Saturday 2 October 2010

TONIGHT!

7 comments:

Rob said...

Enjoyed both Trash Kit and Grass Widow (despite the seemingly endless tech problems Grass Widow suffered)

Interesting comment:
"Trash Kit - fine set of short, fast, spiky songs. Theoretically supporting, but the crowd thinned noticeably for Grass Widow's set.

Imagine a small rectangular room (capacity maybe 60 at a push?). Imagine a rectangular stage across one end of the room. Now turn that stage 90 degrees, put the bar immediately in front of it and use the only gap between the two as the main thoroughfare to toilets and dressing room. The only standing area immediately in front of the stage is about 6ft square and the route for constant traffic to the bar, toilets etc. Most of the crowd, and the venue entrance, and most importantly the soundman, are stage left. The soundman can't hear what's coming out of the (vocal) PA and spends the whole evening relying on messages/hand signals from his girlfriend, who is stood in front of the stage. The sound got worse as the evening went on. Add small but noticeably noisy and disinterested element in the room. Blend with periodic equipment issues. Garnish with a bloke with a blindingly bright light on the top of his video camera, who seemed interested only in filming the antics of his mate who'd dressed up as a robot, and who stood on the edge of the stage, back to the band, to do this, WHILST TRASH KIT WERE PLAYING! Brainless, moronic or just plain rude?

Promoted by Out Of Step
http://weareoutofstep.blogspot.com/
It's a bit rough to be too judgemental as they're young folks bringing bands to the Midlands who wouldn't otherwise play here. That said, they could do with sharpening up their act. On last night's evidence, approach with caution, particularly if you're travelling to attend one of their shows.

Out Of Step said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lauri said...

Totally appreciative of these D.I.Y promoters bringing some great bands to Birmingham.

I can’t help but think the previous comment is ever so slightly contradictory

"It's a bit rough to be too judgemental as they're young folks bringing bands to the Midlands who wouldn't otherwise play here. That said, they could do with sharpening up their act. On last night's evidence, approach with caution, particularly if you're travelling to attend one of their shows."

Young folks doing something different for the West Mids music scene (surely a good thing?).... Approach with caution? This attitude only serves to dissuade potential gig goers, which begs the question will we only be satisfied when generic mainstream acts and boring venues devoid of atmosphere are the only things thriving in Birmingham?

Exactly where is the incentive for these guys to try and do something different when apparently it is impossible to please people? Yes, the sound may not have been perfect. Yes, Graham Gadget (the “brainless, moronic, just plain rude” robot) may have been throwing some extraordinary stage obstructing shapes. Yes, the venue was a tad on the cosy side BUT I would tolerate all of these things again for the intimacy ‘Out of Step’ bring. Great bands, great vibe, great night.

Rob said...

I think the 'Brainless, moronic or just plain rude?' comment was aimed at the cameraman rather than the robot?

As an outsider (my first Out Of Step show), it did appear at times that the bands were of secondary importance to some of the attendees.

The comment about approaching with caution - a friend of mine had travelled from Coventry specifically to see Grass Widow. Last train home 11.05pm on Saturday night, which under normal circumstances would mean he'd be able to see the majority of the headline set before leaving the Island Bar for New Street. Grass Widow didn't come on stage until nearly 11pm, by which time he'd had to leave. I don't think it's unreasonable to forewarn people who are travelling to shows that they can't guarantee to be able to use public transport after the show.

Given the late running, it appears inexplicable with hindsight that Green Gables got to play for 40 minutes.

James said...

Hey Rob, Really sorry that you had a poor experience at your first OOS gig. Totally valid comments, that definitely didn't go unnoticed by ourselves at the gig and we very honestly have no excuse aside from the fact that it was a bit of an experiment for us: First time doing a gig at the venue, first gig in Birmingham at all actually. The sound for Grass Widows set was absolutely appalling, especially when paying for a sound man when we've previously, unprofessionally, done it ourselves with hugely better results. This is all the more terrible for us as the reason we put the bands on in the first place was to SEE THEM!
The band were also pretty dismayed by it and had a bad time because of it which is terrible...
The support Green Gables doubled their 20 minute support slot against our wishes and signals for them to finish up leading to massive overrunning.
The filming business is to do with a london based tv thing - a bit different than usual gig filler, it was just a fun thing to do and way to promote the gig and record the night. The stuff was reminiscent of the kind of thing that goes on at the gigs run at their own stags head venue in London. We are just trying to introduce something fun and less po-faced, but apologies if it rubbed anyone up the wrong way..

Which apparently it really really has; we lost a ton of money from putting it on, recieved a ton of crazy bitchy negative reaction from other promoters in the area and from people such as yourself.

All in all, it certainly wasn't the fun night that we had promoted at our previous venue, not a good experience at all. We would say that we would build on the mistakes from the gig but instead, you've won. We have been forced to cancel our upcoming gig and have been assured of negative promotion of anything that we wish to put on in future by a group of local promoters. We were just trying to do something fun.
Anyway, sorry again.
JN

Anonymous said...

Just saw/read this..
pretty pissed off really, i didnt even know GRASS widow were playing BRUM, didnt see flyers or anything,anywhere.

Seems advertising on the net is all thats needed nowdays...forget the art of flyering places.

Out Of Step said...

i myself actually put flyers out
flyring at events around Birmingham/show's before the gig

Hit as many places that would have them the art work is made for flyers and posters

it one of those things where they get burried amongst all the other things going on in the City