Song Fight Live Speculation

[mkilly]

Las Vegas was unbearably hot last July and the dryer it was, the more we baked in the sun. It's also not a place you can get around easily without a car. You might think you can and you'll get on the monorail and head down the strip and you'll see something and say hey let's go there to that really close hotel and then you will walk for twenty minutes and collapse right in front of it. And all the really cool shows are over $100/person, so if unless you want to see Frank Marino in drag while sitting in folding chairs next to some old people from New Jersey, you better bring a lot of cash.

Yeah, I dunno, I thought the heat was okay. You're completely right about distances, though.

But the main problem I see with Las Vegas (and that no-one seems to be talking about) is that no songfighters live there.

God damnit frankie big face

For that reason, plus that there's no local SongFighters there (unless I'm wrong), maybe we should shy away from Vegas for `05.

I give up. I get no respect from anybody.

[jack]

i just mean i give up trying to plan or organize something that people seem to be so adamently against participating in. i'm not going to waste my time.

i've mentioned to and discussed with a few folks already the idea of organizing something this spring or summer here in santa cruz, which is quite a lovely and fun town to hang out in, if you've never been here. i have a venue in mind and if it worked out, would secure it myself. if anyone would be interested in perhaps playing such a show here, feel free to IM me. it doesn't have to be anything songfight official. i don't want to step on any toes.

i think i'm just more motivated (and apparently qualified) to work on the smaller events, which is fine by me.

[c hack]

Ever since the seattle show (fuck you, it was still a songfight gathering!!) I 've had a little fantasy of inviting you all to Quadra for a summer show... big community hall, great fishing, wilderness kinda trip, tons of people would come out... I'd say I can GAURENTEE (though not spell it) an audience of at LEAST 100 people, and with good avertising and cheap tickets, probably more like 300 music loving, partying people. I just need two things:
1) to make the commitment
2) to have interest from other fighters.

You got my interest. The fly-fishing isn't so hot in the Boston area. Be good to do some more of that.

[Leaf]

I think the Quadra concept is more like the show in Seattle this year, rather than being the official annual event. Well, that is, if I am not mistaken.

...that was the original idea, although every person is welcome to Quadra... it WOULD be different for most of you!



So... it could be both, however, the odds of me doing this regardless is high... I've been thinking about it quite a bit... and it would be fun... and going to Vegas would be too..."yeah...i played Vegas...." sounds pretty good...

[Leaf]

Oh yeah, the whole snobby "have to have been there before" routine is pretty weak. I've organized tons of shows people, and they all rocked. Any input into format, etc is always welcome when working on a project, so if you're just not into it ,cool, but drop the teenage snob routine, that's tiresome man, especially when I'm getting interested in inviting you all to my home so you can rock the place!

I am me.

[JonPorobil]

Vegas might be a hard sell to my folks

dude, AUSTIN was a hard sell to your folks

Vegas is like Disneyland now, so fresh and so clean clean.

Well, the Strip is, anyway.

To be fair, it wasn't a hard sell to my folks, it was my travelling companion's parents who flipped out. Which is why, whatever happens this summer, I'll fly there alone. But flying to Vegas might present a problem... Whatever, it's entirely up to whomever winds up bearing the responsibility, and that's not going to be me. Head, out.

Hey, is it just me, or does the SF Live planning start sooner and sooner each year?

[adjuster]

Hey, is it just me, or does the SF Live planning start sooner and sooner each year?

Don't think so... I remember talking about SF Live around this time last year.

I've mentioned before that I want to host a "Songfight.org presents"-type show in Ohio. I do think it's a real possibility for the spring of 2005-- more info as info develops.

I'm certain that Dayton, Ohio doesn't have the attraction necessary to pull everybody in for the "big" event. I'm finding myself wishing that I was a bit closer to Cleveland-- it'd be just too much work to try and host something that's a 4+ hour drive from my home. *sigh*

[Spud]

Oh yeah, the whole snobby "have to have been there before" routine is pretty weak. I've organized tons of shows people, and they all rocked. Any input into format, etc is always welcome when working on a project, so if you're just not into it ,cool, but drop the teenage snob routine, that's tiresome man, especially when I'm getting interested in inviting you all to my home so you can rock the place!

I am me.

I do not believe that this argument is weak. We are not talking about an independent event. I believe that you are fully capable of putting on any event you put your mind to.

However, we are talking about a specific annual event here, the annual, once-a-year, songfight gathering. It helps to have been to one. Future Boy and Moboid were lucky enough to have JB as their close advisor and benefactor last year, and even then, I personally would prefer someone who has seen what worked and what didn't, what the unique needs are, etc.

[jack]

cmon leaf....don't you know that having attended one of these makes you the expert, not experience in actually organizing events....

[Hoblit]

wow, people's noses are getting out of joint on a comment that was innocent enough.

The statement that it is preferred that someone who has been to one of these to organize one of these isn't out of snobbery. It's not out of some elitism thing. Spud speaks true. His post explains WHY it helps. Nobody has said that it is NECESSARY as I pointed out earlier that Futureboy/Moboid did it without having been to one. Having been to one of these IS EXPERIENCE too. The needs and nuances that are specific to the event might be handled better if the organizer has seen what has worked and what has not worked in the past. I'm sure Leaf and Jack are both very capable of putting a show together. I'm sure that they could both do THIS EVENT... but suggesting that someone who has been to one before isn't evil..its practical.

Lets not get into a flame war about who could do this better...lets just shoot the sh#!~t about where we might be having it.

