Pay-To-Play Gigs: The Artists’ Perspective (1 Viewer)

[Alan Latchley]

umm

I think ye're all gone a little off topic there folks. Does pay to play still happen a lot in this cool country? I'm thinking of forming a band and if I play Whelans or somewhere I really want to pay €250 for a ticket to see myself up on the same stage where Glen Hansard once farted.

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

There's loadsa people out there in new bands who think that SOME of the 'indie' scene in Dublin is suckin the life out of us.

Well, explain that at least.

 

[pete]

Ever get the feeling that nobody understands a word that anyone else is saying?

what?

 

[Speed Racer]

what


are



you



trying



to



tell



us



?

I'm saying the scene isn't brilliant. I'm only a fan of a few select bands. The ones that sound like they know what they're doin while experimenting. But Some bands just sound like they're doodling on stage, and its terrible. Its not surprising at some gigs that the audience talk loudly and disrespect the performers. Some bands just aren't engaging enough. Of course there is exceptions who are very successfull, and thats great. People here shouldn't act so surprised when they are told not all of the bands in the scene are loved by everybody. They're just opinions.
I'm sayin that no one is right or wrong here. But you'd swear there's a fuckin renaissance goin on in the Irish Music scene by some reports. Which always turns out to be mostly bollocks.
Anyway, the argument could go on forever. But people's honest opinions won't be changed. They'll just learn to be more tactful.

 

[Goodbye]

Ian, I see your point but I don't agree, sorry. I didn't slag anyone and didn't do any derogatory comments, I've explained what I meant three (!!) times in this thread, the last only 5 posts ago. Since you're not stupid, if you didn't get it by now it's because you don't want to get it. And if you think I said that "to convince people that they should be listening to Morello"... ah come on that's just silly

Anyway if this thread was fun, now it's just pathetic, let it go

my point is, is that many people who read your interview on that site wont have the pleasure to read your apology/explination/lame justification here on thumped...

what is the pourpouse of your interview only to convince people to listen to Morello yeh donkey...

Having read it, I'm not convinced... I'd rather listen to the Jimmy Cake (and you alrerady know how I feel about doing that)(sorry again jimmy cakers, just trying to stress a point)

 

[Latex lizzie]

Ah here lads n lassies. Lay off Alex. The Jimmy Cake have loads of support there's no need to bombard the guy for an opinion. Even if you see it as controversial. Alex has shown me some amazing and diverse music from all over Europe whenever I've met him. I think thats fuckin cool, I never would've found that stuff on my own. I know his heart is in the right place. There's loadsa people out there in new bands who think that SOME of the 'indie' scene in Dublin is suckin the life out of us. Big deal. 90% of every scene is shit no matter where you go. Being stuck in genres is shit for musicians and I'd never recommend being that way. Experimenting and trying to create something new and imaginative will always be the way forward. Its just some people take a while experimenting and fumble about before they find their true voice.

.....and now I've lost my consentration

you and alex should form a band together...

 

[Alex]

you and alex should form a band together...

You and Panty should get a room together


Ian, point taken. On one thing you're surely right: I should have explained myself better on the interview, "normal" was a bad word choice to indicate not-deep-into-indie. Hopefully most of the people who read IRIS magazine check Thumped sometimes....

Speedy, thanks for the support. I actually there's more sense in your last post than in the whole thread

I never said alternative stuff is bad (and honestly I can't think of anything more alternative than this mad Dub stuff I'm into at the moment...) I just said that there should be ALSO more bands playing more accessible stuff.

Unfortunately this is hard in Dublin because if you're not noisy and weird as fuck you are immediately labelled as sell out and this you can't deny it.

Once I dared to say to someone at the Ballroom that I loved "All my life" of the Foo Fighters (actually I still do, it rocks) and got this look like.."Here's another sell out who doesn't understand a fuck about music"

Gee that pissed me off... like if to enjoy music you must listen only *that* kind of music

The average gig-goers want to have fun, they don't give a shit if the music is cool, intersting, innovative, etc. Now there's no choice in Ireland and many people stopped going to gigs for this reason.

You can't assume everybody has the level of knowledge and understanding of music that you (who've been probably listening to indie for the last ten years plus) have.

See what I mean now?

 

[billygannon]

Once I dared to say to someone at the Ballroom that I loved "All my life" of the Foo Fighters (actually I still do, it rocks) and got this look like.."Here's another sell out who doesn't understand a fuck about music"

That's a great song.

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

I don't know if you've been hanging out with the wrong kind of people, or what.

I just said that there should be ALSO more bands playing more accessible stuff.

If people had the urge to do that, you can bet they would. There's nothing stopping them. I'd think that a brief listen to phantom would give you a good old fashioned earful of 'accessible' bands.

Unfortunately this is hard in Dublin because if you're not noisy and weird as fuck you are immediately labelled as sell out and this you can't deny it.

I think that's nonsense.

