this band, which includes a mother with small children? I'm sure whoever made the decision didn't just say "Eh screw it, we're not going to Toronto." They probably really WANTED to make the performance which is why they waited so long to cancel.

Blame the media. Blame the WHO. But don't blame the band, who really don't owe anything to the handful of people willing to travel across the country to see them.

This was hardly the same as a flight being cancelled or a family emergency. If they had *talked* to someone who actually lives in the city instead of getting their information from the American media, they would know how negligible the risk is of getting SARS.

And yes, it *is* highly unprofessional to cancel a show the day before the show because of this. They were obviously uncertain about it days or even weeks before the show. To wait until the day before to cancel it is something that most musicians would never do. They should have postponed it much earlier if they'd had any doubts. Jian called it outrageous when he was told about it Thursday night by the Fruheads.

Oh, well, if JIAN called it outrageous, then I guess that's the final word. :P

Seriously, though.... yeah, it's a bummer the show was cancelled, and yeah, it sucks that there wasn't more notice... but do any of you really know the reason WHY it was cancelled? *OR* know the reason why the cancellation happened the day before?

for people to say that they've lost all respect for them because of this is, i feel, a little excessive.

Personally, I feel it's absurd.

I mean... frustration? sure... annoyance? Yeah. But "lost all respect"?? Please. :P

Dateline: Pawling, NY 12/5/1999:

Moxy Fruvous cancels appearance the next day at the Towne Crier Cafe due to illness.

Fruhead Paul Mischler, not disgusted with the band, goes on to see them 13 more times.

Well, they did play it, 4/26/2000.

April is spring, methinks.

Wait a minute.....

THEY STOPPED TOURING!?!?!?!!?!?!??!

Well, then don't ever see them again if they're so horrible. I'll bet they don't lose sleep over it.

Hee. That postponement worked for me... I couldn't get tickets to the show the first time around, and benefited later from someone else not being able to see the rescheduled show. :)

That was actually the second postponement of the show, too. Originally, it had been scheduled on the same day as one of the Westbeth Theatre dates by accident. That's the show I originally bought the tickets for--even though I knew the date had to be wrong--because I figured it would sell out fast and they would probably reschedule. :)

Well, I hope anyone who made plans to go to Toronto for the show decided to make the trip anyway and managed (or is managing) to have a not-altogether-terrible time despite the lack of EFO and Mike (or, of course, decided not to go and found something to amuse themselves at home...).  I've always thought it was a pretty cool city, and I'm sure there's plenty of other stuff to do there.  :)

When I say "lost all respect", believe me it has much less to do with me whining because I don't get to see a band I like perform, and a lot more with me realizing that said band has bought into the sensationalism-fed media coverage that my city has been enduring over the past few months.

At this point, unless you plan on forcing your way into a hospital and breaking into the intensive care ward, and then taking great pains to breathe with the patients there, the idea of cancelling anything for fear of SARS is like cancelling a flight for fear of a plane crash.

Also, just to add, I'm not sure what was meant by mentioning that Richard Thompson cancelled his gig here, too. There seemed to be no opinion presented with that post, John, or if there was, I can't figure out what it was.

Please, please don't buy into the "everybody in Toronto is on the verge of death" view the American media seems to have taken. We've got CNN people coming here and basically making shit up. Put any voice-over you want over footage of a near-deserted Chinese restaurant (easily obtained at any non-peak hour) and you'll apparently succeed in scaring lame Americans. That is the lesson to be learned here.

I thought there was a double-booking involved, but I got all confused with the illness thing and decided I must be crazy. I hadn't remembered that there were TWO postponements of that show. :)

A google news search for "sars toronto" brings up the following hits (in search order):

Sars: Toronto outbreak triples (News24: South Africa)
Death link probed (Toronto Sun)
For Canada, busy tourist season won't arrive this year (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Sars: Toronto School Quarantined (News24: South Africa)
C$ gains despite fear of SARS; Toronto stocks make slight inroads (Canada.com)
SARS: Toronto scare still a worry (RTE Interactive, Ireland)
Doctors probe 4 more deaths for SARS links (Canada.com)
Nurses demand SARS probe (Toronto Star)
SARS Investigators Probing 4 Toronto Deaths (Washington Post)
Toronto urged to be wary of third SARS outbreak (CTV)
Canada's new Sars battle (BBC, UK)
Toronto braces for another round of SARS infections (Washington Post)
SARS probed in four deaths (London Free Press)
Four more SARS deaths? (Winnipeg Sun)

----

I'm the last person to defend the American media especially after the "reporting" of the war, but don't blame Americans for ALL of your problems. Media sensationalism doesn't stop at the 49th parallel.

