If music is a form of art, then are all musicians artists? They’re often discussed as two separate forms of creative expression, yet they go together so naturally that we don’t really think about it. Artists are typically called upon if a band needs album artwork created, a music video directed or a promotional flier designed. More often than not, creative expression is a communal effort. There is a continuous gust of imagination blowing throughout our shared empty space. Whether we are the creators, volunteers, or supporters – our contributions, however small/large/vague, help the processes of creativity flowing steadily in our dry corner of Los Angeles County.
Visual art, punk rock and Skateboarding
In the 1980’s,downtown Palmdale had everythingin one spot. Aside from Rick’s Record Store, the best spot was Bicycle Radness. My first brush with punk rock happened during a Powell-Peralta skate demo there. I got to see a few of my skate heroes along with the dude who played Harry from Harry and the Hendersons. Beyond skateboarding, I looked deeper into shirt, deck and sticker designs and found inspiration from artists like C.R. Stecyk III and VCJ . Similarly with art in music, I dug deeper and discovered artists like Raymond Pettibon, Parched Art and even paintings from Captain Beefheart.
Art by GONGCO
D.I.Y.
With all of these forms of expression going around, it was punk rock that fueled the inspiration. I quickly shelved my Dr. Demento and Monkees records (though, not for too long) in favor of this “new” stuff. Not only was it easy to play, but you didn’t need the Steely Dan-level production value either. If you had the idea, it was up to you to make it happen and creatively share it with your friends. https://www.facebook.com/TheNarcTwins/info?tab=page_info
I associated these philosophies with the heroes I invested so much time learning about, but what had more of an impact on me was seeing it with my own eyes in my own community. Below are a few examples of local bands or shows that inspired me to continue to create art in the Antelope Valley.
I can’t remember if the Pink Rebellion was an ongoing event or a one-off, but it was the first time I saw people displaying art at a show-setting. It took place at the Cedar Hall in the very-late 90’s/early-aughts and was my first introduction to the Cedar Center . This show was the second time I saw Funcondump, Inc.— the first time was at a small bar in Palmdale called Louisiana Hots. I saw local bands Airplanes, Dead Rats and bands from beyond the A.V. like Cinema Strange. One particular show was also a premiere of an animated music video by a local video artist. It was like the chicken or egg thing, but with artistic expressionisms.
Throughout the above video, you can spot a sign for “Blvd Music Showcase.” I wish I knew more about what this place was and who has played there — especially if there were more performances like the one above by Leia:SLUT. This show in particular contains costumes, set design, story lines as well as the music itself. The crème de la crème of quality entertainment in my book.
Dumpsterpiece Theatre was broadcasted on live television every week out of KPAL studios in Lancaster. Each episode contained a feature film with facts, live music and improvisational skits, and a bunch of zany stuff. After each episode ended, I’d have to channel surf or spend more time training my brain to unscramble late-night HBO. That is, of course, until one of the number of late-night music TV shows came on, not unlike something off the Dope Guns and Fucking Up Your Video Deck series . The show times were sporadic, but it was here where I’d discover all the music videos that MTV was hiding from me.
Today though we have local news on Channel 3 as well as Palmdale Channel 27 and Lancaster Channel 28, you still need to pay Time Warner some pretty mega moola to access it. Unlike in Los Angeles where a lot of channels are offered for free over-the-air. Time Warner’s Channel 3 is also barely 40% local news and is repeated all day with very little (if any) attention paid to local arts and music. There are people working on creating a local studio space (http://coastalgold.tv ) for local television again and I wish them the best of luck.
Radio Freed Your Hope
For a moment, there was High Desert Modern Rock 97.7 in the Antelope Valley. One time, their sticker was featured on Beverly Hills 90210 and I think it was the episode with The Cramps in it. I remember listening to the broadcast as the station faded out; really sad stuff. Shortly after, there was Mono FM. Very much like the P@#&@#@ and $P@#!#& of its day, except songs were listed on the Mono FM website and you could request them. It was an indie radio station where the community was the DJ.
