shit

What?

Totally blows.

Indeed does blow. Hopefully it will do well in its new incarnation!

I just read it.
Mother. Fuck.

And yeah, good luck with the new opportunity, but still.
Mother-fuck.

:(((((((((((((((((((((

Well, shit. That sucks.

Occupy Hi Tone?

bummer

Man What

Allow me to be the first to say it:

THE HI TONE IS A GONER!!!

Oh man, oh man, oh man.

man, thats a bummer. think ive been there more than anywhere else in town, and had some great times. sorry for all you memphibians.

probably GonerFest should move to Poplar Lounge next year.

Geezus - I can't believe it. Bummer.

please people stop bringing up the shitty pop lounge - makes my blood boil.

i do not feel like giving any of my money to any coked out bikers or failed thespians.

and no, i am not talking about open mic comedy night..... ;)

i was joking. only been there once. i had a fuggin blast and kinda surreal experience. felt kinda like i was on mushrooms but i wasnt. it was just an odd vibe that i dug. but obviously not suitable for Gfest.

NOOO!

I looked a few times recently and there were some months when the Hi-Tone, all by itself, had better shows than the entire city of San Francisco.

haven't lived in memphis in years but it had great indy musicians. great musicians, but not much paying jobs, now this--music scene slowly dying or what?

Music scene is hardly dying.
People not willing to go to and pay for shows are growing, however...

Well, the economy's tough, probably moreso in Memphis than most places.

music scene will never "die" in memphis :) it's obscene to even think that

the amount of artschoolrich/poor kids not willing to fork it over is the problem - robin was putting it nicely :) - i won't

working the door you get alot of people who show up b/c "my friend said their band is playing and i should come see them, oh - wait it's 5$? oh nevermind"
little jerks don't wanna shell five bucks of their beer money towards "the cause"
those jerks can stay at home and jerk it - they don't have that "rock n roll is church" feeling that we do <3

stay home and paint your shoes and try and think of weird new haircuts.

poplar lounge is the coolest shit ever. ghost boner fest 1 at poplar lounge next year.

the amount of artschoolrich/poor kids not willing to fork it over is the problem - robin was putting it nicely :) - i won't

working the door you get alot of people who show up b/c "my friend said their band is playing and i should come see them, oh - wait it's 5$? oh nevermind"

Hrm... gotta think that the demographics of Memphis bread n butter rock n roll genres punk/garage/metal is getting older and older. And the older I get, the more that I start to agree with people who are upset about weeknight shows lasting till 3. What is the point of that shit? Headlining bands always get hosed. People that are going to close out the bar on a Wednesday are going to close it out whether or not their drinking has live musical accompaniment.

Perhaps the $5 cover needs to go the way of the dinosaur too. I've had much more fun lately at donation-only Lamplighter shows. More people seeing your band = more people loving/hating your band.

I think the town definitely has benefited from betterthanjail and it's accompanying zine in terms of getting information out beyond "band name X is playing at Y". While it's a heavily selective gonerrific perspective of the jams happening around here, all cities need more of that kind of thing.

Ack. I'm gonna stop talking shit now. I don't know the first fuck about running a venue or a restaurant. I'm shocked and sad that the Hi Tone is closing. I hope other booking agents/clubs in town pick up the slack and keep Memphis loud and dirty.

music scene will never "die" in memphis :) it's obscene to even think that


There has always been a greater number of local bands playing at other venues besides the Hi-tone. It will be interesting to see where these touring bands go, but I'm pretty sure the local music scene will remain 100% intact...because it's about music and not a venue.

But ask yourself- "Will that venue have delicious pizza?"

I dare say, not.

Very true. Hi-Tone delivery is always great as well.

i shed a tear for pizza - wing night- and my friends who are losing their jobs- it sucks - but we will still have great shows - just have to have them elsewhere

please sell all pizza, burger, and brunch recipes to highest bidder

oh well, square one be a punk get a wharehouse.totinos, big flats, and pissing in an alley.welcome to real memphis

this is total fuckedness. when's the funeral?

oh well, square one be a punk get a wharehouse.totinos, big flats, and pissing in an alley.welcome to real memphis


I find myself actually looking forward to this. Sounds like good times!

I had personally stayed off this thread to answer all questions at once (unlike Facebook where I was answering a question a minute)-
Seeing as I know, personally, most of the folks who have been commenting and these comments are by far and away the least, um, shitty of all the forums this has gone up with, let me take a few minutes to explain....

