Breaking the Bar-Gig Paradigm...alternative way to see music

[D.o.S.]

[spacelordmother]

I like this/these ideas.

As mentioned, I am trying to put on a gig this summer/fall at a museum beneath a giant light installation: http://ilovefuzz.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=39927
Things on that are a bit stalled as I just got a job and the return to a normal schedule is really taking it out of me. I feel like a wuss, but I will regroup and it will happen!

This made me think that it would be really cool to have a show in a gallery with a really animated band inside of a clear soundproof room. So you could watch them perform and move and jump and sweat and sway, but hear nothing at all.

*clicks fingers and nods head, maaaaaaaan*

[retinal orbita]

Hahaha fuck that would be awesome. Cone of silence....

I guess I'm not opposed to bars, as long as they're appropriate. There was this place called Margarets in the junction that looked like an acid tripped David Lynch did the decorating, velvet paintings of the devil, bizarre seats, one wall (and the bathrooms) were chalkboard where people could write random shit, weird biker movies projected onto the back wall, and $4 tallcans! I'm in there with my wife and sister in law having a few beers and it's a Saturday night at 11 PM and the place is dead empty. I'm like hey do you book bands? Oh no, it's too much hassle to book bands

They went out of business in the hippest neighborhood in the city. Go figure.

[D.o.S.]

One interesting thing, reading this thread, is that y'all are looking at it from the role of a spectator.

Would you want to play a place like JFrey just described? I don't know if I would - but I don't really enjoy playing live in general.

[retinal orbita]

I'm looking at it from a band perspective. My name does not seem to fit in with the "bar scene" here (not like we care, we are loud fuck y'all if we don't have catchy riffs or a singer).

Personally from a spectator perspective I'd prefer there was a way to drink beer and watch bands but without actually being in a dive bar.... But I don't want to wear dress shirts and make muted golf claps either.....

[louderthangod]

I have no interest in playing for seeing a show where I'd have to dress up. I'm not much of a clapper or "woooooooooOOOooo"-er so that wouldn't matter much. I don't want a totally fan interactive type experience but as a listener, it would be nice to have some sort of influence on my experience as a listener and as a musician, it would be interesting to see how other people process your music but that could be really hard to take as well. Creative types aren't always the most emotionally stable folks so "you're doing it wrong" could be a very real thought.

[D.o.S.]

As Aesop Rock once rhymed, "Parasol spinning casually like 'I'm an artist, please don't laugh at me' "

[Chankgeez]

You could call it JFrey's Douche Lounge, and your menus could be in Helvetica.

I was thinking "The Fascist Lounge" and the menus could be in Comic Sans.

[D.o.S.]

I had an couple of old roommates who were really into typography, so I hate Comic Sans because I know I'm supposed to, but I have no idea why.

Other than, you know, it's comic sans.

[jfrey]

Lol. I'm a graphic designer.

[Grrface]

I want to someday open up a venue that would be large and super nice, and instead of a standing area there would be small dining tables, where you would sit and order serious food and drinks. Waiters would come around in between songs. There's a dress code - button down shirt, etc. And there's no applause or cheering or any of that. Each table gets a small paddle (one for the table) like you would get at an auction, which you can hold up in between songs to show your appreciation. There's no nonsense drinks either. The wait staff will be required to have never heard of such things as Pabst, Narragansett, Light "beers", Yellow tail, etc. No meats can be ordered well done. The shows would start at the exact time posted, and there would be an intermission halfway through when guests can get up and talk quietly in an adjoining lounge.

I want to see shows in style. I don't understand why I should have to go to some dank, cramped, poorly lit hole, just because I want to see a band like Ulcerate or something.

Interesting that you mention dress code. I just saw that Arcade Fire is talking about dress codes at their shows and having a blast with it.

http://pitchfork.com/news/53054-arcade- ... -packages/

[D.o.S.]

Ponces. The lot of 'em.

[louderthangod]

I want to someday open up a venue that would be large and super nice, and instead of a standing area there would be small dining tables, where you would sit and order serious food and drinks. Waiters would come around in between songs. There's a dress code - button down shirt, etc. And there's no applause or cheering or any of that. Each table gets a small paddle (one for the table) like you would get at an auction, which you can hold up in between songs to show your appreciation. There's no nonsense drinks either. The wait staff will be required to have never heard of such things as Pabst, Narragansett, Light "beers", Yellow tail, etc. No meats can be ordered well done. The shows would start at the exact time posted, and there would be an intermission halfway through when guests can get up and talk quietly in an adjoining lounge.

I want to see shows in style. I don't understand why I should have to go to some dank, cramped, poorly lit hole, just because I want to see a band like Ulcerate or something.

Interesting that you mention dress code. I just saw that Arcade Fire is talking about dress codes at their shows and having a blast with it.

http://pitchfork.com/news/53054-arcade- ... -packages/

That is everything I hate in music all in that video. A band with shitty music, plays absurd dress up and has a party. That just couldn't be further from what's important to me about music and how I want to express myself as a musician or what I want to see in other musicians. I love humor and comedy but I don't want it anywhere near my music and since I'm putting a restraining on that, frivolity can join it. I'm so emotionally stunted that the only way I feel that I can truly express my emotions is through music so I don't want anything to fuck with that. Those well adjusted people and the people in denial of their true feelings can go enjoy the party. I've got self-righteous, bleeding to do. I'm fine with people having a stylized look and looking good but novelty costumes just show how uncreative people are and how banal their sense of humor is so I'd just rather they not do that.

[D.o.S.]

[MEC]

...but I don't really enjoy playing live in general.

THIS. SO MUCH.