Indy Readings
The Inner Swine
I've been pondering Indy promotion the last few days. Frank M (The
Whirligig) and I were part of a reading the other day in support of an
anthology (The Urban Bizaare) which just published that we each have
stories in. The reading was fun, we had a small crowd, and we sold seven
copies of the book, so it's all good.
Frank and I got into a conversation about all the people who'd originally
promised to come support us. Now, the goal for a reading, I guess, is to
get customers to come, or at least potential customers, who will buy the
work you're supporting, or at least walk out with your name burned into
their brain--but as we all no doubt know, there's magic in just having a
large crowd. The best readings I've ever taken part in weren't ones where
I sold a lot of books or whatever, but ones where--for whatever reason--
there were a lot of people. It doesn't even matter, to me, if the people
are really there for you or not. Just having a crowd makes you feel like
you're actually performing, whereas reading to an empty room, as I can
attest, sucks.
So both frank and I (and, I think, other authors) had originally gotten
pledges from people to come--about 5 or so each. If every author had
brought five people, or even three, then we would have packed the place
and it would have been a rockin' event. As it was, while we did have an
audience it wasn't too huge and by the last reader (poor Ann Sterzinger)
a lot of people had slipped away [note to self: intermissions in readings
are a bad idea]). Frank and I both agreed that this happens all the time
in indy things, whether its small bands doing shows or small authors
doing readings: You get a lot of talk from people about showing up, and
then few do.
(I should pause here and note that my core of friends usually *do* show
up and I love 'em to death for it; they couldn't show that night for good
reasons)
So, any thoughts? Perhaps there is no solution. And granted, ideally
you'd want *fans*, not *friends* to show up, but friends help. For
myself, I know I hate going into things unless there's already a crowd
eveident--part of my neurosis, certainly, but can that be all that
uncommon?
I'm exhausted.
L
J
--
The Inner Swine
www.innerswine.com
TomHendricks474
Get you a review. And if its solid
then you have outside proof that what you're doing is worth showing up for.
Tom Hendricks, ed. of Musea (10th year)
http://musea.digitalchainsaw.com
It's a Capital idea - an all review site on the web.
But we need the capital - contact me.
Boycott every 4th ad in a row
A list of the Corp. Art Weasels
<A HREF="http://CJR.org/owners/">http://CJR.org/owners/</A>
asha_anderson
<link...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>Hey, I thought it was time for a non-ULA post, want to?
Wow, what an idea. I'm game.
>
>I've been pondering Indy promotion the last few days. Frank M (The
>Whirligig) and I were part of a reading the other day in support of an
>anthology (The Urban Bizaare) which just published that we each have
>stories in. The reading was fun, we had a small crowd, and we sold seven
>copies of the book, so it's all good.
Glad all went well with the book sales and all but I agree, nothing
beats a big audience. We had an intermission during the Readable
Theatre event in Nov and the same thing happened. Some of the
audience escaped. The reading we did on Valentine's day, therefore,
was without an intermission. We warned people in advance to fuel up
on drinks and goodies and told them to feel free to buy things during
the reading, everything but the lattes as the dam latte machine was so
noisy. They agreed and we all got along just fine.
One way to trap a few people at a reading is to promise them an open
mike when the scheduled readers are done. Of course, that means
someone has to hang around and host the thing so it's an extra little
bit of work when all you might want to do is go out and get drunk.
I suppose you could come up with a Grand Finale thing. Here in Nevada
we might be able to get some girls from the Moon Bunny Ranch to do a
little something by way of a Finale. Some of them were ring girls at
a boxing event I went to recently and I have to say, they kept the
audience involved. Another thing might to give everyone a raffle
ticket when they first come in and then have a drawing at the end of
the night and give away a book or two. But in any case.....NO
intermission.
a.
http://www.ashabot.com
blog: http://www.ashabot.blogspot.com
Will Dockery
news:MPG.1aa0f62b...@192.168.0.1...
I'm convince that the solution, and this has been shown to me time and time
again, is to have *regular* readings, build it--- every week, or every two
weeks--- at the least do it monthly. Back in 1995-1998 we had weekly
readings, and regulars develop, a good crowd of listeners, and a solid group
of regular performers.
