Zach Bryan, Gavin Adcock, And Meeting With Artists After Concerts
Once again the public is being asked to weigh the character of Zach Bryan after an online imbroglio. And once again, the scenario feels like a big nothing burger, blown out of proportion by fans with a high school mentality, and the click-hungry media pandering for attention. In fact, this feels just as much like a media story as it is a Zach Bryan story.
What is the situation we’re being asked to get apoplectic over now? Zach Bryan performed three consecutive sold-out nights at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last weekend, July 18-20. Kings of Leon also performed, and on Sunday, Bruce Springsteen appeared to perform a duet with Zach on “Atlantic City.”
After the first show on Friday, and the last show on Sunday, Zach Bryan took time to meet with fans outside of the stadium. Apparently there is a place on the MetLife stadium grounds where artists typically exit the stadium after shows, and fans will sometimes wait many hours to see and meet them as they’re leaving the premises.
Well on Saturday, July 19th, Zach Bryan decided to not take the time to mingle with this gaggle of fans. Already exiting the stadium early in the morning and having to perform the next day, he chose to forgo it. One of the fans who had apparently waited three hours then took to Tik-Tok to post multiple videos, lashing out at Zach for not taking the time to meet with them.
“Zach Bryan driving away from his fans that waited four hours to meet him. He didn’t even roll down his window to say hi,” was the caption of the first video. The second video titled “Cancel Zach Bryan” was then captioned, “We waited 3 hours outside to meet Zach Bryan and he completely blew everyone off and drove away like a jerk, meanwhile he got out of his car to meet fans Metlife N1.”
The two videos have since been taken down.
So before we get into what happened next, it’s important to appreciate the context in which all of this is happening. Zach Bryan is one of the biggest artists in all of music. He literally just sold out three consecutive stadium shows. Artists at Zach Bryan’s level, and even many many levels beneath him in the music industry, they almost never meet with fans in public scenarios. Some are contractually obligated to not meet fans, because they sell meet and greet packages, though usually when an artist gets to the level of Zach Bryan, even these opportunities are 86’d.
The fact that Zach Bryan took of his own time to not just wave at and say “hi,” but hang out, take selfies with and mingle with fans the first and third nights of a sold-out stadium run is a remarkable story all unto itself. That really is the unique occurrence here that is worthy of reporting on.
Just to put this into context, Tyler Childers never meets with fans, ever. Full stop. There is never an opportunity to ever meet Tyler Childers as a fan, unless you’re part of the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana. He goes from the bus, to the stage, and back to the bus with a purposeful logistical plan that he will never have to interface with an audience member.
Sturgill Simpson doesn’t meet fans wither. At times it’s seemed like he’s outright loathed his own fans, calling them out on stage. For Jason Isbell, there is a dedicated perimeter cordoned off using yellow “CAUTION” tape at any venue or event he performs at where only specifically credentialed personnel are allowed to enter. Officially, this is due to Jason Isbell trying to maintain his sobriety.
Zach Bryan being attacked, and people calling for his cancellation because he met with fans after a stadium show the first and third night, but not the second, is a case of no good deed going left unpunished. Zach Bryan, nor any other artist, has any obligation to meet with anyone at any time, unless people hold meet and greet tickets.
Of course it’s always great when artists do go out of their way to directly interact with fans. Recently after a fire alarm scare, Sierra Ferrell took to the street to perform a couple of songs directly for her fans. But what made it exceptional and newsworthy is she had no obligation to. It was Sierra Ferrell’s choice.
If fact, multiple artists have spoken out over the years about how they do not appreciate when fans demand their attention in public, and how it creates mental health challenges for them that the public needs to understand and respect. There are countless stories of Zach Bryan being incredibly gracious with fans in the public, both before and after shows, or simply at bars or restaurants where they’ve spotted him.
There are also some stories of Zach Bryan being rude. He’s a human. And you can imagine if he’s tired, drunk, or trying to hang out with his own friends how an interjection from a fan can be frustrating, or infuriating.
In the case of these Tik-Tok videos stemming from Zach Bryan blowing off the fans who’d waited for him on Saturday night, he apparently caught wind of them, eventually replying, “You’re not entitled after someone plays two and a half hours to a picture or a hello.“
He also replied “GOMD.” (and acronym for ‘Get Off My Dick’).
Later, he replied more calmly, “I went out and took pictures both night one and three. I had a third show the next day and it was late, needed to rest.”
