Anybody know anything about Emergenza??

Genghis Peetree

Just wondering if any musicians in Ireland had any bad experiences with Emergenza.

The band I'm in (we're not together long and not much gigging experience) were around it recently and at first it looked alright. There's a lot of talk of what they can "do" for you and what you can get if you win but looking at it later I kinda got the impression it's fairly money orientated.

I read up a bit on the net about it and there's a couple of forum sites from around the world givin' out stink about it but they're all from a while ago and from abroad so I was wondering if any of you heard anything or had any experience with them?

Is it just a scam to fleece some naive bands?

-Chris-

My band did it a few years ago, and our general impression was that it was some form of pyramid scam.

Pros:
It was good experience
It got us really focussed and pretty tight
It got us really good at setting up and tearing down quickly (invaluable for future gigs)
It was good "networking"
We got to play Vicar St, which I don't think I'd ever have been able to do without Emergneza

Cons:
It's very expensive for your friends
Doing well is no real testament to your skills as a band, it's more to do with how deep your friends' pockets are
It burned out a lot of goodwill from our friends and family for future gigs
It took up a lot of time where we were just perfecting the one 25 minute set rather than working on new material, recording etc.


Short version: I did it, but I'd never do it again and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else.

NewNo2

^ agree.

I did it once with my band. I'd never recomend to anyone.

Yeah, we got a gig in the button factory, but there was hardly a crowd, too expensive. Its just a popularity contest.

And who wins in the end... emergenza, w/ your money.

I knew the band who won the irish final too, they (as we all) were told theyd then go to the world finals. They had to do another "final" before this, and went out. None of us were ever told about this "semi final". I talked to the guys later, they said it was another **** gig they felt a bit robbed.

Only good thing id say, you get free strings.

Theres plenty (too many in my opinion) of gigs available to bands in Dublin, almost any night of the week. You can get all the experience you want (quick set up, networking "as mentioned above") at these gigs, talk to the other bands. Thats how my last band got our name out. Supported Heritage Centre and Funeral Suits on a couple of occasions.

DrumSteve

from what i've seen its just a giant popularity contest so i wouldnt go anywere near it.

DerKaiser

A promoters dream, where they charge €12 a ticket and the only way to win is to bring more people than the other bands, without them doing any 'promoting', wait, that sounds like any gig through a 'promoter'

Savman

Funny that any band who's ever done it has swore they'd never do it again eh.

silverdarcy

We took part in it also a couple years ago

To be fair they do tell you what the score is with it in advance but the reality is you have to sell tickets for over a tenner to your mates and only play for 20 mins...

also they do a hand count to see which band wins
I wouldn't recommend it.

Denalihighway

Savman wrote: »

Funny that any band who's ever done it has swore they'd never do it again eh.

Yup, and I'm one of those bands. And by jaysus we never will. It seems like it's almost a right of passage for new bands to get scammed by this pack of wolves into thinking this is a good idea.

It is a straight up (and in fairness, they don't try to hide it) money racket. Your band will get zero publicity out of it, yes you might get to play a decent venue but all they are interested in is you (no matter what you play or how you play), annoying your friends into paying rediculous entrance fees into their coffers.

And yes, as everyone says above, it is most certainly not about the music.

An even worse aspect of the whole thing was how nice as pie they are when they're signing you up prior to treating you like a bunch of animals when you're doing their shows.

If I was you I'd take our word for it, and as a personal favour to me, tell everyone you come across about it.

Good luck with your band, as a rule of thumb avoid band competitions unless their reputation proceeds them and/or there are serious prizes/advantages for being involved.

Most of them are as above, money rackets that snare enthusiastic but naive young bands and musicians.

drumdrum

Think I will keep it short and sweet!
I did it a couple years ago. Got to Vicar St. The panel of "judges" didnt even show up for the first band on, and they left after 2 songs of the last band playing.

The "event" is a money making scam for the promoter! Avoid like the plague!

Music-and-booze

Pretty much agree with everything everyone has said, its all done in the interest of money. i usually avoid battle of the bands anyway cos theyre generally ****e, but voting by hand-raising just takes the biscuit, retarded...

stateofflux

NewNo2 wrote: »

Only good thing id say, you get free strings.

Or depending on how you look at it, the most expensive set of strings you have ever paid for......

Furious-Red

Agree with everyone already posted in this topic. We did a few years ago i think 07 . We knew about it because a friends band had did it previously but never asked how they got on.

We were really excited about playing and the chance to play Germany if we got threw. We had the meetings with some guy who was running it (French guy i think) sound guy and he gave us tickets and all the info we needed. We try to sell tickets but i only sold 3 to people in college , and about 6 to other band members friends. It was hard to get people to go since we were from Kildare so we got about 9 tickets sold and my sister arrived with her friend so there was about 11 supporters.

Its really a quick money making scheme for the organisers.

terrytibbs

What everybody is saying here is right, it is a scheme. I've foolishly done it twice and will never again.

It is basicly a scheme where they charge you to play for them and do ZERO promotion for the gigs.

Also the bands are supposedly chosen by "an audience show of hands". False. The organisers choose the band that sold the most tickets not the band with the biggest number of votes.

Not only do they rip you off but they rip your friends off too. They rent great venues but there's no one there because a) nobody eccept the bands know about it and b) its insanely expensive for all involved.

Any band would prefer to play a small pub that was full of people to the Academy with 10 people.

This many people cannot be wrong - definitley avoid and save yourself and your friends the hassle.

sorry for all the negativity, hope this helps.

Fandango

Played it last year and would definately not recommend it. Firstly, you have to consistantly bring a crowd as the more votes you get, the later you go on in the next round and so have a better chance. Secondly, votes arent done at the end of the night. They are done directly after you finish your set meaning your voting without actually hearing the rest of the bands. Third, the voting is done by a show of hands which the organisers seem to be able to count within seconds and so cant be a correct count.

These reasons along with many others are reasons to avoid it. Its basically a scam on bands to fill the organisers pockets. Notice they dont put one cent into advertising dor it? They just want to leave all that to the bands and reap the benifits. Having said all that, the nights we played were good craic but the fact that they are simply taking advantage of bands means i wouldnt go near it ever again.

Laocoon

I was supposed to meet these scammers on April 1st dont think I will now haveing read this. Maybe we should all enter the comp and just not turn up for the meeting they organise to get your money. That way we will waste their time and money in the same way they have done to countless bands.

icecool101

Laocoon wrote: »

Maybe we should all enter the comp and just not turn up for the meeting they organise to get your money. That way we will waste their time and money in the same way they have done to countless bands.

Thats a great idea im gona do that

Denalihighway

do it lads - you have my blessing!

most bands are on facebook these days - set up a group or something potentially viral. all the other previous posters will offer you their prayers for sure...