The Smiley Smile Message Board

I have tickets to see these guys on Tuesday night, but I'm scared I won't be able to make it on time. The doors open at 6:30 and the show is scheduled to start at 7:30 - how close to the predicted start date has the band been on the previous shows?

In Cincinnati they started around 7:40-7:45

Yah 15-20 minutes after schedule for my show

5 minutes late in Atlantic City and about 10-15 last night in Camden.

Exactly on time in Pittsburgh, and *early* at Merriweather Post Pavillion.

Be in your seat a few minutes EARLY.  In Dallas, the downbeat of Do It Again was at 7:59 pm for an 8 pm show!

5 minutes in Bethlehem.

 I've never understood why patrons can't get to their seats ahead of time.  Do they ever stop to think how disrupting it is climbing over people after the show starts?  A few years ago at a Brian Wilson show, four people with front row seats came walking in during the last song of the first set.  They missed almost half of the show.

At the Hollywood Bowl, I believe I got there at 8:05 (the ticket said 8), and I missed most of "Do It Again". So there you go.

Traffic was a BITCH for the Woodlands show. Made it at 7:45 for the 8:00 show...which started at 8:17.

A Tom Petty show I saw was the worst audience I saw as far as rudeness goes. Soft drugs are a part of a lot of shows, but some people were so messed up they just wandered around like they were lost. I mean half the people weren't listening at all and it ruined the show for those of us trying to enjoy Petty's fine performance. It was just sad and I'm hardly a prude about such things. I mean if you're gonna get that  drunk or stoned stay in your basement and listen to an album. I mean maybe Petty's used to it, but I would hate to be performing and have people wandering around not paying any attention. It really spoiled the show.

While the above case does seem extreme.....some of us have commitments such as work. And sometimes traffic is a huge influence.

As a f'rinstance. I saw Jeff Dunham a few weeks ago at the same venue the Beach Boys are playing in London. It was a Friday evening (like the BBs). Now...I actually work a stone's throw away from Wembley but because I was attending the Dunham show with my wife and some friends and because I wanted to drop off my work bag I went home first. I finish work at 4 so no problem.

I met with my friends at 5:45 for an 8pm show (I think). It should take an hour to drive from home to Wembley. We all went in the same car and  ended up getting to within two miles of Wembley Arena by around 6:30....and took until 8pm to travel the final two miles. Lucky Jeff started 20 minutes late and we were in our seats having emptied our bladders before anything happened. But what seemed like an easy schedule turned out to be quite tight.

Now I am not privy to our friend's situation but maybe he's working until 6, the venue is perhaps a 90 minute drive away and he can't get out of work early?

This is exactly the situation I am working with!

Thanks for all the replies. It looks like I'm probably going to miss the beginning of the show, which is a drag, but at least their performances are pretty long and most of my favourite tunes are showing up later in the set lists.

Worst/best 'late to a gig' story I have is going to see Randy Newman earlier this year, where I left the house in perfect time to go catch the tube to the venue. Enough time for a drink beforehand, chill out, wait for the show, etc.

We were stuck in a tunnel for 20 minutes. Upon finally reaching the stop, I sprinted out of the tube, up to the venue, up several flights of stairs to my balcony seats, got in, and as I sat down.... the house lights faded. Perfect, were I not utterly shattered throughout the first ten minutes of the set  :lol

i know exactly what traffic you are talking about.  that SUCKED.