Blackpool Motown/soul Night Feeback Required

[Guest The Motown Band]

Hi there

Im a member of an eleven piece band "The Motown Band" wondering wether anyone could help in gathering some feedback.

We are trying to organise a Motown/Soul night in Blackpool and your help would be greatly appreciated.

It is early days but there are two price options at venues we are conidering which price option would be of most interest.

First option: £15.00 per person to include entertainment from a live band, Soul DJ's and 1 O'Clock bar.

or

Second Option: £35.00 per person to include entertainment from a live band,

Soul DJ's, a 1 O'Clock bar and sit down meal before band.

Many Thanks.

[Jaco]

Interesting.

First post and nobody bothers to reply, unless you've got lots of PMs.

Now there may be a reason for that, but in the interest of fairness I will reply.

First option definitely. I cannot see many people opting for grub at a soul do.

Get 'em dancing early and keep 'em dancing!

Good luck with the venture.

[Steve G]

Interesting.

First post and nobody bothers to reply, unless you've got lots of PMs.

Now there may be a reason for that, but in the interest of fairness I will reply.

First option definitely. I cannot see many people opting for grub at a soul do.

Get 'em dancing early and keep 'em dancing!

Good luck with the venture.

I'd agree with this.

[Guest outonthefloor]

Totally agree with above,

u cant dance on a full stomach

XX

[Dave Rimmer]

I think you may need to reconsider your pricing. Soul fans are a notoriously tight fisted lot, and probably wouldn't consider paying anywhere near £15 to listen to a band they don't know.

[Chalky]

I think you may need to reconsider your pricing. Soul fans are a notoriously tight fisted lot, and probably wouldn't consider paying anywhere near £15 to listen to a band they don't know.

Most won't pay £15 for a band they do know

Suppose it depends on your dj line up, time it ends etc, the bands routine? If just a soul night, say 2am finish with a band doing covers then I reckon you'll struggle at £15.

Forget the 2nd option all together for your average soul crowd!! Food, I doubt much would get eaten anyway

[Guest The Motown Band]

Cheers mate, still looking at venues to try and get the price down. It's still early days yet, but all and any feedback taken into consideration.

So c'mon everyone more input, pleeeeeze.

[Tabs]

Agree with what has been said already.

Option 2 is a no brainer -at £35 you can do a weekender for that.

Not even sure what you are trying to promote.

Is it a Motown tribute band with a Motown theme all night, a soul night, northern night or just MOR?

A few more details so we can make an informed judgement would be useful.

I don't mean this to be a critical reply but most Soul fans need to know what the night involves before parting with the cash.

[Epic]

There are plenty of soul nights in & around the Blackpool area already with prices ranging from - FREE - £3.00 - £6.00 admission.

I don't think any of them are full to the rafters - & to be honest "live acts" are not everyones cup of tea.

Edited December 15, 2007 by epic

[Guest Carl Dixon]

The Motown Band - I would certainly come and see. I like live music, and if it is the style I like, even better! However, please, please, please make sure you have at least 2 guitars (should be 3 really), plus a bass guitar and tambourine along with the other instruments. Ideally congas too! I hate to say also, but a real piano and a Hammond organ are critical. Otherwise you will not have the nuances associated with Motown records of the 1960's. My problem is I am too critical - they set the bar high and many groups I see use synths for piano/brass strings and do not have correct percussion and drum fills etc. You can, with the right musicians, have drums, tambourine, bass guitar and congas as a track and it will sound fabulous. Put on a nice Yamaha synth horns and you have stuffed it! Listen to the records. Listen to guitar 1 doing the back beats on the 2/4. Listen to guitar 2 strumming the chord. Listen to guitar 3 finger plucking along with the bass line. Most important are the drums. Within 5" you should be able to tell if it is a Detroit track (as a rule) by the style and more than likely the particular drummer. Lots of drum fills and loud bass drum hits. Get the tambourine loud in the mixing process. The guitar back beats have to be tight and more specific - muted the instant they are played - and high up on the neck, with a little reverb.

[Guest The Motown Band]

Agree with what has been said already.

Option 2 is a no brainer -at £35 you can do a weekender for that.

Not even sure what you are trying to promote.

Is it a Motown tribute band with a Motown theme all night, a soul night, northern night or just MOR?

