Basschat Mini-Festival?

[lukeward2004]

I think if its going to work at all, it needs to be a free event - all gear supplied and whatnot.

Unless we all donate a couple of squid in for the hire of a venue, with the bumber of users we have here just a quid or two would be a big help!

[Mikey D]

[quote name='jwbassman' post='22141' date='Jun 22 2007, 09:52 PM']I can probably sort the jazz quintet for the afternoon slot with enough notice... [/quote]

I could do the same...but why don't we just have a Bass-quintet!? Upright, Fretless, Four String, Six String and Drummer. You know you want to...

[Bass Culture]

The 'B' Festival! I'd certainly try and convince my covers band to give it a go - I'm sure they'd be up for it.

Mark

[The Funk]

Ok, well it looks like a number of people might want this to happen. So now it's just a question details, details, details.

So, can we come up with a list of things to decide/agree upon?

I think an important thing to consider is who would we want coming along to watch. Any thoughts?

[bassboy115]

make it open to the public...find out the price of the venue and work out how much you will need to charge... any profit goes towards the site.

If its only available to basschat members it is just another bash really!

[The Funk]

Exactly. It should be open to the public. I'm just trying to figure out how/who/where/why.

[bassboy115]

so....

[Kiwi]

Sticking my project managers hat on for a sec, a bit of risk management might be a good idea - the ol' Avoid/Offset/Mitigate/Manage bit.

PLUS:

We need a venue.

We need someone to pay for everything at risk (at least until the expenses can be recouped).

We need a reason for people to come and pay us money.

We need people to take responsibility for organising and delivering it. This is going to be very difficult unless well organised and people must be reliable - not give up when it gets stressful or frustrating.

Lets also understand what is feasible given the resources we have for this forum.

[slaphappygarry]

Kiwi,

We need Victor Wooten

That would sell tickets

G

[The Funk]

So, who's our potential audience? As in, why will people want to come and see this - we need to give them a reason.

There's either the bass fanatic route, which most agree is a bit of a waste, or there's the other route which is a mini-festival which has just happened to be organised by bassists.

Before we get into volunteers and trying to organise it we should have a clear idea of what the point of it would be (not for us, but for the outside world).

Just looking back up at CK's post, I can see that all I've done here is expand on his 3rd point. Can we settle this before we get into Points 1, 2 and 4?

[Kiwi]

The bass fanatic side of things is pretty much covered by Bassday as far as I can see. Its well resourced and they do a fantastic job of organising it as well.

[The Funk]

Ok, so the question is how do we sell the festival to the average punter?

We could do what the promoters always do and urge the bands to generate some of the crowd themselves. If we pick a place like the Vibe Bar in Brick Lane, we could probably get a fair amount of passing trade too.

[url="http://www.vibebar.co.uk"]Click here[/url]

Edited July 3, 2007 by The Funk

[Muppet]

From a promotion point of view I think you have to keep 'Bass' out of the equation, otherwise it'll be seen as too specialist, so what's it in aid of? Charidee? Public Holiday? A day without rain?

Bands could be responsible for bringing an audience as Funk suggests. My band for example could guarantee at least 20 paying punters to London. A bill of ten bands throughout the day gives you 200 punters and that's without band members and Basschatters. The point here is that we could more or less guarantee our audience without having to pull punters from 'outisde' which, as we all know, is difficult.

If you can get bands to commit to bringing a following, in principle, you have an idea of the size of venue needed, an estimated income and the bare bones of a bill.

As Kiwi states though, you need someone prepared to fund upfront at risk, unless bands on the bill accept this responsibility jointly. This, however, harks back to 'pay to play....'

Steve

[The Funk]

It wouldn't quite be 'pay to play' if the bands put up the money to hire the venue 'cos then they'd be keeping any / all profits.

I do think that for it to be a 'festival', it should cover an entire weekend. Friday afternoon - Sunday night.

