Re: Post Orycon 18 Discussion

replySat, 30 Nov 1996 15:22:51 -0800 (PST) Karen Rall <quarong at eskimo.com> wrote:

> LARRY C = Please forgive me for picking on you here, but you raised
> some issues concerning usage of hotel space that are unfortunately based on
> misconceptions that I feel need to be corrected:

'S OK, Quarong. I don't mind a bit. My attitude is that ideas need to be out there, even if they get shot down right away. You'll have to excuse me if I discuss a bit, though. ;>

> > What about the hotel bar?
> John Bunnell actually covered this point fairly well: First, of
> all, you would need a bar which was designed to showcase musical
> activities, which many (including the quiet bar at the Orycon
> Red Lion) are not.

Good point. Isolated booths designed for romantic discretion do not lend themselves to musical entertainment.

> Second, you would have to convince the hotel
> to let you use this space; and if you think negotiating space
> desires with a concom is hard . . . . The bar is the hotel's way
> of continuing to make money off of the mundane population even
> while they have a convention in-house. So you have to convince

This is a big point. The prevailing attitude of ConComs is "no pay, no play." Convincing them that you should schedule a con event that is open to the non-paying public would probably be harder than convincing the bar management to lend their facilities.

I've seen the back side of a bar more than once. They don't do as much business as you might think. A bartender who pours nonstop for a 6 hour shift may do a $1000 bar. Most nights $300-$400 in your average bar is a pretty good till, and week nights drop off to less than half that. Anything that will pull in a house that they don't have to pay for is attractive. It at least gives you a starting point to talk.

There's no way you could move a traditional filk circle into a working bar. However, the concerts this year were a new thing, and lend themselves better to an entertainment setting. I think it would be worth a chat with the bar manager, if a suitable bar were available. I'd be glad to do the legwork myself if I lived closer, but it's a 200 mile drive to Portland and I can't stand the commute.

replyBTW, as a suggestion for Westercon, since it's in the summer, how about a tent pavillion outside? I don't know how noisy the site is, but if you could get by with low power amps and a simple PA system, and outside songfest might be fun. You don't need much PA for an audience of only a hundred people or less, but you definitely need some amplification outside.

replySee? I told you I liked ideas. Don't expire in frustration, it's only an idea. :)

I'll be interested to see what you come up with for Westercon 50.

• Larry