[atlantaprog] Re: Where was everybody???

I'll agree with you there Veronica....I think ya'll need to continue playing 
out...sure hit some other towns...but don't give up on Atlanta either!  Greg 
and I were talking the other day, I can't remember now if Allen was in this 
convo. or not...sorry...my brain wasn't altogether there on Saturday so either 
of you can jump in and rescue me here! ;-) LOL  Is it just us or does anyone 
else think it would be cool if ya'll could play longer sets?  I mean...how are 
you really supposed to get people interested if you are just playing a 40 min. 
set all the time?  I'd like to see a 3 hour set with breaks...when I go see 
Farpoint at a club in Sumter, SC thats what they do!!!!  Its great like that!  
I love it!  I would give alot to see longer sets....I'd love to hear what 
others think on this and also hear what some of the more 'prog friendly' clubs 
are...besides the eXtreem and Somber Reptile.  Thanks.

PEACE
Beth
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Veronica Hughes 
  To: atlantaprog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 6:21 PM
  Subject: [atlantaprog] Re: Where was everybody???



  I'll throw my 2 cents in here I guess. All the things you mentioned
  (alternative entertainment, etc.) are possible explanations that contribute
  to the apathy towards seeing live rock bands, but I also think it's a
  regional attitude fed by local radio programming.  In Atlanta there are 4
  rock stations.  In the rustbelt of the North, there are 5 to 10 or more
  rock radio stations in every major city area (Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago,
  etc.) and even in Ontario Canada. People can be real choosy about what type
  of rock to listen to and they form individualistic opinions about what is
  "good."  People here in Atlanta have a kind of generic, narrow, and watered
  down view about what is "good" music when it comes to rock.  They think
  whatever is currently playing on the radio, or whatever was on the radio
  when they were in high school is good music - that's it.  If the general
  public had more regular exposure to different kinds of rock music, there
  would be much more appreciation for it, I think.  In the North, you've got
  "album" radio, adult alternative, soft rock, hard rock, classic rock, indie
  rock, new rock, top 40 rock, and occasionlly the obscure.  I remember
  hearing Frank Zappa, Meat Loaf, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show
  soundtrack on the radio all before I was old enough to even know who these
  people were.  I heard Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady and Led Zeppelin's Whole
  Lotta Love on the AM dial when I was about 8 or 9 and I thought "wow,
  guitar playing is where it's at."  I can't imagine that ever happening
  here!  Atlanta probably has never had that kind of wide variety in it's
  radio programming, and thus, you have mass ignorance about good music.
  (When I moved here in 1984, there were only 2 rock stations...rrr.)  What
  can be done about it?  Possibly just simple perseverance on our parts.  If
  we keep playing out and keep circulating our cds, a few appreciative poeple
  will become our fans, and it may grow from there.  Or, we can give up and
  just play all out of town gigs.  But hey, we have internet radio to help us
  out now (thanks Greg) and we have the Rogue Fest, and any other
  events/promotions we can do ourselves to help us out.  If we can all just
  find one regular gig somewhere in town at a regular venue, I think we have
  our best chances of winning some people over.

  >So what is it and what can be done about it?  Is it the plethora of
  >alternative entertainment options that people have today (internet, video
  >games, 500 tv channels/vcr)?  Is it Atlanta's suburban sprawl (and dead
  >downtown) and the longer drive times to get anywhere that cause people to
  >just say 'ah, maybe some other time'?  Or perhaps something else related to
  >Atlanta specifically, like more of an affinity for southern rock or dance
  >clubs, etc.?  Something else entirely?  Is rock itself on the wane?  Or
  >maybe we're just being unrealistic, and we need to play another hundred or
  >thousand gigs before we can start to get a decent following.
  >
  >I remember Wade saying you need to get outside Atlanta into the small towns
  >to get an appreciative crowd, so perhaps that will be our next step.  I also
  >remember something in the Bible about "shaking the dust off your feet" and
  >going to the next town if people are unresponsive... :-)  So there is a
  >precedent I guess.
  >
  >Brian
  >
  >----- Original Message -----
  >From: "Veronica Hughes" <upkat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  >To: <atlantaprog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  >Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2003 11:10 PM
  >Subject: [atlantaprog] Re: Where was everybody???
  >
  >
  >>
  >> Oops, yup, I have to again say I'm sorry for not showing up.  I have
  >plenty
  >> of excuses, I was hard at work on our band's project, but I do believe in
  >> supporting everyone that I can.  I only hope that the shows had good sound
  >> and at leats were enjoyable to play.  I can't tell you how many times
  >we've
  >> played at the Somber for 5 people.  We just considered it a dress
  >rehearsal
  >> for other shows.  I can say from experience that these places don't have
  >> much (if any!) of thier own traffic.  You literally have to bring your own
  >> crowd, which really sucks.  Just use it as a dress rehearsal and aim for
  >> one of the regular venues that actually have people there every night.
  >> Again, sorry!
  >>
  >> At 02:20 AM 05/11/2003 -0400, you wrote:
  >> >
  >> >Hi all,
  >> >
  >> >Last night I was able to stop in at the Lord Only gig at the Library,
  >> >and tonight I stopped in at the Mindworm show at the Somber Reptile.
  >> >The thing that struck me was how few people were there! LO had maybe
  >> >THREE people - all friends of the band, and MW had 6 or 7, also
  >> >mostly friends of the band (incl a few ARIA people).... all in all
  >> >not a very good show of support from us. Hey I understand the reasons
  >> >many of us can't make it out to shows... heck, the only reason I was
  >> >able to stop in at both of these shows is because I was on my way
  >> >home from the dance theater gig I've been doing. But these folks need
  >> >our support! If we can't show up at each others gigs from time to
  >> >time, then our local prog scene has a long way to go. I have made
  >> >efforts to see some of our local heros in the past, and will continue
  >> >to do so whenever possible. I hope any of you who are able will do
  >> >the same.
  >> >
  >> >Thanks for allowing me to vent!
  >> >
  >> >AWG
  >> >
  >> >
  >>
  >>
  >>
  >
  >
  >

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