SF in SF: 2010

[LML]

Since I have relatives in San Fran, doing this might be feasible. Just depends on if I can gather up the funds and if I'll have time off.

[jack]

hey, here's another possibility for the live show. not sure who's organizing this and stuff, but looks viable.

[fluffy]

Oh, thanks for the reminder, I never got around to contacting any of the other venues. I suck.

[Mike Lamb]

So.. hey. We're getting to the point where people need to make arrangements. Plane tickets, etc. Who's driving this thing? Can I help in any way?

[Hoblit]

I'm with the *bump* on this thread.

I've been caught up in two bands for the last 3 or 4 years and I'm finally getting back into Songfight! again.

I'm excited about a trip to San Fransisco on top of that. It's a city I've always wanted to visit and now I can do that and see my favorite Songfight! brethren.

Let me know if there is anything I can do?

[Generic]

Settling on a date would be fab.

I'm available all summer except for June 11-13. If it fell on that weekend, I would, with much sadness, have to send my regrets.

[jack]

hey, is anyone any closer to doing anything about any of this?

i know that's alot of anys......just curious. a date would be a good start to plan around.

[Generic]

hey, is anyone any closer to doing anything about any of this?

i know that's alot of anys......just curious. a date would be a good start to plan around.

Yes please. If we don't get a date by the end of March, you're going to have to move me from "definitely" to "maybe."

[fluffy]

I keep meaning to ask around at various venues but I keep forgetting. I have the organizational skills of a cat, and I've never done this sort of thing before.

[fluffy]

I finally got around to sending queries to Argus Lounge and The Knockout, and even going for the big time with DNA Lounge.

[ken]

Cool. I'm talking with Brava Theater about having it there. It may all come down to whether or not we can afford it, but I'm waiting to hear what the cost might be.

[fluffy]

So far the only response I've gotten has been from DNA Lounge; unless we can get an audience of at least 200 each night it just won't be cost-effective. So that's probably out of the question.

[ken]

Thanks for contacting those folks. I have yet to hear back about Brava yet, but I'm hopeful.

[jack]

a couple more options with potential.......

http://counterpulse.org/

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/evs/1644587777.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ats/1647463988.html

[fluffy]

Huh, Black Box Theater looks perfect. Presumably we'd have to provide our own audio gear though, and knowing San Francisco there's probably permit requirements. But I'll send them an inquiry, sure.

[fluffy]

I just emailed The Actors Center, explaining that we're probably more like performance art than a traditional concert (because, well, we are) and that it's really more like a private gathering.

CounterPULSE looks incredibly expensive. Their base quote looks like it'd be around $1450 for the weekend, and that's for only 3 hours of show time per night. I'd like to defer on that one.

Club 6ix doesn't have any rental rates posted on their site, but they also look like a fairly big venue.

I'm definitely keeping my eyes open for smaller venues that are likely to not be booked to heck and back. I've definitely preferred the Song Fight shows at the more atypical and intimate places - Church of the Friendly Ghost, that community center in Boston, and the Cayuga Vault, for example - and I know there's lots of places like that around here (hell, I've never been to Hot Lunch/Accordion/whateverthey'recallednow but I got the distinct impression they were like that as well). Space Gallery (one of the tour stops a couple years ago) was also a fun show but I have a feeling we'd be too big for them.

I'm a bit annoyed that neither Argus nor The Knockout ever got back to me. Both of those spaces look like they'd be perfect. Oh, but that reminds me, I should also try contacting El Rio (if I can make heads or tails of their booking requirements). They're another neighborhood joint which is all about this sort of stuff. Also, Nap's.

[fluffy]

I have VERY GOOD NEWS.

The Actors Center (one of the places Jack found on Craigslist) schedule is wide-open, and they are fine with us doing a musical performance there, and also renting the space for practice purposes and so on. Their only restrictions are that we can't be too loud during business hours, since there's an office upstairs, but for the show itself, Friday night, and all day Saturday and Sunday are both perfectly fine. We would have to be mindful of noise ordinances, though, since it's a residential neighborhood (meaning anything particularly loud would probably have to happen before 10 PM).

Their booking schedule is right here, so if this is the way we want to go, we should decide what dates to go for so that we can book it as soon as possible.

The place is at Capp and 17th, which is very close to BART and there's generally a decent amount of parking available if you know where to look (as well as paid lots). There are also a lot of really good bars nearby, including the excellent Benders.

The only thing that really concerns me is that the venue is a bit small (I think it seats 40 or thereabouts - it's intended for rehearsals, not performances), and it's not a bar or restaurant so presumably alcohol would only be allowed if we got a banquet permit or the like. Also we'd have to do our own sound, door, etc.

Ken mentioned that he's looking into Brava, which is a much larger venue, but probably also much more expensive. Between the two I'd definitely prefer Brava, but we're basically guaranteed to get into The Actors Center and to be able to afford it.

Obviously before we make any decisions, those of us in the area should take some time to visit both venues (and any others that turn up in the meantime). Any weekend is good for me.

[Generic]

Hey guys, what's going on?

[fluffy]

I'd like to know too!

The Actors Center venue is good to go if we need it. Ken, what's the latest on Brava?

What dates work for everyone? So we know what to commit to?

[roymond]

June is too early.
July works for me.
August doesn't.
September is difficult, and
October is really nice in NYC so screw that.

[Generic]

I'd like to know too!

The Actors Center venue is good to go if we need it. Ken, what's the latest on Brava?

What dates work for everyone? So we know what to commit to?

June is too early for me, unless you wanna do the last weekend in June. July is probably okay. August and September are definitely okay. For me, Songfight is pretty high up on the priority list, so I'll be willing and able to plan the rest of my life around this trip, as long as a date is settled-upon relatively soon. If I don't get about 10 weeks' notice, I may be unable shuffle things about in a timely enough manner.

[Hoblit]

Late July is best for me. August is ok. June is right out. I'm going to be on a family (yes, with my mom and dad) vacation late May.

In related news, I want to get out of the 'drive' with them from NC to OH so I'm trying to find an excuse to fly from Ashville to Toledo on May 17th. To avoid driving through the rest of Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and just about all of Ohio, then up to Michigan after that. With my folks. And my chatty grandmother.