Local bands for tramlines

[Point Blank 10]

Elevator: Call for performing artists to apply to showcase work in South Yorkshire.

An opportunity to showcase new, innovative and original work in performing arts. Elevator will open its doors at Tramlines festival 2013 20th-21st July. Offering a platform for work across the spectrum of performing arts including Street Theatre, Spoken Word, Alternative Comedy and Cabaret, Live Art; Dance and New Writing, elevator will provide an unique opportunity to engage audiences and venues with original work and new writing.

There will be a commissioning pot of up to £4,000 to develop work plus opportunities for artists to have their work considered by programmers of touring theatre from South Yorkshire’s new touring scheme, Performance Republic

Performance Republic is a new network of venues, promoters and artists aiming to get more people seeing, & participating in live performance in South Yorkshire. Performance Republic is piloting a touring scheme based on the national rural touring model whereby over 25 new performances and workshops will tour to non traditional venues in Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Elevator will be run as part of a larger fringe Festival of Street Theatre and Performing Arts, called ‘Off The Rails’, for which we will be collaborating with Professor Vanessa Toulmin. This year will be a two day pilot, with a view to establishing a basis for a larger annual performing arts festival in the future.

Please download an expression of interest application from the Elevator Live or South Yorkshire Touring Scheme links on the Point Blank Theatre website and email it back to us.

 

Call for volunteers interested in production, performing arts, event management and arts marketing: Off The Rails

Get involved in a festival production team with this exciting new opportunity. Tramlines’ fringe festival of street theatre and performing arts will provide the opportunity for new and established performance artists to engage with the diverse and increasing audience which of Tramlines. As a volunteer you will have to opportunity to gain festival production, arts marketing and event management experience from the ground floor up.

We are seeking to recruit volunteers as front of house and stewarding staff, in marketing and audience engagement as well as in logistical and stage management positions. There are a wide range of exciting and interesting roles available within the festival team. Benefits for volunteers will include:

If you are interested in being involved in the audience or as an artist, promoter, volunteer or supporter please contact us via the Elevator Live or South Yorkshire Touring Scheme links on the Point Blank Theatre website

Edited May 14, 2013 by Point Blank

[Bar27 10]

Last chance to get on our tramlines line up for Sunday 21st July. Get in touch ASAP!

[magick777 10]

And what are you offering bands for giving up their time to help gain revenue for the bar?

Edited June 10, 2013 by magick777
missing word

[Bar27 10]

The opprtunity to showcase their talents! works pretty well!

[Moosey 10]

The opprtunity to showcase their talents! works pretty well!

 

Did the decorators decorate the bar for free to showcase their talents? Do the bar staff show off their abilities for free?

 

Genuine question. I can't understand that idea at all.

 

 

Posted from Sheffieldforum.co.uk App for Android

[Bar27 10]

Tramlines is music festival. If you were a local band wanting to be noticed its the place to be. Got to start somewhere. Sometimes you have to give a little to achieve and get results that you want! If you need any further info google tramlines!

[crazybaby 10]

Sad really, even the Classic Rock Bar was partial to giving the lads a few drinks in return for their musical talents (those were the days) , it does seem that the organisers are using bands by not paying them (are they getting any expenses for lugging all that equipment to the venue, or petrol money), no, I thought not. It's about time bands were paid adequately for the entertainment they give and not left to fund themselves as they usually are. All too often their love of music & creative skills are abused.

[Moosey 10]

Sad really, even the Classic Rock Bar was partial to giving the lads a few drinks in return for their musical talents (those were the days) , it does seem that the organisers are using bands by not paying them (are they getting any expenses for lugging all that equipment to the venue, or petrol money), no, I thought not. It's about time bands were paid adequately for the entertainment they give and not left to fund themselves as they usually are. All too often their love of music & creative skills are abused.

 

I couldn't agree more. Asking bands to bring a PA too and still play for free is awful. Taking into account travel costs alone it's expecting people to pay to play.

 

This isn't a dig at this specific bar; lots do the same.

 

As I say, bar staff don't work for free so why should the band.

 

 

Posted from Sheffieldforum.co.uk App for Android

 

---------- Post added 13-06-2013 at 13:19 ----------

 

Tramlines is music festival. If you were a local band wanting to be noticed its the place to be. Got to start somewhere. Sometimes you have to give a little to achieve and get results that you want! If you need any further info google tramlines!

 

I wanted to take this a little further, now I'm off my phone and on the computer. Again, this is not a dig at your venue, just the whole idea of not paying bands anything, which is, sadly, common.

 

I'm aware of what Tramlines is, and I'm aware of how the music industry works, having played in bands since I was 14/15. I'm now 36.

 

I agree everyone starts somewhere, but why is the entertainment trade the only trade where it's expected that you'll start out but earn nothing. No other trade would allow that.

 

Bands are effectively expected to pay to play, because that's what paying them nothing is. They're paying the costs of being a band (equipment, travel, time, subsistence) to play.