Will
"Mirror Twins" Mp3, free preview:
http://www.lulu.com/content/29085
Will Dockery
news:le4g301uokli56ad4...@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 15:16:51 GMT, The Inner Swine
> <link...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >Hey, I thought it was time for a non-ULA post, want to?
>
> Wow, what an idea. I'm game.
> >
> >I've been pondering Indy promotion the last few days. Frank M (The
> >Whirligig) and I were part of a reading the other day in support of an
> >anthology (The Urban Bizaare) which just published that we each have
> >stories in. The reading was fun, we had a small crowd, and we sold seven
> >copies of the book, so it's all good.
>
> Glad all went well with the book sales and all but I agree, nothing
> beats a big audience. We had an intermission during the Readable
> Theatre event in Nov and the same thing happened. Some of the
> audience escaped. The reading we did on Valentine's day, therefore,
> was without an intermission. We warned people in advance to fuel up
> on drinks and goodies and told them to feel free to buy things during
> the reading, everything but the lattes as the dam latte machine was so
> noisy. They agreed and we all got along just fine.
>
> One way to trap a few people at a reading is to promise them an open
> mike when the scheduled readers are done. Of course, that means
> someone has to hang around and host the thing so it's an extra little
> bit of work when all you might want to do is go out and get drunk.
Absolutely. This way, newcomers are encoraged to join in the thing, and many
times become the most solid performers. about getting drunk, easily done---
follow the Kerouac way and carry a small flask of whiskey in your back
pocket to spike your coffee with... *wink*
And, yes, can the "intermission" idea--- get the momentum building, and do
something that will *hold* the crowd: entertain!
Will
"Mirror Twins" Mp3, free preview:
http://www.lulu.com/content/29085
> I suppose you could come up with a Grand Finale thing. Here in Nevada
bob
> As it was, while we did have an
> audience it wasn't too huge and by the last reader (poor Ann Sterzinger)
> a lot of people had slipped away [note to self: intermissions in readings
> are a bad idea]). Frank and I both agreed that this happens all the time
> in indy things, whether its small bands doing shows or small authors
> doing readings: You get a lot of talk from people about showing up, and
> then few do.
>
>
Jeff,
Maybe I'm missing the whole point of readings. Call me uneducated.
Call me low-brow. Call me Susan, if you're felling really kinky. But,
if people are getting up and walking out of readings… whether during
an intermission or in the middle of the damn thing, then the reader is
not connecting with the audience.
You can be a good writer and just not have the voice that one would
want to hear for 10 minutes, or the control of cadence to make the
words "sound out-loud" the way they do in your head. On the other
hand, you could be an excellent orator and have the education of a 16
year-old. That's exactly the score you'll find with your local
television news crew. I especially love it when they haven't been
coached on pronouncing a foreign country's name, and they say it the
way it's spelled on the teleprompter. Quite amusing.
It's hard enough getting people to come to underground lit functions
as is, don't "trap" them into a situation where they have to sit
through 12 people reading 3 hours worth of writing. Give everyone a
free drink, cut your readings down to 15 minutes, and use the rest of
the time to meet-and-greet the audience. You'll get the reputation of
a fun, cool lit cat, and after a your name gets out, you can lengthen
the readings and cut back the free drinks.
Take a page from (I believe) PT Barnum, and never completely satisfy
your audience, always leave them wanting more.
PS – Even as I sat at the ULA gig over the weekend, with Lisa Carver
orchestrating some hot, girl-on-girl action (which was funny as hell),
I was still looking at my watch, thinking to myself, "Christ, how much
longer do I have to wait for the closing thankyou's?" Proving to me
that even the best presentations can overstay their welcome.
Bob
Will Dockery
news:a233c370.04022...@posting.google.com...
> The Inner Swine <link...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:<MPG.1aa0f62b...@192.168.0.1>...
> > As it was, while we did have an
> > audience it wasn't too huge and by the last reader (poor Ann Sterzinger)
> > a lot of people had slipped away [note to self: intermissions in
readings
> > are a bad idea]). Frank and I both agreed that this happens all the time
> > in indy things, whether its small bands doing shows or small authors
> > doing readings: You get a lot of talk from people about showing up, and
> > then few do.