Zach Bryan’s initial reactions were inappropriate, tone-deaf, and unfortunate. And yes, these reactions also feed into a deeper pattern of behavior that leads to a belief that Zach Bryan rests somewhere on the douchebag spectrum. Where exactly that is depends on the situation, and his state of mind.
Subsequently it came out that the fan Zach Bryan was responding to was a 14 year old girl. Does this make the tone of Zach’s responses, and especially the ‘GOMD’ comment especially grody? Yes it does. But there are two pretty important qualifying points here that people going apoplectic over this situation are missing. The first is that it’s extremely unlikely Zach Bryan knew the age of the fan when he responded. The second is, how does the Tik-Tok platform even allow 14 year old girls to interact with 29-year-old men in positions like the one Zach Bryan is in?
And by the way, Tik-Tok is illegal in the United States. It was banned by Congress, and signed into law by the President. It’s only due to a Constitutional-averting stay by the current administration that the app is even still available to anyone. One of the reasons for the ban is how 14-year-old girls can go on it, and interact with 29-year-old men.
To add fuel to the fire, Gavin Adcock of all people then decided he needed to chime in after all the buzzy media outlets picked up the story and sensationalized it.
“If you can’t handle the criticism of a 14 year old why do people idolize you? That kid was head over heels to meet you and spent/ parents spent a ton of money to see you. He’s got feeling too and a you’re a ‘grown man’ nearly 30. They’re the only reason you are around.”
In some respects, Gavin Adcock is right. Zach shouldn’t let the criticism of a young fan get to him, and he did.
But make no mistake about it. Zach Bryan has no obligation to meet with anyone, at any time, under any circumstance that is not of his choosing, no different than anyone else. It’s impossible for someone who sells out three consecutive stadium shows in a row to give of their time to satisfy every single person that wants to meet with them. What Zach Bryan responded to was someone calling for his “cancellation” for not meeting with fans after a stadium show, while specifically citing how he did meet with fans previously as the justification for their anger.
It’s these obligations, expectations, and demands lumped upon celebrities that often include incredible time commitments that result in the loss of sleep or proper diet, and ultimately, mental health issues, drug addiction, and suicides that affect musicians at such a significantly higher rate than the general public.
Why has so much ink been expended on a story about Zach Bryan if this is a big nothing burger? Because there is a huge lesson here that many are missing as they take to social media to seethe about Zach Bryan’s behavior, and act like he’s the 2nd coming of Jeffrey Epstein because it was a 14-year-old he scolded. We cannot obligate artists to fulfilling obligations that are logistically difficult to impossible to satisfy. Full stop.
Zach Bryan should apologize to the fan, and work to make it right. And fans should stop acting like they’re owed anything from artists aside from a great performance from the stage of an event. It’s rare and special when a performer takes of their time to meet with fans. Zach Bryan did that last weekend. Twice. That’s newsworthy in itself, but it didn’t make the news because he does it so often. We all already know Zach Bryan can be fallible and a douchebag, just like the rest of us. But hating on Zach Bryan as become the new sport.
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July 23, 2025 @ 10:53 am
I’m ready for country beef to elevate to the early 2000’s hip hop beef I grew up with (eats popcorn)
July 23, 2025 @ 11:19 am
I’m still with Zach on this one. Social media is trying to kill him via 1000 small cuts. He won a large fan base because of his “realness” but the other side to that is that he posts on his own social media vs having a hired team currate his posts. He doesn’t owe his fans 3-4 hours of meet and greet after every show. Anyone making that assertion (not you Trigger) is just dumb. He could have responded in a better way but I get his frustration. So many viral posts online are trying to knock him off his pedestal – along with all the middling Country acts who are jealous of his success. The logical assumption is that he didn’t know the age of the girl and assumed she was over 18 – so trying to paint him as a deviant is just wrong.
Gavin Adcock is artistically irrelevant here. He’s an invasive specious of fish in the Country music pond.
July 23, 2025 @ 11:26 am
He could have responded in a much nicer way! He definitely is a douche! No, he is not obligated to meet fans after a show, and nobody should act like they are entitled to such a meeting!
We have been very fortunate to have met some of our favorite artists! Tyler Childers used to meet with folks who were lucky enough to catch him on the way up. Cody Jinks always comes out to take photos and sign autographs. Silverada always comes out to interact with their fans as well.
