Regarding the Slapshots Show on July 12, 2008:
RATL has decided to suspend its business relationship with Slapshots, in Woodstock. Following is a message from the band explaining why:
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Thank-you to everyone who attended the
Slapshots show on Saturday, July 12, 2008. We sincerely
appreciate each and every one of you for coming out to the show and
having a good time, and we look forward to seeing you again very
soon.
Unfortunately, it will not be at Slapshots. That is disappointing, because we have enjoyed performing in that venue, and we are glad for the new friends that we have made there. We sincerely hope that we will see each and every one of you at one of the other quality venues where our band is so fortunate to be able to perform. |
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We are not going to make unfair judgments, but we have reached an impasse with management at Slapshots, due to their business practices. In an effort to be fair, we will only report the facts, and we will allow you, the people who make the effort worth it, to decide for yourselves. |
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For a second time (the first time was last month), the club saw fit to under-compensate the band, paying, at the end of the night, significantly less than the agreed-upon rate. We upheld our side of the agreement, advertising the show and putting on the energetic, quality performance that you have come to expect at a RATL show. |
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After the show was complete, Slapshots management did not uphold their side of the fixed arrangement, paying much less than the agreed-upon amount - for a second time. We found the club’s decision to be, frankly, unfortunate and disappointing.
The club management wished to put another date on the calendar, but we would not do so, based on the severed trust caused by two consecutive breeches of oral contract on the part of Slapshots management.
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Following was the rationale provided by Slapshots management for breeching the contract that they had made with the band:
They said that there were not enough people in the club on Saturday, July 12, and that the people who were in the club did not spend enough money. Interesting, since all of the tables were full, and there were countless bottles and glasses throughout the room. (You may wish to check your bar tab receipts - they must have missed a few items in your favor.)
In fact, we are certain that the management enjoyed the show, as they were dancing and having a good time with the patrons as well as with the band. |
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As a token of our appreciation for your attendance, we are gladly featuring a brief glimpse of selected photos from the July 12 show on this webpage. Please decide for yourself if the show was under-attended.
(A future update to the website will have all of the pictures from this show on a normal photo album page.)
We were glad to see so many friends, old and new, dancing and enjoying themselves for the entire night at the club on Saturday. We do not share the same disdain for your patronage that Slapshots obviously does. The management at Slapshots must think that you do not count.
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Our conclusion is that the management at this club is more interested in taking your money than for you to be entertained and feel welcomed at their club. We encourage you to make your own judgment about the situation, based on what you experienced on Saturday, July 12.
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Why, you may ask, did we even perform on July 12, when the club made a similar move at the end of the night when we performed there in June? The answer is simple - Ours was an act of goodwill to an establishment that has an admittedly lower patronage than it has experienced in the past. We wanted to honor the date that was on the calendar, which was our commitment to the club - coupled with the fact that in June they promised to uphold their side of the bargain in July. The fact is that they intentionally failed to do so.
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On a much more positive note, we will be performing at Bogey’s, just down the street from Slapshots, on Friday, September 5. We hope to see you at Bogey's on September 5, 2008.
We are delighted to report that after a longstanding relationship with Bogey’s, they have never made the same poor business misstep as Slapshots. |
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On the contrary, Bogey’s has a loyal set of “regulars,” and there is never pressure to wrest as much cash out of them as possible. Perhaps that is why Bogey’s is always full of happy patrons enjoying themselves, and they do not seem to have the same problem retaining patrons as does Slapshots. If you haven’t been to Bogey’s before, we highly-recommend that club, for its excellent food, impeccable service, and inviting atmosphere.
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We are posting this page because we feel that you, the people who are loyal to our band, deserve to know why we have chosen to suspend our relationship with Slapshots, and we look forward to seeing you at other, quality, venues in the future.
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As a side-note to our fellow members of the performing arts community, there is a potential for any agreement to be dishonored by the management at Slapshots. You may wish to consider seriously drawing-up a written performance contract with that club, because “fixed” arrangements may change at the end of the night. |
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In summary, we appreciate you, the people who come to see the band, have a good time, and make it worth the effort to put on a quality show. Although we do not wish misfortune to Slapshots or the very nice staff at that club, we look forward to seeing you soon at one of the many other venues that compete directly with Slapshots.
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Thanks again for your continued support. Although some clubs may wish to treat you as mere "numbers," we will never take you for granted. |
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Sincerely,
RATL
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RATL - Means Rockin' ATLanta