Lemon Tree Support Slots / Indie-Cent Exposure Clubnights

[Stichman]

Of course not. It would be entirely foolish not to do at least some basic homework to add popular local bands to the list - but will they really bother to add the more...I struggle for words, but the more obscure, yet just as deserving bands? .

Surely having a database will only help to ensure the more 'obscure' but fitting bands are considered? Isn't that the whole point of it?

is it too much to expect that they should be able to put on successful nights without needing the bands? .

Well surely to have a succesful night you need people through the door? You need someone to have heard of the bands. Bands should be reasonably established before they get Lemon Tree support slots. It would be very easy to sit in your own pretentious bubble, putting on what you deem to be 'worthy' music, but if nobody is going to turn up what's the point? There has to be a happy medium; good music, good crowds. As you say, it's public money, so I'd rather it was being used to put on good, busy shows than good, empty ones.

Where are you even getting this theory from? There is going to be a clubnight for local acts. Any genre can play. It's going to be monthly, so a substantial number of bands will get to play. As an aside, bands that play will be added to a database of acts that will be considered for future support acts. Where is the problem?

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Dude you can edit the name and URL on your myspace in the settings. No need to make an entirely new page.

Sure?

I seem to remember when you set up your myspace page that it says you CANNOT ever edit your URL. I will check it out - that would be far far easier...

Cheers,

Calum

[AKA the brando]

Not only have we lost the INDIE night!

now as reported on BBC news we are gonna get tested for drugs, before getting into pubs!!!

Thats it i`m moving to peterheed:swearing:

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Sure?

I seem to remember when you set up your myspace page that it says you CANNOT ever edit your URL. I will check it out - that would be far far easier...

Cheers,

Calum

I can't find a way to change the myspace URL. If anyone else knows how this is done, please let me know before I create a new myspace!!

Cheers

[soundian]

Surely having a database will only help to ensure the more 'obscure' but fitting bands are considered? Isn't that the whole point of it?

Well surely to have a succesful night you need people through the door? You need someone to have heard of the bands. Bands should be reasonably established before they get Lemon Tree support slots. It would be very easy to sit in your own pretentious bubble, putting on what you deem to be 'worthy' music, but if nobody is going to turn up what's the point? There has to be a happy medium; good music, good crowds. As you say, it's public money, so I'd rather it was being used to put on good, busy shows than good, empty ones.

Where are you even getting this theory from? There is going to be a clubnight for local acts. Any genre can play. It's going to be monthly, so a substantial number of bands will get to play. As an aside, bands that play will be added to a database of acts that will be considered for future support acts. Where is the problem?

One problem:

By my estimation there's over 200 acts in Aberdeen at any one time, based on the amount that was on the GCGuide database(160+ and it was nowhere near comprehensive).

Starting off with a small database of established acts (lets say 20) leaves them 180+ acts to cover.

At every Exposure night they'd be looking to have at least one of the chosen few playing.

That leaves 36 acts per year who will be considered for support slots.Assuming they all come up to the expected standard.

That means it'll take the Lemon Tree over 5 years to give everyone a fair crack of the whip.

I also imagine that the LT still has a good enough name up and down the country to enable them to pull in quite a few acts that'll sell well/out without the local supports help, so a lot of support slots should be filled on suitability rather than bums-on seats potential.

This Exposure club will have to keep one eye on bums-on-seats though, or it'll die a slow and painful death. That'll restrict the amount of quality and obscure acts who don't pull they can put on. What happens to them? Do they just get ignored?

We've went from "playing this night is the only way bands can be considered" to "oh, and established acts as well". If they just go one step further and change it to "established acts, playing the Exposure club and any acts that the programmer has unearthed in his own investigations" a lot of people would be happier. Just look at the maths, it's ridiculous to do it any other way.

The new music programmer seems to be putting up a wall between him and the local community and in the long term I don't think that'll do the LT or talented local musicians any favours at all.

[Cloud]

Ian, thank you for pretty much explaining what I was thinking, too.

