BARACK ‘N ROLL at JULES MAES SALOON

WHAT: Get Out The Vote Event for the Obama/Biden campaign
WHEN: Saturday November 1, 2008
WHERE: Jules Maes Saloon
TIME: 9pm
COST: $5 21+ with ID

BUTTONS 4 OBAMA WILL BE THERE!

http://buttons4obama.com
-From 9-10pm, make your very own campaign button!
-Encourage people to vote by wearing your button during the countdown to Election Day!
-Check out the cool designs by Jody Rodgers and Joann Edmonds-Rodgers.
-Get there early 'cause supplies are limited!

STICKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While supplies last, everyone gets an Obama/Biden 2" round sticker!

INFO and MERCH TABLE

-Tips for Getting Out the Vote!
-Election Protection Guide!
-Free Obama Stickers!
-Free ACLU Voter Empowerment Cards!
-Pocket Constitutions!
AND
3-Way Switch Manifesto Packs!

We (3 Way Switch) are playing this Friday at the Mars Bar… not coming to the show is a sign of weakness. Ooooohhh.

An afternoon of Kansas related fun- this show is comprised of Seattle bands with some connection to Kansas. Each group features a member or members who are either from or have lived in Kansas at some point. Why does this matter? It doesn't. You don't have to be from Kansas to know you should come to the show. It's not like you have plans for 4pm on a Sunday afternoon anyway...

So...I have to say that there may be hope- after writing my last blog on these guys, I got a call from a very apologetic and sincere rep from Music123 named Beau(sp?). He had done his homework and knew about my band, so I can only assume he saw my previous flame. Well, they gave me a full refund on my entire order! For once, a company does the right thing in the end. I guess the internet isn't completely useless after all! Someone out there just got some karma points.

We go on around 9:30...

I'm going to describe another one of my online ordering nightmares now. Long ago I placed an order for some special drum heads from Musician's Friend. All items were "in stock" and would supposedly ship the next day. After nearly TWO MONTHS I disputed the charges and returned my partial order, because basically they were never going to ship the remainder. They were moving their warehouse in Kansas City at the time and had a million excuses why they screwed up my order. No problem- I told myself I would never order from Musician's Friend or rather Musician's Enemy again.
Fast forward eight months...
I'm playing guitar with 3-Way Switch now and my amp needs some new tubes. I decided that since I can't find a matched quartet of 6L6GC tubes anywhere in town, I would order from an online source. I found Music123 and decided to order from them. They had what I wanted and the prices seemed great, so why not. Here's a big why not in my book- little did I know they are MUSICIAN'S FRIEND in disguise! I ordered a quartet (4) of 6L6GC power tubes and five (5) 12AX7 preamp tubes. I received a box within four days containing five 12AX7 tubes and ONE (1) 6L6GC power tube. I rolled my eyes and gave them a call. I talked to someone that promised me they would get it right and he'd send the remaining tubes. I remind them that it's a quartet (4) of matched tubes and I didn't want a mismatched set...I planned to send back the orphan tube. They said don't worry about it. Okay. Days later I got a box and I started salivating thinking I could finally retube my failing amp. DENIED! One (1) freaking tube in the box.
UGHHH!
Not nearly as nice or patient this time I called back and I got someone who apologized profusely and upgraded my shipping to 2nd day air for yet ANOTHER "quartet." The day was Friday, the order was to arrive by Tuesday. It's Tuesday, I just got off the phone to ask them for a tracking number and you know what? The order hasn't even left the damn warehouse. They now have 36 hours to get me my stuff before I cancel the whole order and make them eat return shipping on my partial order.
Q: HOW DO BUSINESSES LIKE THIS STAY IN BUSINESS?
A: I...don't...KNOW!!!
Don't buy from Musician's Friend. They have horrible customer service and their warehouse is not in touch with their website or what it offers. Sometimes you get what you ordered and sometimes you get someone else's interpretation of what your order should be. If you have had good luck with them, all I can say is eventually your luck will run out and when that time comes...prepare for ultimate frustration.
BUYER BEWARE these are all the same company online: musiciansfriend.com, guitarcenter.com, music123.com, musician.com, privatereserveguitars.com, LMI, and giardinelli.com

Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about good customer service. Simply: I think that when you pay someone for something you should expect respect! If in performing my duties I were to discover I had done something wrong or made something difficult for my client, I would be a mountain of apologies. That is far from the case when it comes to my experience with the streaming music service called Rhapsody. Over the past several years I have typically had a decent experience using Rhapsody, but when things go wrong- they REALLY go wrong with their horrible customer service. When their application expanded to handle downloads to MP3 players, I was really excited. However, it is exactly at this juncture where their service and apparent lack of desire to deliver it went down the tubes. At one point in 2006 I filed complaints with the FTC and BBB regarding Real Networks/Rhapsody. In those complaints I charged the company for my time spent troubleshooting their software product that wasn't fit for launch (i.e. it was completely unusable for my device, though they said they supported the device). Through several painful hours of talking to tech support in India, I was able to get things running. I even got a refund for several months of service! But every time an upgrade would come by, my account settings would be wiped or I would lose my entire library on their server (all of your favorite albums and artists- GONE). And since Real has several entities selling Rhapsody, you have to be really careful which version you install. Here is what I hope to be my very last exchange with their "customer service" folks:



