Has There Ever Been a U.K. Basschat Convention?

[Chienmortbb]

I realise that we have bashes all over the UK but would it be a runner?

[Acebassmusic]

I don't remember anything on a UK wide scale apart from the meet-up at the London Bass Show. I would be interested depending where it's located, as most places are a weekend trip from where I am 🙂

[obbm]

Back in the early days of BC's predecessor, Bassworld, there were 2 Bass Bashes just off the M1 near Northampton which is fairly central.  It was well attended by people from all over.

[Rich]

Yes, I went to one of the national Bashes. I still have some of the photos I took that day. I remember Jon Shuker was there.

[Muzz]

Oooo, we could have another...I might be able to persuade him to finish and bring my frickin JJB P with him... 😕🙂

[yorks5stringer]

I'm quite happy with our 'regional bashes'. National would most probably mean a long car/van journey for many and a large venue, all adding to cost for the organisers and participants. Sorry, but you could count me out!

[obbm]

On 10/06/2022 at 19:10, Rich said:

Yes, I went to one of the national Bashes. I still have some of the photos I took that day. I remember Jon Shuker was there.

I remember chatting with you at the bar. 😀

[Chienmortbb]

I must admit, living in the far south of England,  a trip too far north  for me would be a real trek. I do love the South West Bash each year although I had to miss last years due to a rare gig. Even that is a good drive away from me. being close to equidistant from the South East Bash.

[Kiwi]

Funnily enough, I've been toying with the idea recently but please don't read too much in that.

The LGBS has gone and while it's been rebranded as the UK Bass Guitar Show in Manchester, many were disappointed at the 2020 show.  Stevie Williams stopped organising the UK Bass Show to focus on other things.  I hope he won't mind me mentioning this but many years ago he told me that that if he broke even on a show, he considered it a success.

So while there seems to be a gap in the market, it's fraught with financial risk for the organisers.  it involves a lot of work from a team of people and up front financial investment in booking venues, promoting and securing (often paid) artists to provide assurance of value for money to everyone.   And that's pre COVID.  Post COVID, the industry has been squeezed generally.  Unlike the US, turnover is down and promotional budgets within the industry are tighter.

 

I was looking into exhibiting at a London construction show a few months ago and faced the prospect of being charged 75 quid for a plate of sandwiches if I wanted to buy food on site.  Then there are the mandatory PL insurances, health and safety risk assessments, the cost of storing kit away from the stand etc. etc.  It was like being nailed to the wall and slowly drained of outrageous amounts of money.  But the construction industry is a bit bigger than the musical instrument industry.

 

So while its possible, I think a lot depends on finding the right venue.  Maybe somewhere in the non-for-profit sector like a school, charity or trust.

[Bagman]

On 11/06/2022 at 01:45, Chienmortbb said:

I realise that we have bashes all over the UK but would it be a runner?

The New Zealand one was a great success. Must have been all 6 of us at my place 

[Chienmortbb]

8 hours ago, Bagman said:

The New Zealand one was a great success. Must have been all 6 of us at my place 

Quality not quantity.

[Rich]

On 10/06/2022 at 17:34, obbm said:

Back in the early days of BC's predecessor, Bassworld, there were 2 Bass Bashes just off the M1 near Northampton which is fairly central.  It was well attended by people from all over.

Yes, I think the location was generally agreed by the then membership as a good compromise for all. Obviously we'd all love it to be 5 miles from our front door but in the absence of matter transporters or a wormhole in space-time that's a bit difficult. It certainly worked ok for me because a) I like a drive and b) my bro lives near N'ampton so it was a good excuse to pop in and see him. I'd be up for a National Bash v3.0 if it was similarly located.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Rich

[Kiwi]

11 hours ago, Bagman said:

The New Zealand one was a great success. Must have been all 6 of us at my place 

Which city was that in...?

[Rich]

30 miles south of Wellington.

 

[Bagman]

9 hours ago, Kiwi said:

Which city was that in...?

Christchurch 

 

You attended. Pedulla Fretless what a lovely Bass 

[Kiwi]

1 hour ago, Bagman said:

Christchurch 

 

You attended. Pedulla Fretless what a lovely Bass 

Oh...Rueben. Yes, I wondered if we were talking about the same one.  I have a snap somewhere of us at your place in New Brighton. 

[Bagman]

Next time your over sing out / heads up

 

are you Mum and Dad still Halswell way? 

[Kiwi]

 

1 hour ago, Bagman said:

Next time your over sing out / heads up

Sure but I'll be traveling light so I can bring back stuff.  

 

1 hour ago, Bagman said:

are you Mum and Dad still Halswell way? 

Yes, they have no plans to leave either. 

