Syracuse Ska Forum

Also for the record, we don't not book shows down here because we suck, but because no one has really gotten up and said, let us get some shows together, and actually did something about it.

My fear is actual turn out.

Somebody arranged the Monkey Gone Mad/RazSum show last month, got it listed in Freetime and City Magazine (which did a feature blurb on it.)

Wasn't me.


I didn't even know about that show. Why did no one tell me?!

Yeah, I saw it in the City paper. I would of gone but it was 21+ or 18+ or something like that.

Well, turn out is a Catch 22 problem. You can't book bigger shows until smaller shows have worked out first, but no one even wants to book the smallers shows until SOME shows are working out. You have to start SOMEWHERE.

We did a lot of small Westcott ska shows for a full year before we brought back The Toasters at the end of 2001. That was no accident. It'd have been suicide any other way. Big bands charge big bucks, based on the notion there is a core of kids already coming to shows, PLUS the fans of the actual band itself. That's how most bigger shows really happen ...

FWIW, no one told me either about the MGM/RazSum show in Rochester either or I'd have tried to help plug it. I really don't know how it was booked, but I can easily guess ...

In any case, set up SOMETHING and make those shows work. There is just no real substitute for that. If even 12 kids have fun in someone's basement and are willing to bring other kids next time, you're on your way. I'll be more than happy to work with anyone on that, to try to keep you from making too many mistakes early on (although making your own mistakes definitely helps you learn the lesson more strongly).

Everyone seems to think there is some magic involved or pure hype. The only magic is the kind you make yourself and the only hype that ultimately matters is when friends ask friends to come to shows ...

Well, for starters....

If we did do a show in Rochester, The Harmony House would be a great venue.

We could try to get all of the rochester ska bands and some of the Syracuse bands and try to make a day out of it.

I think with a little help from everybody and getting the word out in advance could make this go well if it were to happen.

Yeah, Harmony House is probably your equivalent of the Westcott. It's a well known, well liked all ages venue. Just make sure if you do a show in there that YOU FILL IT.

If you can't fill it, go somewhere smaller, no matter how small.

I'm gonna start a new thread about this subject, actually ...

I know Twitch is in to the idea too.

Every person willing to help is a valuable asset ...

Ironic thing is, I heard about it a few weeks beforehand, but I didn't talk it up because I thought maybe it had been canceled - there was no mention of it on your site or razsum.com, or the razsum myspace page, and I managed to miss the City blurb.

Erring on the side of caution was not the play to make

I'm one of those old-school weirdos that enjoys sweat and toil. I spent two hours last night assembling a list of venues, addresses and contact info.

I'll start threads for venue suggestions and band info.

Well, I think we could fill Montey's Krown quite easily.

It's reallly small. but i heard it can accomodate 70...i don't know how comfortably though.

You can probably get Monty's Krown in the daytime, and it would be an over/under show, but anything past 7pm there is 21+. We tried this already, remember:
There wasn't a big turnout though, and we think that was due to it being in the middle of the day. Any thoughts....ideas? We put the whole Ska Wars thing on the back burner when we got in the studio. Please use the logo if you feel it's a good idea, and keep in touch with us because we will help out as much as possible and always play shows (if our schedules agree).