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Day 399 - June 26th - Serbia Show Day

Day 399 - June 26th - Serbia Show Day

So off to the gig we drove, out of the city and into the fields, miles and miles of corn fields down the road and far away

till a town we reached, near sprawling metropolis minus the sprawls and minus the metropolis

And ladies in shadows

To reach a desolate landscape in 100 degree weather.

**** Roadie Research Segment ****

And after a long bus ride

of well over an hour, roadies get hungry. Upon arrival at the musical water hole the competition is fierce between roadies foraging for food. Unfortunately the fruits of the land were neither plentiful and nor diverse as 60 roadies will need to consume massive amounts of food. While Roadie Daniel is challenged by attempting to decide between soup scrapings and bread enhanced by flying insects.

I set off searching for food in other places. Knowing where to look is an asset inherent to the wise roadie indeed as nutrition is key to the survival of the roadie herd. Often many animals forage to find tasty delights under stones and rocks, the roadie is no exception.

**** End Roadie Research Segment ****

So here we sit in a 100 degree hot far away field in the middle of what appears to be nowhere after driving miles and miles through interesting places and we have it good. Out "there" are 100 thousand or so hot, thirsty fans that have traveled miles or hundreds in over-crowded, under-conditioned busses just to wait in infinite waterless lines. The words inhospitable gruel comes to mind, I feel bad for the fans as the gig feels more like prison than paradise.

A bit reminiscent of Woodstock 99' s trapped far away misery factor it was the polar opposite of the feel of Coachella.

It was not people, it was the event. Perhaps learning curve, in-experience, greed, or just plain lack of the infrastructure to support an event of this scale, the brunt of it all was laid upon the fans.

I have seen it before. You could feel the tension of expectations pushed higher and higher with each hoop jumped through. And when the band left the stage, the audience was motionless. For all they had been through, they were far from ready for the show to be over and that's when some of the audience decided it was "clean up time."

"Hey, wow, it is messy around here, perhaps we should clean up?"

"Good idea, maybe there are waste bins on stage, I don't see any over here."

"I bet there is, well, it is far but I think I can make it!"

The mood of mob began to set in. Doing sound all these years, I have been amidst many riots and riot like situations and the I can equate it is to parallel with the feeling of an incoming tornado or being near where lighting is about to strike, and I have experienced both several times. There is a tension, an goose bump energy building and perhaps it snaps or maybe dissipates. On a certain level, I agreed. Crap food, long day, hot, poor facilities and gig in the middle of nowhere. Why? Shit happens I guess, I don't think anyone on the Peppers' end truly knew what we were getting into, misrepresented perhaps, I just don't know but I do know that I was surrounded by a 100,000 humans and radio calls of bottles turning to rocks so I did what any soundman would do, I cranked up the music. Louder and louder, and the outro music went on and on with happy songs as slowly the big beast calms while still focused on the stage where the music originates. Never take music away from an angry audience as the System of the Down riot that claimed the lives of some of our gear and many were hurt. All the while, mentally I was preparing for plan "B" in the event that FOH became the target, which is to dash out of the mix area and start shouting gibberish while throwing bottles at the sound board.

We travel around the world and many people work together to make these shows happen and no matter what, some people are always going to be unhappy and no matter what some people will look at the bright side and still be happy. And between those two extremes lays the mass of general opinion. If this exact performance had occurred by a lake, 10 minutes from town, with facilities and a general environment of life compatibility, the show would have awesome, smooth and all good. And if it had occurred another 60 miles out of town and 10 degrees hotter, we may have had a big mess of broken sound gear and humans to clean up afterwards. It is not the people, it is how we were treated that created the reaction.

Dave Rat

P. S. I have been getting some requests for a higher resolution jpeg of the amsterdam flower so...

http://www.ratsound.com/cblog/uploads/www.ams_flower_hires.jpg

And coming soon will be some JF guitar head pics.

 

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Filip on :

Fans from Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and other neighboring country's were living in high expectation of this event for months. It was the first time RHCP would grace us with their presence and more importantly, their music! The key element that started the riot was that the RHCP concert lasted for much less than an hour and a half. Now I fully understand that it was a "festival" but the only reason i have put on the quotation marks is that this "Green Fest", as it was called, was created to lure the RHCP to Serbia. The crowd wasn't aware of this and therefor did what they did. I do not approve. Also, before the show, and during, I noticed that D. Lee was having problems with John's equipment and so was John during the performance. It kind of pissed him off... Another key factor is this; the boys are tired. They have been touring this record for so long, traveled around the world a couple of times. It is evident that it has taken a toll on the performance that they can give at this moment. Me personally, I enjoyed the show. I went to Serbia four days earlier and camped out with my girlfriend, partied like an animal and had a blast! It was a beautiful experience. I look at the bright side and am happy!

