UNSOLICITED ADVICE

Had a wee rant on Twitter earlier and figured that it might be worth sharing.

It’s not a particularly well thought-out piece of work, it was written in a stream of consciousness on twitter, for fuck’s sake, but it stems from some very real delusions that I think are being taught (with high tuitions fees, by neoliberal institutions prepping drones for a market that is already dead). However, the post-industrialisation of the music industry is a debate for another time.

Very few things truly worth knowing can be taught, especially if you want to truly understand them, but that’s a whole other can of worms.

It also stems from the very real frustrations I feel when trying to answer emails in a positive fashion. I try to answer everybody but some are just so inane and clearly lacking in the slightest bit of research that the only fruitful option is to ignore them. Ye don’t want to be an asshole but sometimes it is real difficult.

I may come back and revise these and/or elaborate at some point, but possibly not. Just don’t put up with any asshole telling ye how to think, including me. On the flip, don’t be upset when someone tells you what they think or that your band sucks.

We started MTAT because everybody thought our bands sucked!

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TWITTER RANT IN E-MINOR

– Seem to be getting a fair few emails from band “managers” from college/university projects. It’s difficult to know how to reply at times; ye don’t want to discourage people from involvement in music (a posi!), but how do ye tell them so much of the “industry” is bullshit?

– Unless you’re filling the stadium or whatever, who gives a shit about who’s “headlining” gigs? Not to be all negi and shit but nobody who wants to sit through an hour or more of a local band. Give us 18 minutes of seething blood and guts and we’re good.

– Venues and promoters do young and developing bands absolutely zero favours when they encourage this shit, either. Gatekeeping is abhorrent, loathable, but there’s a fine line between encouraging engagement/growth and enabling delusion/exploiting folk. Gotta learn sometime?

– On our end (guess this might be laughable cos we’re all hypocrites in the end, yeah?), we try to encourage younger/newer bands by getting them into the space watching other bands. Promoters see who does things, who’s engaged, and who is only interested in their own band (many!).

– When a band emails, I always tell them “come down to a show sometime”. We always listen to EVERY SINGLE DEMO we’re given. I can’t give them same guarantee with emails as there are so many of them. We’re going to have a DEMO DROPBOX at the basement going forward. Pop one in!

– Once bands show a willingness to engage, to check out the folk they’re hitting up, we may then offer them a a show. Depending how it goes, we may offer them a slot opening for a touring band; shit grows. I didn’t make any commitment to Goodbye Blue Monday before seeing them, ken?

– I dunno, just be super-sceptical of folk who’ve never been in a band telling you what’s best for your band or your art. MTAT didn’t start because we wanted to be “cool” label folk, run venues or build social capital; it started because nobody else gave a fuck what we were doing.

– The continued existence of MTAT boggles my mind in a few ways; firstly, I’ve never stuck to ANYTHING ELSE for 13 years.

Secondly, it’s crazy to me that people do seem to give a shit, even after all this time.

Thirdly, we ain’t special because LITERALLY ANYONE CAN DO THIS.

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“Too much bullshit is bad for your health”

Don’t @ me, yo.

Peace.

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CONROY’S BASEMENT; BOOKING – TERMS & CONDITIONS

***Reposted from makethatatakerecords.com***

As ye may well be aware, things have changed at Conroy’s Basement over the summer. We at Make That A Take have seized the means and are now in full control of the diary and the book. Evolution is part of our human experience, the only true constant being change. The previous “The Summer of Our Discontent” blog discusses these changes in greater detail, but we’re through the worst of the transition period now.

We thought it prudent to publish these terms and conditions, both in the interests of transparency and to have an online reference point. That MTAT formed in 2006 is no secret, but the pre-history of our collective stretches back well over twenty years. In the first instance, we were mentored by the folk music scene in rural Perthshire; Wedge took us into his practice room to watch his band rehearse. We learned by observation before being invited to play ourselves, by full immersion in the experience; learning by doing informed our principles and formed the foundations of our collective – ye do what ye can with what ye got. Ye can read all this back story stuff on Write Yer Ane Zine. We acknowledge our privilege; we were very lucky.

Collectively, we have spent most of our lives learning and growing, thousands of hours of labour; being in terrible bands, playing shows, touring, doing sound, hosting bands, booking tours, sleeping in vans, playing to nobody, being in decent bands, lending gear, building PA systems, badgering pals, losing money, making money, losing gear, being mugged, being banned, making friends, losing friends; making all the mistakes that it’s possible to make, like Sisyphus pushing the rock. We’re pulling for ALL artists, we want your band to rule. I want Goodbye Blue Monday to be bigger than Blink 182. If a lesson learned in Joey T can help our friends today, then it should be passed on. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned in six.

Basically what I’m saying is that these “rules” don’t exist because we’re assholes (we’re assholes for entirely separate reasons), these “rules” exist because we have lived and learned experience. We don’t claim to have all the answers, things ALWAYS work better in the spirit of collaboration, when a sense of shared purpose brings people together. We are living in times of desperate alienation, just today the local press has talked of another decade of austerity while millions are being made in the private sector. We believe that by working together to create a better space, we can begin to create a better world. Sure, a punk basement isn’t the world but it is a start. To quote Dom Kaddish, we “resolve to be socially responsible and just citizens in a time of spectres“.

While ye are here, there’s 20% off our 100+ release digital discography on our Bandcamp page and a summer sale happening over at BigCartel. Simple though it may be, the best way to support independent art of any kind is to buy it, share it, talk about it, TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS; come to shows, buy records, buy merch, get involved. You have so much more power than you know.

Together, we can conquer anything.

