Berlin Music Pub (River Tavern)?

Aero · Post by **Aero** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:39 pm

My band is booked to play this week at a bar on W. Main St. called Berlin. Apparently it used to be called River Tavern. I have a few questions for those who play bars regularly since this is our first bar gig.

We're booked for about an hour's set, and we're original so I'm wondering if this will be a problem (how will the crowd react to original material?). Also it would be great to hear a few do's and don'ts about playing at bars, or at berlin specifically, if anyone would care to share. Thanks!

beck · Post by **beck** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:07 pm

berlin is a fun club. Original is generally all they book. The only advice I can give is dont f@#k with the bikers, and have fun.

bludspyrerocks · Post by **bludspyrerocks** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:08 pm

yes that is good advice

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 1:33 pm

I was jsut there last night. It has ups and downs.

My biggest beef with them is that I was told a month or so ago that they were getting a brand new sound system and new stage. Well they got the stage but failed to inform bands that are currently booked that they have not got the sound system.

Recordstar · Post by **Recordstar** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:09 am

DUH..? ? Did any of the bands bother to follow up and ask if the sound system had been installed ? ? ? Best advice when going into a club that "promises" certain amentities...double check.. the time spent making a call or going by the venue will be well worth it.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:42 pm

That's why we bought our own sound system, and why we call or go to a new club ahead of time to see if we need to bring it or not.

MrSpall · Post by **MrSpall** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:48 pm

Do: Remind the patrons to drink lots and tip well (owners and waitresses love it.)

Don't: Remind the patrons, between every song, the name of your band - once every four or five songs is plenty.

Do: Show up early to set up, make sure the sound equipment is gonna work and talk to the owner to double-check his specific expectations for the night. I got ticked at an owner once because I thought we'd been booked to play two hours instead of one. He booked another band for the second hour and we didn't get to play some of our best material before he cut us off after the hour ended.

Don't: Assume your drinks are on the house. Most bars do this, some don't. It sucks when you accidentally drink half your take from the show.

Do: Make friends with waitresses before you start. They won't mind bringing the singer a glass of water mid-set if they like you.

Don't: Carry your beer bottle around with you onstage. Have it onstage, drink from it, then put it down. You aren't Dean Martin. You just look dumb.

Do: Try and get other shows booked at the venue before you leave. Call them three weeks later and they may not remember you (or the management may've changed.)

Don't: Forget to save some of your best material for the end. Always go out on a high note and leave them wanting more.

Do: Promote your own upcoming shows at the venue, plus other events the venue has coming up. Remember for that night, you are an employee of the bar.

Don't: Promote the show you've got at the bar across the street the next night. Bar owners don't like it when you steal their business.

Do: Have fun onstage. The more you enjoy yourself, the more the crowd will enjoy you.

Just a few tips from an old hat.

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:35 pm

Recordstar wrote:DUH..? ? Did any of the bands bother to follow up and ask if the sound system had been installed ? ? ? Best advice when going into a club that "promises" certain amentities...double check.. the time spent making a call or going by the venue will be well worth it.

I was there to watch a band, we still refuse to book there until there is a system. It just didnt make them to credible since they claimed they would a month ago.

So what it did was delay the start time of the show that I came to see, because one of the bands had to go back home and get a PA. So then 2 bands dropped off the show as well. No one seemed to really care either.

I will go there to get a drink or something but, my first entertainment experience there was subpar.

Dog · Post by **Dog** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:19 pm

That was actually the second time I've heard of a band(s) leaving the Berlin, for lack of a pa. The first was one of my bands. We were in regular contact with the gal setting up, an' were never told that we needed to bring anythin' more than we normally do. An' it seemed a general lack of communicaion was there. I showed up early, an' the owner/bartenders didn't know that there was s'posed to be more than one band playing.

S'much as I hate to nay-say any bar willing t'let a band play, it went alot better, even with the smaller stage, when it was still the River Tavern.

bludspyrerocks · Post by **bludspyrerocks** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:36 pm

i will make shure there will be a p.a. im not the promoter but i dont want it to go bad

Dog · Post by **Dog** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:52 pm

That, sir, seems a good tactic.