I was making that point that EFO wasn't the only band to fear whatever there was to fear. 

I was dissapointed myself back in high school, which would have been my first trip to Toronto.  We went up to Rochester for a band/chorus performance and then were planning on going to Toronto/Niagra, staying outside Toronto.  However, as we went up there, the Rodney King riots started.  Parents called in and forbid us to go anywhere NEAR Downtown Toronto.  So instead of taking in the sights like the CN Tower and the then brand-new Skydome, we ended up hanging out in a mall all day.

Hi all,

You all know that I don't post much, but I did want to put in my $0.02.

I saw EFO in Troy/Albany the night before the cancelled show.

I know people are upset because of the cancellation. I just hope it doesn't severely affect people's respect for the band.

There's been some speculation about why the show was cancelled, and unfortunately I can't go into specifics, but please believe me when I say the show was cancelled due to a very legitimate concern.

I will always defend EFO's professionalism. I truly feel they are one of the best and hardest working touring bands you'll ever find.

Thanks for listening,

Chris

hallelujah. word. amen. exactly. precisely. thank you, kath.

*shrug* I'm not sure what you are hinting at Chris, but it doesn't matter. There are many reasons why shows have been canceled/cut short etc. Some, no doubt, from band member neuroses. Sometimes legitimate safety fears, death threats, etc. Reacting on fears is only natural, they are only human beings after all.

In this case I doubt if  SARS was the only reason, maybe slow advance ticket sales with some uncertainty as to why and some SARS fear and maybe something else. Maybe their contract was mostly for gate and they couldn't afford to lose money.

Side note:

I remember a story I read about a Rolling Stones concert in Montreal post-FLQ (I don't remember how much after, maybe years). Shortly after the show started someone in the audience set off a firecracker which freaked Mick so much he dropped to his knees. From that point on he kept signalling for the short ending to every song and they were off the stage in less than 45 min. Prudent or irrational? Who's to say.

That's my ramblin' Can $.02 worth

FLQ?

Front de Lib�ration du Qu�bec

~applauds Chris~

I took off work early for that show and heard it was cancelled on the train ride home. I was so happy that it was announced on the radio.

Well, it's both. On the one hand, the anticipation of the EFO show plus the added bonus of Mike Ford opening. It was Fordy's first real gig since the hiatus (outside of his school project).

I'd be disappointed in *any* band if they cancelled a gig under these circumstances. Even Fruvous. It's not comparable to a strike or natural occurance. SARS didn't spring up overnight. Everyone knew about it since it first started and again when it reoccured. If they had been wary about it, they should have postponed the show weeks ago instead of at the last moment is the point. They did themselves out of having a gig at Hugh's, Fordy out of a job and cost the folks at Hugh's Room a lot of money in an already strapped environment. That's the part that is unprofessional. Sorry, but that happens to be my view of it. And I'm not alone in it, believe me.

Disappointment is one thing. I'd be disappointed too, certainly. That doesn't mean I'd call for the band's crucifixion.

Never mind the fact that you are all working off assumptions. Until I see a statement from the band saying why they cancelled the show (like Richard Thompson did), I have no reason to believe that they didn't have a good reason.

And I don't care if you and 50 others (including JIAN!) have that view, that doesn't mean I'm buying into it just as you're not buying into mine.

(cut and pasted from my live journal)

I think it all comes down to "acceptable risk." Every time we step out the door, we have to decide what is an acceptable risk. We drive to work. A highly dangerous activity, but it's an acceptable risk. Every time we go out in public we risk countless diseases, many of which are several times more deadly than SARS, including the common "flu", which kills thousands of people a year in North America. When EFO goes on stage they risk all kinds of diseases from their audience, especially when they "meet and greet" and shake hands with people. That's the way of the world and it's a risk we all take. They obviously decided that going to Toronto was an unacceptale risk, which is their perogative. However, the fact that they waited until the last minute makes we wonder if they were waiting to see how tickets sales went. They did not have a sold out show. If they *had* had a sold out, SRO show, would that have made the (negligible) risk "acceptable"? We'll never know. Perhaps I'm being overly cynical, but it appears that they *were* apprehensive about playing in Toronto. It would have much more professional to give the club some time so that they didn't lose any money. Hugh's Room will no doubt be reluctant to book EFO after this, and if they want to develop a Canadian fan base, this was a seriously bad public relations move.