CONROY’S BASEMENT, DUNDEE – TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Conroy’s Basement is an independent live music space operated by Make That A Take Records (MTAT). The venue space is available for hire by independent promoters, bands and collectives to promote live music. The venue space is also available to hire for club nights and special events.

MTAT aims to foster a positive environment free from all forms of discrimination. Anti-social behaviour will be not be tolerated. Please see the MTAT “House Rules” attached at the end of this document. MTAT reserves the right to refuse or cancel bookings. These terms and conditions will be updated periodically, as required.

Contact email; conroysbasement@gmail.com

 

Hire prices

 

Standard Gig booking fee; £100

– This covers venue/PA hire + sound engineer.

– We encourage all bookers to bring their own backline.

– Gear shares between bands are also encouraged.

– If this is not possible, some gear belonging to the collective may be available for a small fee (£25)

 

Standard Club Night booking fee; £150

– This covers venue/PA/security hire

– Club night hours are strictly 11pm-2.30am

– Club night hires are only available on Friday/Saturday, at this time

 

All bookings include access to the basement bar.

Deposit; bookings will be confirmed upon receipt of a £50 non-refundable deposit, payable by bank transfer or cash. Deposits are also payable by Paypal but are £55, to cover fees (sorry!).

The remaining balance must be paid in full before doors on the night of your booking.

Paypal address; makethatatakerecords@gmail.com

Friday and Saturday nights are by far and away the most popular and get booked up quickly, so please be aware that your desired date may not always be available.

No bookings will be confirmed until deposits are paid and terms and conditions agreed to.

We will do our very best to work with you to make your event as successful as possible. In the spirit of collaboration, we believe that in working together we can host the best possible events in a positive and safe environment. MTAT is an anti-bigotry, anti-fascist, anti-sexist, anti-racist, anti-homophobic, anti-transphobic collective.

For more information pertaining MTAT policies and history, please read this FAQ.

 

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The Venue

 

Conroy’s Basement is a venue conceived by artists for artists. It’s a basement space with a DIY-built PA system, constructed by two of the east coast’s finest sound engineers with decades of collective experience. We’ve been running this space for over three years, hosting over 300 shows in that time, and our system has evolved over time. It will continue to do so.

PA is a 2.5kw rig with 16-channel mixer.

It’s loud. Earplugs are recommended.

– Venue capacity is 100.

– No more than 100 tickets can be sold.

– There is no “green room”.

– There is no allocated seating.

– There is parking around the back of the building

– Load in the side entrance of the building

– Gear must be stored in the corner to stage-right

– Gear cannot be stored in the venue over night

– We have no Wi-Fi

– There is a bar serving drinks.

– Strictly no drinks outside.

– Do not bring your own drinks (refillable water bottles excepted)

– We will provide all mics stands, mics, PA cables, etc.

 

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Gig itinerary

Load in – 5pm onwards.

Soundcheck – 5pm-7pm

Doors open – 7pm/7.30pm

Sunday-Thursday must be finished by 10.30pm.

ALL gear and humans loaded out by 11pm.

Friday/Saturday shows must finished by 11.30pm at the absolute latest.

ALL gear/humans out by midnight. There will be no exceptions.

Your show will be assigned a representative from the MTAT collective and a sound engineer.

Access to the venue is available from 5pm. In exceptional circumstances, please advise of any requirements outside these hours at least two weeks in advance.

Club Nights; 11pm-2.30am

– DJs must provide their own equipment (vinyl/CD decks, laptop, etc).

– A MTAT representative will be present for load-in/set-up

PLEASE NOTE: If you are organizing a gig with more than 3 acts please let us know in advance.

 

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Your Responsibilities

 

Promotion; it is your responsibility to promote the show.

– A Facebook event page alone does not count as gig promotion.

– Please make Conroy’s Basement a co-host on any event page that you make.

– Please make sure we have POSTERS for your show at the venue at least FOUR WEEKS prior.

– Please email all online promotional materials to Conroy’s Basement.

– We will include your event in all of Conroy’s Basement’s gig listings

– It is your responsibility to sell tickets for your events. We recommend Groucho’s Music in Dundee.

 

In advance; knowledge is power!

– Please provide full-tech spec and running order, including set times.

– Please make sure that FULL BACKLINE arrangements have been made.

– It is your responsibility to fulfill any/all contractual obligations to artists booked

– You must let us know of any RIDERS that may need be brought in. These are your responsibility.

– Any ALCOHOL on riders must be stored in the fridge behind the bar. Drinks tickets will then be allocated which can then be exchanged for rider drinks from the bar. There can be no exceptions.

– It is the responsibility of the promoter to provide all riders and information pertaining them.

– We have no cooking/re-heating facilities at this time.

– Let us know if there are any problems we can help resolve.

 

On the night; it is your responsibility to run the show.

– Booking fees must be paid in full before doors open. If this is a problem, please advise.

– You must provide your own door person to take tickets/entry. We will provide a £50 float.

– It is your responsibility to make sure all artists are informed of venue rules/set times/etc.

– You must provide your sound engineer with set times.

– Headline bands will soundcheck first. Opening bands will then set up. Line-checks for others.

– It is your responsibility to pay acts.

– Anyone found bringing in their own alcohol will be asked to leave and banned.

– Drinks in the venue are cheap.

– Loading out must be completed by the agreed times. No gear can be stored in the venue.

 

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The MTAT collective was established in 2006 and we’ve been involved in thousands of shows and events since then. Run by punks for punks, we’ve been involved in the musical community for over twenty years and aim to foster an atmosphere of positivity, inclusion and collaboration.

We aim to treat everyone with dignity and respect, and would hope for the same in return. We are more than happy to discuss any issues or concerns that anyone may have about the operation of the space. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any and all questions/enquiries.

Be radical, spread joy.

– MTAT

http://www.makethatatakerecords.com