Once I dared to say to someone at the Ballroom that I loved "All my life" of the Foo Fighters (actually I still do, it rocks) and got this look like.."Here's another sell out who doesn't understand a fuck about music"

Who gives a fuck what they think? You like the song? Cool.
If someone's gonna be like that, fuck 'em.

 

[Latex lizzie]

..see alex..its remarks like "weird as fuck" that are going to get you in trouble..weird as fuck? what does that mean? how can you debase peoples expressions musically like that? and expect anyone to take you seriously?? basing you argiment around one plonker who gave you a funny look because you said you liked the foo fighters is just dumb..get the chip offa the shoulder will ya.

 

[The Chilli King]

........................
..............................................
See what I mean now?

?????

 

[Ex-User (1487)]

can someone give me the gist of this thread? is it an old one? pay to play? why would you want to do that? that's for sillies.

 

[Pantone247]

can someone give me the gist of this thread? is it an old one? pay to play? why would you want to do that? that's for sillies.

started out as pay to play, then ig to craxy

read this

http://www.irismagazine.net/interviews/?display=654

 

[Alex]

..see alex..its remarks like "weird as fuck" that are going to get you in trouble..weird as fuck? what does that mean?

Well..... if you want to attribute the worst possible meaning to any single word I say then there's no point in discussing. In this context with "weird as fuck" I meant "really weird" or if you prefer "really unconventional" (mind, I refer to the music, not to the people)

GrRrrrR, I live this personally. Morello have been called sell out/crap/boyband, etc. by people who never even listened to them just because they heard they have melodic vocals and don't sound "indie"... it really feels like if you're music has a commercial potential, then it means you make it esclusively to sell. You can imagine how frustrating this is.

What do you mean with "I don't know if you've been hanging out with the wrong kind of people, or what." btw?

 

[Pantone247]

Unfortunately this is hard in Dublin because if you're not noisy and weird as fuck you are immediately labelled as sell out and this you can't deny it.

that is craxxxxy

I don't understand these terms your defining bands under, "noisey and weird???"

let me break it down as I see it

Holy Ghost Fathers - Remind me of Queens of the Stoneage, who are playing Slane, one of Irelands biggest gigs.

Steerage - Remind me of Mogwai, Mogwai sell bucket loads of records and ran their own festival

Herv - Reminds of Aphex Twin, Plastick man, Aphex Twin not so long ago was an MTV regular.

This is a dumb way of looking at it, but if this is what you're bringing it down to I fell I have to lay it out like this. These bands aren't weird and freakish by any stretch.

Alex if you feel the "scene" here around Thumped is too avant garde or left field for you're liking then I have to point out that Thumped is not the be all and end all of music in Dublin. Treasure Island records (home of Berkly and The Revs) do teenage pop punk and have scored big with the Revs, our chums at gigsmart do great work with the TBMC putting on more mainstream rock acts, we have the Ruby Sessions for the more acoustic end of things, and thier are dozens of bands out there who don't feel the need to align themselves with any scene or label and pull hundreds of people to their gigs.

There is plenty of room in Dublin for all types of music, it would appear to me from what you are saying you've made little effort in having a look bar beyond turning up to a Jimmy Cake gig and the odd Ballroom. I hope thats not the case.

The Ballroom of Romance is a night for alternative undergorund music, not the latest pop rock sensation. It puts on music that would not fit in the mainstream, you can go to the TBMC, Issac Butts or Voodoo to see that most nights of the week. Coming to these nights and complaining about the noodling it like going to a reggae night and complaining about every track having the same beat!! Its what the Ballroom was set up to do, and trust me before the Ballroom Dublins "alternative" live music scene was a very quite place.

ALSO please tell where there is a drone band playing in Dulbin!! I would love to see a good drone band here, alas I have not... ever!!!

so please let me in on the secret!

 

[silo]

The Ballroom of Romance is a night for alternative undergorund music, not the latest pop rock sensation.

'cept when de chalets were on.

but the rest of what you said is nail-on-head stuff.

 

[Pantone247]

GrRrrrR, I live this personally. Morello have been called sell out/crap/boyband, etc. by people who never even listened to them just because they heard they have melodic vocals and don't sound "indie"... it really feels like if you're music has a commercial potential, then it means you make it esclusively to sell. You can imagine how frustrating this is.

But there are people out there who will appraciate what ever metal-lite gear you play, gigsmart leaps too mind, or maybe folk like the Little Ghetto Boys or even contact Turn or Woodstars management.

Alex what you're describing here is the exact same thing that would happen if I went on to the Eircore board and tried to plug Capratone. It would be insane for me to bitch about the punk kids and how they wouldn't appreciate are 70's moog work and Beach Boys harmonies.... everyone hear would be like "no shit!! they're punk kids!!!"

 

[Pantone247]

'cept when de chalets were on.

but the rest of what you said is nail-on-head stuff.

fucking southsider

 

[silo]

fucking southsider

fucking graffikdesigner

 

[Wooly]

But there are people out there who will appraciate what ever metal-lite gear you play, gigsmart leaps too mind, or maybe folk like the Little Ghetto Boys or even contact Turn or Woodstars management.

oi

LGB hate everyone