I just checked whatever was on 97.7 now and it’s a lot of twangy boringness. Today we have so many options: lots of great Podcasts, Youtube, iTunes and one of the thousands of streaming audio sites with a business model of sharing data-driven algorithmically-sorted inferior-fidelity files. With the announcement of Apple Music and its focus on live “DJ-curation” you can see the digital media backpedaling. Our local radio should give equal representation to our own artists than the ones who have the money to pay (or are willing to sacrifice more) for “exposure.” As for now, Chris Compton of KXFM 96.7FM does an excellent job on his own local morning show (and usually on the weekends, too).
Right where the Ralphs used to be on 20th Street West and Avenue L, there was a tiny record store in the corner called Rave Up Records. If they didn’t have it used at the Wherehouse, Blockbuster Music, Barnes & Noble or Best Buy, you could at least order it at Rave Up and not feel the guilt associated with purchasing indie music at mega-corporate chains. Plus, it was a place where I could pick up local vinyl. It was where I bought the Fed Up 45 (which I unfortunately traded a couple weeks later for a Voodoo Glow Skulls CD)
After all the mega-chains put Rave Up out of business, they too went out of business and abandoned even more high-priced real estate. Thankfully, a few years later, Crosstown Records opened up on K and Challenger next to the Tokyo Steak House. This shop was comparable to most shops in L.A. in selection, plus they frequently had live performances. I would spend a lot of time talking to Terry (who owned Crosstown with his wife) about all genres of music, though we mostly talked about late-70’s British Power Pop bands like The Boys and Eddie and the Hotrods . It was where I was introduced to locals The Resistors and Sex Conscious Young Moderns (featuring a member of one of my favorite local bands at the time, Hoomdorm).
Though Crosstown is no longer around (Terry still buy/trade/sells at the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market), Wayne Tarasoft opened up Full Score Music on Avenue L and 45th Street West. Wayne has one of the best collections of Beefheart/Zappa available, plus he offers lessons and sells new and used instruments which comes in handy if you need money to purchase music like a good human being. With a Wienerschnitzel in the same parking lot, it’d be cool to have parking lot shows there.
Growing up in the Antelope Valley, I was lucky to have older friends and relatives introduce me to outside culture, but amongst all my long-distant punk heroes were the local ones doing it in our hometown. I could see them at a show, around town or on television and radio. Creating and sharing art and music seemed like an attainable and worthwhile goal. It has been an honor to work alongside many of the people who inspired me back then and not only to hear how their artistries have evolved, but to also help carry out a harmonious visual aid to such a wide range of beautifully-crafted auditory experimentations.
Today our technology is far more advanced, while simultaneously user-friendly and accessible at low cost. We can film, edit, record and share ourselves from our phones in a single sitting (and on most days, I attempt just that). We have all the music, films and information at our fingertips always. There’s no reason not to make something yourself (or with your friends) and share it with all of us, in your hometown— for those of us who are paying attention.
The “scene”, as it is referred to in the Antelope Valley, is a collection of many musical genres; we’ve got everything. We refer to it as “the scene” but it’s really a community.
Out of the “small” towns of Lancaster, Palmdale, Littlerock, Rosamond, Victorville, Apple Valley and their outliers I’ve been witness to an exciting music community that keeps growing over the last ten years. Bands need a community of supporters like this to listen to and promote their music. It’s locally where you most often hone your skills as a musician and make a name for yourself. Many bands have experienced success after becoming hometown favorites.
Not having been raised here, I’m not familiar with every detail of Antelope Valley music history, but here is what I do know. AVHC (Antelope Valley Hardcore) has been representing the Antelope Valley for a minute with veteran acts like Terminal Holocaust and Stand Against. They have taken their music out of the AV and around the country. Recently bands like Life For A Life and Post Nothing continue to venture out and represent the Antelope Valley. AVHC shows are recognized and attended by many in and out of town; AVHC was and is a player in So Cal.
There can be a downside in spite of all the ups. The community isn’t always big enough to support the many genres; although, it is great to see a core group of local music supporters that frequent local shows. Whether it is folk, country, punk, rap, hip hop, or rock this “core” shows up regardless of what music they prefer. That support is what allows these bands to venture outside of the Antelope Valley and into the rest of California or the country.