July 23, 2025 @ 12:58 pm
I think it’s very important context to underscore how Tyler Childers hasn’t met with fans since before the pandemic. Jason Isbell hasn’t since “Southeastern.” I’m not sure that Sturgill Simpson ever did except for very early on in his career. Yet here’s Zach Bryan selling out stadiums, he DID take the time to meet with fans two of the three nights, and the fact that he met with fans on the first night, but didn’t on the second is being pushed in his face with someone calling for his “cancellation.” I guess he’s just supposed to sit there and take it. But the whole scenario is so patently unfair to him, and people are not looking at this situation in the proper context.
I don’t hold it against any artist for not wanting to meet with fans. But the idea that Zach Bryan is blowing people off, while people who don’t meet fans at all are above this criticism underscores the hypocrisy here.
July 23, 2025 @ 2:17 pm
My totally unsophisticated reading of Simpson’s “Mercury in Retrograde” is that it’s about how awful dealing with fans (and others in show biz) is. See verse 2:
“They come backstage and on my bus
Pretending to be my friend
Shaking hands behind grandstands
All wearing the same old grin
Oh, but none of them bother knocking
Oh, they all just come on in
Asking me what all my songs mean
Wonderin’ if they’re all about them”
I like Simpson’s music a lot, but he seems like a pretty prickly person based on his song lyrics. That’s fine–I already have friends.
July 23, 2025 @ 2:40 pm
That’s how I interpreted that as well.
Again, I’m not hounding on Sturgill. But I do think folks need to put Zach Bryan’s actions in the context of how other top names in country/roots music interact with fans, or in most cases, don’t at all. The idea is Zach Bryan is big timing his fans is absurd.
July 23, 2025 @ 5:52 pm
Hey now – he DID big time that Dublin bartender…by paying for rest of his college tuition via tip!
That sonuvagun!
July 23, 2025 @ 11:34 am
I agree Zach Bryan has no obligation to meet with fans, but instance after instance of Bryan showing that he’s kind of a prick, I’m getting pretty sick of him. A little respect goes a long way. He might make good music (I’m not a fan of his singing voice but I see the appeal) but I have no interest in supporting him.
July 23, 2025 @ 11:45 am
I’m not a fan of his music and I’ve frequently criticized it. I’ve heard stories of him being gracious and talkative with a friend who met him in a bar and was a fan. The problem with stories of his viral fan interactions is that the negative ones are the only ones that tend to go viral. It reminds me of the video of Chad Kroeger from Nickleback responding rudely to an obnoxious fan who wouldnt stop yelling for him to sing a line from one of his songs, and he he was visibly annoyed. (to which he obliged but he didn’t have to) I’ve heard from multiple friends who met him and said he was really nice. I tend to think ZB, like most celebrities is overwhelmingly treating people with respect if he is being shown respect.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to never be able to leave the house without being harrassed, and all the other applicable verbs, by people constantly. Unless one can completely be a fake person to shield their sanity, or are the greatest of extroverts like Dolly Parton, it just seems unstainable.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:01 pm
Hating on Zach Bryan has become sport on social media, especially Twitter, because it will sow you clout. I can speak personally to this because hating on Saving Country Music will do the same thing. So will the people saying Zach Bryan hates his fans say the same about all the artists who never meet with fans? Of course not. He’s the top dog, and so everybody wants to tear him down. A lot of jealousy and spite is involved here, driven in part by social media algorithms.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:07 pm
I am annoyed for Zach Bryan on a lot of it especially when human dirtball Dave Portnoy is pushing it and making fun of ZB’s height and hairline when Dave himself has pictures online where he’s posing for a picture around taller dudes and he’s standing on his tippy toes AND he himself underwent a hair transplant procedure. I have no issues with my height or hairline but if you’re gonna make fun of somebody online at least have self awareness and some integrity.
July 23, 2025 @ 5:54 pm
At least Briana has gotten rich making sure the search results “Dave Portnoy” and “girls” doesn’t include any reports from Nantucket!!
July 23, 2025 @ 7:24 pm
I’ll be honest, most of my dislike of him comes from his social media presence more than these sort of incidents. I’m sure he’s a nice enough guy in certain settings and social media amplifies the bad, but many other artists do just fine operating in the same environment without the same level of controversy.
July 23, 2025 @ 7:21 pm
Straight – that was a killer take and everyone should take note of the nuances involved in something like this!
