so is there even any all ages venues around here anymore?

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:08 pm

deadindecatur wrote:
bassjones wrote:
deadindecatur wrote: no.
i didnt.

phuck you.
Because I'm in a good mood I'll ignore that this one time. But consider that a warning. Good natured ribbing about poor grammar is part of the culture around here, so you can expect it.
sorry. maybe i was just a little frustrated.

apology accepted.

sevesd93 · Post by **sevesd93** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:28 pm

bassjones wrote:
Silencio wrote:
Aero wrote:It can be hard being in an original band that wants to play all ages shows in Fort Wayne so I would definitely be in favor of someone opening up a new venue.
That'll happen just as soon as you find someone who is in favor of losing their shirt.

i remember people saying what Fort Wayne needed was an all-ages venue for loud rock music back when I was playing in a local band. In 1972.

And there still isn't one because there's no money in it. You can't mark up soda and chips like bars mark up booze, and if you hire staff they steal you blind. The neighbors hate you, the paper demonizes you, the cops crawl you (there are always plenty of 17-year-old chuckleheads more than willing to help you get in trouble with them). And then some kid gets beaten half to death in your parking lot, and when the lawsuit clears, you're broke.

But hey, somebody go for it. A comdemned building right next to a vacant lot full of rusty nails would be perfect.
Wow, you are old

All of that is still contingent upon anyone showing up.

Anyone who won't go to Sunset because of its location is a racist moron. That part of the South Side community is very safe, as is 90% of it despite the perception.

So, the fact that I have had sh*t stolen from me at Sunset makes me racist for not going there?

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:43 pm

No, you have a reasonably valid reason. I don't go there because I don't like most of the music they bring in. The side of town its on should have no bearing on attendance though. The particular neighborhood in which it sits is quite safe. So is most of the South.

sevesd93 · Post by **sevesd93** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:44 pm

bassjones wrote:No, you have a reasonably valid reason. I don't go there because I don't like most of the music they bring in. The side of town its on should have no bearing on attendance though. The particular neighborhood in which it sits is quite safe. So is most of the South.

Gotcha. Don't worry Jones, The South will Rise again.

deadindecatur · Post by **deadindecatur** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:05 pm

so does anybody have a basement we can use?

Aero · Post by **Aero** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 4:24 pm

deadindecatur wrote:
fragile_funk wrote:People put on shows at the Firehouse Theater (1245 E. State) fairly often.
yeah.... you cant get a show there unless you know or blow somebody.

Actually Firehouse is fairly easy to book, but the earliest you could book is probably January. I've heard that they split money from the door with the bands. Contact info: http://firehousefw.com/

1624 N. Harrison St · Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:51 pm

We've been doing all ages gigs here for nearly 3 years now. We've never had any problems with police, violence (thrashing is not a crime), the neighbors, drugs, or drink. We regularly have bands from around the country and sometimes the world. Even if no one shows we ALWAYS have fun (that's the point, right). ALL of our money goes directly to the touring bands and if the door is really good the locals get some cheese as well. We cook for the bands and are happy to have them crash here. Our only criterion is we have to like your music (and you can't be a bunch of jerks). It's nothing personal, James Taylor is an accomplished musician but I'll be damned if we'd have him play here. We just like our sounds a little more raw.

If an all ages venue is to be sustainable in this town the overhead needs to be very low (my basement came in a package deal with the house), you need rules ("nothing kills an all ages venue faster than drunk 15 yr olds and nothing ruins a good show faster than drunk 30 yr olds") and financially all you can hope for AT BEST is to break even. I usually pay between 10 and 20 bucks and have kicked in 50 to see bands I like play in my own basement just to make sure they've got gas/food money to get to the next town. I've never bothered to calculate the added utilities costs of having 2-5 gigs a month because I don't care.

I know some folks (especially the young'uns) might be intimidated by attending a show in someones house but there's nothing to fear; everyone is kool and you might be our new best friend. I also know our no drink/drug policy turns some folks off. Oh well, we're better off without that mentality anyway. That alcoholism scene is tired.

We've got a really fun gig coming up on the 25th with the B-Sharps, The Missing Murderers, and our friends from D.C., The Wayward, who are definitely the best band you've never heard.

Oh and booking at the firehouse is really easy. I just did it today. If you like grind watch out for New Years Eve!

1624 N. Harrison St · Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:52 pm

oops it posted twice.

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:21 am

There you have it. Open one in your basement and you just barely break even.

To repeat: there's no money in it. And nobody can or will provide a service forever for free.

1624 N. Harrison St · Post by **1624 N. Harrison St** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 3:08 pm

There doesn't need to be any money in it. The fact that there are literally hundreds of bands touring and getting gigs across the country is testament to that. I've seen my fair share of all ages gigs across the country and I can safely say I've almost never seen a successful venue that took the business approach. Who needs some dude skimming money from the door to line his pockets when there are plenty of basements and barns to play that are run by folks who do it because they know and love the music?

Small all ages venues are best sustained by being located in basements or businesses who don't need to rely on soda sales and door money to pay the bills, record stores for instance. Larger cities can have permanent venues that are run by a collective like Mr. Roboto in Pittsburgh or Gilman St. in San Fran. I have my doubts about this working here because this town isn't exactly the target for touring bands that our larger neighbor cities are and kids either don't stay in town once college comes around or lose interest or end up at the Rail.

The only role a business oriented venue has is drawing bigger acts, and they fail to last around here it seems because this town is too small and the purveyors often approach the space with the same mindset as running a bar. I'll take The Basement which used to be underneath the old Sneaky Pete's as an example. I used to bounce at that bar and the owners wanted to have shows in the basement basically 2 times a week. Since the basement was attached to a bar, which was the primary source of capitol, a better approach would have been to have maybe 1-2 worthwhile national acts there a month. Instead, there were many crappy, poorly attended shows there, interest wained and the place collapsed.

Instead of waiting for your dad to try to ride the all ages money train, D.I.Y, Mo Fo!

deadindecatur · Post by **deadindecatur** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:04 am

Silencio wrote:There you have it. Open one in your basement and you just barely break even.

To repeat: there's no money in it. And nobody can or will provide a service forever for free.

f**k the money. it shouldnt even be about that.

Oliver's Army · Post by **Oliver's Army** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:13 am

Yep, because that formula has worked so well.

Silencio · Post by **Silencio** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:58 am

"F*ck the money" sounds all egalitarian and stuff, but that's not the real world: it's a recipe for loss. You have to make money to continue doing whatever you do.

I make music because I love making music. I make money making music so I don't have to go do something else.

No venue that doesn't make a profit can be considered "permanent." If you're not turning a buck. then it's a hobby that will last until you run out of money. Which is fine, don't get me wrong... there's not a thing wrong with presenting music for the sheer love of it.

And to get this back on track... I'm answering the question "Why is there no all-ages venue in Fort Wayne?" I'm not debating whether or not love of money is the root of all evil... I'm just telling you why there is still no highly-visible all-ages venue in Fort Wayne, after over 35 years of hearing people crab about the fact.

sevesd93 · Post by **sevesd93** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:31 am

f**k the kids, get a fake id...

Garr · Post by **Garr** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:22 am

sevesd93 wrote:f**k the kids, get a book on noun/verb agreement...

so is there even any all ages venues around here anymore?

I don't know. Maybe because. . .oh never mind. It's not worth the effort. Oh yeah, maybe that's the reason too.