I’ve come across a number of bands in Los Angeles and Orange County who are aware of the shows being put on at the Moose Lodge, by AVHC and the Fallout Fest. Many have asked to be put in contact with someone that can help them come to the AV to perform. The news is getting around that we have a lot to offer.
AVHC aren’t the only ones playing other areas or going on the road. As popular as the hardcore music may be in the AV, there are also a lot of VERY talented performers. Many of whom are playing largely original music. Artists like Reverend Red, Thoughtcrime, Tone In Georgia, Get Greens, This Place Is A Zoo, Scarlet Harlot & Her Handsome Devils, Order 66, Undermine, Seconds To Centuries, Vultures of Vinyl, Vatican Assassins (shameless self promotion), Sorry State, Banned For Life, Dorner Youth, Rhyme Village, POSE Crew and so many more. There’s a little bit of something for everyone here and that’s pretty impressive for what some people consider a one-horse town.
Being a part of this music community has made me proud. I have seen a lot of creative thinking in terms of promoting bands and planning shows that rival the rest of So Cal. Supporting our music community is vital, especially if you are in a band, but also if you are just a music lover. Establishing a strong, supportive scene here not only gives the bands the attention they need to be successful, but it gives promoters of touring bands a reason to bring larger acts to the AV.
Why drive to LA or Orange County for a show and stand behind hundreds or thousands of other concert-goers when you can see the same bands in your hometown in a smaller venue for less money? I enjoy standing in viewing distance when I watch a band. At places like the Moose Lodge or The Britisher there is also potential for meeting members of the band and networking; that doesn’t happen all the time at places like the House of Blues.
There are not many promoters that can afford to bring touring/high-profile artists to the AV but the ones that can have been pretty committed to making it work. I know for a fact that a lot of money has been lost trying to give the Antelope Valley a taste of something outside our local music and its becoming detrimental to any future chances of seeing those acts here. Sadly, we not only we miss out on seeing more established acts but our locals miss out on the opportunity to play with these bands.
As a teen and a young adult, music was my life. Writing and playing of music is just part of loving of music; discovering new artists being the other part. Twenty years ago (old man speech), new music was not as accessible as it is today. The internet was still new and was not the promotional tool as it is now. Artists were discovered by attending shows and catching the opening acts or reading fanzines. As non-essential as that may seem today, it was how bands could scrape and continue getting music to new people. A lot of great bands would never have been discovered if social media or sites like iTunes were the only way of being discovered. We all know that there is a wide range of good bands that are not being played on the radio. Some of us don’t even listen to the radio anymore because it doesn’t play the music we are looking for.
Growing a band and a following is a lot of hard work. Not everyone has the money required to further their career by using booking agents, managers, or selling merchandise. That is why attending shows and supporting local artists is so important, and why publications like Pharout need to exist. I’ve been noticing various all ages venues in our area of southern California closing; it’s a sad thing. The AV isn’t the only town that had a venue like IT (Industry Theater) close down. Recently Cobalt Café (San Fernando Valley) closed its doors after about twenty years. It basically comes down to a lack of attendance from the community for the local acts. Venues like this are essential to help young bands who can’t play bars gain experience performing and they are also great for the communities they are in. Backyard shows are fun and provide a place for underage fans to listen and play, but sadly not all promoters respect this as legitimate experience.
I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. I grew up on rock and pop music, but in my early teens I was introduced to punk rock. Punk rock changed my life and the way I looked at music. Punk rock taught me that I could be a musician and make music the way I wanted to. It also taught me about DIY. Being a “punk rocker” on the south side of Chicago was far from popular. Most people were listening to classic rock, metal or whatever was on the radio at the time. The bars that supplied live music were only interested in hiring cover or tribute bands and there were NO all ages venues. I attended the occasional garage or basement show, but they were quite scarce. There was no support from the community for young bands who needed an opportunity. Yes, even in one of the largest cities in the United States, there was no audience to share your music with.
I also lived in North Hollywood for a couple years I can say that Los Angeles and its suburbs lack the community feel that has been essential to the success of scene uprisings in the past. We’ve seen DIY scenes explode in Los Angeles & New York in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, as well as 1990’s Seattle. The AV has that feel and it is pretty exciting.