Now don't get me wrong here. I love the band's music, and I was really excited to get the chance to hear them again. I've heard them live exactly once, and I thought I might never get to hear them again. I was looking forward to hearing them, talking to them, giving them presents, and spending a ton of money buying CDs and t-shirts. If they ever play Vancouver (or even Seattle), I'll be first in line, and happy to be there. However, the "show must go on" is a trite show-biz axiom, sure, but it's taken pretty seriously by most performers. I've spoken to several musicans and crew people in the last couple of days and *all* agree that while cancelling due to fear of SARS was and is the perogative of the performers, waiting until the last minute was *not* a professional thing to do because it cost a lot of people money, including the band. And, even though we'd all love to believe that performers play for the love of performing, the fact is, deep down, it's *always* about money. No one is willing to work for free, and performers are no different.

Anyway, that's how I feel. I still love the music and I'd still love to aquire the new CD and a new shirt, and I'll see them if I ever get the opportunity AND I'll still recommend their music to friends. I do, however, believe that I'm entitled to be disappointed and not a little pissed off. Feel free to flame me at will....

~If there was a "legitimate concern" beyond the fear of SARS, it would be nice if they had the courtesy to let the Canadian fans (and potential) fans know of it.  All we know is that Hugh's Room called everyone to say that Eddie called and said they weren't coming due to SARS.  There is of course going to be speculation when that's all the information we have. This isn't the same thing as a cancellation due to adverse weather conditions, or a family emergency or a current illness, all of which are out of the band's control. I don't question their right to cancel a show due to concerns, I just disagree with the *way* they did it.

Hugh's Room will no doubt be reluctant to book EFO after this, and if they want to develop a Canadian fan base, this was a seriously bad public relations move.

OK, I don't really know anything about the circumstances of the cancellation/postponement, but I can't help thinking that EFO and their managers/agents/whoever must have been aware that it would be a "bad public relations move."  To me, that says they would have needed a good reason to risk it.  So...maybe we should try to avoid jumping to conclusions.

Just my $.02, not directed at any particular person.

I always find it amusing how much more serious things seem when you write them down. This whole topic would have been over in 5 min. if it happened at a social event. Just an observation, not meant to diminish the worth of the discourse in any way.

Kudos to everyone for registering their views civilly. I think anytime a show is cancelled everyone is disappointed (unless no one was going and that was the reason for the cancelation) and I don't think anyone involved takes cancelling lightly. You are right Becca, it affects the reputation of everyone involved. I don't think conclusions were jumped to however. People are working from publicly stated facts (the few that their are). Most people just seem to be saying that whatever the reason it would have been nicer to have more notice. Which is an opinion and relatively speaking a no-brainer. It's always nice to have more notice. So we are all cool. And I'm 2000 or so miles from Hugh's Place so its all pretty pedantic and ethereal to me.  :-)

And, even though we'd all love to believe that performers play for the love of performing, the fact is, deep down, it's *always* about money. No one is willing to work for free, and performers are no different.

I think you might want to restate this as "performers who have the band as their primary source of income".

There are plenty of performers I know who are willing to work for free.

Woah, losing respect for someone and "calling for their crucifixion"... slightly different things. I'm not losing sleep over EFO either. They can do what they want. They can especially continue playing music, which is their job. I may well even see them again. As musicians, they are quite respectable. As citizens of the world, not entirely so much.

I always find it amusing how much more serious things seem when you write them down. This whole topic would have been over in 5 min. if it happened at a social event. Just an observation, not meant to diminish the worth of the discourse in any way.

We needed something to do. And I, for one, am enjoying it immensely. :D

As citizens of the world, not entirely so much.

Oh please.
That's just bullshit and you know it.
(I hope)

Yes, Fruvous has cancelled numerous shows due to illness. Every performer does, it's difficult to perform while sick. They've even trooped through some shows where they probably should have cancelled.

