The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Finding venues that work for SF!L can be tough. It's not like a normal lineup that venues are used to booking. It's kind of more like a two-night fringe music festival, with many acts per night playing 20 minute sets. There likely won't be much local draw, but the many participants will likely be good patrons. We don't really want a big venue, but on the other hand a tiny coffee shop that doesn't handle loud music doesn't work very easily either (except for maybe an acoustic afternoon setup).

It's challenging to do sound for SF!L also because there can be a very wide array of instruments involved, changing radically every 20-30 minutes. No offense to any past hosts, but hosts generally do not own a full high quality backline in perfect working condition ready to go, so often the gear being used is cheap stuff of questionable sound quality and reliability. Many folks use backing tracks, so there usually needs to be a way to connect various devices' headphone jacks into the PA.

Has anybody written a "Guide to Hosting Song Fight! Live" anywhere yet? Maybe we need to work on that on one of the variou SF! wikis...

Also, it'd be cool if when I typed "song fight live" into Google the #1 result was a central home page for Song Fight! Live, with general info about the event, and links to past instances of the event. Maybe something like http://songfight.org/live/ ? Right now #1 is SF!L Wet and Wild, then just songfight.org, then the Song Fight! Wikipedia page.

This certainly needs to be updated:

http://songfight.org/live/history/

Whoa, how'd you find that page? That looks like a good start. It'd be great if that were at just /live and if it were updated. If I had access I would be willing to edit things rather than just gripe, but on second thought maybe I'd prefer not to have the ability to actually do the work.

Lunkhead wrote:Finding venues that work for SF!L can be tough. It's not like a normal lineup that venues are used to booking. It's kind of more like a two-night fringe music festival, with many acts per night playing 20 minute sets. There likely won't be much local draw, but the many participants will likely be good patrons. We don't really want a big venue, but on the other hand a tiny coffee shop that doesn't handle loud music doesn't work very easily either (except for maybe an acoustic afternoon setup).

It's challenging to do sound for SF!L also because there can be a very wide array of instruments involved, changing radically every 20-30 minutes. No offense to any past hosts, but hosts generally do not own a full high quality backline in perfect working condition ready to go, so often the gear being used is cheap stuff of questionable sound quality and reliability. Many folks use backing tracks, so there usually needs to be a way to connect various devices' headphone jacks into the PA.

Has anybody written a "Guide to Hosting Song Fight! Live" anywhere yet? Maybe we need to work on that on one of the variou SF! wikis...

To that end, I'd just like to continue my campaign by mentioning again that I've already got some promising venues lined up, one of which is guaranteed to take us if we just give them enough notice.

I think Spud said he was going to write up some kind of guide, but I don't recall ever seeing a completed version of it.

Lunkhead wrote:Whoa, how'd you find that page? That looks like a good start. It'd be great if that were at just /live and if it were updated. If I had access I would be willing to edit things rather than just gripe, but on second thought maybe I'd prefer not to have the ability to actually do the work. ;)

You mean the page that's linked to from the very URL that you posted as a potential site for Song Fight live stuff?

Oh yes, because I got an Apache directory listing and expected it to actually contain useful, easy to read information... Totally user friendly stuff there. I bet those Apache directory listings rank really high in Google search results, too? I should go change all my Web pages that contain links to other Web pages to just be directory listings, really. ◔̯◔ Plus there's still the part about it being six years out of date. But I guess your response pretty much sums up how we got here, so thanks for that.

The brainstorm has only been open for about a week and a half, but it got started much later than usual, so I'm wondering when would be appropriate for the next step. The actual event usually occurs over the summer, which could be three to five months from now, so it would mostly likely help the organizer (whoever that turns out to be) to know soon so they can settle on dates and square away arrangements with venues.

Should we open a poll, or give people more time to suggest locations? Does someone make an executive decision?

I'm tossing a vote towards doing something in New England. My second choice is Atlanta.

New York is also wonderful though we did it pretty recently. Maybe a Songfight Presents in NYC...

Lunkhead wrote:Oh yes, because I got an Apache directory listing and expected it to actually contain useful, easy to read information... Totally user friendly stuff there. I bet those Apache directory listings rank really high in Google search results, too? I should go change all my Web pages that contain links to other Web pages to just be directory listings, really. ◔̯◔ Plus there's still the part about it being six years out of date. But I guess your response pretty much sums up how we got here, so thanks for that.

Calm down, Sam.

As the former host of what was arguably THE BEST SONG FIGHT! LIVE EVER! I'd be happy to contribute to a "Definitive Guide to Hosting a Song Fight! Live!

So, I'm hearing:

Atlanta (JB)
Austin (me)
New England (Roymond)
Brisbane (C-Ray)

Should we make it a poll, or what?

Hi! I love the idea of a New England event, obviously. I host an open mic at a restaurant/bar in Campton NH called The Country Cow. There's a decent-sized function room downstairs, and there's a hotel right across the street. This might work better for a smaller (regional) event, since Campton NH is a bit off the beaten path. the nearest airport (Manchester) is about an hour away.

Nearby recreational opportunities include: tubing the Pemigewasset River (jul/aug); visiting Funspot, the world's largest arcade; and drinking (a classic NH hobby).

I would definitely make every attempt to go to a Lakes Region, "Live Free or Song Fight!" Live. That would get my vote. If any of you have never been to this area of New Hampshire in the summer, I only have 2 words to describe it.

Fucking awesome.

Lot's of vacation house rentals available, beautiful weather, great lakes to swim in. Jim T can dial it in. Best option I've heard so far.

/vote

Looking over this thread, New England has a lot of support, with Austin coming in second. Informal vote? Austin v. New England.
(of course I have no authority in these matters, I'm just trying to help move things along)

I vote for New England.

Why is this thread so sleepy when spring is around the corner?

I'd vote for New England, but not sure Al could make it out for performances. But I'd make a trip up and coordinate equipment.

Niveous wrote:Why is this thread so sleepy when spring is around the corner?

Really curious about that, myself.

I would not be very good at setting up a local show. However, I am quite willing to be a lackey.