> >
> >
> > So, any thoughts?
>
> Jeff,
>
> Maybe I'm missing the whole point of readings. Call me uneducated.
> Call me low-brow. Call me Susan, if you're felling really kinky. But,
> an intermission or in the middle of the damn thing, then the reader is
> not connecting with the audience.
>
> You can be a good writer and just not have the voice that one would
> want to hear for 10 minutes, or the control of cadence to make the
> words "sound out-loud" the way they do in your head. On the other
> hand, you could be an excellent orator and have the education of a 16
> year-old. That's exactly the score you'll find with your local
> television news crew. I especially love it when they haven't been
> coached on pronouncing a foreign country's name, and they say it the
> way it's spelled on the teleprompter. Quite amusing.
>
> It's hard enough getting people to come to underground lit functions
> as is, don't "trap" them into a situation where they have to sit
> through 12 people reading 3 hours worth of writing. Give everyone a
> free drink, cut your readings down to 15 minutes, and use the rest of
> the time to meet-and-greet the audience. You'll get the reputation of
> a fun, cool lit cat, and after a your name gets out, you can lengthen
> the readings and cut back the free drinks.
>
> Take a page from (I believe) PT Barnum, and never completely satisfy
> your audience, always leave them wanting more.
>
> orchestrating some hot, girl-on-girl action (which was funny as hell),
> I was still looking at my watch, thinking to myself, "Christ, how much
> longer do I have to wait for the closing thankyou's?" Proving to me
> that even the best presentations can overstay their welcome.
>
> Bob
>
> www.njghost.com
Exactly. Involve the audience. Entertain. And pay attention to what they're
digging, what they ain't digging, and make adjustments next time around...
on the spot editing and a surprise or two always works.
Lisa Carver sounds like quite a doll, though... *grin*
Dan
out that has a good live presence, no one should read for more than 15-20
minutes. And even with it's a touring author, it's nice when they mix
things up with Q&A from the audience between reading book passages.
Someone like Legs McNeil is really good at this. The readings I have
participated in have all had quite a few people reading, usually 6-8, for
10 minutes each. The one that went over the best was when we read from
zines other than our own. People picked some really funny stuff (like the
Rollerderby interview with Courtney Love and the ass-shaving story from
Pathetic Life). It was packed, like 80 people and everyone stayed. -dan
TomHendricks474
again, is to have *regular* readings, build it--- every week, or every two
weeks--- at the least do it monthly. Back in 1995-1998 we had weekly
readings, and regulars develop, a good crowd of listeners, and a solid group
of regular performers.
Will >>
When you look at music you see something pretty important.
You can slave away at clubs for a year, OR get a week's airplay on a big radio
station and reach 100 times the audience.
In the same way a national review will reach more than lots of readings.
The major media/art congloms know that - that's why almost no local art is on
mainstream radio/tv, or in media reviews.
TomHendricks474
In this case most often a great poet isn't a great performer and vice versa.
asha_anderson
>if people are getting up and walking out of readings… whether during
>an intermission or in the middle of the damn thing, then the reader is
>not connecting with the audience.
That's a pretty good point but still I don't like doing intermissions.
People sit through an hour and a half movies. They can sit through an
hour reading. In bars and coffee houses they can even eat and drink
at the same time. Do they have to talk too? On the other hand, if
the show goes an hour and a half, an intermission may be in order.
I had an intermission at the Readable Theatre event which went 90
minutes but there was a natural break in the material; also I
scheduled the most popular reader at the end. The trick there is
keeping your own ego out of the way, if you're not the most popular
reader. The Valentine's reading was an hour and fifteen minutes with
no intermission but no one walked out. Each poet only read about 5
minutes though. It's doable enduring someone boring for 5 minutes
without getting desperate.
I think the task is finding your audience in the first place. That's
harder than it may seem. Hype can create an artificial interest,
bribes like free drinks, sexy trappings, outrageous stunts or no
admission lower the bar but ultimately the goal is to have an audience
that comes to listen because they like what's being read.