Marry: Hello. Welcome to Real's Live Chat. How can I help you?
Darrel: Hello...
Marry: Hi Darrel.
Darrel: You guys started billing my credit card in December...
Marry: I'm listening. Please go ahead.
Darrel: but you have historically billed my debit card.
Darrel: I have been charged twice for my service for December and January
Darrel: Somehow you kept that card on file, because I can't even see where it's entered as a choice.
Marry: Sure, I can help you to provide the required information.
Marry: Please give me a couple of minutes while I check your account.
Darrel: 12/31 you charged my debit card 14.99, but then you also charged my credit card 14.99 on 12/24.
Marry: Thanks for your time.
Marry: I can see that you have two active Rhapsody To Go subscription under the email address 'darrel-------------------com'.
Darrel: WHY?
Darrel: I haven't changed anything in my account settings and I fixed this erroneous charge before. I have already disputed the charges you've made since December.
Darrel: I was charged again on my credit card 1/23. I just noticed that for two months I've been paying on two cards for one account...
Marry: Thanks for your time.
Marry: You have mistakenly purchase two Rhapsody Subscription under the same e-mail address "darrel-------------------com".
Darrel: See...I didn't. Your upgrade lost my account info.
Darrel: I basically had to reinstall, and a dupe account was created.
Darrel: I called to have the card cleared from the duplicate account and it was. They told me not to worry about it, but somehow at random you started charging again.
Marry: For your convenience shall I cancel one of your Rhapsody To Go account which is started on 12/6/07?
Darrel: YES.
Darrel: What of the extra charges?
Marry: I will go ahead and cancel your Rhapsody account with the username "darrel---------------------com".
Darrel: What about the 14.99 x2?
Marry: I will provide the refund for the one Subscription charge.
Darrel: There were TWO.
Darrel: 12/24
Darrel: and 1/23
Darrel: I paid you guys with my debit card on 12/31, 12/03, 10/31, etc. for the account I have always used.
Darrel: I don't know why you started this other account, the email address is the same for my original account and the duplicate.
Darrel: All I did was upgrade to your new version...
Marry: Darrel you have mistakenly created this account.
Darrel: For the sake of argument- perhaps...
Darrel: but the EMAIL is the same, and I have FIXED this before...as in cancelled this account!
Marry: I will provide refund for one month Subscription charge.
Darrel: Whatever- this is going nowhere and you're wasting my time. I'm disputing them both, and while you are at it, cancel the other account. Screw you guys.
Darrel: Cancel them both.
Darrel: I'm done.
Darrel: No more.
Darrel: You can't keep screwing up my account and making it this difficult to fix. I have been through this with you guys so many times before in so many ways.
Darrel: Cancel both, I'll dispute the charges through my credit card company.
Marry: Please give me a couple of minutes while I check with my supervisor.
Darrel: You need to check with a supervisor to cancel my account?!
Darrel: I'm totally serious- there is nothing you can say to make me put up with this crap from you guys.
Marry: Please bear with me for a few more minutes.
Marry: Thanks for your time.
Marry: Sorry for delay in reply as I was working in your issue.
Marry: Per your request I will go ahead and cancel one of your Rhapsody To Go Subscription provide refund for two months.
Darrel: This account you say I created happened during an upgrade where the original registration info was lost. I use Audiogalaxy's version and another version installed...creating a duplicate. I did not knowingly create another. The fact this even happens pisses me off.
Darrel: I really think I'm done with your service. You are not hearing me tell you CANCEL BOTH.
Marry: I regret for the inconvenience caused.
Darrel: Refund two months, and please cancel BOTH accounts. I know this isn't your fault personally, but this service has been a headache and I don't appreciate the runaround and battle in correcting what is obviously a mistake.
Marry: Darrel I'm sure you will not experince this issue again.
Darrel: THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS SAID LAST TIME!!! OMG CANCEL CANCEL CANCEL CANCEL CANCEL
Marry: Please bear with me for a few more minutes.
Marry: Thanks for your time.
Marry: Okay, I've gone ahead and canceled your accounts. You will not be billed from this point for forward.
Darrel: Thank you!
Marry: Is there anything else that I can help you with today?
Darrel: No thanks. I will keep an eye on my credit card for the two refunds. Tell your supervisor I'd still be a subscriber if I didn't have to spend a frustrating hour getting you guys to do the right thing.