Yes, the Hi-Tone itself is closing at the end of Feb. We will still be doing the same shows with the same bands- both local and national (international too) just in different locales. There are a whole host of factors that go into this decision. You've probably heard a lot of them- lease issues, ac, parking, etal. Those are true. But, there are other inherent issues that I am not fond of that are happening in midtown. It kinda seems like we have become the outliers (Goner & Hi-Tone) while the area has gotten more gentrified which is great for your house values but not so much for a rock club. Honestly, the day I started getting shit for putting up show flyers on phone polls because "it didn't make the area look pretty" (this is a literal email I got on numerous occasions), I had an inkling that midtown might be going a different direction than when it was first opened or even until I took over. The bitching was not limited to flyers.

So, you ask, what's going to happen? Well, you're going to have to get in your car (not that you didn't have to before) to get to shows. Some will be done at the Buccaneer, but most will be done downtown. This is actually exciting, at least for some of us. The rooms that I'll be working with as Hi-Tone productions will have ac, parking and are really cool. I'll make a formal announcement on the venues I'll be working with in the next day or so on this board.

Now, brass tacks-
The majority of the people who come to the Hi-Tone come maybe one or two times a month. Beyond our hardcore 30 or so regulars who come for food and cheap PBR drafts, this really doesn't affect most everyone. You will have to drive an extra 7 minutes (from the Hi-Tone) to the new venues to see shows which is next to nothing. You will have parking and there will be a lot of really cool specials hopefully around the downtown areas for people who are coming to the shows. There were a lot of things/ specials/ interesting events that I wanted to do that were not possible due to room size, lack of ac, lack of a real green room, etc. While we have a special way of dealing with bands that make them constantly want to come back to Memphis and work with the Hi-Tone, there were many bigger acts that simply said that "they loved what we do, loved us a people and absolutely hated the room" due to it's many problems we faced over the years (feel free to infer). For as many good times as the patrons had, there were also many times where we lost out on shows just because of the issues. That was a HUGE problem. In essence, we had been crossed off everyone's late June thru mid August tour schedules just because of the ac problem. That's just an example. The roof issue from a few years ago soured many as well.

But, the response I've gotten from the people I work with (agents) has been overwhelmingly positive. They still want to bring the shows to Memphis and work on the same and better stuff than we've had before.

Also, and this will be coming out in a couple of articles in the next few weeks, there needs to be a sort of "reckoning" with the Memphis music scene. Some have asked is it dying? Um, not really but it's only growing in small places and dying in others- which is fine. Memphis can only support so many genres- we're not NYC, Chicago, Portland, et al- we are just not. We don't have the demographics or the infrastructure to be throwing the shows that bigger places do and sell 400 tickets when we sell 29. The latter problem is one that I'm going to address on a city wide scale, something that I had always hoped to do but hadn't the time with the 10-12 hour workdays that it took to keep the restaurant/ bar/ venue running in all capacities. It's been needed for many years.

To wit-
VERY little radio, A lot of print coverage that got lost in the wake and frankly, like Alita said, too many folks thinking that the show should be free because they are friends with the band, etc. For Memphis to truly develop as a live music town, people are going to have to get comfortable with paying for tickets or the bands won't come back. We have something wonderful with Goner Records and their name around the world, but everyone isn't coming out twice a week to support that scene- just not happening (you can argue this but you'd be wrong- you won't go see 104 shows a year). Basically, a lot of the shows we get are because of the way we treat bands (thus them telling their agent that they want to play) or because of Goner or the Hi-Tone reputation of promotion and marketing. We are, in the eyes of agents and money made, the least favorable city for 99% of the bands that play to work in. They have fun, get drunk, enjoy our company.... and make the least amount of money they would in any of the 50 major media markets. And frankly, that's not sustainable. It's why you see bands skip Memphis in order to play Nashville and Little Rock- it's not that we don't want them to play but they only have a finite number of tour dates and they are going to try and make the most money possible, which I completely understand. Now, that being said, it's also incumbent upon us to try and "sell" the music in a form that's more in line with 2013 than we have in the past. Betterthanjail is just one way and we have to be able to get music "to the masses" in this city or the same cycle will continue. Most of the folks on this board would have no idea who the Lumineers for example are but they sold out in May and to get some of those folks into, say, Ty Segall, is a job that we have to take on eventhou-gh you would hope that the media arms would be able to do that. Again, infrastructure. It's a major hurdle that needs to be lept.
Lastly-
We all really appreciate you coming to our shows, drinking with us, having a great time. It's been a roller coaster of emotions at times but it's been awfully fun. It will continue. You might even have MORE fun, who knows. As for the pizza, we will see if something develops on that front. But, keep checking the site for shows (we are keeping the site intact) and it'll let you know who is coming and when. Again, thank you and if you have any questions, just leave them in this thread and I'll try and answer them in a timely manner on this board.

