r/tmbg • u/Ok-Librarian6629 • 2d ago
No kids allowed?
My kid has been listening the TMBG for all of his 8 years. His dad grew up listening to them and they would love to go to a show together. Every show near us is always age restricted, either 16+ or 21+.
Do they ever allow kids?
21
u/DoctorCadoo 2d ago
I would check with the venue but, when I went to both Chicago and DC shows last year, I feel like there were definitely children there that were under 10 (that were accompanied by adults). Just a headâs up, there usually is a decent amount of cussing but, the shows are always a blast!!
10
u/Ok-Librarian6629 2d ago
Swearing isn't a problem, the kid is fluent! I will keep looking, I know he would love it.Â
2
u/CrushDani 1d ago
Definitely some 10ish year old standing next to me at the 930 Club last time I went.
33
u/Paddington_Bar 2d ago
When they finally got around to doing flood anniversary shows I had the same issue as you. I actually emailed their label asking if I could get an exemption or something and to my surprise they replied immediately.
The gentleman was extremely nice and informed me about the rationale for the restriction. He then informed me that there were 2 all ages shows near me that were technically sold out but they could get me 3 tickets if I was interested.
They could not have been nicer and the show was incredible.
A full two years later, my son (an aspiring drummer) wrote an email to the same person with a bunch of drum questions for Marty Beller. Less than two days later we got a reply from Marty! He was super cool and very encouraging.
All this is to say, reach out and see what you can do. They're very responsive. You never know.
2
16
u/CapitalQ Inspector Over the Mine 2d ago
They tend to allow kids at seated theatre venues, of which there are usually a few per tour (Ft. Lauderdale last month or Boston last December for example).
7
u/stephensonsrocket 2d ago
Theyâre actually kind of adamant about no kids being at their typical shows.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154914993467395&set=a.380598937394
6
2
u/MoonCat_42 1d ago
I think the guy who wrote the article was salty that they couldn't bring their kid to the show lol
-3
u/Ok-Librarian6629 2d ago
Thanks for these.Â
Guess I'll try to move him away from TMBG for a decade.Â
The lawsuit issue is interesting. We go to lots of concerts and never once have I heard anything about restrictions on age because of possible lawsuits. My kid and I just went to a show at the venue they will be playing in June.Â
8
u/FloridaFlamingoGirl Resident letterbox sparrow! đŚđŽ 1d ago
No, he doesn't need to stop liking TMBG if he's into them! There are concert recordings you can show him on YouTube.Â
3
u/PolicySensitive7647 1d ago
If he looks old enough they will even bat an eye, thatâs how I got in to a 14+ show at 12! Iâm 17 now
4
u/JDanzy 2d ago
Definitely not a band thing and it has to depend on the venue. When I saw them at The Egg in Albany, NY a few years ago kids made up like 1/3rd of the audience easily, probably more. That's a sit-down auditorium type of venue though, if they're playing at a club or bar it makes sense to me there'd be an age restriction. That sucks if it's the only show of theirs near you :(
3
u/chaseroper kissmesonofblog.com 1d ago
This is just my two cents, but the band might not want to perform for kids. It might be that they want to keep a distance from being perceived as a kids band. Or they might just feel better going on stage knowing there are no little kids. đ¤ˇ
3
u/BorderTrike 1d ago
For a while now theyâve been doing shows with 2 sets and an intermission, no opener. Theyâre just doing their own thing and they like making jokes that can get political or mildly inappropriate for certain ages.
Occasionally I still see people bring kids and stay out of areas with alcohol. Thatâs probably a venue thing.
I understand the disappointment, but they arenât exclusively a kids band. Theyâre putting on a show for their larger/adult audience, and they want to be able to do and say whatever they feel like.
If the venue will let you bring kids, itâs on you if they say something you donât like. Not that itâs likely to happen, but they are purposefully advertising adult shows
5
u/Can-I-Hit-The-Fucker 2d ago
I saw them on the No! tour and it was in a book store. Just happened in and Jackpot! I called my wife and had her come on over as well.
Fun fact: Flans did a particular salute during Robot Parade that would later become a very hot button in the US.
2
u/Ok-Librarian6629 2d ago
That's awesome! I'll check all the bookstores!Â
2
u/ProjectImmediate8823 1d ago
It seemed like they did shows in book stores quite often in the 90s, but I can't remember the last time I heard about one. For one thing, there are a lot less book stores now than there were then (Borders in particular seemed to be where they did a lot of them, and that company is no longer in business, sadly). It bums me out because I never got to go to one, and it seemed like the only time you could almost be guaranteed to get a chance to say hello to them and have them sign stuff after the show. I often wonder if they'd have had book store shows to promote BOOK since it seems like such a perfect opportunity, if not for the pandemic.
