Pat Metheny Heckled

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-31-2023, 10:02 AM

... by someone with front row seats?!

Pat Metheny Reportedly Heckled at Recent Show, Had to Stop Mid-Song: 'This Is a First' | Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

**mr. beaumont** · 10-31-2023, 10:27 AM

We've pretty much reached the bottom, haven't we?

We'll make great pets. Well, some of us.

**RobbieAG** · 10-31-2023, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

We've pretty much reached the bottom, haven't we?

Every time I think that, I have to rethink it when another new low is reached.

**alltunes** · 10-31-2023, 11:27 AM

I saw Pat's solo show last month. It was so quiet that a sneeze or a cough would have seamed jarring. I can't even imagine the venue letting this go on as long as it did. I suppose had the audience chimed in it only would have made it worse.

**Jimmy blue note** · 10-31-2023, 11:44 AM

I love Pat. I stopped going to his live concerts decades ago because I had come to see the rock star audiences he attracts was so often at odds with the nuance I loved in his playing. I guess there's no way around it and it's certainly an expression of love for the energy, but yeah, I'm not at all surprised that he's got a crowd that includes demands for their own narrow idea of what they paid for.
You go to a Stones concert you get a "show" of things everyone has known for half a century. Go to jazz, you get an adventure in listening.
Pat's got the wider audience, enough to be a Grammy shoo in for years and years.
A sign of the times that he's got a boisterous, oriface paying top dollar to make his demands from the front row. Sad but not surprising. Concert hall is not your living room but tell that to the average concert goer.

**nyc chaz** · 10-31-2023, 11:55 AM

Unfortunately being loud and abrasive is becoming the new normal in our society.Listen to any sports or political radio and everyone is just nasty and loud.I used to listen to the ESPN Michael Kaye show here in NY.They used to be a good listen but now all the three hosts do is scream and be nasty to one another.An older gentleman called the show and said he did not like all the nastiness and Kaye told him this is what people want today.Sad!

**Jimmy blue note** · 10-31-2023, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by nyc chaz

Unfortunately being loud and abrasive is becoming the new normal in our society.Listen to any sports or political radio and everyone is just nasty and loud.I used to listen to the ESPN Michael Kaye show here in NY.They used to be a good listen but now all the three hosts do is scream and be nasty to one another.An older gentleman called the show and said he did not like all the nastiness and Kaye told him this is what people want today.Sad!

What's the world coming to when you can't even get through a show of ...Beetlejuice?

**jameslovestal** · 10-31-2023, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by nyc chaz

Unfortunately being loud and abrasive is becoming the new normal in our society.Listen to any sports or political radio and everyone is just nasty and loud.I used to listen to the ESPN Michael Kaye show here in NY.They used to be a good listen but now all the three hosts do is scream and be nasty to one another.An older gentleman called the show and said he did not like all the nastiness and Kaye told him this is what people want today.Sad!

Why do you assume this is a new norm? Have you seen American movies from the 30s - 50s? There are scenes of audience members being loud and abrasive to acts (musicians, singers, stand-up comedians, ventriloquist etc...).

**nyc chaz** · 10-31-2023, 12:14 PM

I don't think i'm assuming anything,i see and here it all the time.If you don't then you are very lucky.

**mr. beaumont** · 10-31-2023, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by jameslovestal

Why do you assume this is a new norm? Have you seen American movies from the 30s - 50s? There are scenes of audience members being loud and abrasive to acts (musicians, singers, stand-up comedians, ventriloquist etc...).

Assholism is nothing new, but it's certainly wider spread. The pandemic really...well...brought it's own pandemic of self-entitled jerks who forgot (or ignored) how to act like a decent human.

**wintermoon** · 10-31-2023, 12:50 PM

The problem is because people pay $ to attend an event [concert, sporting event, etc] they think that entitles them to act however they please.
I've been lucky in that the only real abuse I've had is when someone yells out "play Freebird!" at one of our gigs

**ruger9** · 10-31-2023, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Assholism is nothing new, but it's certainly wider spread. .