Seriously, THANK ALL OF YOU FOR GIVING A SHIT!!!!
Jonathan

I owe you Fantasy Football money; are you going to be open during the playoff games?

just text me Shawn

You ran a great club sir. From the door to the bar...everyone was awesome. I too my sixteen year old son and the bass player/ screamer in his emo band,, to GF last year. Partly to just have a cool time with them and partly to try to get them into what I would consider better music. Anyways, when I told him you were closing his reaction was "WHAT!!?? One of our main goals was to play there!" That's kind of a cool tribute to your place.

Thank you Cole! Like I said, you'll still be able to bring him up to shows from Mississippi.

First and foremost, Jonathan, I want to thank you for years of the hard work and awesomeness that you bestowed upon our city. Most of my favorite memories from the past decade happened at the Hi Tone. But hear me out:

This is what I gathered from this thread so far: Artschool kids in their young 20s will go to shows but don't want to pay. People with morning jobs, or people with kids are frequently willing to pay but can't go to shows because they start too late. So, it looks like the paying demographic that can regularly go to a show on a weeknight is all of about 15 people.


Jonathan, I want the Hi Tone to grow and do well, regardless of where the shows are. But I won't get off the couch on a weekday unless I am confident that I will get home from a show at a decent hour to relieve the babysitter and make it to work. Please -- wherever you have shows-- post the actual show time and enforce it. I swear we are the only city where the big venue tries to compete with the late night venues to see who can be the last to start! All it does it kill attendance at two venues!


Best of luck with shows around town! I will still go, even if they are downtown. You do book the best shows!

And could we please bring back taco night for the last two months? Pretty please?

i devoured my last savory slice from hi tone sunday afternoon and it was heavenly :)

One of the main complaints was the timing of shows. This has been rectified over the past year or so as 8pm doors and first band on at 8:45, show done by 11 has been a regular weekday occurence. Unfortunately, too many times people think we are kidding and when they show up and the headliner is already on, they ask "what the fuck". We tell them it's on the website and it's not a joke. Metal shows, fwiw, have been doing 7:30 doors with first band on at 8:15, show done before 11. We've tried to find the fine line between the early job folks and the late job folks yet folks always assume that the first band goes on at 10:30 no matter what. There isn't much we can do to change perception other than start the shows early and hope people show up. Most of the time, it works but the crowd on this board in particular it's split pretty evenly between those who have early jobs and the late night folks so it's not always easy to appease everyone. Also, the main thing we hear from the early job folks is "I'll try to make it", then the next day it's "sorry I didn't make it I was tired/ couldn't find a sitter/ have too much at work the next day/ fell asleep/ etc" After a while, you just hope the early folks show up and if they do it's gravy but that's not typically the case.

One of the main complaints was the timing of shows. This has been rectified over the past year or so as 8pm doors and first band on at 8:45, show done by 11 has been a regular weekday occurence. Unfortunately, too many times people think we are kidding and when they show up and the headliner is already on, they ask "what the fuck". We tell them it's on the website and it's not a joke. Metal shows, fwiw, have been doing 7:30 doors with first band on at 8:15, show done before 11. We've tried to find the fine line between the early job folks and the late job folks yet folks always assume that the first band goes on at 10:30 no matter what. There isn't much we can do to change perception other than start the shows early and hope people show up. Most of the time, it works but the crowd on this board in particular it's split pretty evenly between those who have early jobs and the late night folks so it's not always easy to appease everyone. Also, the main thing we hear from the early job folks is "I'll try to make it", then the next day it's "sorry I didn't make it I was tired/ couldn't find a sitter/ have too much at work the next day/ fell asleep/ etc" After a while, you just hope the early folks show up and if they do it's gravy but that's not typically the case

Bwahahahah!! Doors at 8? That's rich. Yeah the doors might open at 8, but get ready to sit there for 3 hours!! I don't remember seeing any posts on this board even suggesting that the show would actually start at 8:45. Maybe that was a last ditch recent attempt...there's only so many times one gets burned before realizing that the show you paid for won't start before you have to relieve the sitter.

