Geek99 Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Does anyone have any advice on getting one off the ground ? Talked to a guitard plasterer I know who suggested starting one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Go to a few and copy the format of your favorite! It's also a good way of publicizing your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 You need to find a venue that will support or want one and start it from scratch. You need to populate it with like minded people and probably call in a few favours to form a house band so they have a gig/music should not enough people venture up on stage. Suggest the venue pay the core band..or if not at least feed them free beer. The object of this is to fill a pub on a dull weak night and maybe form the start of a live music pub program to start interest. Once enough people get up then the band takes a back seat... and the band needs to avoid a trendancy to be too handy so as not to put newbie people off. Resist the temptation to be the clique that keeps everyone from embracing the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1334061837' post='1610272'] Once enough people get up then the band takes a back seat... and the band needs to avoid a trendancy to be too handy so as not to put newbie people off. Resist the temptation to be the clique that keeps everyone from embracing the idea. [/quote] This. House band needs to be there to fill in if it gets quiet, give support where its wanted, and to stay out of the way when it's not wanted (and to have slot of there own commensurate with everyone else's slot) Try very hard to share the available time evenly. I go to one open mike (Mostly singing rather than playing) and there a few people who push themselves forward all the time and monopolise it, and I know of a couple of decent acts that have given up coming because they don't get a go. Managing one must be very difficult and I wouldn't want to try it myself. I guess "firm but polite" is required when people have had their share of the time. The one I go to is is run by a lovely bloke, but he tends not to be firm enough. Probably best to set the ground rules from day one, even put them up somewhere, so everyone knows what they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 [quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1334075778' post='1610567'] This. House band needs to be there to fill in if it gets quiet, give support where its wanted, and to stay out of the way when it's not wanted (and to have slot of there own commensurate with everyone else's slot) Try very hard to share the available time evenly. I go to one open mike (Mostly singing rather than playing) and there a few people who push themselves forward all the time and monopolise it, and I know of a couple of decent acts that have given up coming because they don't get a go. Managing one must be very difficult and I wouldn't want to try it myself. I guess "firm but polite" is required when people have had their share of the time. The one I go to is is run by a lovely bloke, but he tends not to be firm enough. Probably best to set the ground rules from day one, even put them up somewhere, so everyone knows what they are. [/quote] Absolutely bang on! There was one I used to go to and it got so clique I couldn't bare it. There was 4 bass players one evening and only the runner of the night played bass, utter waste of time. Have rules and don't bend them for anyone, any special nights you may have advertise them in advance so people don't turn up wanting to play and can't. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I go to quite a few of these each month and help run one not far from where I live. Find a potential venue and avoid paying for use of their premises - their payoff will be in increased beer sales. Working mens clubs are fab for this sort of thing - they generally have a spare room, cheap beer and a desire to get people in the door midweek. It's far easier to work with other PnP venues than it is to compete with them - go see the others, introduce yourself and get to know them. Make sure you pick an alternative night to theirs - a different week would be good. Tell your people about the other clubs and those clubs will reciprocate that gesture. Divide the evening up into 'slots' of three songs to prevent any one performer from dominating the night. A sheet with 15 minute slots is about right (allowing for changeovers and the inevitable tuning disasters). If you don't have enough 'acts' to fill the evening then you can always go round again or bump the slots up to four songs. Have a few 'house musicians' on hand to back up beginners if they feel lonely on stage. A 'compere' to open the proceedings, introduce the acts and say goodnight is always good. Some background music playing before the show starts is always a nice touch. Don't forget you're likely to end up with a mixture of performers and spectators, take time out to make sure the spectators are enjoying themselves. Make sure that the 'compere' and the house musicians are friendly and personable enough to go chat with the beginners and offer encouragement and support - everyone was a beginner once. I guess the last thing is to remember that it will take quite a while for the word to get round that you're running a plug and play so don't feel downhearted if you don't end up with a large turnout for a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 All sound advice above. Have you got a venue yet? If not, I think picking your area is important. The open-mic scene in Derby (which I know you are close to) is just-about saturated. On some weekday nights there are two or even three open-mics running simultaneously in a mile radius. Last Tuesday night I went to both open-mics at the Brewery Tap and then the Old Silk Mill (three minutes walk apart). To be honest there was probably just enough audience and performers to justify one of them. More chances to get a go though!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 i can recommend a good one if youre anywhere near north kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Sadly not - I am in Nottinghamshire near sutton in Ashfield I don't think I can devote the time to running one at moment (listening to icastle and others) as I have a disabled partner and toddler with sleep issues. Will have to see if I can find one locally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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