Phil on :

Wild stuff Dave, talk about combat engineering at it's uttermost level! I bet the 2 gigs in 1day of London/ Roskilde was like a walk in the park by comparason. Good luck for the rest of the "tour-ette" ps The flower that so many have requested a high res of is a Passion flower in case you were wondering. We get them all over Europe including my garden in the UK! I think in Italy they are also reffered to as the crown of Jesus or something like that.

Andjelka RHCP4ever on :

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Although some people say that the concert in Serbia was awful, I COMPLITELY DISAGREE!!! IT WAS GREAT!!! I have to say that I'm THE HAPPIEST PERSON EVER!!! I can't describe how did I feel!!! I was there 7 hours before the gates should open at 7 o' clock in the morning! . I was crying of happiness all day!!! All fans said that I'm not normal and that they've NEVER MET such a huge fan!!! 2 hours before gates opening, I was standing in the first row of line full of people standing and waiting for opening the gates. There was so many gates! And some interviewer was there and the people star shouting for me: "INTERVIEW HER!!! SHE'S THE BIGGEST FAN EVER!!! SHE'S SUCH A OBSSESIVE FANATIC THAT IT ISN'T NORMAL!!! SHE REALLY IS THE BIGGEST FAN!!!" And then, she came to me and asked me some questions...I was crying of happiness 'cause I knew that I'll see them. First 6000 visitors should won fan-pit wrist and with it they could go from crowd and come back later. I was in the front row of that line with people who wait, but I was afraid that someone will push me while I'm running and that I maybe won't be in in fan-pit. But, suddenly, that interviewer came to me and gave me wrist for fan-pit!!! I was sooooooo happy!!! I was standing for 10 hours, I had headache, I was thirsty, my foot were killing me, that day was awfully hot...But, I was the haiest person ever!!! When the gates were opened, I was running the fastest I can, and I DID IT-I WAS IN A FRONT ROW!!! I couldn't believe!!! I was crying of happiness!!! I was standing there for 6 hours!!! Everybody around me, even people who were 4 or 5 meters from me asked me if I'm OK all the time, because they thought that I'll die of happiness!!! Even security asked me if I'm OK all the time. Finally, after 10 ours of standing, John came on the stage!!! I could die in that moment!!! I can't describe that feeling!!! You can't even imagine!!! My heart was palpitate and I was crying, but not crying a little, you know, just tears, I was yelling of happiness!!! I was twinging my hair!!! I was shouting soooooo loud!!! I thought I will die. My sister was worried for me!!! And then, I saw Flea and Chad!!! The same!!! I was crying and yelling so loud, all people thought that I'm crazy!!! They were jamming and they started to play "Can't stop"!!! My body was shaking, I couldn't believe!!! An then...THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, MY FUTURE HUSBAND, came to the stage!!! I was yelling sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo loud!!! My face was in the tears and it was sooooo red!!! All the time, I was crying and jumping like I'm crazy!!! I can't describe you that feeling... My GODS, the people I would REALLY give my life for, were standing in front of me!!! They were jumping so high!!! Anthony was jumping all over the stage!!! John an Flea, also... I couldn't believe!!! I didn't stop crying!!! It was AMAZING!!! They were AMAZING!!! I was sending them kisses and waved all the time!!! At one moment, I was waving them and Anth, my sweet, beautiful, wonderful baby, looked at me. I think he waved to me, too!!! I'm not so sure, but he was doing something like that with his hand and he LOOKED AT ME, I think!!! I was dieing of happiness!!! My mum said that she thinks that he really waved to me, but my jealous sister said that he wasn't! I would like to believe that he really waved to me!!! Between the songs, I was yelling that I love them!!! I was yelling their names, also!!! And then, suddenly, they greeted us and said that they have to go!!! I was so suprised!!! The whole concert seemed to me like it was only 2 minutes, 'cause I was having such a great time!!! And they went!!! We were yelling: "WE WANT MORE!!!" and then they came back with "Give it away"!!! And I told to myself: "Andjelka, look at them, maybe you're seeing them at the concert live for the last time!!!" And then, I was STARING at them and jumping so high!!! I was singing EVERY SONG so loud and my voice thicken and now I can't talk, almost at all. And after "Give it away", they went!!! I was crying!!! I was so sad because it was over!!! And then, MY STUPID SERBS started to shoot team on the stage with plastic botles(but Anthony, John, Flea and Chad weren't there), 'cause they wanted more!!! They said that the concert were short, but IT WASN'T!!! It started an hour later because of organisation, the Peppers AREN'T GUILTY!!! They were great!!! And if they started to play as they should, the concert would be longer. But, ORGANISATION is guilty, not RHCP!!! And i was sitting at the ground and crying. One woman asked me why I'm crying and I said: "Because THESE people are bad, they are shooting the Peppers' team!!! I hate these people!!! The RHCP will think that we hate them, because of some stupid people!!! They'll NEVER come again!!! They'll think that they don't have fans here anymore!!!" But, it was festival, they even didn't have to play more than that, they could play even shorter!!! But, these stupid people didn't understand it!!! But, I would like to forget about bad things happend after concert, because, except that, that night was THE BEST NIGHT EVER!!! I would die to see them again!!! I would like to be there again, at least for a minute! Even my parents are dithyrmbic with RHCP!!! They say that they've never heard something better than that live!!! I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE FOR RHCP, REALLY!!!! It's not just a phrase, I would really do it!!! If someone tell me: "Give your life or someone from RHCP will have headache", I would give my life. Call me crazy if you want, but I'm serious! I would really die for them!!! If ANY o them read this, PLEASE know that I hate my people because of this!!! I can die for you, RHCP!!! You were MORE than AMAZING!!! Please, don't listen to the bad comments, PLEASE!!! And PLEASE know that I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE FOR YOU, REALLY!!! Please know that I will ALWAYS adore you!!! Please, come again next year, don't be mad for those stupid people who think that the concert wasn't good. You KNOW how many people were there and ONLY STUPID people shooted your team with botles!!! And those bad comments you read on the Internet...That's only a few people. And even if it's a 1000 of them, that's NOTHING comparing to us who adores you!!! You read my story, you know how people think that I'm not normal for being SOOOOOOOO OBSSESED, it isn't bad!!! If someone said to me: "Give your life or someone from RHCP will have a hedache", I would give my life!!! I'm serious!!! REALLY!!! Maybe you'll also think that I'm crazy, but...I AM CRAZY FOR YOU!!! I ADORE YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!! ;) ;) ;)

