Our Thursdays / Arthur's Day Comp

Rocky Racoon

Hey

I got a call a few weeks back saying we'd had been selected for this. this was meant to be followed by a mail from from the organiser at Diageo - didn't happen. Does anyone have a contact there?? best to pm?

On a secondary note - is it a bit of a scam? you bring your friends along to vote for the early rounds (i don't think this was made clear when signing up??) - so they're out drinking guinness - voting is done by text (so i presume they'll collect your details etc). I see what's in it for Diageo alright. What's in it for the bands besides expense, not great venues, dragging your mates out again? Is the opportunity to support Snow Patrol (for a little gig) really even a decent prize?

From the start it hasn't seemed particular clear in it's concept or very well-organised to me.

yours cynically

Rocky

stevood

The voting is free text and supporting Snow Patrol and Dizzie Rascal in the Brewery on Arthurs Day is a great prize. There will be a lot of people there and you never know who may see you.

Also having that you supported snow patrol on your band Cv can open door for a band and get them some higher profile gigs.

I do agree that the venues aren't great for sound. We're playing Buskers Thursday week in the second round and they feed the sound through their little sound system. The venue also want it kept low and wont have speakers at the stage area. They do have monitors tho.

MilanPan!c

I concur that this was shoddily run, to the point where we pulled out.

The original venue was given, and we were told to contact the other band on the bill to arrange a gear sharing arrangement. Huh?

Then, the venue pulled out, and we were given about 5 mins to confirm a replacement venue.

By the time I got back to them they had given the alternate venue slot to another band and were suggesting we drive to cork, etc.

Course, we won't come close to winning in Cork, what with the voting system.

Very shoddy all around.

Maybe they'll sort it out better next year. This year the winner will essentially be arbritary.

On top of that, as someone that's opened up for famous bands in the past, I can say it's not really gonna help your career, unless you're extremely lucky.

Sorry to be negative, but this year, this thing, is not being well run.

In my opinion.

HeartShake

Have to say that our experience was totally different. Phone call followed by mail, we brought drums other band brought amps.

Diageo supplied the PA and even though the venue wasn't a typical gig venue (Foggy Dew), we'd a good night.

Thought it was fairly well run all in all.

MGilly84

Im inclined to agree that I'm not sure the prize is that great.

The venue we played was okayish, goodish crowd none of our own support-so a positive in the sense we had people who ordinarily wouldnt of heard us otherwise.

Other band didnt show up

Sound Engineer/Armchair Musician was okayish took him a long long time to get levels right. Of course guinness were paying him and not the Musicians. Typical!! Was driving and on the dry, went to the bar twice for a lucozade and not even so much as a fart of acknowledgement never mind a free mineral.

About three songs from end of set, one of our mates was told by mgt they would be interested in having us back for a paid gig. (How bad, if we squeezed 400 bucks every 3 months for a paid gig of our own music), that'd cover 8 months of the studio rent.

Hottish blond chick in front row screaming for Metallica covers who we promised one if we were back, though I seriously doubt we'll play it in the format she's expecting as we dont tend to do straight covers (soul destroying)

So look all in all, its best to just see it for what it really is:

A PR Event which realistically will benifit Aurthurs people and distributors of his produce a whole lot more than your peasant unsigned band.

An opportunity to broaden your gig and fan base

An opportunity to work your stones off like every other unsigned act has to do

The chance to do what you love to do most-play to a live audience and if you dont then stop playing music.

People shouldnt take these competitions as serious and realise that the band will inevitably get screwed over and used by any industry that can make a buck off your back. The best you can ever hope for is to stay playing, enjoy your music, and have the craic. If somethings gonna happen and you get signed along the way then it is what it is and move down that road then.

stevood

Totally agree with ya MGilly84.

gigtown

Does anyone know if it's still possible to get involved in this?

MilanPan!c

I agree with MGilly, but for us, getting showed off to Cork, because they screwed up, twice, was beyond what we thought we'd get out fo playing in Cork, in a pub, on a Thursday, with no promotion.

But that was just us.

louloumc89

We're playing Thursday in Dolans in Limerick. It's upstairs and is a nice venue. Looking forward to it. Is the voting all done on the night yea? or is there a deadline?

