I have a totally insane idea.
a2f2a.com was started with the idea of putting fans and musicians together.
So let’s put them together.
All in one place.
The UK is where most of the (in)action is happening at the moment, so let’s organise a concert — a Massive Monster Mash — specifically so fans and musicians can meet in the same place at the same time and trade thoughts and opinions …
… artists to fans to artists.
Have half-a-dozen bands, say, not on a stage, but in a performing area surrounded by fans. They’d each do a short set, break, talk to fans via roaming mics/cameras broadcast live on X number of big screens so everyone could see and hear, and then the next band would take its turn.
And so on.
Film and tape it and turn it into a documentary for free release online, and for showing in offline cinemas.
That’s one way we’d make it clear the Rock Tsars aren’t where it’s at.
Devilish Presley’s Jacqui and Johnny are both in the UK and the other day I was talking to them about this. They reckon it would take six months or so to put such an event together.
Could it be done more quickly?
Either way, IMHO, it’d be a great opportunity for a documentary/film maker or two, half-a-dozen bands and who knows how many fans to make it clear who’s really in charge.
I know, I know. It’s an insane idea and I haven’t really thought it through.
But anyway …
And isn’t this kind of thing what a2f2a.com is all about?
And it would be a media magnet with the focus on us instead of them.
Cheers!
Jon Newton
February 22nd, 2010 at 6:35 pm
It sounds like a great idea. It would be nice if it could have an anti three strikes and lawsuit message. Your idea of filming it and releasing it for free sounds good, in addition to that I’d suggest webcasting it live, but have that cost a min of $1.00(or $1 euro), with the option of contributing more. Even if you couldn’t organize it on a large scale, just having some bands play in a club and interviewing them would make a good documentary.
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Sell tickets to fund the venue and cover costs. Everything can then be published copyleft. That means ANYONE can make or sell copies. With such hyper-promotion, the next event is more popular.
You might even get funding from the BBC (and their help in keeping the cartel at bay).
There will be extreme pressure not to make it pure copyleft.
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Blimey, Monsters & Zombies on a2f2a in one day….what horror!
OK Jon, as we said to organise something big, plus all the other non-musical stuff like film crews and screens etc would take time. Another reason for it to take time would be to promote it well enough in advance – and to book a venue.
@ Crosbie 2
We know a venue in Birmingham that is punk friendly and free to hire, we have done 2 gigs there (one with Atilla The Stockbroker) and we also have someone who can film it, we made a DVD there last year and the guy who is a fan didn’t charge us!. However it does have a stage and is not really big enough for Jons idea of playing in the round so to speak. It does though supply backline as well.
@ Monkey D Luffy 1.
As far as a “live” internet thing maybe this:
http://www.blogtv.com/
As a general reply we have to state at the outset that we are behind this idea, but, we can’t be involved in organising it completely by ourselves – everyone needs to spread the word and to find bands who would be willing to get involved. I am sure you will appreciate that as we are “independent” we have to deal with our own band and the CwF part + all the writing/recording we are doing at the moment – and we do that alone. Time not commitment is our one constraint.
February 24th, 2010 at 7:29 am
@ Jacqui:
Fair enough. We should put a small organising group together.
Does anyone have any experience in this kind of thing and if you do, are you willing to get into it?
Does anyone think it’s a terrible idea and is trying for too much?
I’ve created a new Monster Mash category and from now on, all posts to do with that will go there. (Just have to remember how to add the name to the category list on the right – heh)
Cheers!
February 24th, 2010 at 9:25 am
@Jon & Jacqui
It sounds like a great idea, although, organising one huge event may be more difficult than organising say 5-10 medium sized events around some key areas. Booking a very large area requires a hefty financial committment. but, a big piece of land in the countryside could do the trick (as long as it’s not snowing 50 centimeters like it is today in many parts of the UK..lol). You might aim towards Freshers week. I know that a lot of student unions organise gigs that might work within the time frame and maybe you could get in touch with the university’s audio-visual students? (just an idea):)