Snarky isn't going to help bring us together none *smiley*

[Henrietta]

How many serious volunteers are there vying for the title of Organizer Extraordinaire? Maybe the person that's going to do all the work should get to decide which city. I dunno, I'm sorta new around here. How was Austin decided?

[jack]

my nose is just fine hoblit, but thanks for asking

"build it and they will come". that seems to be the mantra. that's what i'm doing. and i'm assuming that's what leaf is doing. aside from that, i don't have much more to say on the subject.

[Hoblit]

"build it and they will come". that seems to be the mantra.

I don't believe that's the mantra for the annual songfight! LIVE blank & blank gig.

Usually, we establish a place by someone volunteering to host it. This usually happens when folk sorta stress what they can do if it were in thier city coinciding with what the group thinks will work best. Then we all chip in one way or another and try to get it to happen as best we can.

Lancaster: Three songfighters lived there, two of which had been to the first one...which was really low key in San Fransisco. It worked really well because there were already three of them there and one close by in Philly. Frankie stepped up...got the place and we all went.

Seattle: Spud said, hey...we could do this here. Everybody loved the Seattle idea (mostly) and we all headed up there. Worked well, Spud had been to the previous one and we had all established that bond already.

Austin: We liked the Austin idea because there were a few songfighters from there, one of which had been to the previous two. Although, we ran into some 'worries' that eventually became somewhat unfounded. There was some communication gaps. It worked... but none of us knew Futureboy/Moboid really well. That gap can partly be contributed to the lack of experience with the previous gigs. It turned out to be successful...therefore breaking any reason to force any kind of rule stating that you had to be at a previous one to host the next one. However, I stress that I think some of the communication gaps were because we didn't know these people very well and we got worried. (even if it were uncessary)

So far, we have four cities that are possible... possibly four different cities volunteering... thats a great start. No hurry, it's only November...we have plenty of time to discuss this.

That means, anyone who wants to have a show in between can also.

[mkilly]

How many serious volunteers are there vying for the title of Organizer Extraordinaire? Maybe the person that's going to do all the work should get to decide which city. I dunno, I'm sorta new around here. How was Austin decided?

Notably, given the bit of discussion over today, initially FB and Moboid just said "Hey, let's host a SongFight concert in Austin," and then it turned into the annual SongFight Live!. If I recall, anyway. I don't know that there was ever discussion like we're having now; I think it was all just volunteers said "Hey, lemme host it."

[Hoblit]

How many serious volunteers are there vying for the title of Organizer Extraordinaire? Maybe the person that's going to do all the work should get to decide which city. I dunno, I'm sorta new around here. How was Austin decided?

Notably, given the bit of discussion over today, initially FB and Moboid just said "Hey, let's host a SongFight concert in Austin," and then it turned into the annual SongFight Live!. If I recall, anyway. I don't know that there was ever discussion like we're having now; I think it was all just volunteers said "Hey, lemme host it."

Them speaking up probably had a little to do with the resources that might be available... being how brother machine and 15-16 also lived there. This equaled help with rides / instruments / possible places to stay (although I don't belive that third turned out last year)

The important part was that we all decided to go there. Which is what I'll do anyways... wherever it is.

So whoever calls it... calls it I suppose...i mean if thats the way ya'll think it should go. I just hope it doesn't start to split everybody up. Part of the fun of this thing is that we ALL (read as many possible) get together for this event.

[Caravan Ray]

if this is going to be mid-way through next year - then I could possibly be a potential starter.

I suppose it doesn't matter too much to me where it is - though somewhere near international air routes would be preferable - and somewhere I could convince my wife that she wants to go to for a holiday. So far of all the options put up - Boston, Vegas and Quadra Is (that is near Vancouver, isn't it?) all sound fine to me.

[jb]

How many serious volunteers are there vying for the title of Organizer Extraordinaire? Maybe the person that's going to do all the work should get to decide which city. I dunno, I'm sorta new around here. How was Austin decided?

Moboid volunteered FB, and I nagged a little.

See that's the thing. If you say you're gonna do it, you gotta be prepared for some pressure coming to bear on you to make stuff happen. And then you should ignore most of the message board because people will be all paranoid and shit when they really should just have faith.

It'll happen wherever the zeitgeist congeals. Cleveland, Boston, Vegas, wherever. Those are all cool with me. It'll happen. Don't get too uptight about it.

As for dates, late June or early July are traditional. In Lancaster it was on July 4th weekend. That was fun. OH MAN FIREWORKS IN BOSTON WOULD BE COOL.

So anyway, think about it.

[j$]

Not that it really effects much one way or the other, but if it's coastal (either coastal) and not in July I can tie in with a business trip and at least get to meet all you folk / shake a tambourine and put it down to expenses

I had such a blast with Songfight UK that I am itching to meet other SF people so they too can say 'but hey! You're really nice - nothing like your board personality!'

j$

[jack]

And then you should ignore most of the message board because people will be all paranoid and shit when they really should just have faith.

pretty funny stuff. if i remember correctly, it was brother machine who volunteered to organize austin. future boy and moboid stepped in AFTER he flaked.

have faith. right. in god we trust. all others pay cash.

[jb]

have faith. right. in god we trust. all others pay cash.

When was the last time I let you down?

[jack]

have faith. right. in god we trust. all others pay cash.

When was the last time I let you down?

haha. you're right God. YOU haven't let me down yet

[erik]

future boy and moboid stepped in AFTER he flaked.

I searched for some sort of anything that Brother Machine had said he was going to be doing anything other than playing, and I couldn't find anything. I don't think he was supposed to be involved in organization in any way.