HeartShake

It's open for 20 minutes from the end of the last band!

Rocky Racoon

Cool. For the record we opted out. It seemed like a lot of work trucking down to Greystones from Dublin (there's 7 of us), asking friends to come down to vote (i.e. another popularity contest). They didn't bother to mail to confirm details of venue, backline etc, also a poor prize in my opinion (for a large multinational)

But good luck to those that entered. Just hope they run it better next year - because it could be something really good.

The Electron

we got a call 2 days before the gig. we're from Dublin and got offered a gig in Mullingar. We played and it was fine but the whole time you can't help but feel that they haven't a clue what they're doing

for a company like Diageo, they could offer you a few pints or petrol money. i don't know how they're going to pick the bands for the provincial finals, probably on the highest number of votes which is bollix. i've received texts from friends who are playing in this competition. i'm home and they're asking me to vote for them. it isn't really hard to get a good few votes

Best of luck if you're still in it

kingcoma

We were told to be there at 6 to sound check. Came at 7 because usually sound checks never start on time. They werent even allowed to even start setting up until 8 because were playing in a restaurant. So sound check ended up around half 9

Nothing was miked up. It was the smallest stage ive ever seen. Theres 5 of us and 3 had to stand out on the floor (next to a door that about 500 dance heads were using to go to the nightclub upstairs)

It took the guy from Guinness 20 minutes to put up a banner behind where we were playing and thats no exaggeration. We lost the heat 4-3 lol. 4-3!! There were 7 people there. If we had voted ourselves we'd have won but didnt bother because if we did, we would have to return to the same venue another time. Was told afterwards by one of the 7 who came that the heat the week before was even worse, and the sound was abysmal.

Definitely a contender for worst gig ive ever played (probably just behind one in Portrush were there was 1 person there and it was cancelled after 5 minutes cause the guy in the opening band was nearly electrocuted by his mic)

You live and learn i guess!

dimitry datus

We're in it tommorrow night in the Pav. Not to keen on the whole text in idea so for the laugh we're all going to be supporting beamish on the night (t-shirts etc), just think it would be hilarious if we won as they'd have to take pics of us with our beamish t-shirts on.

If yer around pop in for the laugh.

Dimitry Datus

www.myspace.com/dimitrydatus

MGilly84

We pulled the plug on the second heat of our entry tonight.

Couldnt justify it:

Same pub, same audience, no interest in originals all they want is covers and too be fair theyre on a nite out and many wont be into original live music.

Fours cars to bring gear, 20quid a car at least on petrol.

No realistic system to pick best band (text system is a sham to harvest marketing info)

Were informed if we won heat we would get to play same venue a third time again un-paid.

Chances of getting to actually play a support slot to big band in a decent venue extremely slim.

Bottom line we love playing for the pleasure of playing but we have 4 gigs lined up this month in venues where live music is the order of the nite, 200-300 crowd gauranteed. Good sound systems and well organised. so why bother ones ass playing for a corporation which is making a mint out of it, promoting their produce and filling the publicans pocket who wouldnt even stand you a lucozade for christ sake.


We'll continue to work hard at playing venues that are genuine live music venues where people want to hear original music and may actually decide they like your band.

Will be avoiding these battle of the band shannanigans from now on- concept doesnt work and somebody is always doing better off than the musicians!!

Best of luck to rest involved.

golfman

Lads,

I think you need to take this as it is. You did sign up for it after all.

If you think you are good enough to make it then the chance to be heard and assessed by some industry professionals is worth the pain in my opinion. You could be playing the band circuit for years and getting your €400 for your nights work, and never be seen by someone that matters in the industry. This gives bands that opportunity and if it doesn't work out, well you got to sell yourself to potential new venues and be heard by a different crowd in the meantime.

I'm driving a minibus full of Dubs down to Galway tonight to see my mates play. Is it an inconvenience? Yea, big time. Could it be worth it for them? If they progress, I hope it will be, they've got nothing to lose apart from their time and a tank of diesel for their van. If they don't, we'll all have had a good night in Galway and watched 6 really good bands. I'm game!