Lazerbeat
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Tokyo, Japan
InactiveX wrote:

You might be interested to learn that the UK has some pretty shocking licensing laws as far as live music goes. You could get busted for letting someone blow a kazoo in your pub.

Admittedly it was a really long time ago, probably 94 or 95 but my friends and I used to put on shows now and again, did a couple in pubs, a couple in galleries and a couple in nightclubs. We never had licensing problems that I remember. Fun times too! We had Amiga ravey stuff with Armored core on a giant projector, anime screenings and catered sushi at one show.

InactiveX
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England

Things were quite a bit better then. The restrictive legislation was introduced in 2004 (thanks, Tony), and applied only to England and Wales.

Last edited by InactiveX (Jan 29, 2012 11:58 am)

Lazerbeat
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Tokyo, Japan

Jesus, yet another reason to add to the list of "why I dont want to live in the UK again".

- edit - Also wtf was the logic behind that? were middle class people in their mid 30s breaking into MFI, taking their kids acid and having nostalgia raves or something?


calmdownkidder wrote:
Lazerbeat wrote:

This isn't intended as a criticism in any way at all but I'm still a little surprised a regularish event never stuck in the UK.

oh, hey

Sorry, by regular I meant smaller monthly ish.

Last edited by Lazerbeat (Jan 29, 2012 12:05 pm)

calmdownkidder
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Liverpool, UK

There's also an regular night in Manchester, called Megabyte - https://www.facebook.com/megabyteclub

It's not like trains from London to Liverpool/Manchester are really convenient and cheap though*, so enjoy your South UK circlejerk of moaning.

*spoilers - they are

InactiveX
Offline
England
Lazerbeat wrote:

Jesus, yet another reason to add to the list of "why I dont want to live in the UK again".

- edit - Also wtf was the logic behind that? were middle class people in their mid 30s breaking into MFI, taking their kids acid and having nostalgia raves or something?

Haha! smile It was a silly time, the govt. tried to encourage a continental-style "cafe society" where licensed premises can be open all the time. In a land where there is an ingrained hard-drinking culture. Great.

You needn't let it put you off UK though; as I said earlier the legislation is currently being loosened. More info here about the Live Music Bill.

akira^8GB
Offline
New York City

I still think the biggest issue, despite legal problems, is probably the expectations of those who tried to keep regular nights on not being fulfilled.
I know I 'd be pretty strict with what I'd like to achieve and would quit after a bunch of tries not managing to meet my goal hmm
Also a lot of places would want some sort of result from what you do, and if that doesn't come through, there you are finding a new place again (because I believe it is important to do a regular night always at the same place).
Anyway there's a bunch of things going on that I need to learn about. I can't wait to settle properly and give this a try myself.

Last edited by akira^8GB (Jan 29, 2012 12:57 pm)

calmdownkidder
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Liverpool, UK

I'm surprised the Public Life place doesn't have more regular nights - the ones gwEm put on there have always had a decent turnout, at least the ones I attended (which is most of them afaik) - you might want to speak to gwEm about that venue, 8GB smile

Lazerbeat
Offline
Tokyo, Japan

Heh, it was 22 years of living in the UK that put me off the UK, but the government using common sense to further the arts is a great ideas.

calmdownkidder wrote:

There's also an regular night in Manchester, called Megabyte - https://www.facebook.com/megabyteclub

It's not like trains from London to Liverpool/Manchester are really convenient and cheap though*, so enjoy your South UK circlejerk of moaning.

*spoilers - they are

Awesome, I will probably be in Manchester some time, I will check it out.

Stevens
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Chipmusic nights aren't the only ones that have difficulty starting up...I have a friend who runs a breakcore/acid/etc night (chipmusic artists have played too) and he had to settle for Thursday nights ending at 11pm, and even then they've had to move venues three times because of a weird xenophobia towards the music they've played disguised by stupid 'oh yeah, we're concentrating on bands now' excuses.

They bring in the punters, the promotion is top, even the branding is excellent (one of the organisers is a VJ), but it's still been a struggle. However they've found a new venue, and are collaborating with other nights; they are still moving up and great parties are happening.

Having put on nights myself now, I've decided that the venue argument is a lazy one. I reckon it's silly to suggest that legislation has had any effect on the decrease in chipmusic events too. I remember groups of us trying to organise nights with ridiculous demands...all age late nighters with lineups made up exclusively of chipmusic artists in the heart of London weren't happening before or after any change in the law, but London's still the easiest city in the UK (and one of the best in Europe/the world) to put on an event showcasing 'alternative' music of any type.

You get what you put in. If people committed to a regular night there's no reason why it couldn't happen.

Last edited by Stevens (Jan 29, 2012 9:51 pm)

akira^8GB
Offline
New York City
calmdownkidder wrote:

I'm surprised the Public Life place doesn't have more regular nights - the ones gwEm put on there have always had a decent turnout, at least the ones I attended (which is most of them afaik) - you might want to speak to gwEm about that venue, 8GB smile

Well, the turnout depends on who runs the event, and not the venue itself.
I don't want to get involved in this yet, I just moved here and I don't know too many people, I want to do it right.

gwEm
Offline
London

theres been times over the last decade where a regular night of sorts has been run.. for example we had a great bi-monthly set of nights at a club called The Asylum in Soho which (if we are honest) was run by Tryst from micromusic. there was certainly interest - place was packed everytime. since then i've organised one or two events a year, and others have dabbled. people always come to them!

the problem is the stress and work of organising these things. its nice the first few times, but there has never been enough responsible organisers to sustain a regular event.

Jotie
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Stevens, are you talking about Tom aka Annoying Ringtone?

This whole thread applies to quite a few other places too.
I'm in the quite part of Belgium. I have the choice between 4 hours of train up to the EINDBAAS guys in The Netherlands, or jumping of one hour sooner for 8Bit Heroes.

Or France, but let's not mention France.

To organise regular events, I'd think you'd have to form an org. first. Most underground events here are organised by starter dj's/producers, who then work behind the counter for your entrance (no idea how to express this in normal terms, we call it "doing the entrance" but that sounds way off:P.), and work behind the bar.
Hey, this could be a let's organise a party thread!

George
Offline
Cambridge UK

I'm moving to England and will therefore retire from chipmusic as there is no such thing as English chipmusic, just awesome rock and will therefore become a rockstar.
Who am I kidding? I was never "in" chipmusic, but just "that girl who works the door at Toy Company omg she looks just like Morena Baccarin".
Therefore, I'm retiring from looking like that whore in Firefly.

George
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Cambridge UK

I'm also retiring from being French-Canadian, as Britons think I'm either Russian or Californian. For real.

seb231
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Wow, I'm really glad this thread got some good dialogue going. If anyone would like an administrative hand with setting something a bit more permanent up in London, I would be keen to get involved, not masses of experience but very keen to promote and get in involved with more like minded people!

CS
Offline
UK

Not really connected to London or the South though having put on a few events over the years around the area here, the challenges I found with event running was finding enough of a key/loyal audience that was active enough to keep the nights running.

That said, on a national scale I'm sure there's enough of an inside and outside-audience that's able that gain enough interest to hold a successful yearly night (i.e. UltraChip). 

I don't know the American scene so well, though from an outside observation it seems there's quite an active interest, willing set of individuals and audience that keeps its scene secure and going. 

When Maru and BSK visited Newcastle earlier last year, we set up speakers in a public space which spontaneously got a large and appreciative outside-audience. So it's not that it cannot be done.   

Last edited by CS (Feb 7, 2012 4:40 pm)