[Harp-L] Low Volume...High Energy!

[Warren Bee <wlb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am very excited about my latest project(s). Soon 3MB Music will be open
here on Long Island in NY and I have a lot of stuff in the works. This
recent Harp-l thread on volume hits close to home for me. I believe that
more music lovers stay home rather than go out to the loud bars/clubs
because of the volume issue. Here in NY, like many other places, the music
scene has always been tied to the club scene. The downhill slide has been
taking place for over two decades now. Drinking and driving laws, public
smoking laws and economic issues have made the club/music scene a mere
shadow of what it was in the "heyday". Even now with the numbers dwindling
both on number of places offering quality live music and numbers of people
going out and attending live shows the volume issue is as bad as ever. 

 

As I work up my marketing plan for the new venue I am trying to attack these
issues head on. First off I want to get people to start separating the
music/bar connection. One of my tag lines I ripped off from our friends at
Taco Bell. "Musicians and music lovers, Think Outside The Bar". Another tag
line I will be using is "Low Volume, High Energy!" I am going to push the
fact that 3MB Music (except for the younger rock shows of course!) will be a
volume friendly venue. There is magic in the dynamics of music. Lower volume
invites people closer to the stage; lower volume makes interested listeners
"turn their ears up" and leaves room for much more intimate interaction
between performer and audience. It also lets people towards the back of the
room hold conversations. What a concept!

 

The performance venue of 3MB Music looks to hold approximately 300 people.
Final inspections with fire marshals etc. are happening this week. I am in
the fortunate position as a harp/blues lover and also Director of Marketing
and Promotions that I can enact a personal agenda! So, the new schedule will
be steeped heavy in da blues! More details will follow but this is the
initial blues plan. Wednesday nights will be workshops / classes. I will be
starting off with a beginners harp class and others are in development.
Thursday nights will be dedicated to blues shows. I will be looking to mix
local and national acts on the stage depending on availability and of course
cash flow. Sunday mornings will be unveiling the "Blues Cathedral", a church
style service that will focus on the spirituality and emotional message of
the blues and how it directly affects our lives. This is going to be an
extension of my "Blues for Breakfast" experience at SPAH this past August. I
look to create a mix of live/recorded acoustic blues and discussion that
will sooth the souls of all attendees. Blues Cathedral: "Where the Music
Meets the Soul"  We have a new coffee/juice bar set up in the back of the
room so this will be a great place to chill on Sunday mornings and meet
other like minded people. Once again, think outside the bar! Sunday
afternoons will also be "show time". On Sunday afternoons I look to feature
blues influenced music that will encourage people of all ages to attend.
Like Thursdays it will draw from the local blues artists as well as working
in national acts passing through town. Sunday evenings will be my first
attempt to duplicate the "SPAH style blues jams" Acoustic jam sessions in
the round with a structured game plan. I look to develop these sessions into
both an incredible experience for participants as well as for an audience. 

 

I am proud to announce that our very own Bob Cohen from Mojo Tools has been
selected to be our webmaster. I will be working with Bob as we launch our
new website to coincide with our grand opening next month. This is gonna be
fun! When things are in place you guys will be the first to know.

 

 

Warren Bee

Director of Marketing & Promotions

3MB Music