Re: East Coast Festival of some level

["Jim Goodin" <jimgoodinmusic@gmail.com>]

So maybe it's timely.  When I left Y2K last October Rick sort of "passed the torch" in a sense to me and Michael K (Philly) with the edict of why don't you guys get a eastcoaster going.  I'd really like to get after this this time and will do my best not to "flake out" as I did last time partly due to feeling overextended at the time and just partly feeling like it was kind of just sitting on the fence as the Jungle Book vultures.

 

I know it's not that hard has a former project of mine called the Language of 3 which was like a mini-mini-festival in a sense, a performance concept similar in scope to the Int'l Guitar Night, I put together half dozen shows managing the additional artists involved.  It is sort of a 'lonely at the top' kind of gig and I'd like to see a northeast loop/experimental fest take place with several of us driving the boat.

 

The chief obstacle seems to be a venue or host.  Two years ago I went to the NY Fretless Guitar festival which was held in the Tap Bar of the KFactory over a Friday and Saturday which kind of amazed me that the KF would give that much time to it.  The Friday PM draw was modest for KF @30.  This fest had some sponsorship from Godin and a couple of other places and musicians attending globally.  My point is I guess a host could easily be a bar place like that but in Manhattan it seems a tougher sell albeit Michael Vick organizer of the above mentioned fest got in there.

 

I would prefer something more of a performance space than a liquor wagon but that's me.  I've even had the thought of something like this festival could exist running almost in a house concert atmosphere in a large enough home and a generous enough host.  Y2K's fest was in a modern office park kind of room almost akin to a corporate theatre.

 

So a place, then a date.  We're here in spring and something like this is too late in the fall hits around Y2K time so maybe I'd say either something like a mini fest scheduled for August though that atleast in the City is often dead time but possibly in NJ or PA or upstate NY probably not so dead.

 

I would do a website for the event.  Another thought is what I'm sure Kris and Rick have dealt with is for msuicians traveling long distances if we had such, getting financial assist for them.  I've got contacts with two company's that I have prod endorsement through though neither has ever given me any sense of financial committment, those being GHS and Godin so doubtful they would kick in money though GHS has certainly support Muriel Anderson who has an annual series at NAMM called Muriel's All Star Guitars.  The next possibility is grant money which I understand is a long trail to success.

 

These are all just idle thoughts but I'm pretty interested in getting behind getting an event going this time but I don't want to be alone in it.  I do have a few shows this summer wtih Chinapainting and my other duo East of WHere but have more time to give to this idea.  As I think about it August might not be be as my family and I will be away a week, maybe early July to have a mini.

 

Anyhow your thoughts?

 

Best

 

Jim

On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 1:42 PM, David Beardsley <db@biink.com> wrote:

Jim Goodin wrote:

It has led me to think though about helping getting something going in the northeast neck of the woods.  This is easy to talk about but hard to get to come to be.  I'd like to get behind getting a festival together out here but can't do it totally on my own energy/or dime.  The most clear obstacle is finding a host venue which I'm game to start exploring seeking.  Did you do your mini one at Princeton?
 Anyhow I'd like to open up this kettle of fish again and hope that it might come to be.  Ideas? Thoughts?

Strangely enough, just yesterday, I was just thinking about everyone who was interested
last year flaked out and lost interest.

--
* David Beardsley
* http://biink.com

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