Si600 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 (edited) How do meets/bashes get started? Does someone just think I'll ask a rehearsal space if they can do x day and then advertise it, if I get enough takers I'll book it otherwise I'll go to the pub? Do you expect to pay for a meet, have a band hanging around to do the non-bass bits? What happens behind the scenes? I only ask as all the advertised meets are in far flung places and I wondered how easy it would be to set one up, and if I did, would anyone come? It'll be in or around Northampton BTW! Edited October 12, 2012 by Si600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I started organising bass bashes just because is seemed like a great idea. The first was a massive success and the second went well in all except attendance. A lot of work goes into finding venues for these meets and keeping costs down. Key things to remember : Lower costs mean that the ticket price can go towards a charity but venues have to be fairly large in order to accommodate the volume of 20 + bass amps being pounded at the same time. It's a fine balance and its not easy to find a venue. Plug sockets are in demand! When you check out a venue it's the small things that make a huge difference :[list] [*]Seperation (can you split the bash across several rooms?, is there a quiet area for people to chat?) [*]Isolation, is the venue next to houses? How would they react to 20 + bass amps? [*]Refreshments, will you bring your own or will they be supplied? [*]Accessibility, is it easy to reach? (Something I'm trying to address for the next EABB, accessibility by train etc) [*]Can you attract the crowd? [*]How are you going to lay the room out? You could have a huge hall but all the plug sockets could be in one corner, making it next to useless. [/list] Like I say, it's a fair amount of work but I enjoy the days I go to and the days I put on. It's hugely rewarding and you meet some great guys. If you need someone to chat too feel free to drop me a line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueslemac Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Northampton isn't so very far from the Fens where Charic's had his last two. They've both been about 60 miles from where I live, so wouldn't be much further for you. Worth an hour or so in the car for my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 FWIW I'm thinking of aiming for peterborough for the next bash :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johngh Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 The first bass bashes we had were at a pub just off the M1 going down towards Northampton, can't remember the name of the pub, but they were well attended. I'd come down from Derbyshire for it, if it were at the same venue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 (edited) Northampton is my hometown, so if there was one down that way I'd hope to be able to make a weekend of it and spend a little time seeing old friends and family too! Edited September 20, 2012 by chrismuzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 It depends what you want to do with it. The SE Bash was originally run in Guildford & set up by OBBM IIRC. NIK, Hamster & various others have been kind enoungh to take things on and arrange the last (is it) 5 years now, and they have been larger affairs where, thanks to Hamsters good offices, we have had the run of a number of rooms in the school, so have had[list] [*]a quiet room, for raffles, general chat, refreshments, and in past years shall we say quieter workshops like double bass, recording, etc [*]a loud room (well the hall) where rigs were set up and it was, or could be, loud, and where the Si's did their workshops yesterday [*]a jam room with resident drummer [/list] We have also had a couple of mini bashes a bit closer to home for Nik & me anyway) where there were fewer and it was really a loud room with some time to meet up, chat & a laugh with a bunch of great guys. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn9Bo0UbQQM For both we put money in the pot to cover expenses, and any profit is given to a charity decided by all. Every bash I have been to has been a great day out chatting to low enders from all walks of life and styles of music and there has never been any snootiness just a super day that flies past. Yesterday I arrived a bit late @ 11 (though with the problems on the M25 that was nothing) and all of a sudden it was 6:30, we were over an hour late packing up. Probably best to start a thread with a view to creating a Bash close to you and thenshare ideas for venues, dates and what everyone wants to do and just take it from there. Go for it. They are great fun, despite what the ladies who wandered in looking for the sports centre yesterday and hooted at the "nerds" wen told what was going on in that particular part of the school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 (edited) Right, from comments on this thread and the SE one, if there was a Bass Bash around Northampton in 2013 would anyone turn up? I'm looking at schools in the area and taken a pointer from the SE thread and also looking at hotels/conference venues. Would you want it 6 months before/after the SE, which makes it the end of March, might get interesting with Easter, or set it at mid april so it doesn't hit half term or the May BH? Are there any other bashes that might clash? Absloutely nothing is set up or confirmed yet, just getting a feel for opinions, but if you want it I don't mind trying to set it up (probably because I'm stupid). Any help gratefully accepted should it look like this is a goer Edited October 12, 2012 by Si600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obbm Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 The place we used for the original Bashes was where the Premier Inn/Beefeater now is at Harpole on the A4500 not far from J16 of the M1. They had a function room that opened out onto the car park so loading in/out was very simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 The only thing that it's worth taking into consideration is that Northampton is only an hour and a half from surrey and about the same from where I run the EA Bass Bash, I expect you'd likely draw much of the same crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 [quote name='charic' timestamp='1350028341' post='1833589'] I expect you'd likely draw much of the same crowd. [/quote] That's OK, you're all nice people Point taken, the reason I'm thinking of there is that it's really easy for me to pop into the venues and have a look at their faclities without going far afield or finding somewhere that looks good on line only to book it and find it's useless. I may take back my offer of setting it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyc Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I'd definitely go to one near northampton, I'm there all the time anyway as it's my home town & I'm only living 25 minutes away in MK. Do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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