Comments on: How to Get a Gig in Greenville, part I – The Handlebar http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/ Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:03:28 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: slamcrank http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-66 slamcrank Fri, 03 Aug 2007 11:47:55 +0000 http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-66 Alright, this article spells out, in detail, why The Handlebar is irrelevant in the upstate (and regional) art and music scene. The owner cares not at all for the art, only his profit margin. Which totally explains why nine shows out of ten at his venue are geared at radio promo bands on budweiser tours. This place is the Fox News of music. Ever visit them on one of their sacred "benefit" nights? The whole staff stands around with their arms crossed like they're having an invasive probe. The Handlebar started out as a fantastic music venue. It was small enough to be intimate, and large enough to hold great rock bands. Back then, their sound system was great as well. The larger room they have now is impossible to dial in for a good sound - as an aside, read Dave Rawlings' rant about the sound from their most recent show - and that typically lessens the experience for the people who actually come out to hear great art. If the owner understood anything about performance art, they would at least try to remedy this situation. Shelling out $20 to see a show with piss poor sound is not a pleasant way to spend an evening. However, that point is moot since the owner has made it clear over and over again (in this very article) that they care not about your experience, the art, the music, the quality of performance - they care about the $$$. Don't waste your money on this room. There are so many better rooms in Greenville to see fantastic artists. It's a sad shame what The Handlebar has become.... Alright, this article spells out, in detail, why The Handlebar is irrelevant in the upstate (and regional) art and music scene. The owner cares not at all for the art, only his profit margin. Which totally explains why nine shows out of ten at his venue are geared at radio promo bands on budweiser tours. This place is the Fox News of music. Ever visit them on one of their sacred “benefit” nights? The whole staff stands around with their arms crossed like they’re having an invasive probe. The Handlebar started out as a fantastic music venue. It was small enough to be intimate, and large enough to hold great rock bands. Back then, their sound system was great as well. The larger room they have now is impossible to dial in for a good sound – as an aside, read Dave Rawlings’ rant about the sound from their most recent show – and that typically lessens the experience for the people who actually come out to hear great art. If the owner understood anything about performance art, they would at least try to remedy this situation. Shelling out $20 to see a show with piss poor sound is not a pleasant way to spend an evening. However, that point is moot since the owner has made it clear over and over again (in this very article) that they care not about your experience, the art, the music, the quality of performance – they care about the $$$. Don’t waste your money on this room. There are so many better rooms in Greenville to see fantastic artists. It’s a sad shame what The Handlebar has become….

]]> By: chuck http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-65 chuck Sat, 14 Jul 2007 02:54:47 +0000 http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-65 as a local music venue owner i think that is one of the most assanine articles i have read. I agree that ya gotta make money to stay in business but from what i gathered it can be crap music as long as it fills the room. Where do you draw the line on selling out? I i would rather have good music with ten people than crap with 200. as a local music venue owner i think that is one of the most assanine articles i have read. I agree that ya gotta make money to stay in business but from what i gathered it can be crap music as long as it fills the room. Where do you draw the line on selling out? I i would rather have good music with ten people than crap with 200.

]]> By: jack http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-64 jack Tue, 10 Jul 2007 01:10:56 +0000 http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-64 I'll watch my local shows elsewhere. There are other venues in the Upstate that i can see local music that don't have John's mentality. Thanks for the invite though. I've heard/seen both of those bands in other venues and i really enjoyed them. I just don't enjoy going to the Handlebar. I’ll watch my local shows elsewhere. There are other venues in the Upstate that i can see local music that don’t have John’s mentality. Thanks for the invite though. I’ve heard/seen both of those bands in other venues and i really enjoyed them. I just don’t enjoy going to the Handlebar.

]]> By: Keith http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-63 Keith Fri, 06 Jul 2007 22:03:17 +0000 http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-63 I definitely see where you're coming from, but you have to remember that John's been doing this for a long time, and there's a reason that his club is one of the oldest in Greenville (and it's not because he's running a charity.) One great way that we can encourage John to book more local bands is to come to the shows where local bands play. A great chance to do just that would be to come to tonight's show at the Handlebar with the Winter Sounds and the Gentle Suit. I definitely see where you’re coming from, but you have to remember that John’s been doing this for a long time, and there’s a reason that his club is one of the oldest in Greenville (and it’s not because he’s running a charity.) One great way that we can encourage John to book more local bands is to come to the shows where local bands play. A great chance to do just that would be to come to tonight’s show at the Handlebar with the Winter Sounds and the Gentle Suit.

]]> By: jack http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-62 jack Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:04:35 +0000 http://greenvillescmusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/how-to-get-a-gig-in-greenville-part-i-the-handlebar/#comment-62 <p>"Venues aren’t in business to help small businesses. Bands are small businesses. Don’t behave otherwise." </p> <p>You're an absolute joke. You obviously don't give a d*** about the local music scene at all, just your wallet. I understand your club is a business, but businesses also give back to the community. From what i've seen and heard, you have a very cold view of local music. Get your national acts and charge $20 to see them play. That's a great business plan. But it leaves a sour taste in the mouths of thousands of local musicians and supporters of local music. The Handlebar is irrelevant as fas as building a Greenville scene for local music. If you look at other regional music hubs such as Athens, GA and Asheville, NC they both have venues which in your words "help small businesses" (AKA hard working local musicians). Keep on working hard to make those BIG bucks, John. Good luck with that.</p> “Venues aren’t in business to help small businesses. Bands are small businesses. Don’t behave otherwise.”

You’re an absolute joke. You obviously don’t give a d*** about the local music scene at all, just your wallet. I understand your club is a business, but businesses also give back to the community. From what i’ve seen and heard, you have a very cold view of local music. Get your national acts and charge $20 to see them play. That’s a great business plan. But it leaves a sour taste in the mouths of thousands of local musicians and supporters of local music. The Handlebar is irrelevant as fas as building a Greenville scene for local music. If you look at other regional music hubs such as Athens, GA and Asheville, NC they both have venues which in your words “help small businesses” (AKA hard working local musicians). Keep on working hard to make those BIG bucks, John. Good luck with that.

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