Hard Cash Academy - Blatant Rip off!!!

[Fenian]

Rambles on a bit but has some very serious issues that need to be dealt with. So read on.

 

First let me tell you about my evening. Wasn't sure if I was going to go to this one. Was out at Peach on Friday and was still pretty tired yesterday evening. Plus my friend screwed up in putting my name on the guestlist. His name was there and he didn't even go!

 

So there I am sitting at home, wondering what I should do. My wife is still in South Africa on holiday, so I was feeling pretty damn lonely. I can't be feeling this way on a Saturday Night. Damn it I'll go. Didn't need much convincing after that. Wait. What about tickets? Ah there is going to be about 700 tickets available on the door. No prob, I'll head off early to ensure I get one.

 

But stop your horses. There's engineering works between Milton Keynes and London. That means catching buses and trains and tubes.

 

So 3 hours later there I am outside Rip-off Academy. Loads of people hanging about. No tickets. Anyone got any spare tickets shouts one of the academy's staff who then sells them off for £60. I'll wait in the queue for tickets. Apparently someone announces there going to release 100 tickets at 11h00. 1 hour wait but what the hell. I'm about 50 from the front. No prob for me. I'll get those damn tickets and I'm going to party hard all night long.

 

Over an hour passes then finally there's something happening at the front. The queues moving. But wait. Stop right there. About 10 from the front another announcement. No more tickets. Go home. No one listens. They're having us on. Wait another half hour, same announcement. Thank God I didn't take anything before. Sometimes usually half hour before the event so you come up nicely when you get inside.

What now. Sit outside and prey. It is sunday after all. And the next train home is in 7 hours time. Wait about 15 mins more then decide let me go look for that guy selling tickets. Find him but no more tickets. Find someone else trying to sell 1 ticket for £50 to a couple. Pretty dumb hey? I nip in there and hand over my cash. I'm on my way in. Hooray.

 

But wait (how many times have I said that - bit like Silverlink trains). Is the tickets real. Looks ok. Let me hand it to the doorman. He takes a long look at it. I don't even get this nervous when maybe carrying. Personal of course. Phew. He says proceed and have bag ready for inspection. I'm in. First thing - hand in bag. Wait 15 mins in queue, then someone tells me that this cloakroom is not taking bags. Have to join the other queue. No ways. After 1 look at it decided I'll keep my bag for a while. Meet up with some other friends and dance a while. But the bags in the way. Have to go up. half an hour, bag finally disposed of. Now to enjoy myself. And I certainly did that. What a brill night. Djs were all excellant. Tunes were pumping. How did that floor feel in the main room. You didn't even need to move. The floor did everything for you. Wow this is heaven. Frantic for the next elections.

 

What next. One of my friends gets caught with his own personal sweeties by security (Not Matt). Who then just takes them and gives him a warning. At least he didn't get kicked out. Which security I ask. That one says he. Don't want to be messing with him I decide. Just count yourself lucky. Half hour later (everthings in halves). Need to visit the toilet. Hey there's that security guy. Better stay clear. What's that I hear him say. Pills for £10. What a bastard!

 

Robyn - I hope you read this and investigate this whole evening further. I have hardly missed a Frantic event over the last year. I love the events. God I even buy most of your cds. But this type of behaviour by the academy's staff is unacceptable. I realise they're not employed by you, but they reflect on Frantic and not so much the venue.

 

What happened to all the tickets supposedly being sold at the door? Did the staff realise there just might be a way of making a few extra pounds at the expense of us dedicated clubbers who pump money into this game week in week out.

 

Also while waiting in the queue noticed a few other things. Every now and then some pretty young girl would go and chat the doormen up. Probably promise him a little peck on the cheek and make his whole [censored] life mean something. Right this way ladies - in you come.

Someone behind me is getting pissed of waiting. He says to his girlfriend he's going to go speak to the doormen and offer him £50 to let him and his 5 other friends in. Your taking a risk I think. But wait - again. He comes back, speaks to his friends and in they all go. Now why didn't I think of that, or pretend I was a friend as well. Getting too slow in my old age. Turned 35 last week. How many more years left?