"Relieving the Sitter," is the title of the next TSOT album.

BK, thanks for the essay. Glad that y'all will still have irons in the fire. I don't mind driving downtown, and I don't mind if the Bucc starts picking up some higher profile shows (although they kill me with their weekday shows going to 3AM too)

Lack of media exposure makes it real tough for a music scene to thrive in a town as large as Memphis. I think I'm spoiled from living in Athens, GA for a short while, where the weekly rag (Flagpole) had a 1-4 sentence blurb about EVERY DAMN BAND playing in town that week.

Is the downtown venue gonna be non-smoking? (oh glob please say yes)

too many folks thinking that the show should be free because they are friends with the band, etc.

Hi Tone would have never closed if that bitch from Vice had paid for admission at the Roky Erickson show!

Lack of media exposure makes it real tough for a music scene to thrive in a town as large as Memphis. I think I'm spoiled from living in Athens, GA for a short while, where the weekly rag (Flagpole) had a 1-4 sentence blurb about EVERY DAMN BAND playing in town that week.

How would you even do that in a city over a certain size? At some point, you're just listing names and trying to highlight some picks.

Is the downtown venue gonna be non-smoking? (oh glob please say yes)
More importantly -- alcohol? Or BYOB?

Actually Chong Li (and I really hope that's a Volunteers the movie reference), we've had plenty of weekday shows that start at those times. Unless the Grizzlies are whopping some ass and we start after the game (ie 9:30) yes the shows start at 8:45-9. We've been doing 8pm doors for about the last year and a half. Mute Math, Red fang, Lumineers, Hayes Carll, etc, etc fans can all attest to this. Please tell me the last weekday show you showed up for that the show started at 11pm? Just curious.

"Relieving the Sitter," is the title of the next TSOT album.
FUCK. YES.

Yes, shows will be non-smoking.

The Buccaneer shows that I do will start earlier than their normal shows. Almost no one wants to see a show at 1am on a Wednesday.

Hi Tone would have never closed if that bitch from Vice had paid for admission at the Roky Erickson show!
now that's funny. In a funny sort of way.

Alcohol will be served. You will see the same smiling faces that you did at the Hi-Tone still gracing your presence behind the bar.

As for the media aspect, well that's something that we're going to work on. We are going to put more emphasis on getting everyone new music on a daily basis and doing some things that will allow us to get folks into things they haven't heard of yet. That's one of the major aspects of us going forward. Going to be a lot of betterthanjail posts as well as a minor reformat of Don't Look Magazine that will allow for the reader/ user to "explore" (Sambeaux, please post something sexual and out of context with that. I used that word just for you) more music they aren't already familiar with. No more picture without a blurb for a band. Icons and descriptions will be used to denote music genres, etc. If any of you have something you've seen before that you liked or thought that worked online or in print, please leave it below and we will accomodate

I have NO IDEA WHAT you are talking about.

How would you even do that in a city over a certain size? At some point, you're just listing names and trying to highlight some picks.


Dallas had the weshotjr blog going for a real long time. They were gold medal winning pretentious asshats, but they wrote about almost every worthwhile show. It's possible if enough people enjoy putting in the time and effort.

I really wish U of M would let their students do a college radio station instead of having professors just play jazz and blues all day. I think it would help local music and record sales for bigger acts too.

I really wish U of M would let their students do a college radio station instead of having professors just play jazz and blues all day. I think it would help local music and record sales for bigger acts too.

When I was a reporter at the U of M newspaper, every semester someone would mention that we were completely allowed (and encouraged) to do a Helmsman Radio station on WUMR with a more "college rock" friendly platform, but no one ever gave enough of a shit to actually do it.

Maybe a radio station there would help, because you're kidding yourself if you think there are college students currently stumbling blindely along the Highland strip, wondering where the fuck The Fresh and Onlys are playing.

I'm not trying to be mean, but after seeing turn out crowds at Newby's for bands like Alien Ant Farm, I'd say the U of M students remain an "untapped market" for a reason.

