SamDBL
Joined: Sep 19, 2016
Posts: 225
Tampa
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Posted on Jun 22 2019 10:43 PM
So there’s a great craft brewery near here. I’ve put a couple of shows on there of verging genres, and they’ve gone well. The owners are asking if my surf/garage band wants to play there. However, the band is not yet well established in the area. And in fact, there is no real scene for this type of music here and not a lot of bands playing it. Therefore, I expect just throwing my band on will not be much of a draw. The reason the other shows have done well is because they are kind of ‘event’ based where it’s a night out to go and drink.
So I’m wanting to make it part of some unique (to the area) hip event. My LA friends tell me about these tiki themed party’s that go down out there quite successfully. Both in hotel rooms and bars. Since I have never been, I was wondering if some people here may be able to shed some light on the specifics of them. Is it just tiki decor with a surf band playing? Or is there anything else to it? There is always a crowd for mid century type entertainment, here. And there is also a pretty healthy punk scene. So I’m just trying to get some ideas to make for the best possible scenario for my band to play and continue my streak at this bar.
— Guitarist for Black Valley Moon & Down By Law
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Surfing_Sam_61
Joined: Jan 15, 2019
Posts: 1515
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Posted on Jun 23 2019 11:11 AM
Don't worry about it dude …...just do it ...If a bar owner will let you guys play go for it man. Its about music not atmosphere, make the music good it will pay off.
Start out small and work it up, nobody starts at the top or has big draws like that unless its a holiday of some sort.
Music is so hard now being there are so many bands, and the audience is distracted by social media now, people will be texting and watching other bands on I phones while your on, especially anyone under 40 years old now.
I just when to a Festival where the first act had just 7 people in the audience set up to hold about 5000.
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SamDBL
Joined: Sep 19, 2016
Posts: 225
Tampa
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Posted on Jun 23 2019 12:03 PM
I don’t know. I’ve been playing professionally in other genres for 25+ years. And I’ve seen great bands that continually play the same small bars with no draw for decades, and others that develop a healthy following in a shorter time. I am positive that the marketing and image have as much to do with it as the quality of the music. I’d rather give this project the best shot at longevity. And just showing up and playing with no effort put into the show would not be ideal. If we played the best set in the world, and only 8 people were there to talk about it afterwords, it wouldn’t do us much good for setting up the next show. I’d rather have people there to play in front of. They might not be as inclined to show up to see a band they’ve never heard of play as they would some novelty drinking night that’s been well promoted. These things seem pretty popular on the west coast. We are a beach community as well. And I see no reason why the same types of events wouldn’t do well here, also.
— Guitarist for Black Valley Moon & Down By Law
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Surfing_Sam_61
Joined: Jan 15, 2019
Posts: 1515
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Posted on Jun 23 2019 03:17 PM
Well then maybe you could get a few bands for a small festival together on a Friday or Saturday night if you been playing 25 years,
I see this a lot now, every band members family or friends or even other local acts show up. Most of the audience is either other acts not on the bill checking it out or friends of the bands in most cases and a few regulars thrown in. You can have as many as 100 people with just 4 bands.
What I see now is all the festivals are usually Genre driven or the same style music everywhere, maybe a mix of different bands would work and your Surf band could open, Make sure that biggest band closes as well or people will walk when they go off. Many new bands open for older acts even at the club level. That works pretty good usually.
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Kuk
Joined: Feb 13, 2007
Posts: 132
NW Fla Gulf Coast
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Posted on Jun 23 2019 09:09 PM
Do a web search of "The Hukilau in Fort Lauderdale,FL" for some ideas. You missed this year's event by two weeks.
Several SG101 members attend/play the Hukilau and west coast events. Maybe they will chime in soon.
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