Saving Abel @ The Palomino Club

This was my first show of the New Year I was working hard to get Saving Abel to Spokane. I knew they were touring through our area but I had not heard of any promoter or venue that had confirmed a show for them in town? I was a little confused as to why? So I took it upon myself to contact the bands agent and management in hopes to get something going? I had caught Saving Abel's show in the summer of 2014 and I was blown away, it was time to bring them back to Spokane.

I was in negotiations with their agent and in the meantime looking for a venue to hold the concert at. I had the venue all lined up and an offer was on the table, I was just waiting on a reply. It had been several days and I had still not heard back if they were going to accept my offer? Finally I was contacted and the agent had turned down the offer. I was in the process of offering a counter offer in hopes to get this show set but little did I know there was something else in the works.

In those 2 days I was waiting on a reply on my offer the bands management was busy contacting other venues and promoters in town looking for someone who might give them a better offer. They had already found someone else when they finally replied back. The funny thing about this was I set this whole thing in motion, I'm pretty sure they were just going to by pass Spokane and continue to their next city until I got the wheels rolling? Anyway this was the start of my problems with promoting shows this year. I contemplated for a long time if I was even going to do a write up on this show because of the mixed feelings I had about the way things went down?

I will admit I was steaming when I saw the show announced later that day from a competitor, all my efforts had gone unnoticed again? It had only been a few hours since the agent had turned down my offer when I saw the concert announcement come across my social media page. So imagine my confusion? I was just working on this show and in my eyes I was still working on it, I was working out a counter offer but I didn't even get the chance to do that? I was in disbelief.

I was invited to the show, but I almost didn't attend. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the whole thing. I felt so deceived I just couldn't shake it. Instead of this person, who in my eyes stole my show, offering to work together on it, I was offered free entrance into the concert? I'm thinking, wow this is all I get for my efforts? I didn't even receive VIP? The thing of it is we could have worked together on the show I didn't have a problem in the least, but the only thing I could figure out is this person wanted all the credit to himself? I'm just dumb founded how people would rather step on people's toes instead of working together and getting along on something they know damn well someone else did a lot of the work. Does anyone in this town want to keep a good working relationship going? We are in the same business we are going to run into each other. Wouldn't you like to get along instead of trying to have to avoid each other at the shows? We are trying to do the same thing for our music scene, I just don't get it? This show was practically handed to him on a silver platter. I didn't even get a shout out. I'm still just shaking my head as I write this, it's so messed up.

I tried to accept the fact of, what's done is done and move on. I went to the show and tried to have a good time. I had people come up and ask me if the show was mine? I wasn't sure what to tell them? It was suppose to be my show, I worked hard on trying to get "Saving Abel" to town, I was their first initial contact person in Spokane? but someone else got all the credit?

I still did what I always do at a concert and took pictures and videos of the show to post on my promotions page and website. I tried to make the best of the situation as I always do, but that nagging feeling wouldn't go away.

Scotty sees me in the balcony taking pictures.

Saving Abel a southern rock band from Tennessee, Member include: Jason Null, Scotty Austin-Vocals, Scott Bartlett-Guitar, Eric Taylor, Steven Pulley-Drums. Saving Abel hit the stage to there opening song, "Ready To Burn", then continued with, "Contagious", Mystify", "The Sex is Good", "Miss America", "Bring it Down", "Let's Get Loud", "You Make Me Sick", "15 Minutes of Fame", "Mississippi Moonshine", "18 Days", "Drowning", and an encore performance to, "Addicted". They played to a sold out show at, The Palomino Club. The crowd was enthusiastic and the promoter of the show proposed to his girl friend mid way through the show. The bands sounded great and the concert ROCKED! Opening the show was local band Thunder Knife, 37 Street Signs, Free The Jester, & Kirra.

To sum things up, this show was suppose to be my big show but it did not work out that way. The bands all brought their A games to the stage and rocked a full house. Until next time, support live music and keep it real people, don't forget to Rock N Roll. Peace. (js)