SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread

[bert425]

Anyone think Lemmy from Motorhead would give a crap about a CNN movie or a killer whale? Give the dude a bottle of Jack Daniels and a few hookers and he might just play for free!

 

doesn't Lemmy live in LA?

 

I always see stories about him hanging out at the Rainbow (on the Sunset Strip) just drinking.

[robbalvey]

To be honest, I don't even know who Heart is. And, I am not one who subscribes to "All publicity is good publicity."

 

really? Classic 70's rock band. (tho they had a huge resurgence in the late 80's with a change to a more Power-Pop sound).

 

this is an album that should be in EVERYONE's collection:

 

Dreamboat Annie, Crazy on You, Magic Man

 

as should this:

 

Barracuda, Kick it Out, Little Queen

 

and this:

 

Heartless, I've got the music In me, Just the wine.

Never seen any of these albums and I lived, no sufered through the 70s!

[cfc]

I used to own copies of "Dreamboat Annie" and "Little Queen." They sounded like a female Led Zepplin back in the 1970s.

[bert425]

Never seen any of these albums and I lived, no sufered through the 70s!

 

 

I'm really shocked, as those are the 3 albums that had the "big" hits on them.

 

seriously, you could not go into Sound Warehouse, or Cactus Records in Houston, Texas and not see these particular album displays *everywhere*

[Philrad71]

Never was a big fan of Heart, but my straight friend loves them....go figure!

[netdvn]

I'm really shocked, as those are the 3 albums that had the "big" hits on them.

 

seriously, you could not go into Sound Warehouse, or Cactus Records in Houston, Texas and not see these particular album displays *everywhere*

 

Robb probably doesn't have that kind of taste in music. The local rock/classic rock station around here plays a ton of Heart.

 

Losing a few concert acts doesn't seem like a huge hit to Sea World. And even with this apparent controversy, the parks still get publicity.

[AndrewRnR]

I'm as big of a classic rock fan as anyone but thinking these bands are huge draws is a stretch. I've made it to most Bands, Brew, and BBQ concerts in the last 4/5 years and rarely is the few thousand seat stadium even completely full. Doesn't mean they haven't put out great music they just aren't the draw they used to be. I know a few people in the concert industry and I agree with their thoughts on the situation.... either you'll see a big, big name step up to fill one of the slots to "support" Sea World and/or some up and coming band that doesn't have a catalog of old hits to fill their bank accounts will gladly fill up the spot. Bands today only really make money from tours, these "older" bands can afford to say no to shows, and I'm sure some young bands' management quickly contacted Sea World to try to fill the spot.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Sea World take a less apologetic approach to the situation. The comments from the Heart cancellation were great IMO ("While we're disappointed a small group of misinformed individuals was able to deny fans what would have been great concerts..."). Sea World has a GREAT product to offer with a loyal following - I don't think it would be PR suicide to point out things such as how Willie Nelson (or today with Joan Jett) have played Sea World/Busch parks before and how well the crowd enjoyed their show. I know it is a fine line in the world of PR, but I sometimes think Sea World is getting bullied and is afraid to stand up for themselves.

[Woodie Warrior]

Another rocker has come out against SeaWorld Orlando this week, as Joan Jett has sent a cease and desist letter to the park, asking them to stop playing her “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” song as part of the Shamu Rocks night show after seeing Blackfish. Of course the ironic thing is that Joan Jett’s song is not part of the Shamu Rocks show at all, but simply one of many tracks played as background music in the stadium while guests find their seats. As such, the same general music license that all theme parks have to play music does legally entitle them to play it. SeaWorld has stated that a new night show is in development for the park and that they will not use any Joan Jett music in it.

 

Yet another musician refuses to support SeaWorld.

[WFChris]

Does anybody else think it's weird that these are the same acts that do the County Fair circuit? You know, those places where people show off their genetically mutated prize winning animals?

 

you're wrong, and just because you don't care for a classic band, doesn't mean they aren't popular in places.

 

Willie Nelson could sell out WEEKS in a row here in Texas, if he so chose to play shows.

 

Barenaked Ladies sold out multiple nights in Vancouver when I was last there.

 

Heart is currently a nostalgia band, but all it takes is one new hit to make them arena draws again (see: Aerosmith back in 1980's), or KISS pre 1996 reunion.

 

so no, I don't think this is "weird". .but I do think it's unfair that folks are pressuring bands to pull out of a contracted appearance because they are too blinded by a film's propaganda to properly research the truth behind the claims.

(and that's not a liberal/conservative statement either. . Micheal Moore stretches the facts to make his points too, sometimes).

 

all this to simply say -- if *I* don't go to SeaWorld, it's not because of some one-sided film about the supposed mistreatment of the animals. It's because I think the admission charge is too high.

 

Whoa there cowboy, never said I didn't appreciate the music, I'm just calling it how I see it. Willie Nelson sold out a bunch of nights here in LA as well. I'm just saying they are the same bands that do the County Fair circuit because I have seen bands like, War, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Village People, B 52's, Peter Frampton, and Heart at the LA County Fair! The point was that these venues are in environments that are open to scrutiny about their animal handling, as is Sea World.

[azza29]

Yet another musician refuses to support SeaWorld.

 

I'm going to form a band and book a gig at SeaWorld just so I can cancel in protest.

[kidcoaster 2]

Word is coming out that Cheap Trick has canceled as well.

