Comments

• 

  written on 14-Dec-2009

  Alex [http://www.proud.co.uk] says:

  Sam
  Sorry you dislike us so much.
  Not sure how running a small business of 1 bar and a couple of galleries on my own makes me "proud industries"? PS3 do not sponsor us and have no branding. We simply put them out for people to have fun during the day? How is that "corporate"?
  There is only a "vast" open space when no one watches the band. It seems slighly obvious to me that any big venue is "vast" and "empty" if no one wants to see the band? Are you suggesting I personally go round Camden and tell people off for not paying to see the bands you deem important.
  The venue is full for plenty of bands and empty for others. This is called "choice". I do not control it. Using your logic we would ban any venue with a capcity of more than 100 in case people didnt come and watch and the space became "vast" and "empty"? Hmmm
  Promoters put on bands and take the door money when they put on nights. If they wish to arrange a rider for the band then they should do so in good time. But no venue in the world is going to simply sell beer at cost on the night because you ask them too. That seems quite obvious and I am sorry you find that so upsetting. We sell Bud Ice for £3 a bottle. That is not very expensive Sam.
  Yes we legally (part of our liscense) have to search all bags in the venue and the police check up on this often. Again sorry, but go complain to the police.
  As for you being so upset that you and you friends were going to have a free meal on me, and that we could only let 3 of you eat free , insead of 4. Well I am sorry. As we explained to you in an e mail, we were taken by suprise at how many people responded. We said sorry and it was a simple honest mistake. Gosh you were all still having a free meal on me, hardly crime of the century?
  
  Alex

• 

  written on 14-Dec-2009

  sam says:

  Hi Alex,
  
  thanks for your comment, I think this got slightly lost in translation.
  
  What I was trying to say was that if a promoter of a night is not permitted to provide a rider which would generally be a few beers per band member it's not really fair - people who run small inde magazines and put on free events generally don't have cash lying around to fork out 90 quid for a crate of beer.
  
  and the second part about the security - on the door it's fine, I completely understand searching people's bags - but not even the police can search your bags without asking - it's not on going round a bar before the doors have opened and rummaging through bags?!
  
  The bit about the new venue - I was keen as to go along, probably would have weitten it up too - but one thing led to another and after rsvping and being told great please come along that half of our group couldn't attend just ain't on. Would The Guardian or Vice have received the same treatment?
  
  I hope that you can see where I'm coming from - Part of what we try and do with the mag is promote good stuff - as a rule, I'm not keen on dissing a place - I generally just ignore it - there are so many other great places to go in London that you can afford to do that sort of thing.
  
  All the best,
  Sam

• 

  written on 14-Dec-2009

  miss r says:

  mmmmm....yes...but maybe I....and this is me...u know!!!so dont take much notice...I would have gone on the fact that...tos is an inde mag...proud is a "small" bar with venue and trying to make cash....then why dont you help and support each other instead of not caring at all....the fact is that small mags are not taken in to consideration that much and that bring young people in a distressing place cos they always thing that venue dont give a damn...and the venue not to understand that better communication would make everybody's life easier and better response to their hard work.... The old london calling, make the music, make the independent, all together, the alternative, the art, IS DEAD, just the bigger and expensive.....but sam, keep on trying...TOS is the future and I believe in you!

• 

  written on 23-Dec-2009

  alexpr55 says:

  Good feedback...
  1) We have 2000 bands a year playing and doing the rider was costing us a vast amount of money. So we decided to say yes to soft drinks, but no to booze. We simply cant afford it right now... But i DO agree that is open to being called tight! You could have e mailed me to ask?
  2) Security... they do ask on the door, but once stuff is in early they dont knwo who it belongs to and it is impossible to find out. Also in law (sorry!) you are on my property and it is legal. But not very nice. We do try to ask, but often the band have scattered and no one knows whose bag is which. I will say again to them to try to find out first.
  
  But yes I take your points and we should all try to help each other as small operators. Agreed. New venue we did actually send the SAME form e mail to everyone, we didnt know everyone was so it was sent to all! Simply too many replied and we have to pull it back. I hope you will change your mind and come down sometime.
  
  Thanks for bothering to feedback to me and I hope we can mend bridges! Happy Christmas.
  Alex

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