[tauzero]

On 15/06/2022 at 11:24, Rich said:

Yes, I think the location was generally agreed by the then membership as a good compromise for all. Obviously we'd all love it to be 5 miles from our front door but in the absence of matter transporters or a wormhole in space-time that's a bit difficult. It certainly worked ok for me because a) I like a drive and b) my bro lives near N'ampton so it was a good excuse to pop in and see him. I'd be up for a National Bash v3.0 if it was similarly located.

 

I'm sure there was a BC event in Northampton post-Bassworld, I was never on Bassworld but came to an event in Northampton - the first of the bass bashes I've been to. IIRC, I met @ped@Dood@alexclaber(who had just picked up a new bass) and @seashell(or @Seashell2) among others.

[Dood]

8 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

I'm sure there was a BC event in Northampton post-Bassworld, I was never on Bassworld but came to an event in Northampton - the first of the bass bashes I've been to. IIRC, I met @ped@Dood@alexclaber(who had just picked up a new bass) and @seashell(or @Seashell2) among others.

A quick search and I think it was this one in 2007!  I think I still have the clip of me playing G-77’s Status prototype King Bass somewhere too!

 

[MacDaddy]

On 15/06/2022 at 02:50, Bagman said:

The New Zealand one was a great success. Must have been all 6 of us at my place 

 

Micro-bash! 😎

[silverfoxnik]

On 03/07/2022 at 09:59, Dood said:

A quick search and I think it was this one in 2007!  I think I still have the clip of me playing G-77’s Status prototype King Bass somewhere too!

 

Indeed it was @Dood...

 

I wrote this on another post about it a couple of years ago.. 

 

"I remember having an absolutely hilarious road trip up there with @WalMan and @Merton. 

It was a great day.... 😊

Despite it being the Bash where a guy (who's name escapes me) played slap bass at max volume for about 4 hours non-stop..  How no one decked him that day, I'll never know! 

Happy days 😁"

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/339681-the-13th-south-east-bass-bash-sunday-20-october-2019/?do=findComment&comment=3885849

[MacDaddy]

49 minutes ago, silverfoxnik said:

Indeed it was @Dood...

 

I wrote this on another post about it a couple of years ago.. 

 

"I remember having an absolutely hilarious road trip up there with @WalMan and @Merton. 

It was a great day.... 😊

Despite it being the Bash where a guy (who's name escapes me) played slap bass at max volume for about 4 hours non-stop..  How no one decked him that day, I'll never know! 

Happy days 😁"

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/339681-the-13th-south-east-bass-bash-sunday-20-october-2019/?do=findComment&comment=3885849

 

when I had a PJB rig, hair, and a waist 😆

[WalMan]

On 08/07/2022 at 15:11, silverfoxnik said:

Indeed it was @Dood...

 

I wrote this on another post about it a couple of years ago.. 

 

"I remember having an absolutely hilarious road trip up there with @WalMan and @Merton. 

It was a great day.... 😊

Despite it being the Bash where a guy (who's name escapes me) played slap bass at max volume for about 4 hours non-stop..  How no one decked him that day, I'll never know! 

Happy days 😁"

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/339681-the-13th-south-east-bass-bash-sunday-20-october-2019/?do=findComment&comment=3885849

Yup was a fun day. I probably have the photo's still somewhere in the house ... @Merton squashed in the back of my car under three lots of bass gear 😂

[GremlinAndy]

On 13/06/2022 at 11:43, Kiwi said:

Funnily enough, I've been toying with the idea recently but please don't read too much in that.

The LGBS has gone and while it's been rebranded as the UK Bass Guitar Show in Manchester, many were disappointed at the 2020 show.  Stevie Williams stopped organising the UK Bass Show to focus on other things.  I hope he won't mind me mentioning this but many years ago he told me that that if he broke even on a show, he considered it a success.

So while there seems to be a gap in the market, it's fraught with financial risk for the organisers.  it involves a lot of work from a team of people and up front financial investment in booking venues, promoting and securing (often paid) artists to provide assurance of value for money to everyone.   And that's pre COVID.  Post COVID, the industry has been squeezed generally.  Unlike the US, turnover is down and promotional budgets within the industry are tighter.

 

I was looking into exhibiting at a London construction show a few months ago and faced the prospect of being charged 75 quid for a plate of sandwiches if I wanted to buy food on site.  Then there are the mandatory PL insurances, health and safety risk assessments, the cost of storing kit away from the stand etc. etc.  It was like being nailed to the wall and slowly drained of outrageous amounts of money.  But the construction industry is a bit bigger than the musical instrument industry.

 

So while its possible, I think a lot depends on finding the right venue.  Maybe somewhere in the non-for-profit sector like a school, charity or trust.

I wonder if it would be possible to arrange it as a kickstarter?   I’ve never arranged one myself but it seems like the money you need would happen up front, and if the money doesn’t come in the project doesn’t go ahead.

seems like the best way to spread the cost between everyone with less risk on the good folk organising.

various levels of buying in would provide a scalable amount of things available.