Venue Review I & II
So… you’re a musician, ready to play and looking for a gig. I’m sure you’ve already found a load of articles on how to book shows or have at least gotten a bit of information from venues on what you need. One tip I will give you is this. If a venue has information on their website on what you need to do in order to book a show, read it. Don’t just skim. I used to have a bad habit of doing that. Follow it to the letter. It will work in you favor much more so than just sending them a CD the might never listen to without seeing other things for which they’ve asked.
This is about my personal experience with some of the venues I’ve played. I’ll give you the good and the bad as I’ve seen it.
Section I – 169 Bar, Lower East Side, NYC
As you travel around, if you’re familiar with the city of New York, you’ll notice that some of the best venues are no longer around and it breaks my heart. Places like The Baggot Inn, The Elbow Room, CBGB’s, The Lion’s Den, Downtime, have all vanished into the mist for one reason or another.
One place that seems to be hunting and trapping a lot of artists in the city is 169 Bar. I remember receiving a message in my MySpace mailbox saying they wanted to book me. Well, I had been gigging for some time but I had never played there so I made contact with the booking agent, set the date and time and proceeded to promote.
I had asked about a cover and was told not to worry about it. I should have known then that something was up. The person to whom I spoke didn’t say there was no cover. He said “Don’t worry about it.” I was too excited about playing another new venue to pay attention.
Along with that, they offered, through Lower East Side (LES) Productions, to take a video and give me a DVD of the show for $35.00. Hell yeah. That’s awesome. I can’t wait.
Come the night of the show, I enter to find the bar is just Dive enough to look cool. The performance space – stage, if you will – was set in a corner with your back to a huge window. The house gear was kind of beat up but that happens. The acoustics weren’t spectacular but we’re not playing Carnegie Hall. (yet) . Someone said to me that the sound guy was also part owner. I never found out if that were true but if he was, I don’t know where he got his business sense. He barely paid any attention to us. He didn’t give us any sort of real sound check and off we go with out first song.
Some of my friends came in as we were setting up so I didn’t have a chance to talk to them. A few more came as we were playing the first couple tunes and more still half way through the set. People are late to gigs from time to time. It happens.
Our time was up – quicker than anticipated. Our set was cut a bit short because they started us out late. I was almost glad because the sound guy still paid no attention to our needs. I wasn’t happy to be cut off because we were promised a full set.
One of my friends comes over to me after to inform me that she was charged $10 at the door. Another said the same. I asked about it and the booking guy – who also happened to be the one taking the video – said that he told me about that. NO. Wait a minute. Weren’t you the door guy too?
I pack up my gear in a huff as this same, multi-talented man walks over and hands me a mini DV cassette. What am I supposed to do with this? He tells me it’s the “Industry standard” format for video. I don’t give a fuck. Where’s my DVD? That costs a little extra. “FUCK YOU A LITTLE EXTRA!”
I nearly gave up on performing that night. To top it all off. Some of my friends weren’t even counted at the door because the came a bit late into the set. The still paid. I didn’t even argue. I just got the hell out of there and vowed never to book there again.
I have played there after that; only because I was sitting in with friends that were booked there and had asked me to play with them. I’ve heard that things have changed a bit there but that whole thing about being once bitten holds very true in this case.
Section II – The Bitter End, Greenwich Village, NYC
There is a reason that this place is world famous. It’s reputation is well earned and though it’s a bit intimidating for some, I would tell anybody to play here if you want to know what it feels like to be a star if only for one night.
6:00PM – Hanging out, outside the door with my guitar slung over my shoulder in an old, beat up gig bag, my amp and a half smoked cigarette, I felt cool. I looked cool. I should have had someone take a picture. It wasn’t me. It was the place.
I’ve sat in with bands and I’ve come to see bands at this place and each time I think I know what to expect but it gets me every time. That kick in the chest from the invisible centurion asking you if you think you’re worthy. It’s not butterflies. It’s pterodactyls fighting to the death in your gut. What a great feeling.
I played there back in 96 for the first time. My old band was a fun little project and we weren’t super awesome or anything like that but we loved. We set up and did a sound check. It was quick but it was thorough and we were amazed at how we sounded when we took off into our first song. All the way through the set, I could hear the minor adjustment made by the sound guy. Most people would never have noticed it but I always pay very close attention to things like that even when I’m in the audience.
When we came down from the stage, the transition was smooth and elegant from show to business and back to fun. I stuck around to hear some of the other bands and we were treated like any performing musician want to be treated by a venue – like we matter. I’ve played there several times, sitting in with other people and it has never changed. My friend Jason Vitelli had his CD release at the Bitter end this past year. I played with him n a couple songs and got the same feeling all over again. Not only was I playing with a fantastic musician but I was in a place that felt like heaven.
I’ve never felt shafted or slighted, neglected or out of place at The Bitter End and I recommend to any musician that’s any good, can draw a crowd and wants to know what it feels like to be a rock star, look into playing The Bitter End. Once my CD is done, I’ll be holding my release there as well.
Also… look for Jason Vitelli’s CD, No Photographs on iTunes. You’ll dig it. To find out more, check out www.roomfulofsky.com or www.myspace.com/jasonvitellimusic online. You can find them through my website as well. www.bobbykanemusic.com
~KANE~
No comments:
Post a Comment