There are a lot of young people in the AV. Some of you are starting bands and some of you are attending shows. Your participation matters to the music scene here. You don’t have to be a musician to participate. Obviously the most important thing you can do is attend shows but there are other things you can do as well. If you like to write, contribute local music and show reviews to this publication or even write an op-ed piece or whatever you want as a music lover. There ARE people out there who want to hear what you have to say. If you like taking pictures, you can contribute pictures of local shows or maybe your photography will end up on some local band’s album. Local artists can make flyers or contribute to album art. I’ve seen various fanzines that publish underground comic strips too. Even if you’re not into any of that you can help by distributing flyers to shows or just by encouraging your friends to attend shows and by word of mouth.
Over the years there have been street teams that have started up to help promote the shows and some promoters have given deals to members of the street teams for their assistance. Although it’s convenient, social media is not necessarily the best or most effective way to promote. People like to physically hold things in their hands. For example, flyers can be garbage to some and collector’s items to others. I figure the same goes for the resurgence of vinyl records. Not everyone is satisfied with everything being digital or clean sounding. Some people want to explore the “old ways” things were done. Sometimes those things get through to people in a different manner. Flyering is no different and can potentially reach different people; not everyone is on Facebook. All in all, there is something for everyone to do to help local music in the AV flourish. It’s an amazing feeling to be around at the beginning of something; when that something is growing a local music scene it’s even more amazing if you’re a music lover.
I am not putting this entirely on the young people in our “scene’. The older crowd who’ve been around needs to stay involved in order for it to thrive. Most feel they have already done their share, and those adult responsibilities can also get in the way. I’m still encouraging the older generation to try; make it a point to get out to the shows a little more often.
In closing, on behalf of my own band and a lot of the other AV bands, I want to let you know that we do appreciate ALL the support that you’ve given to the local music scene here. Despite all the grumblings you may have heard or that you’ve made yourself, the “scene” in the AV is not dead. It may not be thriving right now as it once did, but it exists. It is there if you look for it and it has great potential to be as big as it once was if not bigger. Artistic communities do not arise out of thin air. People have contributed to their uprising; they made the scene. People just like you and me.
Bio: Robo Joe is the lead singer and guitarist for the band Vatican Assassins from Palmdale, CA. Born in Chicago, he previously played guitar and sang for the band Spazz Attack as well as playing drums for the bands Lisa’s Kill and The Chuck Regal Three-O.
“Ladies and Gentlemen…you’re gonna shit.”- Dave Grohl
And I did. Multiple times. This became a reoccurring theme for the week. It started when this show was announced on Tuesday for the following Saturday night. Dave Grohl’s Rock n Roll Birthday Club! Mr. Grohl had summed my experience for the whole week and I didn’t even hear about it until that night. I was on the fence about getting tickets due to budgetary constraints. At least that’s what my head told me. But thankfully my girlfriend made the right decision and bought tickets for the both of us. I shit. Multiple times. It just goes to show that in life, especially in matters related to rock n’ roll, you can’t get wrapped in what your head wants. Fuck your head. If “God Gave Rock n Roll to You”, as a soon to be relevant person once sang, then you should go with your gut. It’s better than sitting at home leading a life of watching cat videos. Kittehs can wait. Rock can’t.
Rain plagued the 405 freeway from the start of it until we parked at the Forum. It’s almost appropriate given Dave’s Seattle roots that we were treated to a slew of Seattle weather. Along with the rain, there also seemed to be a quiet excitement in the air and being carried by each person entering the Forum that night. It could be argued that any arena show has an air of nervous excitement about it. But this is isn’t any arena show. This is the Foo Fighters. Surprise Foo Fighters no less. They are a rock band, in my opinion, that does it right. They follow traditions in rock n’ roll while also being able to do their own thing. Back in the day, Alice Cooper(foreshadowing) released School’s Out . The album folded out into an old-fashioned school desk and record itself was wrapped in a pair of panties. Foo Fighters released Wasting Light in 2011 and included a piece of the master tape in all the initial copies of the album. The Foo Fighters also play for two and a half- three hours at typical shows with no encore and as late as they want to. They only charged $50 for any seat at this show and gave $10 from each ticket to MusiCares, Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, and the Rock School Scholarship Fund. They’re doing it right. People can feel that. When we approached the gate were handed cards that said we are now members of Dave’s Birthday Club, I knew we were in for some of that magic.