July 23, 2025 @ 5:28 pm
I mean…I met Zach at aafter a concert a few weeks ago.
Kind of a doof, but an absolutely lovely kid…who was clearly far more comfortable in a semi-open after-party than being surrounded by crowds of groupies.
But, uh, feel free to base your every opinion of him on your parasocial relationship with some 20-something whose career consists of pinkwashing Dave Portnoy, to ensure he has access to more teenaged girls?
July 23, 2025 @ 11:55 am
When I see, “Posted multiple videos to TikTok”, I already know this is not a truly hurt person. This is a person hurt that Zach didn’t give them the opportunity to farm dopamine by posting a TikTok video with him. Instead to fill that void they try and create controversy which gets the post viewed and they get their precious dopamine.
As more of these bro country divas take over the singer songwriter space, I find myself going to less shows. I am a big fan of how Isbell and other artists like Tool ban phones from their concerts. It’s wild how that alone cleans up the entire clientele.
“Time to kick the silicon obsession”
July 23, 2025 @ 11:56 am
Maybe he meant Get On My Dick and we’re outraged for the worst reason
July 23, 2025 @ 12:33 pm
He’s no Chris D’Elia or Dane Cook with saying that to some 14yr old girl.
July 23, 2025 @ 12:03 pm
Hank III met with every fan at every venue until he was hounded out of show business.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:32 pm
Yes, Hank3 set a great example of how to set up a grassroots following by meeting with every fan, and really was the benchmark for that. Sometimes he would be around until 3 in the morning, never rushing anyone, signing everything put in front of him, and posing for every photo.
July 23, 2025 @ 2:23 pm
Who hounded Hank 3 out of show business–and how?
I did not know that he used to be accessible to fans. Given that he fled the business when he was still quite young, maybe the example that he set turne out to be how not to do things.
July 23, 2025 @ 5:29 pm
And you have sex with chickens because sheep won’t have you.
We all have our struggles.
July 23, 2025 @ 12:11 pm
Not a fan of his, but I see the delicate balance these artists have to strike. On one hand you only exist because of your fans. On the other, the more famous you become the more leeches there are trying to draft on your fame. I can see being physically exhausted after doing a two plus hour show and being resentful that now you have to “hang out” with people trying to get a piece of you, be it through photos, autographs, etc. And some of these people aren’t true fans but people trying to build their own followings or memorabilia sellers. Lastly, some people are wired for this kind of interaction and some aren’t. If you’re more introverted, these fan interactions would be extremely taxing. I read that Neil Peart from Rush couldn’t handle the adulation that came from interacting directly with fans, so Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson took that on. Cody Jinks seems like a guy who truly loves it. Fans need to realize that your love of an artist’s music doesn’t give you some sort of “ownership” of the artist or their time.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:25 pm
A little over a year ago at the Old 97s show, Murry Hammond announced from the stage that he wanted us to know, “…we’re neighbors. I moved to .” For this year’s concert, I wore my hoodie of our local semi-pro soccer team. He saw it and acknowledged it, pointing and saying, “.”
A couple of months ago, I saw him and his, I presume, wife in the grocery. I stared and followed them to the next aisle, trying to get up the nerve to speak. Then I realized that they had no cart and both of their arms were full of items. I thought, “What in hell am I doing? He is happy in his anonymity, in a hurry and does not want to chat with a rando fan.” I turned around and went back to my shopping.
July 23, 2025 @ 2:26 pm
My US Senator and I were both on the same flight home out of ATL one night. Weather had delayed the flight, and we were all just sitting at the gate doing nothing. That’s the only time I can remember bothering a public figure/celebrity/singer with chitchat and asked to take a picture with me.
Every now and then as I recognize someone famous I’ll give a quick “really like x song”, or “y’all put on hell of a show at wherever” as I pass by. Most of the time I’ve just taken note, felt excited I made the random spot, and left them alone to go about their business.
Outside of the thing that put them in the public eye, it’s just another human trying to live their life.
July 23, 2025 @ 5:34 pm
This is the way.
Gave Zach a “Great set, man” when he was at a lock-in at my local, a few weeks ago.
