FUCK the House of Blues

Discussion
23

Okay. I could only be bothered watching 2 minutes in.

But from what I could discern…

the women were behaving pretty fucking antagonistically.

BUT… that should not excuse hitting a woman by any means. Part of working in security is demonstrating restraint, and using outright violence purely as a last resort. There’s two sides to this coin, but given the security had a duty of care and responsibility not to engage violently unless utterly necesarry… the culpability rests with them.

Having worked (very briefly, for a dodgy organisation, mind you…) in security, all too often were there mugs trying to antagonise or talk tough any of us guys just doing our jobs. Most of the time it was petty shit, and we had to take it like water from a duck’s back. Occasionally, however, it did escalate, purely by the antagonist’s hand, and we had to resort to it.

These women were CLEARLY antagonistic. In the early stages of the film, the woman who ends up restrained directly goes to attack the security guard and ends up second best. But the measures he enacted to resist this were excessive and irresponsble. However, he had every right to restrain her, with an attack that direct against him.

Sometimes, as a patron, you’re better off ameliorating the situation by just pulling your head in and getting over your own ego and letting dickhead security guards have their power trip. We can’t be sure what exactly precipitated the incident… who knows, the ‘taking a picture’ claim could well be valid… or, it could be a mitigated version of events. Either way, the reason it all blew up is because neither party exercised restraint.

However, given the security guard is legally and contractually bound to demonstrate said restraint in his duty of care to the patrons, he really should be hauled out on his arse for this one. And one suspects, that given his lack of regard for the general conventions associate with such an industry, he couldn’t have been there on a contractual basis; more likely employed on a cash in hand basis by a company desperate to maintain its contract with the venue… which is what I was once part of. And let me tell you, some of the fuckwits I was working with simply should never have been allowed anywhere near a bouncer’s tag.

I’m preparing for a massive flame here… hear me out, and dig that I’m basically on the ‘victims’ side.

24

Ok, ok, so the girls were probaly being the nicest of ladies, and yes it was appropriate for security to respond, but obviously they overreacted, BIG TIME!

This isn’t entirely about this incident in PARTICULAR but the state of securtity and other operations at the house of blues in GENERAL.

Both Catgoat and I report horrible experiences at this venue, as well as many others (check yelp.com if you are inclined).

It is just a shitty, hostile environment and I am basically using this latest incident to back up my original thesis. And this latest incident is the 2nd in a very short while according to the article!:

“This is not the first time the House of Blues’ security staff has been accused of roughing up a female patron. In a lawsuit filed five days ago, plaintiff Kristen Chopp accused a HoB security officer for detaining her and battering her face and body.”

I had such a bad experience that I wish I could find out how to contact these victims in order to give my statement to police or their lawyers. I think I’ll scan the Chicago Tribune tomorrrow and see if I can find the story and then write a letter to the reporter, and maybe others will come forward with similar experiences.

If we could just find a way to fuck Stick-It-Master and House of Lame White Motherfuckers, the concertgoing world would be so much better for the world!!!

25

I’m not flaming you Dildo, but I would point out that those dudes were on the sidewalk and had no jurisdiction what-so-ever. So along with assault I think those jackasses need to have stealing added to their charge since they had no authority to take her camera.

I didn’t see any girl “attack” one of those bouncers. Looked to me like she was grabbing for her camera.

If I was there as an on looker, like those dudes on the bikes in the back ground, I’d like to think that I woulda gotten involved and put my boot in that fucker’s face while he was holding that girl down in the gutter. But I probably wouldn’tve. I’m a big pussy! I’m sure I woulda ran my mouth a whole lot though! I’m good at that!

I’ve been security for two venues. The Santa Barbara Bowl, and for an actual contracted agency that goes where ever they are assigned. And the closest I’ve ever run into trouble was when Method Man (WU TANG CLAN) banged his shoulder into me as he was hopping down off of stage to get up close and personal with the fans. It was a totally intentional bump (One of those “What the fuck you gonna do about it?” bumps)and I’m assuming it was because I was pretty much the only White security guard there and I let it slide because he was famous, and he damn near knocked me on my ass, that BEEFY motherfucker! METHOD MAN AIN’T NUTTIN’ TO FUCK WIT’.

Other than that, I was always the cool security guard, giving bottled water to those in the front row being squished, getting dirty looks from other security guards for doing so [rolleyes] (not actually giving them whole bottles but sharing the love by pouring water into upturned waiting mouths!)
Thankfully, there has been no trouble at any of the venues I’ve been attending or working.

Although some jack ass tried to Literally toss me out of my spot in the front row at a “Rise Against” show. He looked like somebodies dad all tall and thin and curly balding (really bad) hair he looked about mid to late 40’s! He finally put me back on the ground when the security stopped flirting with the under aged girl next to me and told him to stop!

I don’t know how that guy picked me up cause I swung on him 3 or 4 times and hit air every single time. I managed to get his shirt over his head like I was in hockey fight but every time I swung he somehow backed up and I missed! I couldn’t kick cause he had one of my legs and the other one was keeping me standing. Wasn’t about to go down on the floor at a concert!
Late,
grmpysmrf

26

I’m not flaming you Dildo, but I would point out that those dudes were on the sidewalk and had no jurisdiction what-so-ever. So along with assault I think those jackasses need to have stealing added to their charge since they had no authority to take her camera.

Totally with ya there, I didn’t note they were outside the premises. They definitely should get fucked up for this.

Insomuch as they had no authority to take the camera… I can sort of see how it could’ve been used to bait them. And yeah, they definitely have to show restraint, as I said, and rise above that shit. But if I had a dollar for the amount of times I was baited…

it’s frustrating, and sometimes you really want to snap. To be totally honest, when we did have someone legitimately start a fight who had to be restrained, I’d just take my temper from the previous incident out on them and go a little harsher than usual.

Those stories of yours were pretty cool. I just did shitty pubs and ‘nightclubs’ in country towns and our city. Shit work, only did it for a few weeks until the dodgy cunt of a manager skipped the country because he had that many cunts after him for money (including me… but I couldn’t be fucked chasing him). It was such a dodgy operation… basically, anyone who wanted to got a job. That included me, 20 years old, just under 6 ft, and only 75kg. Right-ee-o. But, it’s amazing how people defer to you on sight of that security number tag and shirt. And it’s not like I ever acted like an arsehole, I just minded my business and made sure people were not too sloshed and having a good time. Some people, on the other hand… [mad]

27

what band was this a show for?