CMW Day 1: Dumb and Disorganized. FAIL.

It's not even 9pm, and I'm already home. I believe this is poor organization on the part of the organizers of the Canadian Music Week festival. Here's how my evening went:

Firstly, I checked the information email that they had sent to me, 12 days ago (the only communication I have received from the CMW staff), and it clearly states:

Please note: Badges and/or Tickets will NOT be mailed out, you must pick them up at the Registration Office. Your delegate pass and/or tickets can be picked up during the following hours in the Registration Office in the British Columbia Room which is located on the Main Mezzanine Level of The Royal York Hotel Toronto.

Tuesday March 10 5pm-8pm
Wednesday March 11 8am-8pm
Thursday March 12 7am-7pm
Friday March 13 8am-6pm
Saturday March 14 8:30am-6pm

Okay, great. So, my plan was to go to the Royal York, and then head over to the Mod Club to see Sloan & Will Currie and the Country French.  I got to the Royal York at 7pm (and paid an arm and a leg for parking in that area), giving me plenty of time to pick up all necessary documents.  Went to the "A-L" line, and was able to get a wristband, no problem, from the nice lady who was working at that counter.  I asked if she also had my photo pass there.  She told me that it was at the media desk, but she wasn't sure if it was still open, so she would ask someone.

She came back and told me, yes, it was open, and I could just walk over there (it was about 5 paces away, in the same room).  At the media desk, there were at least 4 people sitting at the desk, yet they told me it was closed.  I showed them the email that I received, and they replied saying that "it wasn't the email that the media desk sent out" ... hmmm. Why I had not received any other email, then?  Seemed slightly fishy.  (However, I am talking to my friend Andrew from S&H, and he forwarded me a copy of the email he received.  In it, it clearly states 6pm... but I never received this email.  This is the first I've seen of it.  ARGH)

For the record, I also just logged into the media section of the website, and it simply says, " Media passes may be picked up onsite at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in the British Columbia Room. Specifics will follow. " - it might be a good time to update those specifics, seeing as how the festival has already started.

They told me that all their "systems" were down, and they could not give me the pass (though they could look up on a printed sheet to see that I was, indeed, accredited for a photo pass) - if they do not use some kind of computer network to get me my pass, I will be doubly pissed tomorrow.

They told me to come back tomorrow before 6pm, and they assured me that with my wristband, I would be able to get into the shows that night.

Fine.

At this point, it was a huge hassle, having to come back, but as long as the rest of the night was okay, and I could photograph the three bands that were playing, I would be fine.

I got to the venue at 7:55.  The first band, of 3, was scheduled to go on at 8, and they're almost always late at the Mod Club, so there was still plenty of time.  Got to the front of the doors, and the security guard says, "We're not taking wristbands anymore."

So... that means I just drove all the way downtown, wasted a quarter tank of gas, for absolutely nothing.

I hope tomorrow turns out better than today.