 

The guy who I saw selling 4 tickets for £60 each definitely works there. He was in and out of the front doors. Probably picking up more tickets inside. The other person I paid £50 for I'm not too sure. You may say that I could have not bought the ticket and was luckier than most. But I had to get in and would have probably paid double that. Well maybe not.

 

To all you fellow inmates I want to ask you to do something. If you have any spare tickets when you get to these events because someone didn't turn up as Grannys visiting nice and early the next morning, then please don't sell them to any person who asks for it. He's just going to pay you £10 for a £15 ticket anyway, then sell it 6 times more. Smart - but downright outrageous. Rather go to the paying queue and offer it to someone more deserving (like me if you ever see me) for the face value. I repeat do NOT give it to one of those lowlifes who's only ambition was to enforce power over people, little Hitlers.

 

I suppose I have been generalising here. I mean most of the security are actually decent people who want us to enjoy ourselves without disruption to others. But it's these bad (rotten) apples that one remebers. No ones going to remember that nice little (or I mean big) security person who smiled at you and told you to enjoy your evening. No way! Its that slimy little greeseball who just out to rip us off. Who are these people. They must be the main supervisors to be able to do this. If not I stand corrected.

 

The night? Absolutely bloody wicked. Would I do it again - paying the £50. Too damn right. Sorry little [censored] am I. But is it right? You know the answer to that one.

 

Nights over, now let me go get that bag of mine. If its still there. Last time I was in Brixton (not the academy this time) the club "lost" my bag or more accurately gave it to someone else, when I still had the ticket. Another long wait? Actually not that bad. about 15 mins wait. went smoothly. The cloak room attendent took a while to locate the bag though, and there I am thinking here we go again.

 

Next prospect - another 3 hours to get home? 2 and a half hours this time but on a bus all the way from Euston. And there's this woman from Jamaica - I think - and you know one of those ones that talk very loudly. All the way from Euston to beautiful Milton Keynes she talking into this bloody mobile. How can anyone talk for so long? I wanted to ask her what batteries she was using, cause they must be bloody good ones. Either that or she had her mobile linked up to the bus battery. Actually the bus did seem to be a bit sluggish going up hill. When she finally finishes 5 mins from MK station I give her a little clap (oh what a bastard am I) and think I'll sleep the rest of the way. Ha. Too tired now to sleep and if I did I'd probably end up going back to Euston. Woke up in Liverpool once when going home. Coventy and Rugby normally grace themselves with my presence on a Sunday morning but that one time I was sleeping head to head with The Kop.

 

Finally home and thought I'd write a short little letter to voice my opinions. If I slept on it I probably would have mellowed down a tad. Gotta do it now. Now I feel better.

 

Robyn I aprreciate how demanding your position can be but you (I mean Frantic) are getting a bad reputation. Loads of people already think Frantic is far too big now and is just as bad as those money grabbing corporations that sign up those damn boy bands. Give it back to the people who support you.

 

Probably blown my chances of ever being allowed back in the academy, but what the heck. Or if I did get back in I'd probably be treated with such contempt and probably have the security man (not Matt I repeat) putting on his rubber glove with a gleam in his eye. Not worth the hassle. Or the pain.

 

I know this has rabbled on a bit, but please post your comments, and any other experiences you have had out on club nights.

 

Till next time. Will be posting the pictures later on today at the www.harderfaster.net site. Check them out. Some pretty cool ones. Except why does everyone wnat to check their photos first then ask you to take another because their smile wasn't perfect or something. One girl I had to take 8 pictures of until she was sort of happy. Oh, I suppose that'll do.

 

Anyway, this weeks going to be an excellant week for sleeping at work. See you all again soon. Maybe.

 

Sean (Fenian)

 

Posted on www.harderfaster.net, www.clubtheworld.uk, www.peachyravers.com and sending direct to Robyn (just in case she doesn't see it).

 

[ 12 August 2002, 05:31: Message edited by: Fenian ]

[Blink]

AAAt sundissential in the Academy, Bum, they have taken up searching your pockets as you come out of the toilet cubicles!!! They confiscated my billy and escorted me off the premises!!!

[SarahPVC]

I think u will find this is typical of bouncers in most clubs!