United States

I just got a solicitation from "Bar East".

1733 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10128-5102
(between 89th & 90th, below Bar East)
www.bareast.com

Anyone play this place or know anything about it?

Seems like a fancy microbrewery to me.
Either way, it's a hell of a lot cleaner than the dives I've been in recently.
(I wonder if that's a good thing? )

I have to admit it's easier to play dives..feels more like home. LMAO


Hey there,

Thanks for taking an interest in booking a show with us! We are currently booking for Bar East and would love to have you! We book all genres except for hip hop and hardcore, and all of the dates and details are below, so please make sure to scroll all the way down this email and check them out. If you'd like to book a show, please send me the following info:

Artist/Band Name:
Venue:
Date/Time you would like to book:
Number and type of instruments you will use for the show:
Number:
Email:
Website Link/ Myspace Link:
Expected fan turnout:

Thank you and please scroll down and review the show info!

Sarah

**************SHOW DETAILS**************

************PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING- VERY IMPORTANT************
All artists are screened and booked based on quality and on how many people they can draw to the show. Our venues do not have a built-in crowd, so it is extremely important that you can bring a following of 6+ people. If you cannot meet the draw requirements, please do not book a show.
*****************************************************************

DATE LIST:

...............................

Bar East (www.bareast.com)

February 23 at 830pm, 10pm, 1130pm
February 28 at 7pm, 830pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
March 2 at 10pm, 11pm
March 9 at 830pm, 1130pm
March 14 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
March 16 at 7pm, 8pm, 11pm
March 21 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
March 23 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
March 28 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
March 30 at 7pm, 11pm
April 4 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
April 6 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
April 11 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
April 13 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
April 18 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
April 20 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
April 25 at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
April 27 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
...............................

VENUE INFORMATION:

Bar East (Basement Level)
Capacity: 175
Stage Dimensions: 13x13
Parking: Right outside the venue, but not always available
Merchandise: Feel free to sell merchandise at this venue
1733 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10128-5102
(between 89th & 90th, below Bar East)
www.bareast.com

AGE RULES FOR BAR EAST: {21+ Venue/ band members can be underage/ underage guests may attend only if accompanied by a parental guardian who is 35+ years of age/ stray underage guests will be turned away at the door}

SET TIMES: Set times are a default of 30 minutes and longer sets (up to 45 minutes) will be provided upon request. Please arrive to the venue at least 30 minute prior to your scheduled set time.

DOOR DEAL AT BAR EAST: The cover is $10. The door keeps the first 15 covers. The performer keeps 90% of all covers collected from their individual audience after the first 15.

DRINK MINIMUM AT BAR EAST: There is a two drink minimum per guest; drink tickets will be sold at the door for 5 dollars each (totaling to 10 dollars), and are good for well drinks, beers, and the like. You can emphasize to your fans that they are getting drinks at a discounted price, compared to typical Manhattan prices.

CANCELLATION POLICY: All nights are subject to cancellation - it is a rare occurrence, but it can happen if unforeseen circumstances come up

CONFIRMATION POLICY: You are not confirmed for a show unless you receive a clear confirmation letter from your booker (so if you submit for a show booking and do not hear back, you are not confirmed for the show)

BAR EAST BACKLINE / DRINK SPECIALS:

**$1 off all drinks for band members, one drink served at a time.**

Equipment provided by Bar East includes:

1. Full drum kit - minus cymbals, snare drum, felts, and wing nuts, which you'll need to bring yourself.

2. ALL bass players MUST use House Bass Amp

3. State of the art sound system, including 3 vocal mics, 3 instrument mics, and monitors - bring more; mics for horns, etc.

4. Electric guitar players must bring their own guitar amps

5. No amp required for Keyboards or acoustic guitar.

If you have any tech questions about the equipment or sound, please call the sound the sound
guy, Craig at 347.728.0896.

HOW TO PROMOTE THE SHOW: Show promotion is a great way to remind your fans that you are out there rocking the world! Some easy and effective ways to promote your show are the following:

* texting/calling everyone you know and inviting them 1-2 weeks in advance
*making a facebook event invite and inviting all of your friends + sending a show reminder to all attendees the day prior
*inviting people you run into all throughout the week before the show
*sending out a mass email invite
*creating an electronic flyer to advertise for the event. *for bands: if each person in the band commits to drawing at least 2 close friends, then you have met the draw requirements collectively without anyone having to try extremely hard

Some of their "requirements" kind of make me raise my eyebrows a bit.
( you have to bring at least six alcoholics )

And what the hell is "hardcore" ?


