177 replies to this topic

[Brodie]

This all started here.

Don't look at me. I have no idea. I like Phoenix just the way it is, except maybe a little more diversity in opening lineups and a little more support from each other.

Other then that... I think we're developing as a scene the best we possibly can.

I know there's differing opinions. Shoot.

[bob]

redecorating del webb communities would help. getting rid of sheriff joe would be a start...

[chadk]

redecorating del webb communities

is that like the suburbs?

[bob]

on steroids. www.delwebb.com sun city, anthem, etc, etc, etc... "planned communities."

he got a lot of his money illegally from ties with J.Edgar Hoover and organized crime...

[bob]

i guess my point is that there's nothing wrong with phoenix other than its mainstream culture. phoenix is a big parking lot with a starbucks and a target. none of this has to do with this board. i love going to shows in phoenix. i love stinkweeds, i love skating the skateparks, i love cowtown, i love the park on olive avenue and 35th avenue. i love the people, but phoenix sucks. and if your band's shows are continually underattended, it has nothing to do with a promoter, its because nobody likes you. that doesn't mean you're not good. it just means no one likes you.

[bob]

and flagstaff: is a big kokopelli sale. i know this. i'm not arguing that everyone move to flagstaff, because we're just phoenix jr. or at least it will be when enough people from phoenix get here.

we do have a downtown though.

[unluckycharm]

these sort of threads always amuse me. what can 'phoenix' do? if you're a musician / artist you put yourself out there and express your art. work your ass off and maybe just maybe it will strike a chord with someone. maybe some band will have a 'hit' record and all of a sudden there be more interest here. and if not we'll just have a little scene that mostly holds meaning for the people that were a part of it (not to the world at large). sometimes things catch fire, sometimes they don't. it's hard to predict whether a thriving 'scene' is going to happen.

[Brodie]

if your  band's shows are continually underattended, it has nothing to do with a promoter, its because nobody likes you.  that doesn't mean you're not good.  it just means no one likes you.

"Continually underattended."

That's an important part of this argument...

My shows often have 20-30 people (I'll estimate... I'm bad at counting heads, but from what I'm told, this is a fair estimate). Once, I played for 100 (there were other musicians and it was a comedy show, so I'm not saying it was all me, duh). I've also played for 2 people.

I think we can all agree that if people don't show up for you or walk out for you, then it might be time to re-evaluate your work (unless you're alienating and driving away the audience on purpose, i.e. Die Funktron Die).

Most of the time, I'm happy with the number of people who come to my shows. I'm secure in my ability to draw and I'm cognizant of what I need to do to expand my audience.

The mystery here is, why do bands here draw 100 one night and 5 another night? And sure, there are lots of factors... competing concerts on the same night, promotion, the venue, etc. And this is true in ANY town. But there seems to be a consensus here that there's a Phoenix phenomenon of low-attended shows.

[Brodie]

these sort of threads always amuse me.  what can 'phoenix' do?  if you're a musician / artist you put yourself out there and express your art.  work your ass off and maybe just maybe it will strike a chord with someone.  maybe some band will have a 'hit' record and all of a sudden there be more interest here.  and if not we'll just have a little scene that mostly holds meaning for the people that were a part of it (not to the world at large).  sometimes things catch fire, sometimes they don't.  it's hard to predict whether a thriving 'scene' is going to happen.

While I agree that musicians and artists need to do those things and hope for the best in terms of their own music/art taking off, I'm not asking "What can Phoenix do to make ME a rock star?"

I'm asking what people can do as a whole to make this place not as much a hole.

I think there's more proactive solutions than just hoping things catch fire. Maybe we should set some fires.

I could just worry about my own music, look beyond playing here and start worrying about my merch, my releases, my touring... but I kinda LIKE this place, you know?

[chadk]

i love phoenix,

anytown usa is going to have too many parking lots a super target etc. it's called america

some places will have more then / less then others

cites grow, cities die, cities go through rebirth etc

i feel fortunate to have places like stinkweeds, eastside, grand ave, casey moores, encanto park, historic neighborhoods, good weather (for the most part) to mention a few

i am thankfull for my girlfriend, my house, my job, the friends i have made here and the life i have established.

i love phoenix

[Brodie]

PHOENIX ROCK CITY, MOTHERFUCKERS.

[weener]

This doesn't go for anyone on this board specifically, so I don't know why I'm bothering to say it, but...when you go to a show, WATCH THE OPENING BANDS!!! Don't sit in the parking lot!

It shocks me how many people pay $7 for their friend's band or something and sit in the parking lot for the other bands and take off right when that band is done. They pay to see 5 bands and end up seeing 1. You could have a whole night of awesome musical entertainment but instead it's something to do for 30 minutes.

So, watch the openers. I admit, not all opening bands are fantastic and you're not going to be into all of them, but at least give them a chance. You may walk away with a new favorite band. Trust me, it's happened to me twice.

Edit: Oh, and I love Phoenix. It's truly a place for people who like to create because in so many ways it is a blank slate. That Blank Slate thing is what so many people hate about it. My brother calls Phoenix "soul-sucking" because he would rather be passively entertained than create something or actively enjoy something. This is the same guy who quit playing in a band once he got a girlfriend, that says a lot.

[dharma_bum]

a great man once said, "Ask not what your city can do for you. Ask what you can do for your city."

[mothrock]

Brodie, to answer your question about why some shows are attended and others not so much so. Personally, I can't afford to go to every single show I want to. If I drag my girlfriend out to the show, she's never heard of the bands, so I feel obliged to pay for her. So, there is 10$ minimum, then there is the madatory at least one beer (usually more), by the end of the night I drop about 20-30$, I don't know how many people here have a money tree growing in their back yard, but I don't. I have to pick and choose what I attend. It sucks, but it is life. And as far as trying to get in free, I am guilty of that too. It doesn't help anyone out really if you show up somewhere and expect to be put on a guest list. That's not really supporting a scene. It is "kind of", but not really.

[unluckycharm]

edit.


see .... here's the problem. people have infinitely more ways to entertain themselves than ever. so they might go out, or just stay in and watch a dvd / play video game / internet surfing / monkey sex / etc. ...

phoenix is a f**King spread out town. it's not a seattle or portland or san francisco ... it's not dense like--it's not a walking city--that so that's another strike against it.

just a couple of obstacles for this utopian scene. how do you change that?