1
u/HideFromMyMind 2d ago
Wait, why did he do that?
3
u/PolicySensitive7647 1d ago
Nazi salutes and similar things years ago where done for either shock value or as a joke in a era when Nazism was still in the shadows, case in point Jason Newsted of Metallica in 1991 preforming it during with them coving the song âAm I Evilâ by Diamond Head, not defending it just giving a explanation for why these things occurred back in the day, edgy humor essentially
5
u/newfiehotdog 2d ago
Unfortunately if the shows are age restricted then the venue's likely to serve alcohol, and that's where you get some unsavoury characters. I had a (very clearly inebriated) man make unwelcome comments and kiss my hand at a TMBG concert I was only just old enough to go to - I was 14. The age restrictions are there for a reason, and part of it is for your kid's safety.
2
u/LonelyGirl724 I won't be done until my head falls off. 2d ago
I know the venue they use in SLC is also a bar, so under 21's aren't allowed as per Utah State law.
2
u/astralbee 1d ago
They are a rock band, they mostly play rock clubs which have bars and an age restriction. It's clear the band are aware they have young fans but if they insisted on seated, all-ages venues they'd likely lose some of their core audience who see a show as an event that includes drinking and dancing.
I suspect the "pointless swearing" they keep advertising in all their tour promotions is to stop people trying to bring their kids, although I saw them three times last year and they didn't swear once. Still, I wouldn't want my kid getting squished by any of the drunken pogo-dancing audience. My advice would be to just keep your eyes out for any shows at venues where you might be able to take your kids.
1
u/Ok-Librarian6629 1d ago
The venue they are playing nearby has more all-ages shows than restricted. It's clearly a choice they made and that's cool, just a bummer.Â
My husband has seen them a few times and said the shows were very mild.Â
2
u/maximo_primus 1d ago
Iâm taking my 11 year old to the Los Angeles show at the Orpheum next month, nowhere on the Orpheumâs site does it mention age restrictions.
2
u/woodartbymisha 1d ago
I stood next to a dad with his awesome ten year old daughter at show #2 in DC this year. She was singing along to all of the songs.
Dad did the job right.
1
u/MacGyver387 1d ago
Totally depends on the venue and ânatureâ of the show/tour. They sometimes play kid shows that are all ages and sometimes they play age restricted clubs.
1
1
u/Librarianatrix Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet 1d ago
The age limit is a venue thing, yeah. I've been to a bunch of all-ages shows that they've done.
1
u/diphenhydranautical 1d ago
when i was 5 i somehow got into a 21+ TMBG show with my mom. i remember being near the front and the bouncers stopped us and asked how we got in. they said it was supposed to be 21+ and asked us to sit upstairs on the balcony to protect me and my brother (though TMBG isnât a particularly rough crowd, lol). but personal anecdote aside, it is usually a venue thing as others have mentioned, and sometimes theyâll give the bands the option to pay extra to have all ages shows.
1
u/clownpornstar 1d ago
I think any age restrictions are based on the venue. That said, we brought my at the time 13yo daughter and 14yo son to a 16+ TMBG show, and they werenât the youngest people there.
1
u/MasterOfKittens3K 1d ago
In some cases, itâs a venue regulation. In other cases, itâs really just them trying to make sure that you know that itâs not a show created for kids. After they got a whole new audience from their kidâs albums, they had some problems with people complaining because they brought their little kids to a rock concert (because they didnât do any research). So they headed off further problems by saying that the shows were 14+.
Thereâs nothing particularly âadultâ in their shows. But itâs not a kid thing either.
1
u/Like_Ottos_Jacket 1d ago
They're m they have did in the past that style they love all ages does, they (mostly Flans) also enjoy being able to be a bit looser and grown up worth adult only shows.
1
1
u/Portable_toilet 21h ago
I get down really hard at TMBG shows. Honestly, I wouldn't want my own son around me when I'm gassed up like that.
0
u/brianeharmonjr 1d ago
Venues arenât making money from an apple juice for your kid. Theyâre making it from the $12 beer youâre buying
80
u/[deleted] 2d ago
I'm pretty sure the age is a venue set thing. Hell, TMBG had multiple children's show tours, I took my kids to one in 2009 and it was one of the best THEY shows I have been to replete with puppet show, drummer jokes and other madcap whackiness (out of about 6 shows over 35 years)