I think this idea would actually work wonderfully if it was on a weekly basis - you'd get through 16/20 bands a month, so within a year, you'd have featured (by your calculations) around 200 bands. I appreciate that the LT is probably highly unlikely to be able to allow every friday night to be taken up with local bands - but if the venue was truly committed to local music, then they would go for it.

However, token gestures such as one night a month for local bands do absolutely nothing, particularly if no risks are actually being taken with 'safe' acts such as Lady Mercedes and Rescue Party playing.

But really..is this night a genuine attempt to raise the profile of local music, or is it just tokenism on the part of APA to say that they're supporting local music?

I think at least part of the problem here is that the Lemon Tree, for years, has been accused of not supporting local music as much as they could do. The now-new management of the place appear to be following the same path that the past management did - and we all know what happened there.

Looking at the lineup for the LT in the coming month, there's almost nothing in the way of local music being featured. One night a month for local bands is going to do absolutely nothing in the long run - is it?

One question - where's the imagination? With the backing that the LT has, why not introduce some interesting nights? You could easily hold an art exhibition in there, combine it with some local bands and have some food/drink tastings, all on the same night. They have public funding for this kind of thing, so why not do it?

[soundian]

Ian, thank you for pretty much explaining what I was thinking, too.

Aw shit! Cloud agrees with me.

I've read it through again and it all seems to make sense...

[Surfer_Rosa]

Not only have we lost the INDIE night!

now as reported on BBC news we are gonna get tested for drugs, before getting into pubs!!!

Thats it i`m moving to peterheed:swearing:

It's not like that was the only clubnight with that type of bands playing.

[Stichman]

Ian, thank you for pretty much explaining what I was thinking, too.

I think this idea would actually work wonderfully if it was on a weekly basis - you'd get through 16/20 bands a month, so within a year, you'd have featured (by your calculations) around 200 bands. I appreciate that the LT is probably highly unlikely to be able to allow every friday night to be taken up with local bands - but if the venue was truly committed to local music, then they would go for it.

However, token gestures such as one night a month for local bands do absolutely nothing, particularly if no risks are actually being taken with 'safe' acts such as Lady Mercedes and Rescue Party playing.

But really..is this night a genuine attempt to raise the profile of local music, or is it just tokenism on the part of APA to say that they're supporting local music?

I think at least part of the problem here is that the Lemon Tree, for years, has been accused of not supporting local music as much as they could do. The now-new management of the place appear to be following the same path that the past management did - and we all know what happened there.

Looking at the lineup for the LT in the coming month, there's almost nothing in the way of local music being featured. One night a month for local bands is going to do absolutely nothing in the long run - is it?

One question - where's the imagination? With the backing that the LT has, why not introduce some interesting nights? You could easily hold an art exhibition in there, combine it with some local bands and have some food/drink tastings, all on the same night. They have public funding for this kind of thing, so why not do it?

To be honest, I think the Lemon Tree has been given a pretty bad press when it comes to promoting local music. Let's remember they're an arts venue, and music isn't the absolute priority. Secondly, I think that over the years there have been quite a few decent schemes to get local bands involved. There was the lunchtime gigs which almost exclusively featured local acts (these were a poor idea and terribly mismanaged, but still a chance for local bands to play). Then there was the tie-in with the Foyer that allowed a lot of young bands to play. Personally, it was a huge encouragement to be given the chance to play to a packed Lemon Tree aged 15.

One night a week for local bands is a great idea, but is it really going to work? It's a sad thing to say, but nowhere near enough people would attend a weekly gig of purely local bands. Fact. There are too many other good venues in Aberdeen, with a fairly small number of fans of local music. I would say the one thing APA seem to be doing are running the Lemon Tree more responsibly. A weekly band night would be a massive waste of money.

Why does the Lemon Tree have to be the flag-bearer for the local music scene? There are so many venues in Aberdeen geared purely towards music. Look at the Tunnels, local bands on every day of the week. The Lemon Tree will never be like that. I don't think that's what it's meant for. It's certainly a great venue, so maybe a monthly night is a good idea; to attempt give a summarised overview of the scene as a whole to a demographic that might not usually bother to attend local gigs.