Andjelka RHCP4ever on :

Sorry, I was joking when I said that Anth is my future husband! ;-) I really think that he's PURE PERFECTION, but I'm normal enough to know that he would never be with me, because I'm 15! I like Heather soooooooo much and especially now when she's pregnant! They look so cute together and I'm so happy for them! Anth will be a great dad!!! Congrats!!! ;-)

Mirko on :

Just want to tell :"PEPPERS, COME AGAIN NEXT YEAR, there is still 100.000 fans who loves you, and who will come to your concerte in Serbia.... IT'S SURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Filip on :

Girl, you need serious therapy!

Iva on :

As I have said, I gained much much more respect for you after having read this. I will take the liberty to translate it, for people who are not good enough with English, perhaps even talk to some papers about that side of the story, to shut up those who always think the world is against us. Those hot dogs were good, actually. Fiona brought me one and I liked it. I'm usually very picky, but they were OK. Dave, next time you guys come here, there's Ušće Park on the confluence of two rivers in Belgrade (you probably saw the confluence, as you have photos from the Kalemegdan castle). And there are some other companies that could organise it and, I dare to say, do it better. I might be fired from work for saying this because the company I work for is affiliated with EXIT, but I don't care, they don't treat performers like performers and people like people. P.S. When you guys come here again (I am not saying IF, I am saying WHEN...notice the optimism?) ,I'll hire bodyguards to save you and the band from the little girl who posted two people before me. In fact, even though I really don't have many connections, I'll do ANYTHING to get the popemobile from Vatican for Anthony. By the look of things, with all the 12-15 year-olds wanting him, he might as well use one! :p

Dave Rat on :

Thank you Iva and no bodyguards needed. The enthusiam is playfull and all good.

Iva on :

You don't moderate a forum they're on next to two full time jobs, so don't say it twice ;) Caution is always needed :p And you're welcome, as always.

