7/11 stores play opera to drive away the homeless
NewsGruesome story in the Daily Mail that convenient stores are using opera arias to keep their doorways clear.
Jagat Patel, who owns a 7-Eleven in the Riverside neighborhood of Austin, told Fox 7: ‘Studies have shown that the classical music is annoying. Opera is annoying, and I’m assuming they are correct because it’s working’.
More here.
Whatever works…
Send for ENO…
Mr Patel is correct…..classical music also cheaply and effectively disperses and deters teenagers (and pigeons) from loitering in public places. I understand Flight of the Valkyries played ff over a tannoy has been particularly useful and irritating in equal measure, at railway stations.
Shocking abuse! It needs to be played fff.
ff would rank as a cruel and unusual punishment.
It happens in California too. I was recently at one that was blasting Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini into the parking lot. It was certainly a surprise to hear it. For me, I can’t imagine not enjoying it but I’m biased…
They tried this on some Tyne and Wear Metro stations years ago to discourage antisocial behaviour .
I was once walking the old Waggonway in North Tyneside one drizzly Sunday afternoon. I stopped a youth careering towards me on his (well, someone’s) motorbike – but it was only to warn him that someone had stretched a wire across the path further on. Then I passed two lads crouching beside the Stephenson Steam Railway carefully placing stones on the line as the train approached. And then some youths trying to set fire to an iron road bridge with damp newspapers. And then to Percy Main Metro station often blighted by antisocial behaviour. They were playing John Rutter’s recording of the Cantique de Jean Racine through the loudspeakers. The station was completely deserted. Sounded great.
They also do this in Vienna, of all places, in underground car parks.
Maybe this strategy can increase opera royalties across the globe.
That’s what I’ve been saying.
Opera and classical music in general are nuisances laying on the ashes of a selfimploding elitist gerontocratic white power structure.
Driving away audiences everywhere in the world.
I don’t see it imploding in the White House; quite the contrary.
I should think even an opera or classical music lover would be annoyed if the music were played full blast and repeated in an endless loop. Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma for the umpteenth time, anyone? Surely, non shall sleep!
Seems to work great here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLOhOx7D4NA
It’s Texas.
… or India.
They musta been playing Netrebko and Domingo….
Doesn’t it also scare away potential customers?
No, only the thieves and loiterers. Oh, sorry, you meant for classical music?!
This is not a new concept, depressing as it is,
In Europe many ordinary shoppers would be stopping to listen.
. . . but not in Texas.
Just play that insipid “cars for kids” commercial on a loop; that’ll drive anyone away – and insane. (If you don’t live in the USA you have no idea how lucky you are not to have to listen to it. It’s everywhere!)
Even worse, they spell it “Kars”!
You’re so right, J Barcelo – that commercial is horrendous. I stopped listening to the radio stations that play it.
AFAIK, it hasn’t reached TV yet (knock on wood).
Well, I live in the USA and have never heard it. Guess that’s cuz I listen to classical music.
Cue William Osborne about the lack of public funding for opera houses in America
Yes, we can all benefit from yet another one of his erudite observations.
lol
opera halls keep kids and vandals away by playing opera as well.
similarly, playing music by substandard composers will keep typical concertgoers away AND everyone else.
This is an oldie but goodie — and not just opera: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/businesses-using-music-to-deter-crime-and-loitering/
Maybe the trombone player guy could show up and explain the opera being played to the homeless, now that he has to pay attention.
They use opera music in Mercedes Benz commercials.
But homeless people cannot afford a Mercedes, so…. works both ways: bringing the potential clients in, and driving the wrong kind of clients out.
There must be two types of Mercedes customers: those who enjoy listening to classical music, and those who don’t, but enjoy bering perceived as classical music lovers and generally being associated with that public.
Play any opera composed in the last 20 years, and you’ll chase away opera lovers as well.
They are “convenience stores”, not “convenient stores”.
Two of my local supermarkets play non-stop American pop music. I hurry in an out, and don’t linger.
Footnote fodder: In 1985, the Southland Corporation in British Columbia played certain music in the parking lots of its 7-Eleven stores in order to discourage teenagers from loitering. The initiative was repeated in the U.S. One teen complained about the Mantovani Orchestra: “There’s no words or anything. It’s all violins and I don’t know what.” Another teen weighed in on the Hollywood Symphony Strings’ “Love is a Many Splendored Thing”: “How can people listen to that sh-t?” An assistant police chief remarked: “It’s a great idea. It doesn’t seem to have downside, except for making certain people uncomfortable. I’ve been amazed at what music does to people’s moods.” Who knew that law enforcement could channel Plato’s doctrine of ethos?