IDM Mailing Archive

1997-06-18 15:19Peter Becker> = first comment >> = 2nd comment (edited) >dance, man, dance. The problem with the last

From:: Peter Becker <bpm0@interport.net>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 10:19:30 -0500
Subject:: (idm) with all respect to NYC dancers

quoted 2 lines = first comment

> = first comment >> = 2nd comment

(edited)

quoted 3 lines dance, man, dance. The problem with the last show is that everyone just

>dance, man, dance. The problem with the last show is that everyone just >stared at the stage all night. It's a party, not a concert. >Stealthy, Not Stodgy

quoted 7 lines I totally agree with you, the place looked liked a rock concert, i was

>>I totally agree with you, the place looked liked a rock concert, i was >>actually >>waiting for the bic-lighter serenade. i was dancing, my friend was dancing and >>maybe a handful of others but that's about it. i have to say i've noticed that >>at more and more shows these days. it sucks! and i'm not sure why. >>probably the >>burgeoning "electronica" craze seeping into the mainstream.

With all respect to the NYC dancers, maybe I could provide a decent answer. The events at The Anchorage are a ******massively****** publicized and strongly funded affair. Maybe you have seen the flyers,mailers, and media around town, and all around the NYC area for that matter, Brooklyn, Jersey,etc. There was also impressive coverage in the Press and The Voice and I'm sure other journals. The ad mailer was a good 20 pages on glossy paper. So, when you are advertsing to a potential audience of 50-75 million people, there is a greater chance that "normal" folks will show up. ( you know, the people who are'nt as "dedicated" to a "scene" as you ) This includes the fashion victims, the euros ( why do we need to pick on people from Europe? I know a lot of very interesting and cool folks from Europe) the posers, the non dancers blah blah blah. It should'nt be a suprise, too, that these folks show up at a show on a *Saturday*. This day is known to many dancers and scenesters as the night when the normal folks party. I understand the dismay of both of the posters above, and I agree with the comments. However, I can say, don't be too suprised. Understand what it means to go to a large event. I've been to 3 Stealth tours and then their various "post parties" and "small club" shows. The latters rocked harder. The crowds were smaller. And *NO* I'm not referring to industry parties, which I avoid. If you ever want to check out a crowd that *realy* does'nt dance, check one of those. There are events where people can hang and dance and do their funky stuff without pretension and poserism and all that. The night before in alphabet city, some NYC locals threw a FREE party on a rooftop which sucessfully went off from about 10 PM until probably 5 AM. I was there by proxy for the whole night as I live across the street. I saw dancing and heard killer music the whole time. All this with NO publicity. Sure, it was'nt the Ninjas, but it was also FREE and lotsa dancin'. Yes, NYC is a tough town to let loose and dance in with the laws and all that, but an underground will always exist, in every city and in every scene. word to yer mothers, bpm0@interport.net Peter Becker, Promotions: Retail, DJ Pool Asphodel Records, NYC PO Box 51, Chelsea Station, NY NY 10113 Phone # (212) 965-0265 FAX # (212) 965-0959 http://www.asphodel.com

1997-06-18 18:42Christopher FaheyPeter Becker [SMTP:bpm0@interport.net] wrote: ... lots of interesting stuff which I ain't

From:: Christopher Fahey <chrisfahey@mindspring.com>
To:: 'Peter Becker' <bpm0@interport.net>, 'idm@hyperreal.com' <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 14:42:05 -0400
Subject:: RE: (idm) with all respect to NYC dancers

Peter Becker [SMTP:bpm0@interport.net] wrote: ... lots of interesting stuff which I ain't quoting.... Chris Sez: Word. In fact, in NYC, the best parties with the best dancing are usually private parties or small new clubs rather than shows by recognized acts or in big venues. The big shows and big acts (generally) suck for dancing/partying. The reason for this is that NY is the home of the Media Business. If a big dance act comes to most cities, the crowd will likely be full of people who love the act and love dancing. When the act comes to NY, you can bet that half the crowd will be A&R people, music critics, hangers on, etc. People who have never heard of the act but want to be well-informed as to what's going on in the scene. Also, a lot of musicians from disparate genres studying the act for competitive reasons. So you end up with a lot of people shoegazing and head nodding. They kill the vibe for the more timid, less-enthusiastic dancers, and their aloofness spreads through the joint like a plague. This is why lots of people use drugs to have a good time. It's an easy way to forget about the advertising executive in the suit ten feet away from you. I never go to shows on weekends because of the crowds of poseurs and dullards. I rarely go to any of the big clubs for the same reasons. In NY, you are infinitely more likely to see/hear something interesting and have a genuine good time in a bar with 200 people or at a party with 50 people than you are at a club with 3,000 or more ravers and head nodders. Dancing is alive and well here in NYC, only not at any of the big shows. This is unfortunate because it guarantees that every time one of my favorite acts comes to NYC, their show is going to suck. Advice to promoters/booking agents: When booking an act in NYC, schedule at least one poorly-promoted, insiders-only, dancing-required gig in addition to the showstopper big venue gig. Hold the party on a wednesday night, and throw it in a section of the city where no ad exec would dare go. Avenue A doesn't cut it anymore. We're talking Williamsburg or below delancey street or avenue C or something. This is why I wanted Squarepusher to come to my backyard. If he comes to NY and plays a big gig in a big venue, I can guarantee it will be full of fuckheads who will ruin the show for the people who want to have fun. -Chris Fahey

RE: (idm) with all respect to NYC dancers