Other than that they seem to be very well organized.

And that scares the bejebies out of me.


Seriously though, they do seem to have it down.
Sounds to me like it would be a fun gig.

A new twist on pay-to-play?

lol Typical

Even when something possibly good happens, there is some fine print.

Figures, all in one day more or less.

Nuns, fun and guns..
(scribble-scribble-scribble)

I am going to have to start a new notebook here shortly.

Looks fine to me, they only require you to bring a following of 6 people in my area that want at least 30, so thats not bad.

Drums provided, bass amp, and pa

Doesnt sound to bad to me

So it's really a $20 cover charge with two free drinks lol.

And the bar keeps the first $150? Seems a little high but I guess it is New York.

Your six guests spend $120 to see you do a 30 minute set? Why not just have a small party and invite them to your place?

Scam-ulicious!

Providing a nice PA, lights and drums does make it a very easy gig to play. Minimal gear schleppage is always good. With the bar collecting $10 entry + 2 drink min. tickets at the door it is a guaranteed win for them. The balance of the door above $150 to be split 10% to the bar and 90% between the bands means no musicians are making a lot of money but not dragging around a bunch of gear either.

It's a reasonable tradeoff in NY where getting gear in and out could be a problem. Play a 1hr set to 100 people and each player might make $50 on a good night. On a slow night with 30 people each player in a band playing a 1hr set might make $10.

A lot of times these places, when it comes time to split the money, say that *you* didn't bring in enough guests and then gyp you on the payout.
I guess $10 cover may be the normal around there, but its high up this way.

Johnny, around here ALL of the original venues supply the PA, lights and soundman. Some charge you around $75 for this service, some provide it free. Some cover band venues supply this but not all. The average cover charge is $5, average drink price is $4. I love Detroit!

Cover charges in the Memphis area are $5 a night.

Well at least this place in New York spells it all out up front.

I dont see what anyone would have an issue with it, like I always say if you cant bring 100 people a night, then what are you complaining about?

I'm guessing that this isn't for us considering that I am really kind of blase' about them and their $ requirements. That place is also a microbrewery.

Besides we play in PA, it's fun and the main idea is not the $.
(I really don't have any delusions of grandeur.)

Even better is the private party thing. I know a guy who owns a decrepit theater and I think that might be our next attempt. I can use it for free but there is no bar or amenities. I guess I should feel lucky that the bathroom works. LOL

But it's big and the acoustics are a bit different than what I'm used to.
In short, I think I love the place.

I definitely have to get a pro level power conditioner or risk my equipment.
I shudder at the thought of something burning up/being destroyed because I wasn't smart enough to contingency plan.

My one buddy informed me that a lot of stuffed shirts are part of the clientele (Bar East) and I doubt that would go over well.

Give me a dirty dump that allows us to shake the walls over some well established place any day. The only thing I miss in NYC is CBGB's. I wish I could have hit that place at least 1x in my lifetime.

100 people a night is fine if you are well established. I can't honestly say that this setup is in that category thus far or at least I don't think it is.

Hey if I lived in the area I might just grab some friends and go lay down 8-10 tunes to see what the place is really like. A guitar and a small amp is all you really need for this place so not much time or effort invested. If you make a few bucks it's a bonus.

Scotty, I would personally have an issue about the cover. I really don't see how the furk any bar can justify taxing your cover... especially if they aren't offering a paid gig.

This is why I['ll never succeed in the music biz...I just want to beat the sh*t out of all the venue owners LOL!

lol I hear you PDawg.

I don't want to "sell beer", I come to play a few tunes and have a good time.
If it's a pay for play party they want, I'll more than likely pass.

I play for a while and when they start piping in the music from whatever else they have playing, I am usually right back in the crowd.

You know I have to be having a good time as well, else I am bored and looking to "hit the skids". lol

Thanks to one and all for looking at this scenario.
It helps me to get a good, realistic look at what's going on.

I'm thinking I have not paid a cover charge in like 30 years . . .

And look at all the money I saved switching to Geico . . .