We chatted for a bit – I totally get how he might have rubbed some established artists the wrong ways but the kid’s a nice, slightly awkward, 20-something Navy guy.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:28 pm
I could have sworn I typed “moved to my town.”, and “…pointing and saying our town.” Weird.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:33 pm
Reminds me a little of Nanci Griffith’s response to audience shoutouts for certain songs. I’m probably paraphrasing but imagine that lilting, girlish voice asking you:
“Do I come to your office and shout requests to you”?
July 23, 2025 @ 1:34 pm
No fan still alive has ever verified that he or she met with Chris Knight after a show. 🙂
July 23, 2025 @ 1:38 pm
And on this current big time tour through London, NYC, Notre Dame Field, and The Big House in Ann Arbor, Zach Bryan is playing little ole Huntington, WV at the field where Marshall plays football. Why? His backup singer, Elijah Gastelum, went to Marshall and was asked to sing the National Anthem last season during homecoming. On a whim, ZB went along. ZB had a big time and took pictures with everyone in the stadium and promised to return to play Marshall on his next tour.
On August 30th, promised fulfilled.
I’m team Zach Bryan all day, any day. The good he does always outweighs the little lapses.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:44 pm
Blown way out of proportion.
I am totally with Zach Bryan on this one.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:46 pm
I think its a very interesting dilemna with celebrities-singers, athletes, etc.
When our son was growing up, we used to travel around the country to minor and major league baseball games and we would try to get autographs before outside the park and inside before the game. Minor leaguers were generally very grateful and appreciative. Major Leaguers were all over the place-some were very kind, some were obligatory, and a lot put on their headphones and pretended like you weren’t even there. That only bothered me when there were only 5-6 people waiting and you felt like it wouldnt have taken much to just sign for the kids. We NEVER sold any of these and still have them as momentos.
I do know that it does make you look at them differently-David Ortiz never signed outside no matter how few people, but then inside when everyone was watching, he sometimes did.
At concerts, I hve found that at some smaller venues, artists seem more accomodating. Ricky Skaggs, Micharl Martin Murphy, Mo Pitney, the Quebee Sisters, etc were all very kind, thoughtful, and seemed pleased to meet folks. Even met Jimmy Buffett one cold icy night after a February concert at Miami of Ohio.
I can see where bigger artists would steer clear of stopping. If they do great, but I don’t think bashing someone who stops 2 of 3 nights is fair. There is a risk with big crowds. And social media just makes it all worse.
July 23, 2025 @ 1:52 pm
I guess the kid doesn’t know any better so she shouldn’t get too much shit, but I figure that anybody old enough to drink is old enough to know that the artist doesn’t owe you a meet and greet or any attention when they aren’t on the stage. It’s great if they do a meet and greet, but it’s also the end of their work day, they may be weeks and thousands of miles into their tour, they could have shit going on in their personal life, they could be sick and just gutted through the show. It wouldn’t even occur to me that an artist playing a stadium show would be available for a meet and greet.
He probably should have handled it better, but it seems to me that the biggest asshole in the whole story is Gavin Adcock. Popping in after Zach Bryan has taken his own post down and replaced it with something that does in fact handle it better… Adcock handling it badly in response to two people handing disappointment/frustration badly when he didn’t need to say anything at all, what a jerk.
July 23, 2025 @ 2:06 pm
Well, as they say, never meet your heroes. Also, never attempt to meet your heroes because they really have no obligation to meet you unless you specifically paid to meet them.
The cult of celebrity is wild these days and the expectations of fans are pretty ridiculous. Just enjoy the art they make and don’t expect anything else. I’d be hard pressed to wait three hours for a loved one at the airport much less a performer I just saw in concert. I’ve got other things to do.
July 23, 2025 @ 2:25 pm
I don’t get wanting to “meet” famous people and never have.
For a brief time in my life, I was somewhat of a regional celebrity. I couldn’t go out without being approached with requests for my time, photo, etc. I’m still somewhat embarrassed about how seemingly ungrateful and maybe even hateful I must have appeared. All I wanted was to be left the fuck alone. This was over a short time before I faded back into oblivion and it still wore me out. I cannot imagine being legitimately famous.
July 23, 2025 @ 2:35 pm
I didn’t know that Zach Bryan is headlining stadium shows–heck, I’m not even keeping up with all the Zachs, Zacks and Zacs and who’s who–but I’d say that if an artist is at that level, then meeting with fans after shows is not necessary, advisable, or feasible, and any “fan” who “demands” that needs to grow up or get a grip on reality.