See ya Saturday.

ugotdrums2 · Post by **ugotdrums2** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:47 pm

kimalz wrote

My biggest beef with them is that I was told a month or so ago that they were getting a brand new sound system and new stage. Well they got the stage but failed to inform bands that are currently booked that they have not got the sound system.

Did you talk to Lee or Dawn? Or did you speak to the person promoting the show? There has been a lot of dishonesty with a certain local promoter lately. Such as taking 20% of bar sales while bands are playing and bands are receiving 000000000.000000. Promising both the venue and performers a handfull of lies.
Fortunately some of your facts are wrong. The bar owners do not book any of the shows. They let a certain local (so-called) promoter book the shows and have been shafted as well. The same show you were at they gave the bands there drink tokens. The band drank them up and left. The promoter told the bands there would be a p.a. There was not. The promoter told the bar there would be 4 bands at 9:00pm. There were only 2 and the first did not go on untill after 11:00.
The Berlin is a great place with a lot of potential.Lee has played in countless local bands and is trying to do nothing but promote the local scene. Unless you speak to Lee or Dawn then what you hear about the bar may be just one more lie this promoter is telling to get bands to line her pocket.
If you want more info on this I will be glad to fill you in, in private.
I believe this so-called promoter should be stopped. She is not only leaving a bad taste in local musicians mouths regarding venues,she is doing the same with venues regarding local musicians.

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:42 pm

ugotdrums2 wrote:kimalz wrote
My biggest beef with them is that I was told a month or so ago that they were getting a brand new sound system and new stage. Well they got the stage but failed to inform bands that are currently booked that they have not got the sound system.
Did you talk to Lee or Dawn? Or did you speak to the person promoting the show? There has been a lot of dishonesty with a certain local promoter lately. Such as taking 20% of bar sales while bands are playing and bands are receiving 000000000.000000. Promising both the venue and performers a handfull of lies.
Fortunately some of your facts are wrong. The bar owners do not book any of the shows. They let a certain local (so-called) promoter book the shows and have been shafted as well. The same show you were at they gave the bands there drink tokens. The band drank them up and left. The promoter told the bands there would be a p.a. There was not. The promoter told the bar there would be 4 bands at 9:00pm. There were only 2 and the first did not go on untill after 11:00.
The Berlin is a great place with a lot of potential.Lee has played in countless local bands and is trying to do nothing but promote the local scene. Unless you speak to Lee or Dawn then what you hear about the bar may be just one more lie this promoter is telling to get bands to line her pocket.
If you want more info on this I will be glad to fill you in, in private.
I believe this so-called promoter should be stopped. She is not only leaving a bad taste in local musicians mouths regarding venues,she is doing the same with venues regarding local musicians.

It was the promoter, although I did meet and speak with lee that night. He seemed to be an alright guy.

That promoter came to us and me stating that she was in charge of booking there and that it was bought by a new owner that wants to make a rock club out of it. She then went on to say that they are building a new stage and getting a real nice sound and light system.

My facts were straight, hers however were not.

Bottom line, I don't know this girl personally but I haven't heard anything good about her yet. I say get her out of there though for the sake of the bar reputation.

As a ex-promoter myself, I know that to get in the biz you need to understand the biz and that comes with a lot of mistakes that you learn from along the way. That is understandable, however, from what I have heard, she has been doing this for quite some time and still isn't pulling it off. So maybe, no disrespect to her as a person since I dont know her, but I think maybe another career choice is in order.

Go ahead and shoot me a PM if ya want.

ugotdrums2 · Post by **ugotdrums2** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:24 pm

I was not trying to single you out kimalz. Sorry. I was just trying to come to the defense of the venue. In this case, as we clearly can see, it was not there fault.
And, it is already in the works as far as getting her out of that venue.
I think that a friend and I will be doing the promoting for that place and he will be supplying a P.A. It is all in the works as of now.
GIVE ME A BOTTLE OF JACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ugotdrums2 · Post by **ugotdrums2** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:27 pm

And as far as Saturdays show goes,there will be a P.A.

FortWayneMusic.com

Berlin Music Pub (River Tavern)?

Berlin Music Pub (River Tavern)?

for bands playing the 18th

RE. P.A.

Re: RE. P.A.

very true

yes