This anticipation carried over until the start of the show. Given that we had about an hour or show before show time, I started talking with the people next to us. One of whom was also from the Antelope Valley. Small world. During this conversation, I also found out that the Foo Fighters had posted videos from KISS, Alice Cooper, Van Halen, Zakk Wylde, and a few others. The lights go down and the band runs to the stage in the center of the arena and start vamping on an A chord.
“HEYYYYYYY!” Dave Grohl yells. The crowd yells back
“HEYYYYYYY!”
“Welcome to the craziest fucking night of your entire life.”
Dave Grohl promised he had friends stopping by and he didn’t disappoint. “Ladies and gentlemen, PAUL STANLEY FROM KISS!” Not bad before the show has even started. His hair was majestic as the spotlight operators seated at the end of my section hit him with a blinding light. He sauntered up to the microphone like his usual Stanley self. “HOW YOU DOIN?! ITS DAVE’S BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!” And then proceeded give the crowd jazz hands then to go into Detroit Rock City. I’m not a KISS fan but that is a pretty badass way to start a show. After the song, the band immediately transitions into a vamp. Taylor Hawkins pounding away on the stadium backbeat. Paul Stanley does his thing, “COME ON! ARE YOU READAAAAAAAY! I want you to go HEYYYYY HEY HEY HEEEEEEY YEAH!” I’m not a KISS fan but I’ve always wanted the big stadium rock moment led by Paul and I got it. No disappointments. After the vamp, they transitioned into “Do You Love Me”.
At the beginning ,Dave Grohl said we weren’t getting a Foo Fighters show. As the night went on this simply wasn’t the case. The Foos played a variety of their own original material including most of their big hits. Songs like “All My Life”, “The Pretender”, “My Hero”, “Times Like These”, “Learn to Fly”, “Everlong“ and “Monkey Wrench”. They also played a fair amount of tunes from Wasting Light including “Rope”, “Arlandria”, and “White Limo”. Two songs that caught me off guard were “Cold Day in the Sun” written by Taylor Hawkins and “This is a Call” off the self-titled first album. All of these songs plus new tunes from Sonic Highways make for a great concert by itself. When you ad in the numerous guests playing at the show, it makes for something incredibly special. During one of their original tunes, Dave asked everyone light up the band with their phones. Everyone either turned the flashlight function on their phone or simply held it up. Then made everyone turn them off and back on again. Not only was it a great visual but also in a subtle way, it made cell phones at concerts, usually a distraction and disconnect for an audience use this same device to make everyone participate in the show. Fantastic.
Dave’s Birthday Club continued in full swing cycling back and forth between original Foos tunes and an epic Chevy Metal cover set. The whole night was like The Blob of rock n’ roll. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any bigger, it did. The next special guest was Tenacious D and Slash. The only thing more majestic than Paul Stanley’s hair that night was Jack Black’s tie die t-shirt with a giant tiger smack dab in the middle of it. He then proceeded to serenade Dave, followed by thousands concert goers, in singing Happy Birthday to Mr. Grohl. Hundreds of balloons fell from the ceiling and flooded the stage. The band counted off and went into the first four bars of “Immigrant Song”. Jack Black provided vocal styling over the top the Led Zeppelin classic in a rendition that hadn’t been heard that beautifully since he sang it in School of Rock. The next special guest was Alice Cooper. This was an artist that touched a nerve. He was one of my earliest inspirations as a musician and one of my favorite concerts of all time. Seeing him come out and sing “School’s Out” and “I’m Eighteen” brought back a nostalgic feeling I haven’t felt in a long time. Continuing with special guests was Nick Oliveri singing the Roky Erickson song “Two Headed Dog”, which was also featured in the Austin episode of Sonic Highways. Zakk Wylde was the next special guest to lead the charge. This gave lead guitarist Chris Shiflett, bassist Nate Mendel, and guitarist Pat Smear a chance to have a quick break after about an hour and a half of performing. The new power trio of Taylor Hawkins on drums, Dave Grohl on bass, and Zakk Wylde on guitar and vocals emerged and pounded the classic Sabbath tunes “N.I.B” and “Faries Wear Boots”. A few songs later Perry Farrell ran his way to the stage like a gazelle and sand a fantastic version of “Mountain Song” and an improvised version of “Miss You”. I say improvised because there seemed to be some confusion on stage over who would sing The Rolling Stones classic. This was a minor detail because I was too busy dancing along to care about lyrical misunderstandings.