With regards to the database, I would echo a lot of your complaints, but I think the revised posts seem to say that playing at Exposure is far from the only way to get placed on the database.

[AKA the brando]

To be honest, I think the Lemon Tree has been given a pretty bad press when it comes to promoting local music. Let's remember they're an arts venue, and music isn't the absolute priority. Secondly, I think that over the years there have been quite a few decent schemes to get local bands involved. There was the lunchtime gigs which almost exclusively featured local acts (these were a poor idea and terribly mismanaged, but still a chance for local bands to play). Then there was the tie-in with the Foyer that allowed a lot of young bands to play. Personally, it was a huge encouragement to be given the chance to play to a packed Lemon Tree aged 15.

One night a week for local bands is a great idea, but is it really going to work? It's a sad thing to say, but nowhere near enough people would attend a weekly gig of purely local bands. Fact. There are too many other good venues in Aberdeen, with a fairly small number of fans of local music. I would say the one thing APA seem to be doing are running the Lemon Tree more responsibly. A weekly band night would be a massive waste of money.

Why does the Lemon Tree have to be the flag-bearer for the local music scene? There are so many venues in Aberdeen geared purely towards music. Look at the Tunnels, local bands on every day of the week. The Lemon Tree will never be like that. I don't think that's what it's meant for. It's certainly a great venue, so maybe a monthly night is a good idea; to attempt give a summarised overview of the scene as a whole to a demographic that might not usually bother to attend local gigs.

With regards to the database, I would echo a lot of your complaints, but I think the revised posts seem to say that playing at Exposure is far from the only way to get placed on the database.

AT LAST SOME SENSE.

folk on here seem to be getting away from the fact that it is another club night for local bands to play, and i think this whole database thing has been blown way out of context.

most venues would not want just any band turning up and then clearing the room.

i know personally i will be making an effort to go down and see how its going, have a chance to see new bands in the lemon tree. the sound is really good in there and you can really judge a band by hearing them in there.

and regarding the `public money etc` i would much rather it is spent on these types of things as opposed to 2 people turning up to some lunchtime gig.

and if the lemon tree is making money from us going to these things then hopefully they will be able to give some of it back to community ie. more young musicians, teaching and equipment, and more importantly a stage to showcase it all on.

[Sam 45]

I can't find a way to change the myspace URL. If anyone else knows how this is done, please let me know before I create a new myspace!!

Cheers

Edit profile > listing info > edit.

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

There still seems to be a fair amount of negativity on this thread, but it seems to be being directed straight at the Lemon Tree.

I would just like to point out that I am not employed by the Lemon Tree - I am a guy who plays in a local band, and set up a quarterly clubnight for indie/rock bands. Going monthly and tying it in with support slots is something I put forward to the Lemon Tree and APA, and they've embraced the idea.

I can assure that this is no "token gesture" on behalf of APA, and the whole idea is to back the local music scene.

I'm not going to get into an argument on here on the merits of the Lemon Tree, and the financial backing it gets etc.

One thing I will say in the Lemon Tree's defence is the argument regarding what is coming up in the coming month will have nothing to do with the current music programmer as he only started less than two weeks ago - give him a chance to settle into the job before judging him.

Cheers

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Edit profile > listing info > edit.

Nice one. Cheers

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Tickets now on sale...

Tickets for Friday 6th February 2009 now available - 5 (4 for students/OAPs/etc):

THE LEMON TREE : Productions : Indie-Cent Exposure

(bear with the clubnight name at the moment - still in the process of getting everything changed to Exposure @ Lemon Tree)

MySpace.com - Lady Mercedes - Aberdeen/London, UK - Rock / R&B / Blues - www.myspace.com/ladymercedesuk

Bluesy rock with a hint of indie...

Influences include: Rolling Stones, Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, The Doors, The New York Dolls, AC/DC....

MySpace.com - RescueParty - Aberdeen, UK - Indie / Alternative / Pop - www.myspace.com/rescuepartyonline

Alternative indie rock....

