How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant

Subject: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: wilco
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:02 PM

I've been asked to organize and run a "Gospel Night" at a local restaurant, where people can come up and sing a song or two. I would rather have just a jam, with everyone playing, going around the circle, tajking turns. I want to avoid amplification, and it is a large enough restaurant so that we won't bother anyone. How do I organize this to avoid hurt feelings?

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:06 PM

Sing up sheet--first signed up, first singer. Limit of 3 songs per person, write the titles down on the sign up sheet so you don't get 10 people singing the same song........they can do all 3 in one trip up, or go around 3 times. Your choice.

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: wilco
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:08 PM

Sorcha: How long is long enough for one of these sessions? I would guess two hours? And, is the lack of amplification likely to be a divisive issue?

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: 53
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:14 PM

don't do it.

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: MMario
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:44 PM

SCHEDULE a break - even if only 5 to 10 minutes in the middle

and yup - two hours probably is plenty.

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 02:52 PM

I would think that you'd run it like any "open Mike" night, except that there isn't a mike, and people are limited to gospel. You could get a lot of help from Mudcatters defining what gospel is.. :-)

I would also expect your experience will be like anyone else's who sings in a pub or restaurant. You'll have people trying to talk louder than you can sing, which makes a sound system very desireable... even just a self-contained amplifier you can run a couple of mikes off of. I sang with my gospel quartet at a Sunday brunch in a hotel once a month for a year, and we never would have survived without a mike. I had a guitar amp with a separate channel I could run one mike off of for the lead vocal, and that plus an electric guitar made us difficult to talk over.

I would also hope that the place where you're playing would publicize that it's a gospel sing, because a lot of people aren't going to want to hear gospel, You'll certainly have a more attentive audience if they've come BECAUSE it's a gospel sing.

Best of luck to you.

Jerry

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 05:40 PM

Two hours should be plenty.

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 05:58 PM

We went to a jam in a restaurant. People who planned on playing arrived early enough to have dinner first, and brought friends. At the appointed time, the players got up and went to a corner cleared for them, and sat in a tight circle. They went around the circle, and each person could suggest a tune, request a tune, or pass. People who had arrived with them constituted the audience, and a basket was passed for benefit of a local nonprofit. Everyone had a great time. The restaurant made out like crazy.

~Susan

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: wilco
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 07:52 PM

WYSIWYG: That is exactly what I plan on doing. Just the right amount of organization.

Subject: RE: How to run Gospel Sing at restaurant
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 08:03 PM

Yup, loose and fun and good for all. Keep us posted!

~S~