Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?

Subject: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Mar 03 - 10:44 AM

Cville is about to start CHARGING for Friday's After 5, our hiterto free summer evening concert series. Do you all have any experience with this, will charging ruin everything as we are all afraid it will, or will it be OK? They also want to do stuff like limit food only to the official vendors, but we are rioting against it... how do your municipalities run their free music stuff? What arguments can you give me to help convince our city not to do this horrible thing? Or will it not be as horrible as I fear? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From:
Date: 28 Mar 03 - 11:16 AM

,Mrzzy! FREE?

Wow! Didn't know there was any.

Most places with festivals DO charge. And mostly limit food to what is purchased on site.

Only one I know of which might fit is the Summer Concert series in Port Hawkesbury - Granville Green Concert series.

The reason they can do that is the corporate sponsorship given by local companies, such as Stora Enso, a local pulp-paper mill, owned internationally. They aren't the only sponsor though.

I would suggest that a campaign be started among long time attendees to canvas local companies, get as many as you can, on board to help sponsor this event.

It is something any medium to large company is set to do. They just have to be asked. They're NOT going to volunteer the funds. I would suggest calling the communications/publicity departments of any company with revenues >$1,000,000.00 or profits listed higher than $150,000.00.

They LIKE to be perceived as being good local citizens. But like I said earlier, they're not going out of their way to spend the money.

If you can find an employee who works for the companies and attends the concerts regularly. They can help get the information on the proper person to hit up for cash. Keep after them. AND of course, get as many onboard as possible. It makes it easier for them to contribute. (You can do it like the movie people, "We're also talking with xxxx about an equivalent contribution." Let THEM suggest the amount, if possible. They'll feel better, and will probably spend HIGHER than what you guessed.

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Padre
Date: 28 Mar 03 - 05:34 PM

Two that come to mind immediately as free (admission) festivals are:

The Washington Folk Festival

The Smithsonian Folk Festival

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Mar 03 - 05:49 PM

12th Leigh Folk Festival -
Fri June 27th - Sun June 29th 2003
"The largest free festival in the county"

(But that could very likely be "in the country". Great crack anyway.

And here is a page with some not particularly flattering pictures.

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: JennyO
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 01:50 AM

"The page cannot be displayed".........That's not very flattering.......

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 11:20 AM

Note that this is a WEEKLY concert, not a one-time (or annual) festival - I like the ideas of getting better sponsors, but I gather that avenue has already been tried. Any other ideas, and does it matter that it's weekly?

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 04:10 PM

Last I heard, the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle (Memorial Day weekend) was still free. And fun.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 04:55 PM

how about 100 all time popular DOO-WOP songs..??

http://l.swazzo.tripod.com/top100.htm

how about 1,000 classic country & western & folk & bluegrass

at ROSE THE RECORD LADY...

HOW ABOUT HONKING DUCK???

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 05:02 PM

Yes, Mark, the Northwest Folklife Festival is still free. And I'll be there this year, Monday, May 26th, 1:00 p.m. in the Olympic Room at the Seattle Center, performing with several other old geeks from the Fifties and Sixties.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Willie-O
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 09:23 PM

Free outdoor concerts in Ottawa are but a memory...however we have a great free festival in Perth Ontario every summer.

The reason it's free is quite accidental--the festival is held in Stewart Park, a lovely and large waterfront spot which was donated to the town some fifty years ago by a civic-minded leading citizen. One of the stipulations of the donation was that NO commercial transactions were to be carried out on the property. No sales of goods, and no admission charges. And it's stayed that way. They get lots of local businesses large and small to sponsor parts of the festival--for a properly community-minded venture I think you have to invite all levels of support, not just let the big corps have it their way. Also, most of the fest acts are between noon and early evening. The main stage shuts down about 8:30 p.m. and the action moves to the "after-hours" shows in various pubs, restaurants and small halls around town. There is a single button patrons purchase for $10 or $15 that gets them into all these shows. This adds to the coffers and spreads the business and the music around town.

Hmm, if your concert series is an early event, maybe the organizers could get a different pub or live music venue to sponsor it each week, with an encouragement for those so inclined to go to the sponsor's event next...

W-O

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 05:01 AM

McGrath - I can't get your link to work either. If it had a photo of that Friday night session at Leigh with both of us in it, then it has probably been removed in case it scares the children, horses, sheep etc.

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: M.Ted
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 12:25 PM

Most of the people at free concerts are there because it's free, while the people at pay concerts are there because they are willing to pay to see a particular artist. If you switch to a pay series, you basically have to start building your audience up again from scratch--

As an alternative, it might be possible to alternate the free concerts with special low price concerts from high profile peformers who wouldn't otherwise be booked there--even still, it would have to be done so that people felt like they were getting something new, as opposed to being charged for something that used to be free--

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 01 Apr 03 - 01:01 PM

Brampton Folk Festival. Gage Park Brampton, Ontario. June 14th.
Millrace Festival of Traditional Folk Music. Cambridge Ontario Aug 2nd
Both the above are FREE festivals. Atendees are of course encouraged to contribute to the upkeep of both festivals. This is a voluntary contribution.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Free Music: Is There Still Any? How?
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 01 Apr 03 - 01:33 PM

The 26th annual San Francisco Free Folk Festival occurs on June 21 and 22, 2003. Admission is free and no one gets paid. It's strictly volunteer.

Bev and Jerry