[netdvn]

At this point Sea World is better off just cutting bands out of the equation and put more emphasis on the beer and food (with more focus on beer). The bands that choose to stay can play during the event if they want.

 

Or they could try their luck with a Food & Wine event. Williamsburg's did pretty well last year with a good chance the event will be expanded into summer.

[Ccron10]

I do have to give the person who manages their Facebook page quite a bit of props because they have done a pretty good job weeding out the idiots and their psychotic comments. Some of the ones who did make it on to the page sound like they have the maturity of first-graders.

 

I would be surprised if any of these bands are still big-names. I don't think I remember hearing any of them selling-out or attracting a large crowd when they'd be in town (Willie Nelson could be an exception, but then again, he was there with good number of bigger acts as well).

[Rollercoaster Rider]

Are there any bands left?

[gerstlaueringvar]

^

 

Those people are totally crazy! Sea World did a great job.

[DougMJr]

Such a shame seeing the domino effect BNL has caused by dropping out. I doubt that these bands actually really care, they just want to hop on the animal activist free publicity bandwagon.

 

I'm not saying that Blackfish didn't "expose" some controversial issues, but for me personally if that film was 100% true I'd still be OK with SeaWorld.

 

Of course having an Orca in captivity isn't ideal for the Orca. Of course captive Orcas kill humans more often than Orcas in the wild, because really, how often do people run into killer whales in the wild? These trainers were in the water with them EVERY SINGLE DAY! Of course there is increased risk!

 

The film, if anything, made me miss the days when SeaWorld had more liberty to show off what these animals are capable of.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

At this point SeaWorld needs to make their own movie called Whitefish about the good things SeaWorld does.

 

 

It can't hurt.

[AndrewRnR]

Sea World pulled the entire Bands, Brew, BBQ band listing... hmm. I'm guessing they are calling each band to vet the contract so it doesn't become weekly headlines if each decide to pull out (and/or making the cancel clause in the contract a very hefty fine).

 

Are there any bands left?

 

Plenty of bands still on the bill. As I mentioned before I'm not surprised the veteran acts are pulling out - they can afford to. The younger acts who don't have millions in royalties pouring in from 30 years of music can't afford to pull out.

 

 

At this point Sea World is better off just cutting bands out of the equation and put more emphasis on the beer and food (with more focus on beer). The bands that choose to stay can play during the event if they want.

 

I have to disagree cutting the bands out makes it look like Sea World has given in. If I were them I'd be searching the Twitter-verse or looking back to artists who have supported Sea World in the past, the bigger name the better, and even over-paying them if needed to show up and play... show the world that the show goes on even without B(and C)-list bands cancelling. If they can get some BIG name to come out as say "yes I AM playing Sea World" that could be huge.

[megametal]

These bands are dropping out just for the publicity, I think. Some of them may think Sea World is evil, but most of them just saw that it gave the first bands publicity on national news, and are jumping on the bandwagon to get their names on the news too.

[robbalvey]

I will place a Las Vegas bet on that the bands are ABSOLUTELY doing it for the publicity. In fact, I'd even bet that most of them don't even know what Blackfish really is and this is something their publicist has told them to do to make themselves look good to potential fans.

[Jon Sabo]

Yeah, I agree. The bands are just doing this for publicity. At this point it is becoming almost comical that all of these bands are backing out. I am sure CNN will put this on its news segment and have a comment or two about Blackfish and this is the result.

[The Yeti]

I'll bet Kanye would do a concert there just for the negative publicity. Someone should seriously pitch that to him...I'd go!

[cfc]

I will place a Las Vegas bet on that the bands are ABSOLUTELY doing it for the publicity. In fact, I'd even bet that most of them don't even know what Blackfish really is and this is something their publicist has told them to do to make themselves look good to potential fans.

 

I'm waiting for the Monkees, A Flock of Seagulls, and Men Without Hats to announce that they were never booked to perform at SeaWorld, but if they were, they would cancel.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

It makes me wonder exactly what about Blackfish made these bands have an epiphany which lead them to dropping out. Did the bands realize that Sea World breeds orca whales in captivity, keeps orca whales in captivity, trains them to perform while in captivity, and being in captivity means the whales indeed are not free to roam the oceans as wild animals only AFTER they watched Blackfish?? They were either incredibly ignorant about the park they licensed their music to use, or they're just dropping Sea World so they are mentioned by the news as bands that have dropped Sea World post-Blackfish.

 

Really, it's all about publicity either way for the bands. They licensed their music to Sea World for the publicity and exposure to Sea World's millions of guests each year, and then revoked the license for the publicity and exposure to millions of readers/watchers of the news for dropping Sea World. Sea World and Blackfish could have been all about dancing pancakes under oppression from corrupt maple syrup-covered bionic mushroom overlords from the galaxy "Ushmorihunorigru" instead of orca whales and it would have made no difference at all.

[Inukaza]

It makes me wonder exactly what about Blackfish made these bands have an epiphany which lead them to dropping out. Did the bands realize that Sea World breeds orca whales in captivity, keeps orca whales in captivity, trains them to perform while in captivity, and being in captivity means the whales indeed are not free to roam the oceans as wild animals only AFTER they watched Blackfish?? They were either incredibly ignorant about the park they licensed their music to use, or they're just dropping Sea World so they are mentioned by the news as bands that have dropped Sea World post-Blackfish.

 

There were a great deal of successful Change.org campaigns to get the bands to cancel. Fans are pressuring the bands to quit.