^ that ^

You inferred a lot of meaning that has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm saying. I'm making a simple statement about wishing there was more diverse radio in Memphis. I wasn't posing this as a solution to the problem of the Hi-Tone closing and I'm certainly not up for a Goner board fight.
I just remember working at Shangri-La in 2002 when I was a U of M student and wanting to have a radio show. They didn't encourage students to be involved back then and I thought it would only be good for local music and could never understand why it never happened. All colleges are full of corny little kids sure, but there are a lot of people into interesting stuff and they are not all hanging out at Newby's. There are a lot of international students from India and some students from Japan that I work with now that are into some really cool shit. On top of that I work with a kid with Aspergers who is obsessed with Psych music and has an amazing vinyl collection. Not sure how this turned into a tangent against me but I think it would be a cool thing and could be good for Memphis.

Not a tangent against you at all! I dont even know you (maybe i do?) so that would be stupid. Just saying that the possibility for a radio station like the one u described does exist at the U of M, it just hasn't been taken advantage of yet.

I'm not trying to be mean, but after seeing turn out crowds at Newby's for bands like Alien Ant Farm, I'd say the U of M students remain an "untapped market" for a reason.

That's kind of a goofy argument. For the 50 college kids that want to bro down to Sound Tribe Sector Nine or a Led Zeppelin cover band, there's one kid wanting to be blown away by the Cheater Slicks or Cities Aviv or whatever, but doesn't know it yet because he/she hasn't been exposed.

[i]Relieving the Sitter," is the title of the next TSOT album.

Is there a date for this release

Because he/she hasn't been exposed


Cue Sambeaux

Because he/she hasn't been exposed.
She has no rings around her toes.
She's not Binghampton litter,
I'll be relieving the sitter!

All done in Ronnie James Dio voice.

Your welcome.

She's not Binghampton litter,

Would also have accepted:
"Satan laughing, pounds his/her shitter,"

That works too! Nice!

I think the U of M radio is just one step in a larger cog. It's also a very meaningful step. I know of two bands that post on this board that have pulled really good U of M crowds just by flyering fairly extensively. It may be that there are folks there wanting to get out but just don't know what to go see. Radio, without question, certainly helps that.

Bikini car wash would get there attention.
May even sell some records!

While radio would help the overall situation, I don't know if it would bring more college-aged kids in the door. Kids in college today were born in the 90s. So by the time they were getting into music (2000s) computers/iPods/etc. were becoming the way you listened to music. Most of them, more than likely, didn't use a radio in their formative music discovery. So perhaps they don't even realize there isn't a radio outlet for new, non-mainstream music. Of course if you are like most on the board, in your 30s and 40s, radio is of course a no-brainer as we grew up with radio being very important to us for music. I just don't think radio would reach as many 22 year olds as radio wouldn't register as a music outlet for them.

Well said Eric. I've been saying this for years. College kids are not listening to the radio. The internet is the only way to get through to them. The college station here in the "live music capital" sucks ass. It plays what people in their 20's are listening to these days. Dubstep to turd indie bands all day. Ambient chill out bliss crap. There are a few decent shows. Totally uneducated DJs though. Last night in the car the "gospel" show was on. The guy announced he would soon be playing tunes by Maheela Jackson and Sister Rosetta Starpe. Only time I ever considered calling a radio station to complain. I seriously think if there was a radio station in Memphis run by college kids, it would be horrible. And if there was a college station, there would only be 3 or 4 shows that played stuff you like. You already have that, it's called 89.9fm.

Hitone should have had more Prosever shows, no wonder the place went to shit....

"The Hi-Tone [Café] shutting down is going to hurt [the music scene], but our crowds wouldn't even go there anyway," says Segars, who agrees with the suggestion that a smaller, suburban venue catering to hard-rock bands might help the scene.

http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/return-of-rock/Content?oid=3326616


Then again, thanks Johnny for not having nu-metal shows all the time.

One of the things that we prided ourselves on was giving all locals the ability to play the venue without having prejudices because I felt it more important to give the entire scene a way to get their music out to every audience possible. Nice to see that something called "Prosevere" agreed.

