Starting a New Folk Club

Subject: Starting a New Folk Club
From: elka
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 02:35 AM

Greetings All,

I'm planning to start a Folk Club in Laidley, which for those of you who don't know, is in a rural environment 80K west of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Whilst I have a few ideas of my own, I would welcome advice or suggestions that anyone may care to offer.

Also I would like to hear from anyone in this area who might like to be directly involved or recieve news of any developements.

As I am sending this message to several groups and many individuals, some of you may receive it more than once for which I apologise.

My email address is [e-mail] My phone number is [phone] My address is PO Box 46 Laidley QLD 4341

Kind regards,

John Colville

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: Hamish
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 08:19 AM

Hiya. I've got quite a few relevant hints and tips on my web site, some of which are relevant to starting a session. It's here (if I've done that tag correctly...). Also there's a booklet available from David Anton called 'the do's and don't's of running a folk club' at 6 pounds sterling. Address is The Artwork Studio, Western Cottage, 41 West Street, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS2 6HH England which covers choice of venue, finding artists, organising the evening, use of pa... etc etc etc. Godd luck!

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 01:41 PM

That's a great site Hamish, with some very wise advice on all kinds of things.

The only thing I'd add, is be very aware that there are all kinds of very different things that get called folk clubs. So the two important questions are, what kind of club do you want to bring into existence, and what kind of club are the people whom you hope will come likely to want?

If the answer to those two questions is the same, you're well away. If not, there are some negotiations and some areas of contention to be weathered.

What I mean is that there are clubs which are basically small concert venues for established guest performers, and there are singaround-sessions (with a few tunes maybe), and tune-sessions (with a few songs maybe), and clubs which are very geared to a particular tradition, and some where you hardly ever hear a folk song. And all kind of combinations. More the merrier.

So good luck elka. I don't imagine I'll be visiting the club, given geographical considerations. But maybe let us know how it goes - new clubs opening up are always good news, even when they are on the opposite side of the planet.

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: selby
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 01:44 PM

The very best of luck in your new venture.My only advice is enjoy yourself and don't loose heart. Keith

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: GUEST,Mark. West Sussex. UK
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 02:51 PM

I am presuming you want a proper club rather than a casual gathering of folky performers. 1. Pick your venue. A private room you can charge an entrance fee with a nearby or en suite bar. Easy parking for cars. 2. What you can do depends on your maximum seating. Below 50 and you will struggle along with cheap guest artists. 100 is a reasonable compromise but for famous names you need 150-200 seats. Lots of performers will play for a percentage (80-90%) of the door take providing you have the seats. 3. Take the details of everyone who ever attends and put them on a mailshot database. Mailshot at least 3 times per year. Use it for market research. One mailshot is worth a hundred posters. On any one night you should get about 10-15% of your database to attend. 4. Run an open stage with an experienced MC now and again or on alternate weeks/months and treat the floor performers like royalty even if you are a Republic. Charge everyone a modest entrance, both performers and audience. Run a raffle. This gives you background finance to subsidise those nights when you make a loss. 5. If you find you are about to pay a fee out of your own pocket, close the club before you lose your shirt. 6. Start with a BANG! Book some seriously popular and famous people right from the word go. They are easier to advertise, bring in the punters and boost your database. 7. Keep a control of quality and variety. Give a newcomer one song but if they really are crap be firm and get them off the floor as soon as possible. Don't do "Singarounds" they are guaranteed to attract crap. Good Luck. from the Famous Willows Folk Club, Arundel. (30 years old)

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: McGrath_of _Harlow (inactive)
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 03:39 PM

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 04:02 PM

"I am presuming you want a proper club rather than a casual gathering of folky performers."

No such thing as "proper". I'm sure the Willows is a great club, and an excellent role model for anyone who wants to run a club like that. But "great" is not the same as "proper", with the implication that anything which doesn't follow the rules laid down in Mark's post is a waste of time.

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: Dave Wynn
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 04:27 PM

Think long and hard. Then double , at least , the thickness of your skin. Learn to say no. Then be prepared for people like me to tell you how to do it better.

Think even longer and harder. Get someone else to help with the earache.

Spot (the old , very experienced and sometimes negative pooch)

Subject: RE: Starting a New Folk Club
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 06:46 PM

Remind me never to go the Willows. It sounds like the type of folk club I hate.

Jon