Band Practice Venue.

**loganbiffy** · 02-Oct-07, 14:44

Hi folks does anyone have any ideas where a suitable place for band practice would be?
Willing to pay for somewhere suitable.
Thanks.

**telfordstar** · 02-Oct-07, 15:53

Hi there if its in wick that you are looking try the wick family centre in bank row. Hope this helps

**floyed** · 02-Oct-07, 16:56

Maybe Staxigoe hall, i know they used to let people have it for parties ect you would probable have to pay for it though hope that helps

**Gizmo** · 02-Oct-07, 17:04

Originally Posted by floyed

Maybe Staxigoe hall, i know they used to let people have it for parties ect you would probable have to pay for it though hope that helps

I used to practice there 17 years ago....but it had really rubbish acoustics back then, you could never get a good sound, but maybe thats cos we were rubbish

**Andrew C** · 02-Oct-07, 18:49

What kinda band is it? (Will determine whether I want you practicing in the hall attached to my house

)

**dirdyweeker** · 02-Oct-07, 19:31

Scout Hall, Wick???

**lynne duncan** · 02-Oct-07, 22:17

what about pipeband hall

**loganbiffy** · 03-Oct-07, 12:03

Sorry folks i forgot to put where.
The band is based in Thurso and would ideally be looking for somewhere close to the town.
Thanks.

**Royster1911** · 03-Oct-07, 18:44

How about one of the schools?

**gollach** · 03-Oct-07, 23:03

I believe the Free Church Hall in Millbank Road is available for a small donation.

**Riffman** · 04-Oct-07, 00:26

ROFL.....

sorry, that really cracks me up....

On a more serious note, they might give you some space, worth asking.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 04-Oct-07, 15:01

If there's such a vibrant music scene in Caithness - and, if there's so many bands kicking around, too - then, surely, there is a demand and requirment for rehearsal facilities, no? Not a lot has changed since 1994.

**Jeid** · 04-Oct-07, 15:43

Oh you love picking don't you? Nah, there's no scene up here biy. No bands or anything. We sold our instruments to the devil

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 04-Oct-07, 15:53

Originally Posted by Jeid

Oh you love picking don't you? Nah, there's no scene up here biy. No bands or anything. We sold our instruments to the devil

Seriously, I'm asking an honest question.

**Jeid** · 04-Oct-07, 16:20

There's a few bands kicking about yeah, but you're right, there is no real scene up here. There's potential, but nobody can be arsed... hence why bands continually fail from up here and generally halt in their progression.

There's talent, there's just not the facilities to exploit it properly

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 04-Oct-07, 16:28

In some ways it's like an architects model: lots of people doing the same thing in different places yet not coming together. I am no longer sure geography really has a lot to do with local music success, no matter how you measure it. Durness' recent festival proved you can have a vibrant, highly publicised event and still find room for local talent, as your band discovered. I sincerely believe it's down to apathy, general short-sightedness and the selfish that Caithness doesn't have the positive music scene it (sometimes) deserves. For instance, we have a reunion of 60s bands that's developed into a bicker about who or should not be invited (good grief!), and there's not enough live music around town in general. I was up north for a week last week - the only live music I saw was at the folk night in the Comm. When you could hear what they were playing above the chatter, it was the same tunes I heard when I was up in July. Fight The Power, though, Jamie.

**K dragon** · 04-Oct-07, 17:53

agree with jeid.

not enough drive, or facilities.

might work something out, not a huge hope, but i will see.

**Jeid** · 04-Oct-07, 17:59

I think you're kind of right. Y'see, people put petty bickering ahead of anything up here. People will say "We're not playing that because that band is" or "we don't want that band to play" etc. It's pretty pathetic. Then it gets highlighted and is raised as an issue. Fair enough, if the organiser of an event doesn't want a specific band on a line-up, that's all good and well, I don't see why people feel the need to question it(see the other thread... the focus should've been on the good music and the money raised for charity, not why Fats wasn't playing).

Geography is not as big a problem as it once was, however, it still causes slight problems as I've noticed with my band. Networking with other bands is difficult. People don't really take you seriously as you're from "all the way up there?" and even introducing yourself to other bands makes them look at you funny. It's dog-eat-dog in the central belt. Bands are only interested in themselves... or, at least the ones we've met were.

Durness was a success because of the John Lennon link, let's be serious, I doubt people would've travelled from overseas and the south if it had just been a Durness festival... I could be wrong though, we'll never know.

The problems musicians in Caithness face are, a general lack of support from any venue in town(I await the Y-Not/Newmarket support to knock this one down), no real promoters in the area, Skinandi's(yes, I can openly criticise my boss' policy on live music), the number of places available to rehearse, people(general public) only seem interested in cover bands or tribute bands and sometimes even top quality cover bands (Hayseed Dixie anyone?) fail to pull in as big a crowd as they deserve.

When the old E Rock Concerts used to run in the Viewfirth, they used to pull in a decent crowd, I think Darren said that the highest amount of people in attendance was around the 300 mark. Pretty good. But events have been held in Skinandi's since then, open to all ages with 3-4 good rock bands on the bill and the highest we've ever had was 200. Skinandi's seems to be a deterrant for people. I've no idea why? The money made goes directly to the musicians involved for their performance. It's not as if Cardosi or any 3rd party is taking money. The events are well organised and advertised. Plenty of postering and messaging etc goes into advertising these events.

And yeah, I quite understand that about the musicians in the Comm, people aren't there to pay attention to them it would seem. If there's football on the tv in the pub, they'll watch that instead, if not, they'll chat amongst themselves. It's easy for bands to lose motivation up here as it would seem there is nothing to aim for. It's not as if there's anywhere to play. My band have kind of hit a comfort zone just now where we're happy with the group of songs we're playing. It'd be easy to just stick with things, but we are moving on. Bands need to realise that getting outwith the community for gigs is simple, making contacts through avenues such as Myspace has made that easier, getting bands up here to play couldn't be easier as I get plenty messages asking if we could put a band on and organising a gig is easier than most bands think.

It's an uphill struggle and getting people to realise that they don't need other bands or musicians to hold their hands in holding an event is near impossible.

I've kind of gone off in a tangent tbh, but I feel like venting frustration...

**buddyrich** · 04-Oct-07, 18:19

Someone will no doubt suggest a cooperative type of rehearsal facility where everyone involved is responsible, maybe through some kind of membership dues like a social club. But it'd get abused and end in tears so quickly that i dont even know why im bringing it up. Though it's the type of thing there's probably funding available for through t'lottery.