Daniel Forlano
09-04-01, 11:27 AM
[A few posts under the "Show me the money" subject refer to Easton so I am continuing the topic here.]
How did it go for the lot of you?
I was in Easton this August for four days from Thursday through Sunday. There was a crafts fair scheduled Friday - Sunday. I was shown the two main pitches one by the fountain in the mall the other by the fountain outside in the park. The fountain in the middle of the park cannot not be turned off for the sake of performance so the largest pitch is on the sidewalk useing half park and half street (which they close off on weekends) for the audience. They agreed to move the giant flower pots dividing the park from the sidewalk.
Thursday the crowds were really small so I played to the few who happened by. For my first show this meant three or four families with their new born kids who came to play in and around the fountain. The end of the evening brought larger crowds (about four times larger) of couples out for dinner. I looked forward to the larger crowds, the craft fair, and the larger pitch on Friday.
When I arrived on Friday the streets were closed and sidewalks were lined with tents. That was great but the pitch was lined with tents as well including a food vendor and a Andean flutist smack on the potential pitches in the park. The flower pots were not moved but there was no longer a pitch anyway.
I got permission from Shadowbox Cabaret (Chris and Katy) to do a show in the street between The Cheesecake Factory and Barnes & Noble where the crowd would have been had the tents not arrived. It was a small pitch between the craft tents but it was the best I saw. After the show the organizers of the craft fair asked me not to perform there because they were paying to have the craft venders and I was interfering. They told me I could perform at the ends of the closed off streets. I kept walking into the mall knowing I would have to perform inside at last resort. But I was putting it off because I would have to compete with the hushing sound of the fountain, the echoing unabsorbant walls, and the ever so slightly dazed mall people. In short the mall was mall-like. I saw it a s back-up. So I did a show at the end of a closed off street. It was okay but I was determined to find a better pitch. I checked out other intersections, sidewalks, and looked in the mall again. I did a second show on the sidewalk at the enterance to the mall infrom of the Gap. But indeed, as I was told would happen, I was shut down because my crowds were too big for the space. That was the best show of my weekend but the managemant (?) didn't want anyone standing in an un-closed street. So I went into the mall and did a show. Focus was poor and my timing was poor because I couldn't hear my audience or myself. I did my last show for a few people in a corner of the park right next to the musician. Saturday I worked at the end of the closed off street, it was the best I had. But I was told that technically it was not a designated pitch and that I wasn't allowed to perform there. I was supposed draw people into the mall. But I wasn't told that at the beginning of the event. On Sunday it rained so I had to perform my first three shows in the mall anyway.
I wish at least once my audience could have witnessed the exhileration of a content performer. I spent the weekend hunting for a pitch where I could settle in and have focus. The Crafts Festival had been set up without consideration of the First Easton International Buskers Series, as it is called. I told my supervisors my concerns but they either didn't listen, didn't care to make amends or were helpless in answering to the management whom, by the way, I was never able to meet. I performed 16 shows that weekend. When it was good for me it wasn't good for them. So I didn't feel good about performing.
I commend Katy for understainding even if there wan't much she could do.
Anyway, to top it off I was misadvertised prior to the event and both my name and show name were misspelled in Creesto's recent performers.net post. Thanks for dropping my name but your raving review of the venue does not fit my experience at Easton Town Center.
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stitches
[This message has been edited by Daniel Forlano (edited 09-05-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Daniel Forlano (edited 09-05-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Daniel Forlano (edited 09-05-2001).]
How did it go for the lot of you?
I was in Easton this August for four days from Thursday through Sunday. There was a crafts fair scheduled Friday - Sunday. I was shown the two main pitches one by the fountain in the mall the other by the fountain outside in the park. The fountain in the middle of the park cannot not be turned off for the sake of performance so the largest pitch is on the sidewalk useing half park and half street (which they close off on weekends) for the audience. They agreed to move the giant flower pots dividing the park from the sidewalk.
Thursday the crowds were really small so I played to the few who happened by. For my first show this meant three or four families with their new born kids who came to play in and around the fountain. The end of the evening brought larger crowds (about four times larger) of couples out for dinner. I looked forward to the larger crowds, the craft fair, and the larger pitch on Friday.
When I arrived on Friday the streets were closed and sidewalks were lined with tents. That was great but the pitch was lined with tents as well including a food vendor and a Andean flutist smack on the potential pitches in the park. The flower pots were not moved but there was no longer a pitch anyway.
I got permission from Shadowbox Cabaret (Chris and Katy) to do a show in the street between The Cheesecake Factory and Barnes & Noble where the crowd would have been had the tents not arrived. It was a small pitch between the craft tents but it was the best I saw. After the show the organizers of the craft fair asked me not to perform there because they were paying to have the craft venders and I was interfering. They told me I could perform at the ends of the closed off streets. I kept walking into the mall knowing I would have to perform inside at last resort. But I was putting it off because I would have to compete with the hushing sound of the fountain, the echoing unabsorbant walls, and the ever so slightly dazed mall people. In short the mall was mall-like. I saw it a s back-up. So I did a show at the end of a closed off street. It was okay but I was determined to find a better pitch. I checked out other intersections, sidewalks, and looked in the mall again. I did a second show on the sidewalk at the enterance to the mall infrom of the Gap. But indeed, as I was told would happen, I was shut down because my crowds were too big for the space. That was the best show of my weekend but the managemant (?) didn't want anyone standing in an un-closed street. So I went into the mall and did a show. Focus was poor and my timing was poor because I couldn't hear my audience or myself. I did my last show for a few people in a corner of the park right next to the musician. Saturday I worked at the end of the closed off street, it was the best I had. But I was told that technically it was not a designated pitch and that I wasn't allowed to perform there. I was supposed draw people into the mall. But I wasn't told that at the beginning of the event. On Sunday it rained so I had to perform my first three shows in the mall anyway.
I wish at least once my audience could have witnessed the exhileration of a content performer. I spent the weekend hunting for a pitch where I could settle in and have focus. The Crafts Festival had been set up without consideration of the First Easton International Buskers Series, as it is called. I told my supervisors my concerns but they either didn't listen, didn't care to make amends or were helpless in answering to the management whom, by the way, I was never able to meet. I performed 16 shows that weekend. When it was good for me it wasn't good for them. So I didn't feel good about performing.
I commend Katy for understainding even if there wan't much she could do.
Anyway, to top it off I was misadvertised prior to the event and both my name and show name were misspelled in Creesto's recent performers.net post. Thanks for dropping my name but your raving review of the venue does not fit my experience at Easton Town Center.
------------------
stitches
[This message has been edited by Daniel Forlano (edited 09-05-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Daniel Forlano (edited 09-05-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Daniel Forlano (edited 09-05-2001).]