[Muppet]

[quote name='The Funk' post='26428' date='Jul 3 2007, 11:53 AM']It wouldn't quite be 'pay to play' if the bands put up the money to hire the venue 'cos then they'd be keeping any / all profits.

I do think that for it to be a 'festival', it should cover an entire weekend. Friday afternoon - Sunday night.[/quote]

Sure I realise that - I was just playing Devil's Advocate. If possible it would be better if bands didn't have to stump up, up front, but it's the only way I can see it working. The bands would then have a vested interest in securing a decent crowd, but would also be more in control of finances.

I like the whole weekend idea - maybe Friday evening start though?

[The Funk]

Yeah, that makes sense.

I'm having dangerous thoughts... what if we held the festival at the Vibe Bar and 93 Feet East - they're on opposite sides of the same road in a trendy part of London. As far as I know, they've never had a music festival there.

[Muppet]

I don't know the place myself - does it have a stage/music room with PA etc? Luke made the valid point earlier about storage of equipment also.

[setekh]

[quote name='neepheid' post='21833' date='Jun 22 2007, 12:21 PM']No chance for me. I talk better than I play. I sand better than I play. I french polish better than I play, and that's saying something [/quote]
well...that makes two of us

I really wouldnt mind flying to the UK to watch/meet you lot

[OldGit]

[quote name='slaphappygarry' post='26144' date='Jul 2 2007, 06:18 PM']Kiwi,

We need Victor Wooten [/quote]

ha ha yeah but only to bass players and we'll all be there anyway ...

[OldGit]

[quote name='The Funk' post='26473' date='Jul 3 2007, 12:54 PM']Yeah, that makes sense.

I'm having dangerous thoughts... what if we held the festival at the Vibe Bar and 93 Feet East - they're on opposite sides of the same road in a trendy part of London. As far as I know, they've never had a music festival there.[/quote]

London eh?
that big smelly place with no parking/gridlock/conjestion charges/ huge hotel bills?

[bassjamm]

Sounds awesome to be guys...i could get at least one of my bands on the bill, if not more, depends how much you want to laugh at me trying to play

How would the band side of it be organised/decided?

Would it be worth trying to get a relatively well known band to play each night as headliners, letting Basschat bands support, this way gauranteeing a certain amount of the headliner's following to fill the venue...any thoughts on this?

I with the whole jazz thing in the afternoons, perhaps, Sunday Afternoon could be a jazz jam? Ooooo yeah...

[bassboy115]

[quote name='Muppet' post='26443' date='Jul 3 2007, 12:14 PM']I like the whole weekend idea - maybe Friday evening start though?[/quote]

Maybe booking out a pub with a field so we can camp... With all the different equipment people own on here im sure we could get together a bit of a marquee and stage/lights etc....

This may sound a bit of a crap idea...but its just an idea

[DrGonzo]

Asking a band to get 20 people and contribute financially is fine for the londoners (if it were to be in london) but what about us lowly northern mortals?

I know we'd certainly be up for playing a reasonably well attended gig in London, and would Myspace the living hell out of it, but its a long way away and getting a crowd there just isn't practical.

[bassboy115]

[quote name='DrGonzo' post='26809' date='Jul 4 2007, 12:29 AM']Asking a band to get 20 people and contribute financially is fine for the londoners (if it were to be in london) but what about us lowly northern mortals?

I know we'd certainly be up for playing a reasonably well attended gig in London, and would Myspace the living hell out of it, but its a long way away and getting a crowd there just isn't practical.[/quote]

+1

[Muppet]

I think London has only been suggested as an example as it is where Fuink is from. It could just as well be Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, whatever.

Unless someone can back the whole thing financially then it has to be self funding by the bands. I guess you wouldn't have to bring 20 people but that way it would end up being cost neutral for you.

It's fine saying " I'd like to play a gig in London (or wherever) that's well attended but I can't contribute anything financially towards it" but wouldn't we all. Anyway, it's all speculative at this point and would be something that needed to be adressed if it goes further.