 

You could ask how good bands get found? Well, I would ask how good tradesmen get found - the answer, word of mouth. People hire them, they do a good job, and then get more work. The best are in high demand and can charge more. They all start as apprentices or new trades though, and yes, they would work for less money than a highly skilled tradesman, but they'd be paid.

 

Bands are the same. Bands invest in their set up (equipment and importantly a demo), then someone hires them. They play well and word spreads. They start out earning a little, and work upwards.

 

As with tradesmen, if they're rubbish, their business will fail if they don't improve. If they're good, they'll succeed.

 

The difference appears to be that a builder starting out wouldn't be asked to build an extension for someone for free, to showcase their talent. It wouldn't happen, quite rightly. Similarly, a band shouldn't be expected to play for free. If they're not good, don't hire them again. If they are, recommend them to people.

 

Businesses should not be based on people being expected to work for free until their name is established. That includes musicians.

 

Just my take on it all.

[Munch 10]

I am more than happy to play for free.

[snookerjulia 10]

I am more than happy to play for free.

 

I'm with you.

 

If a tradesperson/ the bar staff/ decorators were in a position where they would never have to work again they wouldn't continue to work for the fun of it yet if an artist/musician could never earn a penny again from playing their instrument/writing/singing they wouldn't just pack it in, they would carry on doing it for recreational purposes or just a need to express themselves. The general received opinion is that playing an instrument is not a 'proper job' and something that people do for fun and a 'choice' not a necessity.

 

I'm not a proprietor of a bar or business, I play in a band and play nearly every day at home in my own living room for no monetary reward, and whether I make big bucks or nothing out of doing it I will never stop. The question here is to what lengths I'm willing to go to.

 

It is a real job when you're hiring rehearsal space, spend many hours learning and rehearsing, lugging amplifiers and PAs in and out of venues, and I agree when you get to a stage when you can ask a fee it's VERY important to put a monetary value on yourself and your time and not compromise. But if this is your sole reason for picking up an instrument/writing/singing and would do it under NO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES then maybe you've lost track of why you started in the first place.

 

I would also happily play for free, I just trust my judgement enough to know when someone is taking the ****. Venues without a budget should (in my opinion) provide PA/mics/sound engineer and a little refreshment and some promotion. If this kind of hospitality is available I would happily play there free as often as asked as it then wouldn't be a 'proper job'-just playing and also promotion, which as an artist wanting recognition you must be willing to do, otherwise the only people you will only play to is yourselves. Then just maybe you can make a bit of money from it also.

 

If the only reason you're going to use your voice/instrument is for money may I suggest a taking up a hobby you enjoy?

[Moosey 10]

 

It is a real job when you're hiring rehearsal space, spend many hours learning and rehearsing, lugging amplifiers and PAs in and out of venues, and I agree when you get to a stage when you can ask a fee it's VERY important to put a monetary value on yourself and your time and not compromise. But if this is your sole reason for picking up an instrument/writing/singing and would do it under NO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES then maybe you've lost track of why you started in the first place.

 

If the only reason you're going to use your voice/instrument is for money may I suggest a taking up a hobby you enjoy?

 

See this is where I partially agree with you. It is a real job, given the amount of equipment, time etc, therefore I wouldn't do it for free (with the exception of for charity).

 

The reason we play is because it's our job (second job in my case). It's not a hobby. It's a job, and we treat it as that. We never let venues down, don't play after a skinful, are always on time etc - we're a pro band. Not that others aren't but we very much are.

 

I think you allude to that as a reason why being paid is necessary, and I'd agree. I still think new bands deserve paying though, whether originals or covers. Yes, they'll be paid less, likely significantly so, but they should get their petrol fees, some beers etc, and shouldn't have to bring a PA, so they don't need a van. Chucking them a tenner each (which they'll likely spend in the bar anyway) is the right thing to do in my view.

[Lockjaw 11]

See this is where I partially agree with you. It is a real job, given the amount of equipment, time etc, therefore I wouldn't do it for free (with the exception of for charity).

 

The reason we play is because it's our job (second job in my case). It's not a hobby. It's a job, and we treat it as that. We never let venues down, don't play after a skinful, are always on time etc - we're a pro band. Not that others aren't but we very much are.

 

I think you allude to that as a reason why being paid is necessary, and I'd agree. I still think new bands deserve paying though, whether originals or covers. Yes, they'll be paid less, likely significantly so, but they should get their petrol fees, some beers etc, and shouldn't have to bring a PA, so they don't need a van. Chucking them a tenner each (which they'll likely spend in the bar anyway) is the right thing to do in my view.

 

Two quickies:

 

As long as people like Munch & Julia are willing to play for free, some venues will continue to see bands as a free resource.

 

Not all the city centre pubs expect bands to play for nowt during Tramlines.

 

---------- Post added 24-06-2013 at 10:00 ----------

 

If the only reason you're going to use your voice/instrument is for money may I suggest a taking up a hobby you enjoy?

 

Why? Plenty of other people use their skills purely as a source of income; why shouldn't musicians? Why do you consider making music to be, exclusively, a hobby?