As to the radio thing- I think you guys are missing the point a little on this. You can't just sweep radio right under the rug. Yes, WEVL does some of that stuff but WEVL has inherent issues. For example, Kevin Ritz' show that played a lot of what comes through midtown (obviously Andrew and Eric's shows also did/ do) came on at 6am-8am on Tuesdays was a really nice show to get folks acclimated to new music coming through town.... except who the fuck is listening to radio at 6am and then coming to a rock show later that night? Answer? Maybe 3 people. The whole can't say the venue/ show on air (although this has been a hotly debated true or false, um, ism) But, the college scene is largely untouched in this town and to have something that could spawn attendance and a newer, younger group of music goers/ listeners/ buyers is better than having nothing at all. Also, the same comments were being made when 8 tracks/ CD's/ MTV came out- that vinyl was now dead and there was a "new" way to get into music. Yes, the internet is important but there are still a lot of kids wondering what else is out there. How does a kid in Collierville find out about Goner Records let alone Mikal Cronin? You might say the internet but I would disagree- the internet is fleeting at best. What was the last band anyone came across on the internet by itself without help from friends or a label? Personally, I found some doom metal band from Britian about 6 months ago that had probably only been listened to by their girlfriends. They are good. And honestly, the point I was making was more along the lines of the complete infrastructure needs to be made more accessible to people- make it easier for people to get their hands on music than it is currently because currently it's a bunch of pictures with no descriptions and a few articles here and there. Things like Hotel Memphis should've had more traction and meant way more than what they became, which was basically nothing. Honestly, radio isn't the answer, but it's a part of the answer and there are a lot of questions when it comes to what we are discussing. Each one needs an answer.

huh? #1) "except who the fuck is listening to radio at 6am and then coming to a rock show later that night? Answer? Maybe 3 people."

Everyone who drives to work between 6 and 8 am. Everyone who wakes up to an alarm clock radio. Oh wait, these are the exact people who don't want to stay up until 3:30 in the morning.

huh? #2) "The whole can't say the venue/ show on air (although this has been a hotly debated true or false, um, ism) "

DJs on WEVL can't announce the location or name of a venue when they are doing concert listings? If so, that is some fucking buffoonery. Some nazi-ass program director came up with that rule.

huh? #2) "The whole can't say the venue/ show on air (although this has been a hotly debated true or false, um, ism) "

DJs on WEVL can't announce the location or name of a venue when they are doing concert listings? If so, that is some fucking buffoonery. Some nazi-ass program director came up with that rule.

Yep, that's been a hotly contested topic but I've been told that they cannot say the venue or show after playing a band that's coming to town.

huh? #1) "except who the fuck is listening to radio at 6am and then coming to a rock show later that night? Answer? Maybe 3 people."

Everyone who drives to work between 6 and 8 am. Everyone who wakes up to an alarm clock radio. Oh wait, these are the exact people who don't want to stay up until 3:30 in the morning.

And we don't do shows at that hour. I'm sorry people haven't been to our shows recently, but almost none have gone past midnight, let alone 330am. And my point was that 6am-8am isn't exactly hitting the indie crowds time frame in being awake.

my point was that 6am-8am isn't exactly hitting the indie crowds time frame in being awake.

I've done radio in Ann Arbor, MI and Athens, GA. As those stations were either run by and/or tapped into the student population, the 6-9 time slots (kids waking up to go to class, motorists getting to work) were hugely competitive. But yeah, I was just razzing you with some more old man late show crabbiness.

Yep, that's been a hotly contested topic but I've been told that they cannot say the venue or show after playing a band that's coming to town.

That's a bullshit rule. Being unable to say a venue name on the air is totally a station policy, and not a rule of non-commercial radio stations. Is it because they fear that DJs who are uppity about certain venues are going to ignore announcing certain "less cool" venues in their concert listings? Or is it because the station managers deem this as advertising for-profit businesses? Do venues that underwrite WEVL have enough clout to have convinced someone to enforce this? I don't see how improved awareness of local music happenings could possibly be a bad thing.

A band that comes into the station to do an on-air set is not even allowed to say where they are performing later that night? My mind is completely a-boggled.

It does have something to do with advertising, im pretty sure if a band plays on air they can say where they are playing, because it advertising themselves.

Jeremy, a little help(?)

When I did community/student radio, there was an FCC rule that you couldn't say the price of admission on the air (I think this had to do with the not-for-profit status of the station), but you could give venue and dates.

Wasn't there some sort of BS, dating from before I moved here, about the Young Avenue Deli complaining that their shows did not get as much publicity as shows at other venues? I seem to recall somebody relating a Flyer policy on show publicity or something.

