Can anyone give insight to whether this is happening in the eastern states as well? Dysie if you read this have you heard anything from local promoters or even regular punters that you may be in contact with?
The times they are a changing...
A lot of the draw cards are sorting out line-up changes and rehearsing new members, recording ect, there are a a lot of band still worth supporting though.
Those draw cards started off in the same positions, there's no limit to what a band can do if they put a lot of effort in behind the scenes,
I just think that in this present time with all the economic bullshit and things moving so fast that its getting harder to be able to be there to support them, transportation, drinks $$, no smoking almost anywhere, the law on DD, and also being so many gigs to choose from.
A lot of the times everyone will go to a gig even if they don't support any of the bands, its juts cause the booze flows cheaper, its easy to get to and at least a couple mates are there supporting at least one band on the bill.
I think if there were a couple different, consistent venues in the same proximity as amps(city side) and rocket room(bridge side) catering more for the rock/metal crowd, Ala rocket room with ...more room and a better stage and better air conditioning than things would be a bit easier.
If Devillles was next to Carnegie's and did metal gigs it would be a smash..providing bit bigger stage and better sound. Its like someone made hell into a nightclub, a swinging 50's/60's hell nightclub kinda thing.
Black Betty's is only other bigger rock option besides rocket and castle, and lets face it its still pretty commercial and not a lot of metal heads would step foot there, not to mention I'm sure they aren't too keen on hosting local metal gigs more often.
I know there is the castle and its a more than adequate venue for that kind of thing but a large proportion of people will no go out of their way if its not flashing right up in their faces across the road from the traino. Hence the rocket room being around for so long and to a certain extent amps, which in another way of being forced into peoples sinuses is it's very well advertised as being the place to be.
For anyone who was around from the earliest days of the modern metal scene (lets say 1992-present)
How many venue's did you have to choose from?
How much promotion did you see from bands? (flyers, posters ect ect)
How consistent were gigs?
How many band's were there at its peak?
I think if everyone keeps contributing and adding their 2 cents, ideas, brainstorms, drunken/stoned rants then maybe bands will come across some very valuable info and start to add to the scene from a different perspective.
Perhaps once again things are going into a hibernation phase where everyone has kinda grown up a little and has some life shit to sort out and then once people settle it will thrive again with renewed energy.
And hopefully a new generation will come along with it such as it has the past few years.
God this is like Milo and Otis kinda shit.
