[atlantaprog] Re: Here's our chance...!

Hey everybody!!!

       This is Matthew from Karma Lingo with a late-breaking opportunity 
for all of us!  KL has been so busy doing everything else <but> Karma 
Lingo in the last year or so,  that this summer has found us in the same 
situation that many of the ARIA bands seem to be in at the moment:  we 
can't <buy> a gig in Atlanta by hook or by crook!
       Less than a month since KL was told by CJ's Landing that they 
couldn't afford to book us because our draw wasn't big enough,  Curtis 
sent out an email over the weekend trying to drum up some support for a 
heavy metal karaoke night he's trying to get going on Mondays (sounds 
like fun,  actually!).   In it he asked for some other ideas for his 
Monday nights at CJ's,  so I wrote him back and pitched the monthly prog 
night idea that we've all been talking about for awhile.  He emailed me 
within an hour to say that he was interested...
      I called him today,  and we had a good long about it.  While he's 
got a few conditions and is going to pretty much leave it to us to run 
and promote the event,  he likes the idea and he's going to give us a 
monthly <Thursday> if we can make it fly.
      The test case will be 10/23,  and while I'm still waiting to hear 
back from everyone in KL,  the line up would be Karma Lingo and Paine's 
Promise for this first one (I talked to Veronica today,  too,  and 
they're totally in).  
      If the show turns out to be a success,  I'd like to act as the 
ongoing organizer for this event, even on the nights when Karma Lingo's 
not playing.  We <all> need this gig,  and the only way we'll get it and 
keep it is if we all commit to coming out once a month to support each 
other.
      Here's how it will work:  Thursdays are no longer a regular "band 
night" for CJ's these days (weekends only,  apparently),  so Curtis will 
run sound and supply a bartender for the back room for a guarantee of 
$100.  We supply someone to run the door (between the sound desk and the 
bar,  I think),  and we charge a $5 cover and handle all of the guest 
list/freebies issues.  If we get 20 paying customers and cover his 
costs,  we get the gig;  if we don't,  we still pay him $100,  and we 
don't get the gig;  pretty simple.  Any money we get beyond the first 
$100 we split between the two bands (and he wants to keep it to always 
being two bands).
     He's into the idea of making it an early night (as are some of the 
ARIA folks,  I think),  so we're going to keep it to hour-long sets with 
the first band going on at 8:00 and the second band going on at 9:30. 
 That will give the second band a full half hour to set up (same as 
Roguefest),  and we'll all still be out of there by 11:00 PM or midnight.
     I think we can make this happen,  but it only <will>  happen if we 
all make the commitment (and stick to it!) of getting out of the house 
once a month and coming down to see the show,  <especially> on the 
nights when our group isn't playing.   I know I've not been the best 
about getting to all the ARIA meetings,  myself,  but this is an 
opportunity for all of us,  and if it works over the long term,  it'll 
mean a regular gig for each band every three for four months that we can 
all plan for and count on.  
     As I said above,  I'd like to be the ongoing organizer for the 
event,  and assuming that we get past the first one,  I plan on being 
there for every single show.  Hell,  I'll run the door...
     If we can get this thing rolling,  I'd like to set up a regular 
rotation of bands,  so if this is a commitment that you think your band 
can make,  please drop me a line and I'll slot you in.  The key to the 
whole deal is that we make this an event that we all go to every month, 
 so let me know your thoughts...
     I'll be at the ARIA meeting for a little while tomorrow,  but I'm 
going to have to take off after a little while,  hence this long email! 
 I'm actually going to write up the details for this situation so that 
the folks who come to Manny's tomorrow night will have some hard copy to 
take away with them,  so please come out and let's get some dialogue 
happening!  If we can make the event fly,  there'll be a lot of 
potential and a lot of possibilities,  for ourselves,  and for 
regional/national/otherwise touring bands as well.  
     But we gotta get ourselves on the map first;  go team!
     
See you all tomorrow!

Matthew Trautwein
Absolute Music

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