Do bands "advertise" their business at BM?

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 7:44 pm

This is just a theoretical, "devil's advocate" question.
Frequently, a musical group is essentially a business, the members earning or supplementing their income by promoting their act and getting paying gigs. Good, honest, capitalist work.
Suppose a band plays at Burning Man. One that plays paying gigs around SF, LA, or maybe Seattle. And they have a backdrop with their band's name, maybe even a web address.
Are they a business that gets away with advertising at Burning Man?

I have no issue with this, just thought it was interesting to ponder...

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 8:50 pm

Um, it's not theoretical.

And it's not been limited to banners in the past, either.

Tancorix · Post by **Tancorix** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:31 pm

I think I remember seeing shameless plugs for that musical group in old JRS emails.

CG, I asked about this a long time ago and never received a satisfactory answer. I found the various mentions as well as the stage placement to be "interesting" but when I brought this up last time I got some hostile or "that's not in the BM spirit" type e-mails that made me go whoa!, I don't wanna go there!...and so I backed off.

Thanks for bringing it up again and I hope this thread gets some comments and less of the heavy flak barrage I flew into last time.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:35 pm

I'm always willing to fly into heavy eplaya flak...

Sensei · Post by **Sensei** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:46 pm

I think it was last year that I saw a camp that had something or other to do with astrology. They had a big ol' banner with the astrologer's website on it (he writes a column that is carried in the local alternative paper - I recognized the name). I wasn't sure what to think. Smelled like cheese to me, though.

Tancorix · Post by **Tancorix** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:47 pm

Quan Tracy Cherry perhaps?

Sensei · Post by **Sensei** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:02 pm

Naah. It was Rob something-or-other.

Sensei · Post by **Sensei** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:05 pm

Hey Ivy, how about more info... c'mon, spill...

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:43 pm

I watched a guy perform in center camp and after he was done he spent several minutes telling people he had a CD out and trying to get people to sign up to be on his mailing list. It bothered me a little bit, but not enough to spend any time worrying about it.

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:57 pm

Sensei wrote:Naah. It was Rob something-or-other.

I can dance the funky chicken while playing My Dog Has Fleas, but I don't have a website. Should I be advertising my talents at Burning Man?

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:59 pm

[quote="Rob the Wop
I can dance the funky chicken while playing My Dog Has Fleas, but I don't have a website. Should I be advertising my talents at Burning Man?[/quote]

You've got no talents, either.
Oops, sorry Rob, wrong thread...

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 6:15 am

Captain Goddammit wrote:This is just a theoretical, "devil's advocate" question. .... I have no issue with this, just thought it was interesting to ponder...

Rather worthless, in a major way, if you don't name names.

In the past the org (ie the board, the LLC) has spent money for musical performers. Still pays for a for a central sound stage in the Cafe, though stages and/or sound systems were larger in the days when they thought this was no problem. Maybe that's beside the point, but I don't think our record is exactly Virgin.

No amount of advertising would make much of an imprint on me. All I recall are the beer bottles, coffee cups, and sun-faded DJ fliers.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 7:54 am

Bob wrote:Rather worthless, in a major way, if you don't name names.

/\
BOB seem to spend a lot of"worthless" time reading & writing about worthless Eplaya matter.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 8:51 am

Rob the Wop wrote:
Sensei wrote:Naah. It was Rob something-or-other.
I can dance the funky chicken while playing My Dog Has Fleas, but I don't have a website. Should I be advertising my talents at Burning Man?

Rob the Astringent, not Rob the Wop.

(Sorry to break your heart. I hope it amused you. Or do I?)

madmatt · Post by **madmatt** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 9:04 am

Sensei wrote:Naah. It was Rob something-or-other.

