This photo has been shared so much I have forgotten where I got it from.

A music venue in Wakefield, The Snooty Fox, has caused an online sensation with the above notice. Actually the rule has been in place for twelve years but has only just been photographed and shared on social media which by today's Facebook posting, tweeting, Instagramming standards is a pretty good run. I have written about this before mainly based on watching it happen at Notts In A Nutshell at The Maze in which the headline act has played to far fewer people than the opener. This is the audience being rude to the other acts but the artist should take responsibility for it and try and ask their share of the audience to stay for the whole night. If someone fucks off early from one of my gigs without good reason then their share of the door money goes to the rest of the acts. The above notice should be on display at all music venues especially locally focussed unsigned nights, although the venue could help by having a discreet scope around to see who has brought the most people and putting them on last. A reverse problem exists at higher rung of the ladder venues such as Rock City where a bigger name artist will have a support band playing before people turn up, or if they have turned up they are using the time to wait at the bar or stay outside smoking. Could venues have a cut off time to let people in so that they don't miss the support act? Glee, the comedy club, closes the bar during the performance to eliminate interruption caused by people trotting up and down to get a round in. 

I have slowed down on attending gigs just lately as I am growing annoyed at the music scene and its attitude to the performers. Obviously as a champion of the local music scene I am duty bound to stay away from gigs and pontificate from my armchair like the others do, but if certain rules came into action then I would be happy to be out every night of the week. The Snooty Fox's policy is a good one and bands should remember that being a support act means being a supportive act and walking in front of the stage carrying equipment outside is just bad manners, how would the opening acts feel when they climb the bill and have to watch their opener do the same thing? 

The Sunday Alternative Podcast #61 is available from here.

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