In our current celebrity mad culture audiences don't bring much to an
event. They want everything done for them and to them. It's worse
than it was even a few years ago. Nevertheless, I'd rather have a
few, genuinely interested people for an audience than a bunch of
people waiting to get jacked off by hype.
That said, I kind of like it when the audience has access to booze.
Just don't expect me to foot the bill. Anyway, I agree with Bob and
PT Barunm, the main things is quit before they're done.
Will Dockery
news:20040223141535...@mb-m27.news.cs.com...
> << I'm convince that the solution, and this has been shown to me time and
time
> again, is to have *regular* readings, build it--- every week, or every two
> weeks--- at the least do it monthly. Back in 1995-1998 we had weekly
> readings, and regulars develop, a good crowd of listeners, and a solid
group
> of regular performers.
> Will >>
>
>
> When you look at music you see something pretty important.
> You can slave away at clubs for a year, OR get a week's airplay on a big
radio
> station and reach 100 times the audience.
> In the same way a national review will reach more than lots of readings.
> The major media/art congloms know that - that's why almost no local art is
on
> mainstream radio/tv, or in media reviews.
Yep... keeping 'em in their place. Why folks like the ULA are important.
Will
Will Dockery
> >if people are getting up and walking out of readings. whether during
At the most, a ten minute smoke break might be nice, if it's in a "non
smoking" venue...
Will
Will Dockery
> This is similar to what I was saying about singer/songwriters.
>
> In this case most often a great poet isn't a great performer and vice
versa.
Yeah, some are dry as dust, as Don Knotts once said.
Will
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
In article <a233c370.04022...@posting.google.com>,
she...@hotmail.com says...
> Maybe I'm missing the whole point of readings. Call me uneducated.
> Call me low-brow. Call me Susan, if you're felling really kinky. But,
> if people are getting up and walking out of readings… whether during
> an intermission or in the middle of the damn thing, then the reader is
> not connecting with the audience.
Ah, but you see It's always about me. I'm not so concerned with whether
the audience is entertained*, I'm concerned with having an audience when
I get up on stage, so that I'm not reading to a wall.
I think readings are, 99% of the time, boring. Writing isn't meant to be
read or performed unless it's written to be read or performed. Like a
lot of writers, I write my dimwitted little tales in the darkened lair
of my makeshift office, full of bourbon and lies, sweating and listening
to NOFX on the headphones. Trying to perform it is like unscrewing a
wood screw with a pair of pliers: It can be done, but never well.
Some writers read very well. Most, IMHO, don't, and I'm definitely one
of them. I do readings because it's one of the few cheap tools of
promotion at my disposal.
But IMHO, readings aren't even about the "reading". Let's stipulate that
most readings are pretty dull, at least after the first few minutes.
We've all, I'm sure, sat through endless monotone readings where the
performer seems determined to test our patience--why do we do them,
then? Simple. readings are an event, something that local press can
write about, something you can hype on your web site, something you can
talk about. It's a PR event.
*This may explain why no one comes to my readings. Fuck y'all.
> It's hard enough getting people to come to underground lit functions
> as is, don't "trap" them into a situation where they have to sit
> through 12 people reading 3 hours worth of writing. Give everyone a
> free drink, cut your readings down to 15 minutes, and use the rest of
> the time to meet-and-greet the audience. You'll get the reputation of
> a fun, cool lit cat, and after a your name gets out, you can lengthen
> the readings and cut back the free drinks.
That's good advice. I usually count on my friends to show up and form a
fake audience, so that at least I'm not standing up there reading to the
employees of the venue, which I've done a few times and lord, it ain't
fun.
King Wenclas
Chi8cago Benefit was not proportional to the amount of energy we put
into it, for instance), for the Urban Bizarre event the minimal wasn't
done to make it easy for people.
I had someone set to go to it. I found that Frank had deleted the
announcements for it that had been put up on the Atlantic forum. I
went onto the Brooklyn bar's web site, and found no info for it there.
There was no reminder on alt.zines posted the week of the event. I
even e-mailed Frank to ask if the event was still on, but received no
response. (Perhaps no ULAers were wanted in attendance?)
As to the general question of promoting readings, it's a question
which takes much thought. I have a notebook of remarks to myself about
how to do one (I've never been completely satisfied with ULA events,
though the Detroit show came closest to our ideal.)