Also, sometimes labia look like Steak Ums.

Or is it because the station managers deem this as advertising for-profit businesses?

This is probably what's happening. Some college and community stations are unnecessarily paranoid about certain things. I'm pretty sure that if you don't actually tell people to go out to the show (or to buy the record, for that matter) or say what the cover charge is you're safe.

I don't see how improved awareness of local music happenings could possibly be a bad thing.

Indeed.

As to the radio thing...that's been a hotly contested topic


Just wanted to say Sam is correct about the Steak-um labias.

When I did community/student radio, there was an FCC rule that you couldn't say the price of admission on the air (I think this had to do with the not-for-profit status of the station), but you could give venue and dates.

Thanks for jogging my memory. That's the rule.

Yes, but they can't even say the show is happening or where. I think it has to do with most of the reasons above.

As for the razzing- I didn't mean to go overboard but it's, honestly, a topic I'm sick of hearing as we changed our timing of shows to accomodate just the people who keep bitching about it. Yet, even through the change people keep bitching about it which tells me that none of those vocal people have bothered to show up in the last couple of years. Mostly, they are the same people who are shocked that the Hi-Tone is closing.

I'm sick of hearing as we changed our timing of shows to accomodate just the people who keep bitching about it. Yet, even through the change people keep bitching about it which tells me that none of those vocal people have bothered to show up in the last couple of years. Mostly, they are the same people who are shocked that the Hi-Tone is closing.

I honestly had no idea that the shows were early now. nobody told me. It would have been nice if you had told people, especially on this board or on the your calendar page. It makes me sad that I missed shows that I would have gone to if I had known. But I haven't been in years, and it seems that the vast majority of people quit going to shows for just that reason

Looking at the calendar today, it says "9:00" for a show on Saturday. I know that is bullshit. Why should I trust that 9:00 actually means 9:00 on Sunday through Thursday when it means 11:30 on Friday and Saturday. How is anyone supposed to know what time the shows actually are?

Shit, the shows could start at 9 on the dime...and billboards all over town declaring it and still attendance would still be low. The show time debacle is the sorriest, cultivated reason for low show attendance. Usually perpetuated by older folks and new parents. Shows are usually populated by those in their 20s and 30s. Time isn't an issue for music fans. Sure your life might have changed by having a kid, an early job...but guess what? The music business, show booking business isn't going to change the way it has run in this city after 2 decades of it working the way it does. Perhaps if you have little kids at home, perhaps going to rock shows is something you have to give up, at least for a little while. Just sayin'. If you have an early job and there is a show you want to go to? Stick it out, one day once and awhile with only 4 hours sleep isn't going to kill you. Shows start late in this town. Shows are also at bars. Bars that can sell booze til 3 am...so it is in the bar's best interest to keep you in there as long as they can. That's business. Nothing wrong with that, nor nothing that needs to be done about it IMO.

Time isn't an issue for music fans.

There is going to be a ton of internet dick bumping over this statement, but its true. If there is a band that you really want to see, then you make concessions. If you want shows to start at 7:30 and be done before Leno, then open your own club. I hear there is going to be some prime real estate come the first of March.

I don't cry about staying up until 3 am to see a band that I want to see.

It's my fault that the music scene is dissipating, will try to go out more. Just been trying to get caught up on Downton Abbey, sorry about that guys

It does have something to do with advertising, im pretty sure if a band plays on air they can say where they are playing, because it advertising themselves.

Jeremy, a little help(?)

The important distinction here is between informational and promotional content as regards a 501(c)(3) (non-profit, exempt) organization like WEVL. Basically, the former is permitted, the latter not. So it's not technically permitted for a programmer to indicate that a show is happening on such-and-such a date at the Hi-Tone, Bucc, Swanky's, etc. However, I believe it is still prohibited to indicate price of admission. In addition, if you are mentioning the show on air, you have to be careful about mentioning anything related to alcoholic beverages, or appearing to endorse the event. (i.e., anything promotional – "Check 'em out," "I hope to see you there," etc.) It's a little more difficult than you might think.

Even though I tend to play older music, if/when I do play a group that has an upcoming local show, I simply state "(band) is playing here in town next week/this Thursday/this weekend/etc". I haven't broken any rules doing it that way. Also, if you know a band is coming to town because you heard this announcement, a 10 sec Internet search will supply the needed details.