Clearly the guy's heavy-handed add campaign left a lasting impression.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 10:46 am

if you go for the whole 'this will be the death of burning man' kinda thing, I have heard mutaytor described as such. An interesting conversation ensued.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 11:11 am

My ideal is that bands would gift their music as they are so happy to be there. Certainly that could shade off into advertising--if I saw a good band on playa I'd be happy to check them out off. In other threads it's been noted that some of the people who make pieces for the playa sell other pieces in part by the reputation that they make there. (And in at least one case, by selling a piece originally made for the festival.)
One question: At a lot of gigs, it's pretty standard that you can buy the cd. I don't want that happening. But how to make sure that you can order later? MOOPy cards with web and street address?
If the LLC hired a band for some reason how would that change (or not change) your feelings?
If I were filthy rich, which I'm not and never will be, being as I regard Brave Combo as the ultimate wedding band, I'd hire them, pay for thier tickets and maybe even pay for camping supplies. I think (mostly because I hold them in high esteem--so I attibute ethics to them) that they would be find not selling cds there--it's a private gig. But it's a private gig in a semi-public space and anyone could hear them decide their cool and follow up at a local record store back home. But then a lot of art, and music, is sold by word of mouth. And BM strikes me as, in a way, a very word of mouth crowd.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 12:20 pm

MOOPy cards with web and street address?

Delivered to each and every BRC citizen's mailbox?

Grr.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 1:11 pm

If the LLC hired a band for some reason

they did, in a sense, last year

ever hear of rev. billy?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 2:01 pm

Yes, Stuart, I have and what I had heard did inform my question.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 2:02 pm

Ivy wrote:
MOOPy cards with web and street address?
Delivered to each and every BRC citizen's mailbox?

Grr.

I was thinking at the venue only. And my choice of adjective may indicated my unspoken opinion.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 2:15 pm

I was speaking from personal experience.

Hence the "grr."

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 2:38 pm

Well that violates the TOS equivalent. If you want to show you're a cool BM band, don't MOOP.

And don't make Ivy go: GRR.

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 3:16 pm

Don't worry.

I fixed it.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:08 pm

I loosely equate the rev. billy thing to hiring a band

that is, the org shelling out money for a perfomance group.

knowing what you know, how do you feel about that?

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:22 am

knowing what you know, how do you feel about that?

I don't like any of the subsidized art, be it stationary, moving, or performing. The Man I can live with because it's tradition, but nothing else.

Not that anyone gives a shit about my opinion.

Tancorix · Post by **Tancorix** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:52 am

I'll weigh in with an opposing view to Dork's post. I like the subsidized art. In particular David Best's temple. To me his works enhance the event. I'm also sitting here thinking about the giant art piece with the huge granite stones that got setup in 03, the name escapes me, but that was impressive as hell to see.

I thought I heard that many of the Esplanade camps were subsidized, and in a way I like that, in a way I don't. Sometimes the Esplanade reminds me of a state fair or carnival midway....and it draws too much traffic.

Anyway I'm drifting towards bitching about changing the city layout instead of talking about the funding. I'm really looking forward to seeing David's temple this year and I'm glad the ORG is shelling out some bucks to make those impressive works happen. A few other works are fine too. At least if those works are out there people see where some of the money goes and it cuts down on the rumors of vast sums being spent on very interesting things....(I'll leave that comment hanging right where it is).

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:58 am

Out of curiosity, and not that the answer can ever really be knwon, but would Best's temple's still happen without the subsidized funding? How about the Temple of Gravity (that's the stones for 2003)? How about the Esplanade camps?

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:02 am

I have a fairly big Esplanade theme camp, Johnny & the Playa Cruizers (bike repair, Ranger training, lots going on) and we've never gotten a cent, nor asked for any.
We used to get BM generator hookup because we are a service provider (bicycle repair) but the move from the outpost circle to the Esplanade (due to the need for more space) eliminated even that.

But I like the way the money gets doled out to enable some of the really impressive art pieces. It's hard to drum up funding for a big art installation with no commercial interest. I think the true "spirit of Burning Man" is to put up a big wooden man and burn it. The "no commerce" rule came later, and I think it's essential to make Black Rock City what it is. But this is capitalist America, money is always involved somehow. Everything on the playa cost SOMEBODY money.
The org. is basically deciding for us which art the ticket money subsidizes. But when we buy a ticket from them, it becomes THEIR money. I'm glad they give some back to artists to make cool things for everyone to enjoy.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:56 pm

I heard that many of the Esplanade camps were subsidized,

umm, no.

but, if so, where do I sign?