Lemon Tree No More??? - Page 3 - aberdeen-music

Chris · 05-12-2007, 09:38

BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Lemon Tree closure a bitter pill

Quote:

The centre's board rejected an offer of financial aid from Aberdeen City Council, opting instead to close.

At least the council tried.

Andy Mulhern · 05-12-2007, 09:41

pretty shite news....

oh well, onwards and upwards...

daveofficer · 05-12-2007, 09:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Lemon Tree closure a bitter pill

At least the council tried.

they shouldn't have had to bail them out. to be honest if it was running at a loss year and year out then it had to close. the council can't bail it out every couple of years. i can't see it reopening and being the same. if someone does take it over then they won't be able to have a similar range of acts playing and they'll have to run some more commercial nights.

Twojoe · 05-12-2007, 09:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob bouma

I hope someone steps in and takes over the venue (and does not turn it into another crappy club) and continues the music/arts side.

I just realised... This might partly be because of the new arts centre on Union Terrace? Will that have a music and theatre section?

Couple of things. Nothing to do with the new arts centre, I will suggest, although there are other better clued up than me to supply info. The money the council are providing for the new centre is in the form of a loan, albeit a very favourable one. There will be a theatre and music space in the new building but nothing on the scale of the Lemon Tree. The timing is probably bad for Peacock publicity though. As conspiracy theorists are not know for seeing the facts.

Apparently the council did offer support through a loan and some other such method (read this in the press) but the directors decided to call it a day as there probably seemed no reasonable argument that will have meant that the LT will be in any fit shape to pay the creditors and debts any time soon. Legally they had to close.

I am also at odds with the 'great venue' angle. It had many plus points but the main live room in itself was a bit of a crap spac and too much of a community centre, for my liking. Many fond memories of playing there and seeing gigs. Shame.

That said it is a massive loss to Aberdeen but the council still have a mid sized music venue, 700-800 capacity, on their cultural agenda. Just need to open one that makes money...

Jim

idol_wild · 05-12-2007, 10:00

I'm not massively surprised the Lemon Tree was losing money. The way they promoted some of their own shows was pitiful. I normally only saw posters for the shows inside their own venue! Which seems odd to me.

Secondly, not enough of the gigs were actually very busy. The busiest show I've seen there this year is undoubtedly the Boredoms, and that was thanks to IMPs aggressive promotion and word of mouth approach.

That said, I've had some good nights there over the years.

Stripey · 05-12-2007, 10:13

maybe donald trump will save it, since he loves the people of aberdeen so much ahahaahahhaahaaaaa

Stichman · 05-12-2007, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by idol_wild

I'm not massively surprised the Lemon Tree was losing money. The way they promoted some of their own shows was pitiful. I normally only saw posters for the shows inside their own venue! Which seems odd to me.

Secondly, not enough of the gigs were actually very busy. The busiest show I've seen there this year is undoubtedly the Boredoms, and that was thanks to IMPs aggressive promotion and word of mouth approach.

That said, I've had some good nights there over the years.

I agree - disappointing, but not that surprising. I've been to a lot of gigs in the past few years with piss-poor turnout. Last year I saw the Hazey Janes, and there were literally about 8 people there. I was embarassed for them.
It's definetely true the venue didn't advertise its own shows enough. And I wasn't a fan of the tribute act drive, I think that's probabaly backfired big time.
All the same, it was a great venue to see gigs and to play, and it'll be sorely missed.

stuartmaxwell · 05-12-2007, 11:01

heard about this yesterday,

unfortunately it was going to happen someday, shame it has happened so soon
lots of people will be out of a job. seen some good gigs there over the years.

as for gemz fae merkin music whinging about the place, you are a complete mug for paying that kind of money and it would appear that you were totally naieve in your approach in dealing with a professional venue.

lepeep · 05-12-2007, 11:01

I'm hoping that someone takes it over and gets it running "properly" again?
it can't just sit empty for the rest if it's days...

Sad indeed...Maple had some fantastic gigs there.

The single launch (with "God's Army" coming on at the end) was a particular fave. Hair samples and all.

-matthEw- · 05-12-2007, 11:15

pretty gutted about this.

seen some amazing gigs there. i dont think there is any venue in aberdeen without it that would be the perfect size for the likes of Steve Earle, Shane MacGowan etc.

Metarie · 05-12-2007, 11:17

Oh you're all gutted now, but a few months ago everyone was happy to slag it off non stop. Turns out (as my favourite Tree techie would say) a music venue needs more support than that to stay open. Everyone knew the venue was there, it's your fault if you didn't make the effort to find out what was playing. And let's be honest, The Lemon Tree didn't put on as many tribute acts as all that, Drummonds put on a fair few themselves and no one ever hauls them up about it.

I'll fight in the Lemon Tree's corner til the bitter end (and it seems this is it). I worked there for 3 years and had an awesome time, met some very talented people and some of my best friends. If nothing else it taught me not to be such a muso snob and to actually take a chance on random gigs because the majority of the time you'll be pleasently surprised.

unbroken · 05-12-2007, 11:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metarie

Oh you're all gutted now, but a few months ago everyone was happy to slag it off non stop. Turns out (as my favourite Tree techie would say) a music venue needs more support than that to stay open.

so are you saying that the people who were "slagging it off" are partly responsible for its closure?

Neil · 05-12-2007, 11:24

It's a damn shame all this but hardly a surprise. Only a couple of months ago I finally got The Lemon Tree to pay their outstanding sponsorship money to this web site (which was 6 months overdue at the time) but it took threatening them with calling in the debt collectors to pay up. I suspect I'm not alone with encountering this kind of problem with them.

If you can't balance your books then it doesn't matter what shows and events you put on. You're going to go out of business sooner or later.

Tim BENCH · 05-12-2007, 11:25

I remember when all the bigger bands that came to Aberdeen played the Lemon Tree instead of the likes of the music hall. But now bands tend to opt for The Tunnels and Moshulu. For the past few years they'd only have one or two things I'd be interested in seeing.

Highlights for me were; seeing my first ever gig in Aberdeen watching Areial supporting Snowpatrol in sept 2000, Oceansize, Biffy Clyro and The Cooper Temple Clause on the same bill, weeping at "I See A Darkness" by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, seeing Kelly Joe Phelps with a full band. (sniff sniff)

Lowlights; Blowing all my cash on a Damian Rice Album on import in virgin for £15 resulting in me missing him at the Lemon Tree that week back in 2002. Getting into Sigur-Ros AND Godspeed You! Black Emperor literally the day after they play together at the Lemon Tree. ARGH!

Camie · 05-12-2007, 11:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metarie

Oh you're all gutted now, but a few months ago everyone was happy to slag it off non stop. Turns out (as my favourite Tree techie would say) a music venue needs more support than that to stay open. Everyone knew the venue was there, it's your fault if you didn't make the effort to find out what was playing. And let's be honest, The Lemon Tree didn't put on as many tribute acts as all that, Drummonds put on a fair few themselves and no one ever hauls them up about it.

I'll fight in the Lemon Tree's corner til the bitter end (and it seems this is it). I worked there for 3 years and had an awesome time, met some very talented people and some of my best friends. If nothing else it taught me not to be such a muso snob and to actually take a chance on random gigs because the majority of the time you'll be pleasently surprised.

The majority of people complained how it wasn't living up to it's potential. I personally didn't get go to a lot because of not knowing what was on. I used to get the whats on guide sent to me each month(or quarter?) but it stopped about a year or so ago. I used to count on that for knowing what was on at the Lemon tree and what the said act was like.