Many of my ideas hopefully will be expressed in future events which
I help promote.
King Wenclas
minute. I'm a big believer in getting on and off. (People had heard
enough of my nonstop blabbing anyway.)
All of the readers except Michael Grover I'd never heard before.
This wasn't a show. Part of our intent was to spy on some of the
talent out there; to see what people have, if we're missing anything,
etc.
The Lisa skit would've been more fun for you if you'd been a
participant. Didn't she try to recruit you? I tried to get out of it
(and I only said a couple lines) but was unable to.
Frank Walsh didn't read, because I knew he'd say enough regardless
(and did) but as a performer, at his best, he's very good. He won a
poetry slam at the Kelly Writers House on the Penn campus a few weeks
ago with his masterpiece, "Reagan's Brain." The faculty member who
sponsored the event was visibly upset that no Penn student won, but
they all sucked.
Anyone who puts on or sits through many shows comes to the same
conclusion-- that you have to keep it compact; every reader had better
be strong; any reader who goes over five minutes better be awesome--
shorter is always better. Our Detroit show was an hour and a half max,
with a smoking break, and was perfect. Everyone who got on the stage
was supercharged.
(If the first half is good enough, an intermission works. People get
restless without one. Some people need to go to the bar, bathroom, or
to smoke.)(And some performers, like Crazy Carl Robinson, are
impossible to follow.)
The next shows the ULA puts on will be very good. (And you'll
recall, I did say beforehand that this was not a ULA show.)
I did very much appreciate your attendance and input, am always glad
to put a face with a name and a voice, and I understand the sacrifice
you made!
Dan
music show:
-Get local sponsors, a variety of stuff going on, anything to make it more
exciting and unique and easier to hype
-Make the event as cheap as you can and try to do it on a weekend
-Poster/flyer for it on tellephone polls a week before the event
-Make handbills, put them out at book and record stores
-Write a press release, send it out 2 weeks before the event to the local
print press and radio, from the small guys to the big guys
-Email the press release to specific writers at local papers you think
might cover the event.
-Email the press release to local list-serves, national forums, and to all
your friends and family and encourage them to not only come, but to pass
is along a week before the event and the day of the event.
-Hang flyers inside businesses like zine stores, bookstores, record stores
where people that might come shop about 2 weeks before the event
-Get as many of your friends as possible to come.
Even when you do all this, sometimes you have an off night (especially if
it's like a Tuesday night, which we do here in Seattle). But usually if
you do a variety of hype and do it enough, the people will come. -dan
The Inner Swine
I apologize, Karl, although I didn't organize it. I don't know what
happened with Frank; if you'd dropped me a note I would have been happy
to give you all the info, which was on display on my web site for two
weeks beforehand. I was really disappointed that the bar's web site
didn't update their calendar. I'm sorry it was so hard to get info,
since I'd have definitely welcomed one more person in the audience.
This once again makes me think that no matter what your promotional
skills, the audience of friends, family, hangers-on, and sycophants is
essential. With an army of 5-10 people each, the TUB reading would have
been a raucous hoot no matter how many (or few) others showed up.
What I need is an audience like in that David Letterman short film with
Diane Sawyer, in which she discovers that the Letterman audience is
actually a whole town of people from Ohio or someplace who laugh
uproariously at everything said to them, and who are trucked in for
every taping and jealously guarded by Letterman. (In the end, she steals
them from Letterman). Anyone want to volunteer? Room and board, all the
cable TV you can watch, just don't steal my liquor.
L
J
In article <5e44efd7.04022...@posting.google.com>,
kingw...@yahoo.com says...
--
The Inner Swine
www.innerswine.com
Will Dockery
> > if people are getting up and walking out of readings… whether during
> > an intermission or in the middle of the damn thing, then the reader is
> > not connecting with the audience.
>
> Ah, but you see It's always about me. I'm not so concerned with whether
> the audience is entertained*, I'm concerned with having an audience when
> I get up on stage, so that I'm not reading to a wall.
If there's nobody in the room, then why read at all? But, I'd prefer a small
audience that gets what I'm working for on the stage, to a huge audience
that treats the performance as background noise.
