POST NQC 2009-Part 1 (#458)

With the 2009 NQC in the history books for almost 48 hours now, I've settled down to play armchair quarterback. Actually, that's probably not the right term to use, but nonetheless, I'm going to hit rewind and over the next few days, I'll offer a few thoughts on last week's events.

    Once Saturday night rolled around, the exhibit hall looked like a ghost town - again. In the past, the NQC has tried to enforce that you can't load out until after 11 p.m., or you must be done before the exhibit hall opens for the day. I don't know what the current rules are, but I do know that beginning immediately after the fan awards, I had to keep side-stepping carts loaded with furniture and rolls of carpet.

    I know that many artists had to leave because they had to work dates on Sunday morning. I also know that many artists left before the week's end because they had to work dates to help pay for their stay at NQC (run the numbers - it'll take a big chunk out of the wallet).

    In any case, it was disturbing (and occasionally humorous) to see many making a mad dash for the door while concerts were still going on and while people were trying to purchase a CD, DVD, etc., as booths were being ripped down.

    Considering the past two weeks I've had (you've probably heard about the tree-in-the-house episode), I can assure you that I was just as ready to head home as anyone, if not more. But you know, I feel as though the fans are owed an apology for the mass exodus. Some of them were shortchanged and that kind of thing affects attendance down the road. Some people only made it in for the weekend or perhaps even just Saturday night.

    How to solve this? Short of armed guards, I don't know. Maybe we should all be more thoughtful of the fans, and that alone might take care of it.

    On another note—and in retrospect, this is getting funnier the more I think about it—I was cornered by one fan that just couldn't believe the Booth Brothers could dominate the fan awards like they did. I'm not going to phrase it exactly how she said it, but suffice it to say that she offered a conspiracy theory.

    Here's the deal: When a group gets on a roll, it's a train that doesn't make it to the station for a while. Just think of the dynasty years of the Cathedrals and Gold City, to name a few. Their fans took the time to vote and they voted en masse. Nothing different this year.

    Oh, and by the way, I asked that fan if she subscribed to Singing News—after all, you have to be a subscriber to be able to vote in the awards. Take a guess about her response. At least buy the subscription...

    Lest you think I'm just harping only on some of the less-than-pleasant things of this year's event, there were some things about the week that were truly heartwarming.

    For example, the Make-A-Wish Foundation made it possible for a young fan and his grandmother to attend this year's event (you'll read more about this in a future edition of Singing News). That alone should be a challenge to all of us in Southern Gospel music to realize that this music is tremendously important to many people and it's ability to touch lives is far beyond our comprehension. God has entrusted so much to us in Southern Gospel and as such, we will be held accountable—so don't let that thought get too far away from you.

    More later.