Apparently...
"...Methany was clearly taken aback" but that he did try to politely address this by saying that coughing in the audience was "audible on stage", further asking "that people try to time their coughs to coincide with musically appropriate moments."

I'll err on Pat's side and hope that this was a joke. The article says it was supposedly a "wry metaphor"....

**Stringswinger** · 10-31-2023, 01:13 PM

Back in the 1970's, I went to a large Return to Forever concert in NYC. The first set was a loud, fusion set that got lots of applause and whistles, much as you would hear at a rock concert. At the beginning of the second set, Chick Corea asked the audience to think of the venue as a giant Village Vanguard and then Chick introduced Joe Farrell. They started playing a decidedly more straight ahead tune and the audience wasn't having it. The heckling caused Farrell to walk off the stage and Chick and company proceeded to play some very loud and boring stuff. They were punishing the audience for the rudeness. The problem with Jazz-Fusion is that it does bring rock fans to the shows. And those fans can be rude and poorly behaved.

If you play to the lowest common denominator, at some point you will hit bottom. I am sorry that Pat experienced this. While his playing is not my cup of tea, I recognize him to be one of the finest jazz guitarists of all time.

**jazzshrink** · 10-31-2023, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by jameslovestal

Why do you assume this is a new norm? Have you seen American movies from the 30s - 50s? There are scenes of audience members being loud and abrasive to acts (musicians, singers, stand-up comedians, ventriloquist etc...).

I hope you realize that these movies are works of fiction, not documentary evidence of social behavior or norms. Reminds me of Megyn Kelly asserting that Santa Claus is white.

**Doug B** · 10-31-2023, 01:32 PM

Perhaps his behaviour was drug or alcohol fueled? Not that that's any excuse, of course...

**deacon Mark** · 10-31-2023, 02:16 PM

Pat is a baby boomer like me. I cannot speak for Pat but for myself I am finding my way of life and what I like to do goes pretty counter to those born after about 1998 and even 5 years before that. Respect is just something in a musical setting that should be extended not matter what. If things get bad and you don't like the concert, then leave but just reading this has me think Pat was a bit surprised.

Gigging a playing at his age is nothing easy with touring and getting ready. I don't why some of the players keep it up as Pat I assume has plenty of money or at least comfortable. Politics and the actions in the political world have spilled over to all things in public places.

**jameslovestal** · 10-31-2023, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by jazzshrink

I hope you realize that these movies are works of fiction, not documentary evidence of social behavior or norms. Reminds me of Megyn Kelly asserting that Santa Claus is white.

My understanding is that those movies did reflect how some drunk a-holes acted at the time. So, I still question if there are more drunk a-holes today, practicing poor social behavior then back-in-the-day. I also experienced a lot of that behavior going to shows in the 70s - 90s. BUT, not at jazz shows.

**Litterick** · 10-31-2023, 03:37 PM

Credit where it is due: the "Facebook user named Greg Varga" cited in the Ultimate Guitar piece is George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune music . Here is his account.

**Doctor Jeff** · 10-31-2023, 03:51 PM

Late breaking report: "The heckler has now been identified as a Mr. Kenneth Gorelick, of Malibu."

Could be true. Not that far from San Diego?!?

**paco** · 10-31-2023, 04:22 PM

I saw the original Pat Metheny Group (quartet with Lyle, Danny Gottlieb, and Mark Egan) back in 1977 in the Stars nightclub in Philly.

The audience there was talking throughout the first half of the show until Pat stopped the music and told everyone to, "shut the hell up. People paid good money to be here. If you want to talk go outside."

After a round of applause, he then apologized for his "Keith Jarrett moment."

**osloutah** · 10-31-2023, 05:02 PM

I’m just ripping this off from one of the comments in the OP’s link: ”You don’t cross Kenny G without there being a reckoning.” You might expect something crazy at the ballet, but what kind of knuckle dragger wants to interrupt Metheny?

**ragman1** · 10-31-2023, 05:54 PM

There's always one. Probably drunk at the wrong gig. They, maybe even Metheny, let it go on too long. Certainly security was lax. If there's an incident you deal with it quick and live happily ever after. I'm surprised the rest of the audience weren't a bit more proactive.