This isn't the situation with EFO. They cancelled a show not because they were sick, but because of the perceived possibility that they'd maybe catch an illness if they went. The fact that it's an illness affecting an estimated 62 people out of a country with a population of 32,000,000 makes it even more laughable.

What can I say? They have an overdevelopped instinct of self-preservation. It's kinda sad, really.

I called the Town-Crier the day of the show, and asked whether there'd be room.  The guy said "sure"!  Come on up! 

That was the "Dave, where were ya?" "I was checkin' the NASDAQ" improv show.  And didn't they try to do a Phish-like jam?  That didn't work very well...

Is it just me? or does anyone else keep seeing the title to this thread and singing it to the tune of "grade 9"?

oO EFO and Mike Ford, baby..... EFO and Mike Ford... Oo

the band -specifically- posted in their monthly emailer on last wednesday that there was concern about the TO show and to keep watching their website and to call the club to check on the show/it going on.

i emailed all of my TO friends to make sure everyone knew of this, to give everyone a 'heads up'.

and didn't richard thompson do the same sorta thing, y'all said..i mean cxling  a show???

i mean...if HOOPOE isn't playin TO......

 

 

 

I checked the Richard Thompson website and it looks like he canceled the day before too.

see, Shelly--I kinda think that almost makes it worse...

See, I can understand if you don't want to go to Toronto (I personally thinks it's ridiculous and misinformed--but it's anybody's personal right to not want to go someplace for ANY particular--or even not-so-particular--reason.).

What irks me is that even though they were watching the situation well in advance, they ONLY decided the day before.

That's inconsiderate in my books.

And while if they ever came to Vancouver, I'd go see the show, I would be lying if I said that I didn't respect them a little less.

Things come, things suddenly come up, stuff happens... things that can cause a show to be canceled last minute... fine.

But a situation that you've been watching for weeks... sorry. no go. that's shitty.

And I think that's what is bugging most people anyway.

my $0.02.

Nope, but thanks for the earworm!  oO THAT GIRL IS WAILING!!!!! Oo

SARS is scary.  it's not nearly as widespread as the media on both sides of the border thinks it is, but the media has run out of terrorism things to report on so they're jumping on anything else they can.

all we have right now are the words of the club saying that it was cancelled due to SARS, a post from someone who is relatively close to the group in question that seems to contradict that statement, and a whole lot of leftover speculation as to what it really was.  not to mention the fact that you don't get to see mike perform.

hell yes i'd be disappointed.  but at the same time, we still don't know an official reason as to why it was cancelled.  so for the time being, it's all speculation without confirmation.  i'd recommend waiting until some kind of official response is posted.  has anyone actually asked EFO why they cancelled? will they release some kind of statement?

i guess eveyone has to wait for a while.  or is it more fun to stew on speculation? (:

 -= george =-

Yeah, I can't imagine why a mother of two very young children would want to look after her health at any cost.

I think you all keep forgetting one important detail.

Most of the people going to this show LIVE IN TORONTO. NOT HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.

Did it ever occur to anyone that for 90% of the attendees a cancellation on the day of the show wouldn't be a big deal?

Because, you KNOW that if they cancelled this show four weeks ago and then two days before the show the newspapers read "TORONTO IS SARS FREE!" then everyone would still be bitching.

I think people just like to bitch.

Well, they had plenty of time to cancel during the whole SARS thing. The point is not that they cancelled but that they waited until the day before thus causing Hugh's to have to close on a friday night and costing a lot of people a lot of money. Like the staff that work there for instance.

I emailed them the day of the non-show to let them know that there were a lot of disappointed fans in TO. Got quite a lame response truth be told. Would have been nice to have a "sorry you're friend came all that way and we couldn't be there" but anyway. I emailed back to find out reasons and such and have had nothing in response.

Shows are booked weeks if not months in advance. They probably wouldn't have gotten an act in there unless they cancelled WAY earlier. And again, if they did that and then the "scare" was over everyone would still be complaining.

Sorry you didn't get to see Mike Ford.

Well, I agree with the subject line at least.

Well, don't Robbie and Mike both have kids as well??

Well, two things.

1.
We don't know why they cancelled.

2.
In a way, you should thank them.
They held out as long as they could waiting for a resolution on the whole threat... they really wanted to do the show, and things were looking up!
Then, once there was another outbreak.. they cancelled. (assuming that was the reason.... )

and... okay, three things......
this whole thread is just silly. A show was cancelled. We have no idea why.
Yeah, it's a bummer... and yeah, had I driven up (which I was considering) it would have sucked... but... whatever. Life goes on.

