LICHFIELD BLUES HOUNDS

[Newcroft]

Hi everyone,

As you'll know, I took over running the Blues Jam nights at the Paradise Lounge a couple of months ago after Tony M had a sudden age related attack of "what am I doing this for?!", and after so long who can blame him! Thanks Tony!

This last week (26th Aug) we had a dire lack of people in the pub, both players and watchers. Those who did come did a great job of filling the night up with good music. The reasons could be many that the pub was virtually empty: bank holiday week, smoking ban, inflation, or whatever.

I had a phone call the following day from the guy that runs the pub, Mark, saying that the takings have been running down on the Tuesday nights and that he doesn't think the blues jam is helping that, so is it our fault?

I've looked back through some of the comments posted on this forum back in 2006 and most of the same problems were discussed then as were outlined by Mark over the phone.

This is not new then, and the issues seem to be:

Lack of quality performances (not necessarily players)
Lack of preparation for what gets played
Lack of fresh players
Lack of singers
Gaps between songs
Too loud for pub visitors to tolerate
No local promotion

These things are cited as causing a lack of beer sales during the night. The blues jammers make a valiant attempt at propping up the beer sales on Tuesdays (non drivers of course!) but we can't carry a whole pub!

I produced a sheet which attempted to address some of the problems above, which I hope people will read and take notice of. We need to be able to put on a better 'show' for the pub goers.

It's not all doom and gloom, we have a good core of regular players who come down and very clearly enjoy themselves. The jam does provide a rare local opportunity for those cutting their teeth (or finger ends!) on live performance to have a go.

We really need to do something about all this otherwise the pub will can our jam night in favour of dominoes or something.

Suggestions are very welcome, as will be attendance over the next few weeks which will be vital to the pub giving us a stay of execution.

Please answer the questionnaire on this so everyone has a hand in deciding what to do next.

Many thanks to everyone for your support over the last few years..... keep playing the blues!

Cheers

Neil

[Paul McD]

Hi Neil & everyone,

I definitely believe we should be given more time to let the new format settle down and there is no way the lack of people this week could be put down to us. Dan told me that it was just as quiet on the BH Monday.

It may be that moving to every fortnight might encourage more to attend when there is a jam on so I have voted that way but I will still support a weekly jam when I can if it continues.

I would certainly enforce a reduction in volume level - it doesn't need to be as loud as it usually is - and that does turn some people away.

You might consider publishing your "etiquette" sheet on the website for people to read at leisure. I think most people did not realise it was there on Tuesday.

Keep up the good work.

Paul

[NeilB]

Hi Everyone.
Just wanted to add my ten penneth to the subject.
I think its a bit rich trying to pin poor tuesday night trade at the PL on us jammers.
I reckon every pub/club in the country is currently feeling the pinch mid-week.
It's supposed to be summer, students go home, people go on holiday (particularly in August ) and if they don't they are probably thinking twice about spending any spare cash in the middle of the week.
I don't for one minute think that the music is the problem, but I agree things get abit loud at times.
I suspect that everything will turn round when everyone hits their 'winter mode'.
Maybe the short term answer is to go fortnightly, and return to weekly (assuming we get the option) when things pick up.

Regards

Neil B

[Richard Jones]

Firstly, I'll join you, Neil, in thanking Tony Mottram for hitting his head against this particular brick wall - for so long & with such good humour. There have been periods when but for this, I, for one, would hardly have played at all.

So what's to be done? I guess, having taken on the mantle, it's largely down to you, Neil. I'm forty miles away, the wrong side of Birmingham. The 'every other week' idea might well work - but I'm not sure I'd care to write a justification for trying it. The noise meter is bloody annoying - I rather hoped people would react positively but there seems to be an inate 'volume leapfrog' process - & I'm as culpable as most.

Given the current state of play in the pub trade - & my only source of information is that I seem to pass a pub that's recently closed at least once a week (yesterday I noticed that the Old Mill, in Northfield, Birmingham - which until recently had live bands two or three nights a week - was shuttered & abandoned) - might suggest that there may be a suitable venue in the area which has appropriate facilities & would welcome our modest boozing prowess. Even, perhaps, a reasonable acoustic when not full of people..? I don't know the pubs in the area (except the Kings Head, round the corner - only because I do the occasional gig there) but I suspect a couple of miles either way wouldn't make much difference, as just about everyone drives there (I believe..?).

Whatever direction you take, I'll do my best to support you. Over the years, I've met some really lovely people - not to see them occasionally - & to get to have a blow - would be a great loss.

Richard