Influences include: Joy Division, New Order, The Beatles, Interpol, Jimi Hendrix....

MySpace.com - fivefifteen - Aberdeen, Scotland - Indie / Rock / Alternative - www.myspace.com/fivefifteen

Indie rock.....

Influences include: The Who, The Small Faces, The Charlatans, The Clash....

MySpace.com - Velvet Audio - Aberdeen, UK - Rock / Alternative / Indie - www.myspace.com/velvetaudioband

Good old fashioned rock with a hint of indie and a bit of pop...

Influences include: The View, Arctic Monkeys, The Cure, The Stooges....

MySpace.com - Exposure @ Lemon Tree - UK - Indie / Rock / Alternative - www.myspace.com/exposureatlemontree

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Temporary Myspace Address

We are working from a temporary myspace address at the moment:

MySpace.com - Exposure @ Lemon Tree - UK - Indie / Rock / Alternative - www.myspace.com/exposureatlemontree

Which will hopefully be updated in the next day or two.

By then, we hope to have some exciting announcements on upcoming clubnights....

Watch this space

Cheers,

Calum

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

Announcements

Couple of announcements for the upcoming clubnights:

FEBRUARY - Friday 6th

The guest DJ for the February clubnight will be none other than the legendary Creation Records founder, Alan McGee.

McGee is best known as the man who discovered Oasis, but he has also worked with and/or managed The Libertines, Primal Scream, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Teenage Fanclub, My Bloody Valentine, The Hives, Dirty Pretty Things and the Charlatans amongst many others.

McGee has always been a pioneer of new music, and Creation Records was arguably the most successful independent label in the Oasis heydays.

McGee now DJs around the world, including DJ residencies at Death Disco New York, Budapest and Los Angeles .

February Line-Up

Lady Mercedes MySpace.com - Lady Mercedes - Aberdeen/London, UK - Rock / R&B / Blues - www.myspace.com/ladymercedesuk

Rescue Party MySpace.com - RescueParty - Aberdeen, UK - Indie / Alternative / Pop - www.myspace.com/rescuepartyonline

Fivefifteen MySpace.com - fivefifteen - Aberdeen, Scotland - Indie / Rock / Alternative - www.myspace.com/fivefifteen

Velvet Audio MySpace.com - Velvet Audio - Aberdeen, UK - Rock / Alternative / Indie - www.myspace.com/velvetaudioband

Alan McGee - MySpace.com - ALAN MCGEE - 48 - Male - London , London and South East - www.myspace.com/deathdiscolondon

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE:

Aberdeen Box Office

MARCH - Friday 6th

We are delighted to confirm the headline act for the Metal night in March will be local favourites My Mind's Weapon, who have recently signed a 2 album European Record deal with Drakkar Entertainment. My Mind's Weapon will be joined by Set Light Our Kingdom - two other acts and guest DJ still to be confirmed.

mymindsweapon.com

MySpace.com - SET LIGHT OUR KINGDOM (NEW SONG UP!) - Aberdeen, UK - Metal / Metal / Metal - www.myspace.com/setlightourkingdom

Myspace Address

We're still working from the temporary address of:

MySpace.com - Exposure @ Lemon Tree - UK - Indie / Rock / Alternative - www.myspace.com/exposureatlemontree

But we hope to change this in the next couple of days...

Cheers,

Calum

[DJ Jo-D]

I love lemon tree!! Great wee venue and enjoyed everything I have seen there........I am however slightly P'd off that I didn't get to know about the View coming up until all sold, then given false information that there was tickets online when there wasn't.......otherwise Great venue and glad it's back open!!!

[Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree]

I love lemon tree!! Great wee venue and enjoyed everything I have seen there........I am however slightly P'd off that I didn't get to know about the View coming up until all sold, then given false information that there was tickets online when there wasn't.......otherwise Great venue and glad it's back open!!!

The View was booked at the Lemon Tree long before I had started this clubnight, and long before the new music programmer took over, so there's not much I can say about that.

I also missed out on tickets for the gig because I didn't hear about it!