Guster Allegedly Promotes Right of Fans to Make Out During Set

Going to the Guster/Ray LaMontagne show tonight at Wolf Trap? You'll be one of the last to see that particular lineup. LaMontagne's website says he's canceling all shows after tomorrow's Charlottesville gig due to "unforeseen conflicts in his schedule." Did he forget he was going to be on a U.S. tour and make a dentist appointment? Doesn't sound like it.

Just ran into a former Guster rep at lunch who's calling bullshit on the scheduling explanation. Says that Ray freaked out on a couple sitting up front at a recent show, pulling the whole "If you're not going to listen to the music why don't you just f*** off" routine. Ironic, since GQ recently touted his shows as the best place to take a dame you were hoping to do the no-pants dance with later. Hell, he's even got that exact article in the "Press" section of his website. Source says Guster subsequently revoked LaMontagne's onstage pass, as it were.

If this all checks out he's committed one of my pet peeves: rockers (yeah, I know he's mellow, but it's an outdoor, massive venue summer tour) who stop shows to whine about people talking. Most recently, I watched Jeff Tweedy of Wilco do it in Ft. Lauderdale last summer. Here's the thing: you're a rock star. Suck it up. Did The Ramones ever stopped midsong to ask people to quiet down? Ahno, they didn't. Hell, the only time the Stones ever stopped midshow was to ask people in the front to kindly stop knifing a fan.