RTP-area local music and culture

[James Hepler <jameshepler AT yahoo.com>]

Mr. Grady, Mr. Glenn, do you guys think that lags
between bands is about the same as it has always been
or have they been getting longer?  I feel like they're
longer, but I am a lot older than I used to be so I
just figured it was the curmudgeon gene kicking in.


--- grady <grady AT ibiblio.org> wrote:

> Glenn, I appreciate this big first step you're
> taking, and I hope it 
> will work out in your favor. (while we're talking
> about steps to take, 
> there was a post in that thread about on-campus
> shows, in which the 
> poster implied that under-21s can't get into bars
> where the rock happens 
> . . . that's true at the Cave, but I thought you
> were still letting 
> over-18s in, right? Might need some outreach there .
> . .)
> 
> Although I sympathize with your concern about losing
> business, I'm 
> compelled by your scenario, below, to provide a
> counter-scenario:
> 
> I go to a show at Local 506. After the first band,
> the smoke is bad 
> enough that I go outside to be able to breathe a bit
> before the next 
> band (this is a regular occurrence for me and dozens
> of other people, 
> btw). While I'm out there, some of us nonsmokers
> start talking about the 
> other shows that night, at Nightlight, the Cradle,
> and The Cave, all of 
> which are within walking distance, and all of which
> are nonsmoking, and 
> we all take off to one of those shows.
> 
> Or maybe we skip the part where we come to Local 506
> at all.
> 
> Maybe I'm biased, but that seems at least as
> reasonable as your 
> theoretical situation. In fact, it happened to me a
> week ago, in the 
> sense that I was sitting outside Local 506 talking
> to some friends, 
> contemplating going in to see Filthybird, but
> ultimately I decided to 
> walk to the Cave instead.
> 
> Do you really think that having the ability to smoke
> *inside* Local 506 
> is the only factor keeping the smokers from fleeing?
> It seems to me that 
> people only come to Local 506, which has a cover
> charge most nights it's 
> open, to see bands play. With the exception of
> Reservoir, the other bars 
> within walking distance who have bands play are all
> non-smoking (the 
> Cave allows smoking in the back, but nonsmokers
> never have to go back 
> there unless they want to play pool). So if the
> smokers leave to go see 
> another band, they're quite possibly going somewhere
> else nonsmoking.
> 
> Or are you saying that your smoking patrons are so
> fickle and/or so 
> addicted that they'd rather sit at the Sports Bar
> and smoke & drink, 
> instead of seeing the band at your bar? If so, then
> why would they 
> bother coming to the 506 and paying the cover charge
> at all?
> 
> People are going to go in and out of clubs. One of
> the great things 
> about Chapel Hill is that you *can* walk from one
> bar to the next, and 
> see many different bands in one night, if you're so
> inclined. I think 
> the wise thing to do is to factor that into your
> business model as best 
> you can, as I'd argue that setup is a net PLUS for
> everyone involved.
> 
> As you yourself stated in another post, one thing
> that really keeps 
> attendance down is unpredictable start times. I'd
> add to that "and 
> really long-ass lags between bands." In an
> environment where there *are* 
> so many other clubs nearby, having predictable
> schedules is pretty 
> crucial. Making your club somewhere inviting enough
> that people hang 
> around between bands is helpful, too, but I'd argue
> that the music is 
> the most inviting thing you have to offer. Making it
> as easy as possible 
> for people to see that music, and have a great time
> while doing it, is 
> the best way to optimize, *as long as* you're
> charging a cover.
> 
> It sounds to me like the bottom-line of your
> argument is this: people 
> only buy drinks between bands. If the club is
> nonsmoking, then the 
> smokers will go next door and buy drinks there
> between bands, and then 
> come back when the next band plays, thus draining
> your profits away.
> 
> So here's a solution, since, as you say, the Sports
> Bar apparently isn't 
> even open: Buy the Sports Bar. Open it back up. Make
> it a smoking 
> establishment. Rake in the profits! ;-)
> 
> xo
> 
> Ross
> 
> local506 AT gmail.com wrote:
> 
> > I had so many conversations about this last night
> at the Schooner
> > show, and everyone I countered the 'non-smoking'
> argument then
> > understood the dilemma I face.  As I thought was
> understood, if no
> > smoking is allowed in 506, then smokers will be
> forced to exit my
> > business and, perhaps, smoke outside.  However,
> they may equally
> > choose to visit one of the other bars within
> walking distance to not
> > only smoke, but also buy their next drink,  And
> heck, they may have
> > such a good time, they might not venture back. 
> And if the Sports Bar
> > re-opens next door, I'm sure plenty of bands will
> find their potential
> > audience not only not drinking at Local 506, but
> not listening to
> > their band either.
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors
> alt.music.chapel-hill --
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> 



      
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