These performances we’re awesome moments but the next guest defined the show for me. The band starts jamming on New Orleans style riff. Dave says, “This is my friend Troy!” and look down to see Trombone Shorty walking out on the runway. I had only recently become familiar with his playing on Sonic Highways. He came out, walked out to the mic, and started playing. It was something really special. It wasn’t just a great artist playing classic songs. He was crafting something out of thin air. He weaved a piece of music from nothing. At one point, it seemed as though he lost himself and began to fire audible missiles of soul from his trombone directly at the audience. Aimed at the hearts and minds of everyone in the arena. Toward the end of his performance, he held out a note for a minute and a half, continuously breathing and playing leaving everyone including the Foo Fighters in awe. I think this was his way to come back to Earth. It was just something truly unique was literally a magic moment.
Then there was David Lee Roth. This is not a slight on Mr. Roth in any way shape or form. He just happened to be the next special guest after Trombone Shorty. Whether you like him or not, Diamond Dave gets his own category. Whether it’s good or bad is a matter of opinion. Of course after Dave announced Dave, the crowd went wild. Diamond Dave comes strutting out in semi-cheetah jeans yelling “CAN YOU HEAR ME!” He kept pointing at Taylor seemingly wanting him to kick off the first song. Eventually Dave just yells, “MOVES LIKE JAGGER, MOTHAFUCKA! PLAY THE SOOOOOOOOOONG!” Which sends the Foos into “Panama”. In Southern California, Van Halen tunes are like old hymns everyone knows. They are also hymns best sung in giant arenas. So when the two are combined and sung by the man who helped pen them, you could feel the air of the Forum change. After fierce guitar playing, karate kicks supplied by Mr. Roth, and joy had by all, Diamond Dave set up the next song.
“Can we take it away one more time? Its kind of a theme song and we’ll pass the torch on to because I think everybody here tonight wants just a little bit if not the whole ballgame, Everybody Wants SOOOOOOOOOOME!” The band looks slightly confused as Grohl replied, “I don’t know Dave, I Ain’t Talkin’ About Love” With the usual Roth wisdom he replied, “It’s all pizza babe. It doesn’t matter what’s on top. Its all fucking great.” When the band went into “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love” as planned, Roth subtly threw in, “You don’t pay me to remember the words baby.”
After Roth left the stage the brought up an all star ending with Lemmy, Slash, and Zakk Wylde to play a Chuck Berry classic “Let it Rock” It was good to see Lemmy in rocking form again after his health scares in the past few years. Although the song started off somewhat shaky, I don’t think it was anybody’s fault. The night was about jamming and having fun playing music with friends. These friends just happen to play in some of the biggest rock bands of all time. So little mistakes like that are inconsequential compared to the bigger picture of the evening. Grohl even joked it felt like a giant keg party and that feeling couldn’t be more accurate.
This was truly one of the most incredible shows I’ve ever attended. The Foos started at 8:30 and ended a few minutes after midnight. No intermission. Dave Grohl screamed until his voice was hoarse. The band put their all into it and pulled out all the stops to create a great experience. The best part about it was that there were no huge sets, special effects, giant screens, back up dancers, or any other nonsense. The draw was no frills rock and roll. The special guests weren’t announced. Just the promise of a great, loud rock show. Of course I’d be a fool to sit here and critique all the singing and playing because something else struck more of a chord in me. This show really took me through the paces of my musical evolution. Alice Cooper, one of my first influences when I was little kid. Slash, Tenacious D, and Van Halen for my middle school/early band years. Black Sabbath/Zakk Wylde for my high school metal years. Jane’s Addiction for my discovery of 90’s music in my senor year. Lastly, Trombone Shorty for my delving into Soul and Jazz during my college years.