Start havin shows at hotels. That's where the people are.

Or strip clubs.

Admiral Ben Bow!

Still waitin to play the Stage Stop with Hedgecreep.

Stage Stop has an awesome sound system. It's a really underrated venue, and it's a good mix of between the suburbs and in the in the city.

Poplar Lounge can be awesome too.

Juicy Jim's on the Highland Strip really impressed me with the way they run house; the food is amazing and the sound system is better than many.

IMO, it's the cliqueishness in this town that's destroying the music scene. If shows would appeal to a shotgun of demographics instead of just book a bunch of acts in the same vein, the people who are coming to really see only one band on the bill (which is most shows) would all be there to see different bands, so the crowd still hops even though each band may have only drawn a handful of people.

I learned with the Rally Point to stop putting my eggs all in one basket. It's fun to go to different venues all the time and get out of your comfort zone, like a brave explorer going into the darkness of Memphis's underbelly.

Poplar Lounge solves it: Always Free Admission For Local Musicians!

http://www.facebook.com/PoplarLounge

IMO, it's the cliqueishness in this town that's destroying the music scene. If shows would appeal to a shotgun of demographics instead of just book a bunch of acts in the same vein,

I think it comes down to an argument more like, "I'm not going to spend my one night out a week watching some ska-punk or nu-metal band with a bunch of douchebags I don't know." Too many people have to get up at 6 in the morning or don't want to waste their time listening to some genre-clone. Or some loser, or group of losers, will start a Facebook page that talks about how much they hate a specific venue because said venue won't book their shit band or charges them a cover in order to meet guarantees, etc.

But Juicy Jim's has great food. That's cool they're doing shows.

"I'm not going to spend my one night out a week watching some ska-punk or nu-metal band with a bunch of douchebags I don't know."

Yes, I think that there need to be more shows with a mixed bill of ska-punk and nu-metal to revive the scene... and, of course, the nationally touted act "group of losers" would be the headliner.

I mean, I wouldn't go, but I imagine it would be a big draw.

Yes, I think that there need to be more shows with a mixed bill of ska-punk and nu-metal to revive the scene... and, of course, the nationally touted act "group of losers" would be the headliner.

I mean, I wouldn't go, but I imagine it would be a big draw.

What time does this show start? I mean, what times do the bands ACTUALLY GO ON?

"Group Of Losers" tour sounds like it's going great. But I've got to get up in the morning, you know.

threadjack time!
I haven't been to Juicy Jim's since they moved across Highland. I need to stop being a pussy, play some live action Frogger, and get one of those massive sandwiches.

If only the HiTone had booked Group of Losers and made them play at 7:30, they'd still be around. Dug their own grave, that they did right there.

Now that I think of it, isn't Group of Losers a Scott Rogers combo?

thanks eric for mentioning that stupid ass shit poop lounge posted earlier this week - of course they deleted it already. stupid stupid.

hahah NM its still there.

which form do I fill out to register myself as a local musician(TM)?

I think you can still apply at NARAS, the office is on Beale st

Sign up at Live From Memphis.

No joke, there's a list at Memphis Music Foundation to register as a local musician, but you've got to declare music based income.

*ba dum TSSSH*

BTW, speaking of crappy shows at the Hi-Tone, I think I'm playing there tomorrow.

And by "think" I mean "know" and by "know" I mean I can't remember who else is on the bill so I'm not going to make a whore thread about it.


Of course, I'll also be playing the New Daisy with a bunch of punk bands this friday, so that negates all my cool points.

FREE BEER TOMORROW! Burn down.

No joke, there's a list at Memphis Music Foundation to register as a local musician, but you've got to declare music based income.

*ba dum TSSSH*

Fantastic.

last show just announced by JK

OBLIVIANS AND THE BARBARAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

feb 23


going out with a bang!

"break the internet"

laughing but so true :)

last show just announced by JK

OBLIVIANS AND THE BARBARAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

feb 23


going out with a bang!
coming from out of town for this.
anything going on the night before or after??

uhh... did the hitone get some sort of reprieve? There's a surprising amount of gigs happening there in March according to the Flyer.

From what i understand, those shows wont be held at the current location

night before : buck wilders & the hook up reunion shake down at DKDC

https://www.facebook.com/events/465161660204765/?ref=2