> I think readings are, 99% of the time, boring. Writing isn't meant to be
> read or performed unless it's written to be read or performed. Like a
> lot of writers, I write my dimwitted little tales in the darkened lair
> of my makeshift office, full of bourbon and lies, sweating and listening
> to NOFX on the headphones. Trying to perform it is like unscrewing a
> wood screw with a pair of pliers: It can be done, but never well.
>
> Some writers read very well. Most, IMHO, don't, and I'm definitely one
> of them. I do readings because it's one of the few cheap tools of
> promotion at my disposal.
>
> But IMHO, readings aren't even about the "reading". Let's stipulate that
> most readings are pretty dull, at least after the first few minutes.
> We've all, I'm sure, sat through endless monotone readings where the
> performer seems determined to test our patience--why do we do them,
> then? Simple. readings are an event, something that local press can
> write about, something you can hype on your web site, something you can
> talk about. It's a PR event.
That's true, mostly--- if it makes the papers, it happened. The mental image
the reader makes of it could go in many directions, creating an alternate
reality, in a way.
> *This may explain why no one comes to my readings. Fuck y'all.
>
> > It's hard enough getting people to come to underground lit functions
> > as is, don't "trap" them into a situation where they have to sit
> > through 12 people reading 3 hours worth of writing. Give everyone a
> > free drink, cut your readings down to 15 minutes, and use the rest of
> > the time to meet-and-greet the audience. You'll get the reputation of
> > a fun, cool lit cat, and after a your name gets out, you can lengthen
> > the readings and cut back the free drinks.
>
> That's good advice. I usually count on my friends to show up and form a
> fake audience, so that at least I'm not standing up there reading to the
> employees of the venue, which I've done a few times and lord, it ain't
> fun.
It's tough, but it does happen sometimes. It's nice to have the employees
involved and enjoying it, though--- and the free drinks.
Will Dockery
In the past we've captured some of the performances on video, and often I
shout that I wish we'd recorded the one that just ahppened. Have you
recorded any of your events on video or audio? You could cull a "best of"
DVD--- or post bits on the website.
bob
group... hope this makes sense.
Karl wrote: "The Lisa skit would've been more fun for you if you'd
been a
participant."
Bob Replies: "I didn't say that I didn't enjoy the skit, I just find
it hard to break out of my 'television' mode when watching pretty much
anything. I'm a channel flipper... and there's always something else
on. No lie, I've gone through two universal remotes in about 3 years.
Wore the buttons out.
As for being a part of the skit, she did ask me, but as you can tell
by my interactions with the group as a whole, I'm a bit of an
introvert. Getting up in front of even a small group makes my blood
run cold. Not my bag, man."
Karl wrote: "The next shows the ULA puts on will be very good. (And
you'll
recall, I did say beforehand that this was not a ULA show.)"
Bob Replies: "Hey man, chill. No harm, no foul. A good time was had by
all... except for those three, young, SMOKIN' (and I don't mean with
tobacco) college girls who were sitting in the back room. They were
in-and-out of that place in about 15 minutes. Guess the over-30 crowd
just wasn't THEIR bag."
Bob
Will Dockery
Actually, these types of things [readings, open mics, slams, et cetera] seem
to work better on "off nights" like Tuesdays and Thursdays, because on the
weekend I've found since people have *other* things to do, if can cut into
the numbers of poets *and* audience members... we had a great one last night
at SoHo that kept the crowd [free pool and $2 pints helped, of course...
heh.] long after it was ended--- I was there with my friends until well past
three, then we carried it over to a nearby diner. A good night of poetry and
music.
Tonight, it's off to Coach's, the traditional Tuesday night gathering spot,
for another go around. Any poet who doesn't take the stage, and often, has
no real idea of whether their work can "sink or swim" in front of real
people... all sorts of people. It's more than craft, it also involves some
flash... it helps to be good looking, as well... *grin*
Will Dockery
> Yea, verily: Incompetent promotion is the bane of indy everything.