Andjelka RHCP4ever on :

Dave, you answered to Iva?! OMG!!! She's so lucky!!! Iva, why do you telling them such a bad things about me? :( I'm dissapointed in you a little bit. You know how much I ADORE RHCP!!! They wouldn't need bodyguards. I wouldn't do ANYTHING bad to them!!! I would rather die then do something bad to them!!! And, Mr. Rat, PLEASE, but PLEASE, tell them about me!!! Now, I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooo depressed... :( :( :( I'll probably never see them again...:( :( :( I could die of sadness... I was there, in a front row, they were sooooo close to me, and now they are so far from me... I watch videos and pics from concert and I'm soooo sad...I wanna go back...:( :( :( They'll never come again... :( :( :( I'll never see them... :( :( :( I'll die...It's so hard when you're obsessed with someone as I am with RHCP... :( :( :( I'll die of sadness, I can't take it anymore... :( :( :( They'll never even know that I exist and how much I adore them!!! Maybe I am crazy, but I would really give my life for them, serious... They'll never know that...And my obsession will kill me... I can't take it anymore!!!:( :( :( I am crazy...:( :( :( When I say that I'd die for them, I'm complitely serious!!! I really WOULD give my life for them!!! I can't take it anymore...I'm gonna die... :( :( :( I watch clips from Serbia and I'm soooooooo sad... That night was the best night in my life, EVER!!! And I'll never see them again... :( :( :( They'll never know that I exist... All my day I'm thinking about them... I'm about 20 hours in front of my computer, on all sites about them and when I sleep I'm dreaming about them... EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!!! EVERY!!! I'll die... While I'm writin this, I cry... :( :( :( I can't take it anymore... I'm sure that I'll die if I don't see them again and meet them... Call e crazy if you want, because I really am crazy for them... And toooooooooooo obssesed... :( :( :( But, I can't change it... I would give my life for them, seriously... Everyone call me crazy for it, but I'm serious... RHCP will never know about me...NEVER!!! They're my life, my Gods... Every single moment of my life is about them... I'm thinking of them 24 hours per day, even in my dreams... I'm really afraid that I'll die if I don't see them again and meet them... I can't take it anymore... My obssesion is killing me...And I watch some videos, like MTV fanatic with some guy saying he's the biggest RHCP fan ever and his reaction wasn't even so great when he met them. He wasn't so excited. And Flea said that he couldn't believe that someone loves them so much. But I would do EVERYTHING for them! But really EVERYTHING!!! Even die! Please tell them about me!!! PLEASE!!! Remember, I'm Andjelka from Serbia and I'm 15. PLEASE!!! It would be my only chance to getting them know about me, because I'll probably never see tham again... Please, don't forget me... PLEASE!!! Thanks for reading this... I know that I'm boring and that you are bored after reading this depressive part of post, but understand me... I'm sooo depressed... I would like to be optimistic, but I can't! Please, understand me... Don't think that I'm a fool... If you don't reply to this, I'll be so sad... You're my only chance... I would be the happiest person EVER if they know about me... Please answer, PLEASE!!! I'm so jealous of the fans who meet them...I mean, I'm happy for them, but I'm jealous at the same time! Please, let them know about me! nce again, I'm Andjelka, I'm from Serbia and I'm 15. Thank you sooooooooooooo much, you're my only chance. Please, tell them to come again!!! Thank you soooooooo much!!! :-) :-) :-)

Andjelka RHCP4ever on :

Sorry, i know that you'll think that I'm complitely freak... But, sorry I couldn't control myself... I just love them too much... OK, I'll be more optimistic... I couldn't sleep all niht, I was thinking of this and waiting for your reply... Thank you! ;-)

Andjelka *RHCP 4ever* on :

It's July26th already in Serbia. A month ago I was the happiest person ever! Thank you so much for coming here! It was so nice of you! And now you're probably thinking that I'm a fool, because of my 2nd post. Sorry, I just couldn't control myself. I just ADORE RHCP too much! I come to this blog EVERY DAY hoping that you'll answer, but you didn't answer yet. Please, don't think that I blame you! I complitelly understand that you're busy! ;-) But, I hope you'll find the time to answer me, because that's my dream... I can't sleep because I'm thinking of this... Please, sorry if my English isn't perfect, but don't blame me, I'm only 15. ;-) I hope you'll answer soon. Thank you soooo much! ;-)

Filip on :

I'm just sorry that such a busy man as Dave Ratt has to go through such demented crap...

Andjelka *RHCP 4ever* on :

I'm still hoping that you'll find time to reply to me. ;-) Thanks soooooooo much. ;-)

Filip on :

I'm just sorry that such a busy man as Dave Ratt has to go through such demented crap!

Andjelka *RHCP 4ever* on :

I'm still hoping that you'll find time to reply to me. ;-) Sorry, I know that I'm boring, but please, try to understand me. ;-) Thank you soooooooo much. ;)

Andjelka *RHCP 4ever* on :

Two months ago, at June 26th, I was the happiest person ever...

Andjelka *RHCP 4ever8 on :

In Serbia, it's already September 26th... Three months ago... I saw my Gods live...

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