Student Musicians Claim W.B. Yeats Changed Its Tune

The two men started picketing W.B. Yeats Irish Pub on West Franklin Street on the nights of March 1 and March 2 holding signs reading, "W.B. Yeats does not pay its bands."

The Scooby Brothers, UNC juniors and roommates Scott Hirsch and Bobby Sapp, had performed top-40 songs in a four-hour, two-guitar acoustic/electric set at W.B. Yeats on Feb. 25.

The duo said the manager of the pub had not reimbursed them $69.96 for P.A. rental that they said had been agreed upon on the condition that they "brought in enough people that night."

"We brought in all the business that night except two or three people; they were all our friends," Hirsch said. "Some of them were not old enough to buy drinks, but we did have two friends with 21st birthdays who were taking shots."

After not being paid, the two said they decided to picket the pub to inform the public of their plight. "My girlfriend's father gave me the idea to picket," Hirsch said.

Hirsch said he and Sapp stood outside the pub for three hours both nights holding signs and "kindly telling people not to patronize the bar because they don't pay their bands."

"A few of the regulars came out and hassled us," Sapp said. "One guy called me 'cupcake.' He thought he was a tough guy or something."

Sapp said the picket seemed to be more successful March 1, the first night they started. "We definitely screwed him back over after he screwed us," he said, referring to W.B. Yeats manager Nick Dodd.

But Dodd, who has managed W.B. Yeats for the past six months, said he had never guaranteed payment to the band.

"When they came in the first time, they didn't even have a band name or any recordings of their music," he said. "I explained our policy, which is that without a recording to listen to ahead of time, we will give a band a gig on a quiet night but don't pay.

"They said they had played a few fraternity parties but no clubs," Dodd said. "I told them that if they brought in enough business we could afford to pay them."

Dodd said the duo failed to bring in enough business. "They seemed to have a different idea of what busy meant," he said. "There were between 10 and 15 people there."

Dodd said a number of patrons left the pub because they could not stand to hear the duo.

He also said he was surprised when the two showed up to picket Thursday.

"They had a sign that said 'W.B. Yeats does not pay its bands,' which is not true," Dodd said. "They are the only band I've never paid and that is because they sucked."

Dodd said he suggested their time might have been better spent practicing.

Sapp said the Scooby Brothers are done picketing, at least for now, but they have not ruled out protest fliers. "We definitely want people to know about this."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.