>
> I apologize, Karl, although I didn't organize it. I don't know what
> happened with Frank; if you'd dropped me a note I would have been happy
> to give you all the info, which was on display on my web site for two
> weeks beforehand. I was really disappointed that the bar's web site
> didn't update their calendar. I'm sorry it was so hard to get info,
> since I'd have definitely welcomed one more person in the audience.
>
> This once again makes me think that no matter what your promotional
> skills, the audience of friends, family, hangers-on, and sycophants is
> essential. With an army of 5-10 people each, the TUB reading would have
> been a raucous hoot no matter how many (or few) others showed up.
>
> What I need is an audience like in that David Letterman short film with
> Diane Sawyer, in which she discovers that the Letterman audience is
> actually a whole town of people from Ohio or someplace who laugh
> uproariously at everything said to them, and who are trucked in for
> every taping and jealously guarded by Letterman. (In the end, she steals
> them from Letterman). Anyone want to volunteer? Room and board, all the
> cable TV you can watch, just don't steal my liquor.
Internet access?
TomHendricks474
Art Revolutionary Festival.
It worked well. What we did was hired a bar for a day (Sat.) Because it was
day, he was glad to get the business, and had someone at the door who accepted
donations - there was no charge (which got us MORE money than what we
considered charging.)
We had a great event - but the key to it was the variety. On stage was poem
readers, but also music, theater readings, theater skits, short films/videos,
some conceptual art events, etc.
And while they were going on we had a large open exhibit of art from numerous
artists and photographers, plus a huge bookcase full of zines to peruse.
People could come and go whenever they wanted , see what they wanted, leave and
come back, have coffee, or a drink or whatever, etc.
It was a real eye opener for this provincial town.
One of the other 2 backers, went on and did 2 more of these - each one very
successful - though it takes a real manager to book and find all the variety of
acts!
It was amazing how stimulating these were
So in the end we had a run of 3 art revolutionary festivals - ad free, no
sponsors, no junk just art and fun.
Tom Hendricks, Musea zine ed.
<A HREF="http://musea.digitalchainsaw.com">http://musea.digitalchainsaw.com</A>
Musea guarantees every musician, painter, writer, etc.
a REVIEW - a tough review - a fair review. Ex.
<A
HREF="http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22Musea+Art+Review%22+-re%3A+grou
p%3Aalt.zines+author%3Atomhen...@cs.com&ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en&btnG=Goo
gle+Search">Google - MUSEA REVIEWS ****</A>
For rules and policy - see
<A
HREF="http://groups.google.com/groups?dq=&start=75&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&grou
p=alt.zines&selm=20040202123241.25856.00000650%40mb-m23.news.cs.com">Google -
Musea REVIEW Policy</A>
Will Dockery
You seemed to've hit on some keys to doing these things right, Tom: variety,
freedom of movement, et cetera. Somewhat similar to our local Freedom
Fest--- we took it even a little closer to the heart of "the people": in
addition to poetry, music and art, we had a glass blower making pipes,
hitters and bongs [and held in April 20, *420* for those who know these
things... *grin*] who also made interesting many colored "glass eggs" from
his left over globs of glass, hand made sticks of incense from the
gloriously nutjobbed "Incense Guru", a "tent village" on the back grounds
behind Woody's for the Festgoers to spend the weekend, lots of great food
and drink, of course, airbrush artist painting t-shirts and sides of
vehicles, and even a mudbog race [big trucks racing through a track of mud]
on Saturday afternoon which brought in hundreds of people just from that
alone... we're planning the third one now, and since the mudbog track has
now become a lake, there's the discussion that we could stock it with
catfish, have a fish fry sometime around midpoint... catch one and cook it.
Unless we switch venues to downtown Shadowville, and go with the
possibilities that offers...
Will
Art, music, poetry of Will Dockery:
http://www.lulu.com/dockery
TomHendricks474
now become a lake, there's the discussion that we could stock it with
catfish, have a fish fry sometime around midpoint... catch one and cook it. >>
It all sounds like a lot of fun.
Tom Hendricks, Musea zine ed.
Will Dockery
> << we're planning the third one now, and since the mudbog track has
> now become a lake, there's the discussion that we could stock it with
> catfish, have a fish fry sometime around midpoint... catch one and cook
it. >>
>
>
> It all sounds like a lot of fun.
