Stupid radio stations and event planners

Argh!

A couple of local stations that I listen to fairly regularly organize smaller concert events at local establishments, often times at very low or even no cost.  These could be a lot of fun and offer listeners and fans of the acts a chance to catch artists in smaller, more intimate, settings.  I love the idea of these smaller shows, but absolutely hate the execution for them as it seems these local stations and these establishments can't figure out how to put together shows that would be open to all ages, instead setting up events for ADULTS only, age 21 or older.

The whole reasoning behind these shows being adult only is that they are typically held at small clubs that serve alcohol.  Interestingly enough, apparently these establishments don't want to go through the trouble of checking IDs when serving customers, so instead they check IDs at the door and prevent anyone that is under 21 from enterring the establishment.  This seems stupid to me as if the business must check IDs at all, it shouldn't be difficult to tag customers such that someone under 21 can't be served alcohol.  It was done simply enough at a show at Pier 6 Pavilion in Baltimore where persons under 21 are "marked" with an X on both hands (magic marker that was permanent enough to last a day or two, but no more).  By using the marker there is no chance that a bracelet would be removed and passed to someone that is under age so no shenanigans can be pulled in that area.

The regular concert facilities (outdoor amphitheatre types) don't seem to have problems in having all ages come to their facilities where alcohol is also served.  Again, there are code enforcement types all around, and ID is checked as it should be -- once you are in the facility.  Out in the parking lots may be less strictly enforced, but encforcement does occur.  So again, all ages are welcome.

But... back to these smaller clubs, well, apparently someone is either too stupid, or too lazy, or perhaps both, to actually set things up for shows to be "All Ages".

What brings this article up now is that there's a local show coming around that I bought tickets for.  I bought the tickets *after* confirming with one of the DJ's at the station as to whether or not it was an all ages show.  The first DJ I inquired of seemingly never answered my question, but a second DJ did and confirmed that it was open to all ages.  Last night I got an answer back from the first person I had asked (via e-mail) and was told then -- after I had bought the tickets of course -- that it was adults only.  Ooops.  Really?!?!  So even though I confirmed in advance that it was all ages I may not be able to take my nearly/young adult daughter to the show.  As I told the DJ when I corresponded last night, I have no issue with alcohol being served, and am happy to do my job as a parent and prevent her from being served because she's underage, but I don't like the idea that she can't attend the show at all just because she's under the drinking age, an arbitrary line that has been drawn as to when someone should be responsible enough to handle alcohol.

This may all work out in the end as the person that told me it was an all ages show may have been correct, or, well, it may be that my ticket purhcase -- with the funds going to Susan G. Komen anyway -- truly was nothing more than a charitable contribution.  While I'd love to go to the show, I'm not going by myself, and having told my daughter that I got her a ticket, it isn't fair to her now to have to say sorry but the boneheads at the radio station were wrong when they answered my direct question and now you can't go.  If she can't go, then we'll both skip the show.  It's an artist we recently saw anyway, and while we'd like to see him in a smaller club atmosphere, we can live without if needed.  That won't make me any happier with the radio station(s) and the stupidity of setting up so many "adults only" events (the stupidest one that I know of was one that was setup to raise money "for the kids", St. Judes childrens hospital.  Even though the cause was "kids", kids couldn't go to the show to enjoy it at all... )