A few more details so we can make an informed judgement would be useful.

I don't mean this to be a critical reply but most Soul fans need to know what the night involves before parting with the cash.

It's just in the idea stages at the moment, we're still trying to get the prices down. But we're hoping for an all round event ie;

Stage show & different styles of soul djs, but an event for all to enjoy.

This is why we're looking for feedback.

Many thanks

Oh' and a cheep bar.

Cheers

[Guest The Motown Band]

The Motown Band - I would certainly come and see. I like live music, and if it is the style I like, even better! However, please, please, please make sure you have at least 2 guitars (should be 3 really), plus a bass guitar and tambourine along with the other instruments. Ideally congas too! I hate to say also, but a real piano and a Hammond organ are critical. Otherwise you will not have the nuances associated with Motown records of the 1960's. My problem is I am too critical - they set the bar high and many groups I see use synths for piano/brass strings and do not have correct percussion and drum fills etc. You can, with the right musicians, have drums, tambourine, bass guitar and congas as a track and it will sound fabulous. Put on a nice Yamaha synth horns and you have stuffed it! Listen to the records. Listen to guitar 1 doing the back beats on the 2/4. Listen to guitar 2 strumming the chord. Listen to guitar 3 finger plucking along with the bass line. Most important are the drums. Within 5" you should be able to tell if it is a Detroit track (as a rule) by the style and more than likely the particular drummer. Lots of drum fills and loud bass drum hits. Get the tambourine loud in the mixing process. The guitar back beats have to be tight and more specific - muted the instant they are played - and high up on the neck, with a little reverb.

All I can say is check out www.themotownband.com

Still looking for a decent percusionist, so if you know one in the manchester area tell him to get in touch.

Thanks

Ps; Not a triangle player though, LoL.

[Guest stash313]

Speaking of Soul Fans being tight fisted!

The Originals at The Ritz £25 for a gig from 4pm sunday through to 8am Monday, 28 DJs and Jimmy Conwell and THE ORIGINALS live.

Not bad really is it, some thought so.

Comments I received that weekend "I' not in the habit of paying for birthday party's", "f*king rip off", "rip off merchant Richard Searling"

Ermmmm Yeah.

Soul Fans = Every Penny is a prisoner

[Guest Carl Dixon]

I am pleased to read you have a good horn section! Do you ever include a baritone which I also think is a pre requisite on certain mid 60's tracks? Because with that horn power, you would have a great addition to the rhythm section. Also it is great of you to include SOS/Edwin Starr in your song list! Great track that sums up how much Motown was admired back then by the other studios and how they could, if they wanted sound exactly the same as Hitsville. If they can....so can you ha ha.

Edited December 15, 2007 by Carl Dixon

[Guest]

Fancy a gig this side of the Pennines?

S25 about 3 miles from M1 J31 just off A57

Can mail me: soulmanash@hotmail.com

Agree ref pricings and food tho - too high and No respectively

[Sean Hampsey]

Fancy a gig this side of the Pennines?

Good Call Ashley!

Advertise this as a straight 'MOTOWN NIGHT' with DJ's playing Pure MOTOWN and 'Club Soul' promoted well 'outside' of the regular NS Circle (i.e. to the '40 something' public at large - Dinnington Guardian Reader) and you'd pack the Lyric to the Rafters.

But in the case of the Dinnington punter, 'Pie & Peas' would be an essential!

Sean

[Guest The Motown Band]

Good Call Ashley!

Advertise this as a straight 'MOTOWN NIGHT' with DJ's playing Pure MOTOWN and 'Club Soul' promoted well 'outside' of the regular NS Circle (i.e. to the '40 something' public at large - Dinnington Guardian Reader) and you'd pack the Lyric to the Rafters.

But in the case of the Dinnington punter, 'Pie & Peas' would be an essential!

Sean

Going to get in touch about the Dinnington gig and already arranging pie 'n' peas at some other venues.

Thanks for that.

[Guest Hunnymon]

Fancy a gig this side of the Pennines?

S25 about 3 miles from M1 J31 just off A57

Can mail me: soulmanash@hotmail.com

Agree ref pricings and food tho - too high and No respectively

What are the times for the Boxing Day event? And what kind of numbers will attend?

I'm not too far away from this event