Nightfall Is Great, But Get A Rein On The Kids And Balloons - And Response

Saturday, September 13, 2008

First, let me say that Carla Pritchard has done an outstanding job with the Nightfall Series. She brings in a much diversified style of music to our fine town. Her selection of music across all genres is certainly to appeal to anyone who likes live music. I have thanked her numerous times personally, in blogs, and other press.

This is a great asset to Chattanooga and has been going on for 20 years. I brag about it in all the cities we go to for other live music events. I am proud of the series and what Carla has done with it. We only miss a few a year for travels to other music events.

On another note, one thing that has been going on regularly during the series this year is the presence of children on the stage. While they are sitting down it is not as bad. But who can keep a child sitting? But then when the whole front of the stage is lined with them and they are holding balloons, it becomes a real nuisance and significantly takes away from the live music experience.

Last week, Carey Hudson from Blue Mountain had to pause between songs to ask the children to sit down and stop dancing on the stage. My suggestion is that the children stay with their parents or guardians whether they are sitting or standing and that nobody from the audience be allowed to sit or stand on the stage.

Furthermore, the balloons should be kept out of the main stage and sitting areas. I have had to personally ask people to put them down in the past because they were holding three or four directly in front of the stage and blocking the view of the performers.

These are just my thoughts. Again, Nightfall is wonderful; and we expect to continue to support and promote it.

Steve Gibbon
Chattanooga
steve@getouttolivemusic.com

* * *

I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Gibbon. The unruly actions of obviously undisciplined children sitting and dancing on stage as well as having to navigate a sea of balloons is exactly the reason my family and I no longer attend Nightfall.

If I want a face full of balloons and kids running amuck like monkeys in a doughnut shop I'll go to Chuck E Cheese's, thank you.

Theresa Carter
Aint_right62@yahoo.com


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