Of course, no show is without its downsides. As amazing of a show as we experienced, you would still find people who don’t have the rock n’ roll spirit. How anyone could sit and be on various social media while all this happens in front of you? Apparently the gentleman in front of me could. The worst (unfortunately) was a young kid sitting behind me. He looked as though he wasn’t enjoying himself at all. Arms crossed. Complaining about his seat and where he and his parents would sit next time. As a young kid, I would have lost my shit if I saw this show. I’m a grown man and I still lost my shit. Multiple times. The majority of people looked as though they did as well. This negative spirit doesn’t help rock n’ roll in anyway shape or form. I hope bands from the Foo Fighters to local DIY rock groups bring rise to a new renaissance bringing the importance back on the music. Sending this texting entitlement away. I dance at shows, I sweat at shows, I’ll smell worse than you, and I’m not afraid to have fun.
A healthy music scene is comprised of lots of different people working together to make it happen. For anyone interested in getting involved with throwing shows, but wasn’t sure where to start, I’ve created these cliff notes as a general guide.
Photo taken by Jusy Franco. Band: Little Child Man.
Promoter
The promoter is responsible to organize all aspects of a show – including setting in place and facilitating the roles below. A promoter should not actually fill any of the roles, but act as a liaison checking on them throughout the night. Keep in contact with other promoters and try to book your shows in a way that everyone can succeed.
Bands
Select bands that complement each other musically, but draw different people. The goal would be to get concert goers to show up for their friend’s band but stay and discover more bands they like, building the scene. Bands should show up at least 30 minutes before their set in order to check in and get unloaded. Ideally, they should stay and enjoy each band.
Venue
Talk to businesses that have customers only part of the day and might benefit from an additional crowd (bar, pizza shop, coffee shop, etc). Try to work out an arrangement that benefits both of you.
Door
Arrange for someone to work the door and provide them with:
Cashbox (with cash – the makeup will be determined by the price of the show, but a combination of small bills totaling $250 will work for most shows)
Wristbands
Square – Consider getting one. It’s free to obtain the set up; you only pay a percentage if you actually use it. I don’t use it a lot – but there’s still one or two customers every show I’d lose if I only took cash.
Items such as a copy of the set times, sharpies, scratch paper, blue tape, power strips, ear plugs, 9V batteries – stuff like this is often needed at the last minute.
Ask your door person to track who showed up for what band. This isn’t a popularity contest – it will help arrange shows in the future in a way that will benefit everybody.
Sound
The promoter is responsible to hire and pay the sound engineer. Assuming the normal sound setup (PA, board, etc), you will also want to keep on hand extra cables, microphones, a flashlight and tape.
Security
Security may or may not be necessary depending on the type of event you want to host, or the venue may already have security. If security is needed, the promoter should hire and pay them and act as their point of contact for the evening. I suggest Opsec Specialized Protection as a vendor. 661-942-3999 / 44262 Division St Lancaster CA 93535.
Street Team
Include showgoers in your promotion flow by providing free admission in exchange for work. They drop off flyers at locations they probably already go and it costs you nothing to allow admission. Make sure to get a few different people who will hit different demographics.
Customers
You will deal with unhappy customers. Based on the situation, use your judgment to play peacemaker and try to turn the mood around. Unhappy customers tell everyone how unhappy they are.
Printing/Publishing
Tickets – Presale tickets are helpful because if someone has already bought a ticket they are more likely to show up. If you do well with presales, you don’t have to worry about how the night will go instead of enjoying it. I suggest taticketprinting.com as a vendor.
Flyers – Physical flyers are helpful because they have a chance to get in front of people that aren’t already in your circle. I suggest Donnell Printing as a vendor – 661-942-1449 / 44154 10th St W Lancaster CA 93534
Wristbands – You don’t want to use stamps or other methods – they present a few problems (such as washing off, transferring, being easy to replicate) and wristbands are an opportunity to advertise your brand. I suggest taticketprinting.com as a vendor.