If they'd even had 3 or 4 days notice, Dave and Jian (among others) would have been quite happy to add on to the bill with Fordy. Unfortunately with only one days notice there wasn't much to be done. The night could still have been salvaged for the club and for Mike's first actual gig since the hiatus.

That's what I meant.

Yes... well, nobody knew that, did they?
Again, you're being ridiculous.

Hindsight is always 20/20.

Gee, Leanne, Kath, it appears our opinions are considered stupid. Yes it's true that the majority of people going to the show were Torontonians...the fact that I flew 3000 miles is irrelevent. The fact remains that they waited and cancelled at the last minute, thus inconveniencing a lot of people. We were upset, true.  I had a great time in TO anyway, because I love the city and the people there, and the SARS risk is negligible. I'm a mother as well, by the way, and I'm more afraid of my son getting in a car accident than of getting SARS. Julie takes a greater risk every time she goes onstage in public and everytime she shakes hands at a meet and greet session.

We can end this thread now, as obviously those of us who were affected are all considered silly and stupid. From now on, I'm keeping my opinions to myself.

The point being that acceptable risk for some is not acceptable for others.

I know people who have jumped out of airplanes and who have climbed mountains. They didn't die or get hurt and the majority of people who do those things don't.

Doesn't mean I'm going to try it.

I'm not entirely sure what the situation in the hospitals has to do with playing a club in downtown Toronto...

Of course the risk is there - it's about 900,000 to 1, but it's there. Over 1000 people die every year in Canada from the good 'ol "flu". 50 die from chicken pox.....

But that's it for me.  I'm done. It's obvious that hysteria wins out every time over common sense.

Lisa, my opinions are usually considered stupid around here. I'm used to getting the frums calling me an idiot and being belittled by people on forums who refuse to see the point of anything I say. C'est la vie I suppose.

I don't know *anyone* who lives anywhere around here who is apprehensive in the least about visiting Toronto - including Faye (store manager) who has two small children at home. Some of us are endowed with reason enough to see through the media hype.

I'm not entirely sure what the situation in the hospitals has to do with playing a club in downtown Toronto...

you don't think that someone has been in a hospital (working or seeing a doctor) goes to a club later on?  Well those must be some boring workers and patients.

see, this is exactly what i was saying.

the only thing some of you read was the subject.  a book judged by its cover.

good freakin grief.

the point i was attempting to raise was that we do not officially know why the show was cancelled.  all we have is speculation.  the only thing speculation leads to is more speculation, spreading of potential rumors, and then heated emotions, insults, injury, riots, and eventually Quebec.

i'm reading back again.  hmm.  nope.  didn't call anyone stupid.  i'd rather nobody put words in my mouth, considering i really like 99.9% of you (and of the few that i don't, none have even posted here). (:

my point was to recommend patience.  waiting to find out what really happened.  apparently i chose the wrong subject.

 -= george =-

i just might.  and i could do it in voice too.

:D

 -= george =-

hear me you can, yes.

 -= george =-

this is mild compared to getting flamed on usenet.

only a Nazi would say something like that! :)

The fact remains that they waited and cancelled at the last minute, thus inconveniencing a lot of people.

my parents and brother and I used to drive all over the country to see baseball games. we drove to Texas from DC one year. we took a huge risk (fortunately, we always had other stuff to do in the areas besides baseball) - if it had rained the day of the game we planned to go to, the game would be canceled at the last minute, and we'd not have gotten to see a game at all. but I doubt I would have gone off on the team saying they should have played in the rain because we drove 1500 miles to see them, or that they should have known it might rain and cancel the game before we left, so we'd know.

I don't see where the bitching is, Paul. I'm really enjoying this little fight, considering I've been bored out of my skull where the fruhead community is concerned. But I don't think there's any bitching and/or whining (as you said in your previous post) going on, just two different points of view on the same subject differing and arguing back and forth.

We're saying that cancelling a concert for a health concern is legitimate, but that cancelling said concert a day in advance when said health concern has been present for two months is unprofessional and a little irresponsible, and has cost a lot of people a lot of money. Including Hugh's Room. Including Mike. Including Lisa, who flew from Vancouver. Including EFO.

