I have to say, I had a wonderful time at ABSOLUTE Fringe again. I loved all the acts that played, and I was so comfortable at the club. The Elbo Room was so friendly and supportive. The acts all enjoy playing there. The sound was good, and the rooms feel intimate and coccoon-like. It is a kind of incubator for bands. It was also an incubator for ABSOLUTE Fringe. But the festival has run its course.
I spent a quarter of 2011 producing ABSOLUTE Fringe. Actually, it all started in November. The festival did not catch fire. I was hoping to get some sponsorship that would have enabled advertising. That didn't happen. I tried to incorporate bands that had followings. That didn't help. I tried to lock into the lesbian community. Not so much.
We were blessed to have Tret Fure from Wisconsin, Shawn Thomas from Florida, and The Fundamentalists from Detroit. These artists traveled the furthest- for little money. But their support and their generosity was even greater.
Mr. Scott Free was a huge contributor, both in planning and in performance. But I thanks each and ever performer: Amy Delicious, Elen Rosner, Stewed Tomatos, Kristin Lems, Congress of Starlings, Shoes for Mabel, and The Joans.
Mike Ferro and I are moving forward together and will be working on new material for Boys' Entrance. So stay tuned and see what comes of it.
I want to tell you that I have learned a lot. But the biggest lesson I learned is how supportive and helpful people can be. The artists who participated and the club built my faith in humanity back up. I thank each and every one of them.
Tim Cain, March 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
ABSOLUTE Fringe- It is harder than it looks.
Ok, as far as the Elbo Room goes, they are happy to have ABSOLUTE Fringe booked. We are at least doubling their normal Sunday night turn-out. That said, their normal Sunday night turn-out is sad.
It was my hope that since I had no budget to promote the shows via the normal outlets- advertising in magazines. I would try and get press in said magazines. I am grateful to Gay Chicago for a COVER story, and Windy City Times for a feature. But it had no appreciable effect.
The bands are not able to get people to show up for the shows. We have had great talent for each show, and I have been so proud to feature each and every act, but they generally don't draw. Even an established act like The Joans didn't draw. If each member of the band had brought one friend out, the turn out would have been better.Instead Jennifer Joans gave not much more than attitude and demanded, "didn't you send out emails? I didn't get one." (Never mind the fact that I had never met her and she wasn't a contact for the band. As far as I am concerned, Jennifer Joans is box office poison. And while I am at it, what was with the poster that they created that didn't even mention the event? What more evidence is needed to prove that there is no Joan in team?)
I tried to have a lesbian themed night. Fewer people showed up for that night. Even having a major national act like Tret Fure that night had no effect. Who knew lesbians were so interested in the Oscars? (But what crappy timing to have a gay-themed music night opposite the Oscars!)
April's show has had to be shifted due to it landing on Easter, and the club will be closed. May would have been moved also because it lands on Memorial Day weekend AND International Mr. Leather competition. Then June was going to coincide with Pride Weekend. Now that might seem good, but the issue there was that it is the last night of Pride Weekend, and people would have been exhausted by the weekend of partying, not raring to go to one more late night.
For these and many more reasons (competition for bookings with other queer showcases, scarcity of queer acts, recording sessions coinciding with our program), I have decided the April show will be the last ABSOLUTE Fringe.
It is disappointing, but I did my best to present a quality LGBT showcase. I just think it was too ambitious to try and book 6 LGBT acts per month. I thank each and every act that participated. You were wonderfully supportive and shared your artistry without reservation. THANK YOU!
Tim Cain
It was my hope that since I had no budget to promote the shows via the normal outlets- advertising in magazines. I would try and get press in said magazines. I am grateful to Gay Chicago for a COVER story, and Windy City Times for a feature. But it had no appreciable effect.
The bands are not able to get people to show up for the shows. We have had great talent for each show, and I have been so proud to feature each and every act, but they generally don't draw. Even an established act like The Joans didn't draw. If each member of the band had brought one friend out, the turn out would have been better.Instead Jennifer Joans gave not much more than attitude and demanded, "didn't you send out emails? I didn't get one." (Never mind the fact that I had never met her and she wasn't a contact for the band. As far as I am concerned, Jennifer Joans is box office poison. And while I am at it, what was with the poster that they created that didn't even mention the event? What more evidence is needed to prove that there is no Joan in team?)
I tried to have a lesbian themed night. Fewer people showed up for that night. Even having a major national act like Tret Fure that night had no effect. Who knew lesbians were so interested in the Oscars? (But what crappy timing to have a gay-themed music night opposite the Oscars!)
April's show has had to be shifted due to it landing on Easter, and the club will be closed. May would have been moved also because it lands on Memorial Day weekend AND International Mr. Leather competition. Then June was going to coincide with Pride Weekend. Now that might seem good, but the issue there was that it is the last night of Pride Weekend, and people would have been exhausted by the weekend of partying, not raring to go to one more late night.
For these and many more reasons (competition for bookings with other queer showcases, scarcity of queer acts, recording sessions coinciding with our program), I have decided the April show will be the last ABSOLUTE Fringe.
It is disappointing, but I did my best to present a quality LGBT showcase. I just think it was too ambitious to try and book 6 LGBT acts per month. I thank each and every act that participated. You were wonderfully supportive and shared your artistry without reservation. THANK YOU!
Tim Cain
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