Overheard At The Convention

Every now and then I like to post an overheard article that highlights some of the more dramatic/amusing/bewildering statements heard at events that cross my path. Typically, conventions are fertile fodder for such efforts but since I wasn’t officially attending the League’s Chicago event last week, I have to rely on colleagues to convey some of the more intriguing statements…

At the same time, it really isn’t fair to publish something as overheard when it comes from a second hand source so I’ll have to do a better job in the future of harvesting comments first hand. Nonetheless, what struck me this year were the number of instances colleagues noticed other professionals saying something in a session that he/she would likely never say in front of his/her respective board members, musicians, or patrons (or worse, the press!).

I’m not a big fan of universal statements but it seems that the economy has some managers adopting sweeping statements, especially regarding issues of future expenditures. Granted, the economy has been a tough burden to bear for many throughout the business but spouting off vitriolic, far-reaching rhetoric in front of dozens of other professions is not a healthy way to vent. All things being equal, I imagine some management/musician relations will suffer some serious dents if even a portion of what I was told was accurate.

Ultimately, when you’re feeling stressed and beaten down and everyone around you is unleashing verbal rants, resist the urge to get caught up in the moment. The weeds of self pity take root easily in the best of professionals if planted in ideal conditions so be mindful of your surroundings and pluck those weeds out before they take hold.