The Heat Factor...

I have this friend. He has worked at various cleveland area show venues over the last 10 or so years. I asked him, "what's the shadiest thing that goes on at those places?". His reply... "Man, the heat. They always wanted the heat on, get the place all nice and warm. Then everyone shows up and the temperature triples. People are getting all worked up over bands, you know, getting all sweaty. Of course they are going to get thirsty. Not everyone drinks or is even old enough to drink, right? So the place would be blazing hot and we would sell water! Cups or bottles of water, $1, $2, whatever. At the end of the night we would literally have piles of money from people buying water, people paying $2 for something that was free at the sink in the bathroom. About an hour before a show, we would turn the heat up, even in the summer. Of course it was shady but from a business standpoint, it was genious.".
:)