You're saying that EFO's professionalism has not been compromised by their last-minute actions, and that due to their attention to news coverage and/or hearsay about the SARS situation in Toronto, they were well-informed and as such, justified in their decision. You also, however, seem to think that we're attacking them personally, and that our opinions stem solely from our status as ticket-holders to the show in question.

I'm not denying them their right to make their own decisions. They have every right to decide where they go and where they don't. It doesn't mean I'm not allowed to start flamewars about it afterwards. :D

> Most of the people going to this show LIVE IN TORONTO.
> NOT HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.

Yes, but this particular show is different because of how heavily they were promoting it to Fruheads and non-Torontonians in general. They knew damn well that many people made plans and reservations for long road trips.

Myopia or pretext, those are the only two causes I can think of for the cancellation.

While 3000 children die from malaria every day, ( heard that on the radio, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, this morning,) the statistical risk of catching SARS seems less than being eaten by a shark coming up the drainpipe while you're having a bath. It would not surprise me if it turned out that more musicians died of overdoses in any given timeframe than contracted SARS in the same period. It would even make more sense for bands not to travel to the location for their concert because more musicians loose their lives on the way than of that overhyped disease.

Either someone is totally devoid of any sense of perspective and managed to convince everyone else that this nonsense makes sense, or there is another reason for the cancellation and SARS is the pretext.

Umm.. perhaps I missed something, but I don't recall anyone referring to your opinions as stupid.

Care to put more words into people's mouths?

Somebody's Geek Test score just went up!

 

(I have no opinion on the EFO show. Well, yes, I do - but what happened, happened, and why contribute to all the folderol...)

then stop reading the thread.

Yes, but do you know what time it is?

You mean you don't know exactly what time it is?

(sorry, inside joke)

Yes, but do you know what time it is?

You mean you don't know exactly what time it is?

(sorry, inside joke)

I'm soooo getting Paul for that one!!! :D

I will NEVER be able to live that down! :D

Damn, I hoped my last post would have diffused any flaming. Come on people, after I just praised you all for being civil. And now I really feel left out too, Leanne gets frum flames, no body ever frums me, flames or not. Ok, so I hardly ever frum anybody, but that shouldn't matter , should it.

What is wierd is that everone is right, it is overhyped, unless you spend much time in a hospital. If the whole thing has diminshed your respect somewhat for the band, that is a fair judgement. If it hasn't that is ok too.�Personally, I allow myself to make decisions with the full knowledge that they could turn out to be totally wrong in the judgement of myself and/or my peers. And I allow others the same leeway. I am sure that they are still the fine people they were before this. As are all of you, whatever your opinion has been.�

And no opinion I have read here has been stupid. Or not valid.

'Nuff said

and bob.......let's not forget the fifth member of EFO......who has 2 young daughters at home.....

though mike's son isn't with him at the moment...but...yah....

No.

Not at all. I saw the post. It didn't say anything I hadn't seen or heard before. If they have another excuse for cancelling so last-minute, then let's hear it. If not, then any amount of oh-so-mysterious hinting from Chris isn't going to stop me from debating� acceptable risk and the nature of professionalism.

Well excuse me...I misinterpreted someone's Topic line. Sorry. We've Frumed each other, and it's all good.

yup.� all is good.� (:

�-= george =-

As a person who lives in the only place outside of Toronto where someone has died of SARS (Abbotsford, BC) I find that I am actually more worried that West Nile virus is closing in fast. Any thoughts? Is it so bad? Worry, not worry?

If I worried about everything that could potentially get me, I'd never leave the house! ;-)

Life is too short to worry about such inconsequential risks...

Very true. Note my wording. I said I was more concerned with West Nile than SARS. I didn't say either were big on my� worry list.�I suppose I should have more fear of being splatted on a highway. Maybe I've made my peace with those kinds of dangers, or maybe its just that disease in general scares me more than accidents. Dunno why, you're dead either way.

But mostly, I was trying to shift the conversation ;-)

Umm....well, just responding to the post actually. Don't think I mentioned SARS in it. I'll be more specific next time....

personally, West Nile scares the pee out of me.� we've lost a ton of livestock round here.� human cases aren't that widespread--yet--but as our local economy is heavily based on agriculture, this is troubling stuff.