Michelle Shocked meltdown

[MrEdyoulis]

A quick Google search will tell the story.  At a gig at San Francisco's Yoshi's nightclub, the lefty folk singer and rabble rouser cleared the house when she shouted "You can tweet that Michelle Shocked says God  hates fags" direct quote.  The place descended into an uproar and folks began leaving in droves.

The house sound was cut, the show ended, and the brouhaha commenced.

Two upcoming gigs have already been cancelled (Novato and Chicago) with more sure to follow.  I really wonder how many promoters, PB expressly included, will be willing to chance another outburst like this.

[ruffnrocky]

I just saw etown did the right thing and cancelled her appearance on May 3. I hope PB does the right thing as well.

 Listening to: Driftwood - Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers

[MrEdyoulis]

http://ca.music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/folk-legend-incites-mass-walkout-anti-gay-speech-195312874.html

More info and background

[HuckinFappy]

See now, if we had the "Sunday Morning Westboro Baptist hour", this would all be good news.   But that's not what we do.  We do a gospel hour, where we all touch base with our spiritual connection to each other, or gratitude for the love around us, our humble ability to serve for the good of each other.

Now, assuming this all went down as I've read, that really blows in so many ways.   Aside from the bigger picture of having such displays of hatred and intolerance in the places you least expect it, this puts the Planet in a tough spot.  Do they join ETown and other promoters in canceling her set?   Or, in the interest of some of the spirit of forgiveness, rebirth, and awakening, does she get a chance to come and redeem herself?   Do we bring in someone (Reverend Tim, to the white courtesy phone, please) to baptize her on stage in Crunchy Frog?   

Just playing a little  advocate here.   I know how I would encourage the Planet to act (can her!), but I like to keep an open mind...at least more open than Ms. Shocked

[jlarsp]

This whole thing is sad. Come on, Michelle! We expect better from you. PB does have s little time to decide what to do. If nothing changes, or she continues to say stuff like this, they need to cancel her set. If she asks for forgiveness and changes her ways, maybe she deserves a shot at redemption. I remember years ago she did a late set at the fest and really annoyed the audience because she kept complaining she couldn't feel the audience or hear them. We weren't loud enough. It's like she wasn't aware she was playing outdoors at the end of a long day. A couple of her band mates could be seen rolling their eyes at her. A couple years later she did redeem herself and did a good gospel set (that was released as the album "To Heaven You Ride," I think.)
I always liked Michelle, but was turned off that first time I saw her at Telluride, and this latest meltdown really makes me think she needs help.
If they cancel her, maybe they can find a way to bring Johnny C back for another gospel set! It just ain't right that he isn't at the 40th!
I do have confidence that PB will do right by the Festivarian family.

 Listening to: Corey Chisel & the Wandering Sons

[TellurideTom]

If she wants to ruin her career and burn all the bridges behind her then she can continue her rants.
I just don't want to see a tidal wave of people leaving the festival grounds at Telluride, so it may be better to tell her what we think and cancel her.

[jerryfreak]

 

I wonder if Darrell Scott is available...

 Listening to: Infamous Stringdusters 1/12/2013 Athens, GA

[FaceOnMars]

Perhaps the schedule could be juggled a bit & simply give SCI a second set 

[jlarsp]

All good ideas. Darrell Scott's gospel set on Father's Day was wonderful.
At this point you almost wonder if Michelle is going to want to perform again. She may cancel her schedule herself.
And this all just happened, and we're still learning details. I don't want to jump to conclusions, and it doesn't look good.

[rmkcheez]

I think The Campbell Brothers will be just fine (actually better) without her.  Tell her to stay home.

 Listening to: Silence

[Davein VA]

Cancel - this is a no-brainer.  It's not even a question of risking another outburst - who needs the hate?

....and let's make some room for RRE!

[ilovethelorax]

I really like to give people the benefit of the doubt and I did read one account that said some thought the remark was made ironically. I hope so, and will say I, personally, question at the very least the judgement/mental health of someone able to utter those words in a concert setting, bad joke or not, and I'd like to hear how she's going to respond to all this.

That said, I seem to recall the first time I saw her in Telluride (years ago) that the generator gave mid-set and she just kept on belting it out. Does anyone else remember this? I do have the right artist, don't I? She was full of positive energy and love and that, combined with the incredible talent, beauty around us (in the earth and in each other) is what keeps us coming back year after year is it not? I give her props for that but there is a lot of time and change between then and now. Besides Cake issuing their Bush-ism, I don't recall another time, in 20 years this year, feeling negativity from that stage, despite the wildly different viewpoints of all the myriad people who've taken it as well as those of us in front. If Michelle Shocked needs help, I hope she gets it. I also hope and believe Craig and the Planet care enough to not venture a guess at whether she'll go all WBC on us during our Sunday love charge. I don't want to pay for hate.

 Listening to: Maura O'Connell, Western Highway

[landshark]

I say let her play. If she is having a melt down she needs Tride as much as we do. If she really does  hate we will peacefully set her straight. No pun intended. 10,000 bright, shining happy faces of all colors all flavors. 4 days of love are hard to fight off and by Sunday she will be like putty in our hands.

She has a fun playful side that I enjoy. Forgive.

[completejohn]

Wow, what a strange story.  I can't wait to see what she says about this, but she does need to say something quick.  I really hope it was misconstrued, but looks like it was planned (according to someone who was in charge of tweeting about the event).

I was REALLY looking forward to the Sunday performance because I have enjoyed her in the past.  But also because she was going to be paired with the Campbells.  If her little rant turns into something that she truly believes, then that intolerance is something I would need to avoid. 

So bring on the Campbells without her and leave the intolerance to the Westboro Baptist Church idiots.  Or maybe she could play a tweener with Ted Nugent.

[HuckinFappy]

That said, I seem to recall the first time I saw her in Telluride (years ago) that the generator gave mid-set and she just kept on belting it out. Does anyone else remember this? I do have the right artist, don't I?

You got it right.   So when she's festivarian, she's very, very, festivarian....and when she's not, she's WBC awful.  Quite a dichotomy.