Yep, and builds every year--- perhaps I'll send you a video of the first
Freedom Fest for review--.
Will
Art, music, poetry of Will Dockery:
http://www.lulu.com/dockery
Don Fitch
Asha Anderson wrote:
>[...] nothing
>beats a big audience. We had an intermission during the Readable
>Theatre event in Nov and the same thing happened. Some of the
>audience escaped.
I can't resisti saying "Good for them!"
I hope my actions at zinester Readings aren't too
disconcerting. I like to attend them -- to show support, to
pick up a few zines & books I wouldn't otherwise
encounter, and to meet people whose zines I enjoy or will
probably enjoy -- but very often my hearing-aids are not
adequate for the acoustics of the environment, and when
this happens I often wander off, being unable or unwilling
to just sit there and pretend that I'm hearing and enjoying
what's spoken. The way I figure it, if the members of the
audience are _really_ enthralled, they won't notice this,
and if they aren't ... at least I try to be quiet & unobtrusive
and to stay in the back of the room. Personally, I like the
idea of an intermission -- if too few people return for the
second half, the organizers know they need to do
something differently the next time.
Don Fitch,
who's basically oriented towards the _written_ word, but
who also enjoys people-watching.
--
The Inner Swine
fitc...@aol.comDonFitch says...
>
> I can't resisti saying "Good for them!"
>
> idea of an intermission -- if too few people return for the
> second half, the organizers know they need to do
> something differently the next time.
For me, this is sort of like the split between being a pedestrian and
being a driver. When I'm a pedestrian, I walk in front of cars at stop
signs and generally go out of my way to enforce the right of way for the
pedestrian, grumblingly inardly that drivers are assholes. When I'm
driving, I wish I could run down all the pedestrians.
(I never said I was evolved.)
With readings, when I'm IN the audience, I think an intermission is a
fine idea, and I will defend my right to leave when I'm bored to the
death. When I'm on the stage, though, I'd vote to chain people to their
chairs and clip their eyelids open until I'm done.
L
J
Will Dockery
> > I can't resisti saying "Good for them!"
> >
> > and to stay in the back of the room. Personally, I like the
> > idea of an intermission -- if too few people return for the
> > second half, the organizers know they need to do
> > something differently the next time.
>
> For me, this is sort of like the split between being a pedestrian and
> being a driver. When I'm a pedestrian, I walk in front of cars at stop
> signs and generally go out of my way to enforce the right of way for the
> pedestrian, grumblingly inardly that drivers are assholes. When I'm
> driving, I wish I could run down all the pedestrians.
Yesterday in a Wal Mart parking lot, a lady seemed to have that intent---
barreling right at me, I supposed she expected me to run... I stopped
walking and gave her a little wave as she slammed on her brakes. Ah, the joy
Usenet could experience today if she's made good on her apparent threat to
run down Will Dockery.
"A sad end to a great man" -Peter O'Troll.
Art, music, poetry of Will Dockery:
http://www.lulu.com/dockery
> (I never said I was evolved.)
>
> With readings, when I'm IN the audience, I think an intermission is a
> fine idea, and I will defend my right to leave when I'm bored to the
> death. When I'm on the stage, though, I'd vote to chain people to their
> chairs and clip their eyelids open until I'm done.
I say if they wanna go, let 'em go... they're hogging the energy.
> The Inner Swine
> www.innerswine.com
asha_anderson
wrote:
>
>Asha Anderson wrote:
>
>>[...] nothing
>>beats a big audience. We had an intermission during the Readable
>>Theatre event in Nov and the same thing happened. Some of the
>>audience escaped.
>
>I can't resisti saying "Good for them!"
I guess I should have added ;) after the word escaped because I mean
"escaped" jokingly. Certainly if people leave, that's their business
although I agree with Jeff. As a reader, I prefer the audience stay
until the end. At our November reading, I read before the
intermission but felt bad for the poets who read during the second
half even though only a couple of people left early. I didn't even
notice it. The fellow who read last mentioned it to me. Anyway, I'm
still for no admission. People can slink away on their own if they
need to. Why break everyone's focus to facilitate a few rats
abandoning ship. ;)