I'm excited to read that all-ages venue cover story in the SNR today. That's rad that this issue is getting such a high profile airing. At this point though, there are barely any venues at all, for any age.
Uh, yeah, show tonight at Old I. I'm gonna try to stay up late for it. Exciting.
Birds-eye view of the Biz chillin'!
ReplyDelete-- Patrone
There was some very high brow talk going at that point. I believe I was wondering if Nic has the balls to call Joel and ask if he had a boner.
ReplyDeleteg
To satiate your curiosity the answer is yes, Nic does have the balls to call Joel to see if he has a boner. Joel, however, doesn't have the balls to answer the phone. Or the question.
cool article. one thing not mentioned is that Metro lasted for over 2 years with no cop trouble aside from the one hardcore show blunder, but jay cut out hardcore and it kept going with no trouble. it only stopped because jay moved and the owner sold the place.
ReplyDeletehouse shows are perfect, maybe a bummer for promoting and sure there's risk, but the shows center around the music and the people, not selling booze or other junk to kids or promoting music that goes through some filter outside of the scene (ie. people trying to make money). if venues stay static for too long they attract trouble, outsiders, fuck ups, cops and city officials... or owners want to turn a bigger profit. house shows are fluid, move from place to place and have a better vibe. everytime one shuts down, another starts up.
Sure, everyone looks to The Smell or Gilman, but those places are planted in fucked up forgotten parts of town, not in a centralized business center like midtown or downtown, so they avoid a lot of hassle. The only thing that would effectively pull in this always-mentioned all ages suburbanite crowd that's going to get set up in midtown is a "pro" venue with a high cover charge, expensive drinks, a sterile stage and alterior motives (advertisers pushing their bands, products, etc.) - not some rad space run by a cooperative of kids involved in a youth culture scene.
i think in today's internet reality, if young kids wanted to be introduced to youth culture, its there at their fingertips. this shit isn't secret anymore. its all over the malls (see: urban outfitters, american apparel, etc.) that "underground" show the photos were taken from was advertised all over the internet, and in the SN&R before hand. how much hand holding does everyone need (or want) to do to get a bunch of text-messaging obsessed teenagers to be introduced to music? most people, no matter how much you shove it in their face, just don't give a shit. the few who do, will find out about it eventually. - m
Finally we are pictured doing it for the kids.
ReplyDeleteand yes, the talk was that highbrow. I believe the all ages crowd thought we were a bit weird.
but we are clearly doing it for them.
-Natalie.
I was glad to see the SNR article on the way this town squashes all ages stuff.
ReplyDeleteOf course my favorite part was seeing myself in the pit in the picture of Club Minimal taken in 1983. I looked ALOT younger then.
One part I felt really was missing was acknowledging all that younger folks have tried to do recently to create all ages shows downtown that have been jacked with by the city -- off the top of my head the way the city screwed with Java Lounge, went after Inferno's once the kids had started using it as an all ages punk venue, shutting down the recent food not bombs benefit at the skatepark...
While it was good to hear from everybody who was interviewed in the article, it would have been really great to hear from some of the totally inspiring teens in this town who struggle to put on all ages shows. You talk to these folks and can see how royally screwed they are while we us elderly folk can always wander off to some bar to see bands, if necessary.
I agree that house shows are probably the best way to go right now and a lot of younger folks have no problem finding them -- go to a Pyrate Punx house show and you'll often see at least half the audience is in their teens.
But, I do think there's a limit to house shows that can be a drag for us locals who really want to see great bands -- some bands may not want to do them because they may not make much money (or for other reasons) -- for whatever reason great bands like Crime, Jay Reatard, Dead Moon, Attitude Adjustment, Christ on Parade, Angry Samoans, Hellshock and a whole bunch more ended up not being house shows and if there wasn't a venue for them they wouldn't have happened in Sacramento/Davis (and of all of those I think only Crime ended up being all ages).
Tonight one of the best punk bands playing in Sweden right now is playing Sacramento -- Fy Fan -- the Pyrates looked really hard for an all ages venue/house show setup for this show and just couldn't come up with one -- so it's happening at the Silk (18 and over). It's great it's happening, with Nightstick Justice and Socialcide on the bill it's bound to be one of the best hardcore shows that's happened around here in a really long time, but it would be even better if it could be all ages. And, unfortunately, there will be some great young kids who won't be there because it's 18 and over.
The article helped me remember how great it was to grow up as a teen in this city with promoters who were willing and able to do all ages shows in Sacramento -- it was a huge part of me becoming who I am and I am so grateful for it -- I am completely aware that "kids these days" are figuring out their own ways to do it in spite of a myriad of forces that seemed bound to get in their way.
take care
Craig
myspace.com/sacramentopunkshows
Buy a house and put on shows.That`s what I did with my house.Invite the neighbors over tell em` you got some gnarly food,beer and some bands.When I did that my neighbors were a little nicer about the noise.Some even showed up.I always rounded the house with a beer cup for donations and bands made good.3 out of 4 busted a shower curtain but it needed fixin` anyway.As for the police for the most part they were easy going.Just make sure it`s over at a decent hour and nobody drinks on the sidewalk that was about it.Since the housing market sucks it might be good idea rather than owning and operating a club.Maybe-- give that a year or two or three.Here in Kumamoto there are co-op neighborhoods that have stores/cafes run by the younger crowds in their late teens/early twenties(19-25).This area has at night sometimes is filled with bands or dudes playing old school atari in the store/spaces. It`s cool seeing a whole neighborhood doing there thing.Is than area like that in Sactoe???I think there should be..Cheap Rent,Small Spaces and kinda in a not so popular location..
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