July 23, 2025 @ 3:16 pm
I asked a heavy metal band member (I will not call them out here) if they would do the Monsters of Rock cruise and he said, “What? And do meet-and-greet hell?” I suspect many artists feel the same way. We have done several music cruises – Outlaw, Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Texas Music, and the performers can’t really avoid you if they are eating at the restaurants. We always tried to be respectful and not approach them during their time off of work. They are on vacation too, for the week, except for putting on a performance or two. They are paid for being on stage. Not to sign autographs and pose for pictures and coochie-coo your toddler.
July 23, 2025 @ 3:26 pm
I’ve said this here before…meeting your heroes can be a big disappointment. I worked in a big indie record store for years and we did a ton of in-store appearances. Some were great, some sucked (looking at you Aaron Lewis). Meeting musicians at small venues is pretty common. I guess they feel the need to work the room. Stadiums? Not usually going to happen.
His respoinse was a bit much and I suspect he is also an asshole. A lot of musicians are (as are a lot of people in general).
July 23, 2025 @ 5:42 pm
I’ve met the kid – he’s a nice 20-something Navy guy who has neither the interest in nor the aptitude for handling the nonsense described in this article.
July 23, 2025 @ 6:21 pm
I met Steve Wariner at a job once and he asked if I was a player just because I asked if his name was Steve. Him and his wife chatted with me for awhile. I also sold Jason Aldean a phone when I worked at Verizon. I spent most of the interaction pretending I didn’t know who he was then he opened up a little more. I never liked his music but it’s still kinda weird to talk to someone super famous that I know of. I just have zero desire to get a picture with someone famous just to get a picture. It’s cooler to meet someone that isn’t constantly recognized on the street where you can have a semi-legit conversation with them.
July 23, 2025 @ 3:46 pm
Entitlement of people nowadays… and if they don’t get what they want they go make a big attention seeking online. This was a 14 yr old but it’s ingrained in our culture now and it sucks.
July 23, 2025 @ 4:58 pm
I’ve met two significant country artists in the last 15 years. Sturgill when he was still on his first tour (Outside Beacon Theater, in 2015 I think?) after I left the bar across the street on the way back to my hotel that night. He was standing across the street by his bus hanging out while his band was in the bar I just left. I walked up and asked if I could please shake his hand and presented him a Navy challenge coin, because I was in at the time and I knew he used to be. He graciously thanked me for it and it genuinely seemed happy that I gave it to him. We chatted for a minute or two and then parted ways. My wife and I were so stunned by the event I didn’t even have her take a photo of the interaction. I was just thankful to get to meet him. I also met Margo Price at The Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth, NH, which is about a 150 sweet room….maybe. I was 15 feet from her during the show. She stood and signed stuff for everyone that night and took photos afterwards. It was awesome. Just weeks earlier she had played SNL. Then we got to see her two nights later at Mohegan Sun for free at the Wolf Den. Even got the setlist and she signed that. Two incredible interactions that if I never got another, ever, my world wouldn’t end. And now I understand the growth those artists have made both in fans, sales and venues. I understand they want their space too. And I understand what artists are likely to be “meet able” vs. not. Some of it in the case of the 14 year old is just a maturity issue. But I get it….when you’re that young, you just want what you want, no matter the circumstances. People I think need to understand that if it does happen, it needs to be or will be on the artists terms and if not, don’t push it.
July 23, 2025 @ 5:32 pm
If you are an arena act, no obligation at all to meet folks after a show. If you are not an arena act and are not at the merch table after your show, WTF is wrong with you??
July 23, 2025 @ 5:47 pm
I don’t even think arena is the threshold.
There are folks reviewed on this site who great me by name, because I’ve seen them at enough club shows.
But if I’m in a full theatre, I figure they’ll be at the bar next door after, not flogging merch.
July 23, 2025 @ 5:38 pm
When Guy Clark rolled through the Sisters Folk Festival in 2000, he had a road nanny with him. He handled the merch, etc., but his main job was to keep Guy from staying up all night drinking with fans. I was up all night with Guy in 1996, so I knew it was a real thing. The man told me that there were folks in every town who wanted to hang out with Guy. For them it was a once in a lifetime thing — which added up to an every night thing for Guy. And it was killing him.
Guy Clark was responsible for his own drinking, of course, but the conversation gave me a bit of perspective on how an artist can get whittled away a bit at a time by the people who love the art.