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Blog: Talking At Gigs: The Pub Quiz Paradigm
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And it has always been a KNOTTY ISSUE. Some people seem to want gigs to occur in UTTER SILENCE, with the audience RAPT, looking up adoringly at the performers, hanging on their every word. Others would suggest that music occurs in a social setting and should be PART of that setting, enjoyed by everyone in their own way. From the point of view of someone on stage it would be NICE if everyone DID listen to you, but also you know you have to WORK for their attention, and actually the interaction can improve things. Meanwhile, if you're in the audience, you want the freedom to talk to YOUR friends if you'd like to, especially if the performance is a bit dull, but also want to be able to HEAR the music that you've come on purpose to listen to, without someone else ruining it for you.
What to do? How to GAUGE one's reaction? FEAR NOT EVERYBODY, for LO! I have completely solved the issue with one simple THORT, and it goes like THIS:
Would this behaviour be acceptable at a Pub Quiz?
Case Study One: Group Of People Loudly Talking Right At The Front, Only Engaging With The Performance By Applauding And Whooping Loudly At The End Of Every Song
Would this behaviour be acceptable at a Pub Quiz?
Clearly not. Everyone else has gathered to take part in the quiz, and these people are stopping them from hearing the questions. They clearly know this from their other actions and are taking delight in spoiling it for others. There are other rooms in the pub they can sit in for their social occasion, and indeed other pubs, and so should be asked politely if they could go and sit there instead please.
Case Study Two: Two Friends Having A Quiet Chat At The Bar, Blotting Out The Performer
Would this behaviour be acceptable at a Pub Quiz?
Pretty much, yes - if they become too boisterous then we move into similar territory to Case Study One but, really, it IS a pub where people have come to socialise and in this day and age we DO have PA systems which should make you loud enough to be heard over them. If they are too distracting for everyone then the fault may be with the Quiz Master having uninteresting questions or poor microphone technique.
Case Study Three: Making 'Amusing' Remarks After Every Song
Would this behaviour be acceptable at a Pub Quiz?
Yes - indeed it is all part of the fun of a live performance - after all, if you want to answer quiz questions alone with no interaction there's always the Deal Or No Deal machine in the corner (NB or "IPod", metaphorically speaking). If someone does this after EVERY question then one would expect their friends to tell them to pack it in, or at least distract them with CRISPS. If you're the sort of person who LOVES the attention gained by doing this, maybe you should think about spending some time practicing and then starting your OWN Pub Quiz?
Case Study Four: Joining In With Everything
Would this behaviour be acceptable at a Pub Quiz?
YES! Again, if you want to do a quiz in ABSOLUTE SILENCE, get a Quiz Book. If someone is joining in with EVERY answer, loudly, so you can't hear it then yes, that's annoying, but they ARE enjoying the same thing you're there for, they're just KEEN. Try moving to a different table.
Case Study Five: The Whole Event Is Incredibly Boring And Goes On Forever And, When You Mention This Quietly To A Friend, Everyone GLARES At You
Would this behaviour be acceptable at a Pub Quiz?
No, but alas it does happen - you might have been hoping for a fun, jolly night out, but everyone else is obviously being FAR TOO SERIOUS about it all. They probably have rubbish Team Names like "Dave And Ken And Margaret" and FROWN upon the mild LEWDNESS in the name you have chosen. There may be things going on you don't know about - perhaps it is a long running event, maybe something is at stake, or maybe the Quiz Master has earnt everyone's respect in another way. Whatever it is, it is clear that there is no GOOD TIMES to be had for you, so rather than complain about it or Get Arsey (and risk turning into one of Those Kind Of People who've annoyed YOU at other quizes) I always find it is best to cut your losses and clear off. After all, there will be other, better, quizes in the near future and better places to have a pint in.
So there you go, The Pub Quiz Paradigm. I think that answers ALL questions to do with the issue, which, if adopted worldwide, will stop anybody else in the future having to bellow "WILL YOU JUST SHUT THE FCUK UP!" at an audience member and then feel TERRIBLE about it all the next day...
posted 7/1/2011 by MJ Hibbett
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