The all new Octaine

[karohemd]

Good things:
- The PA system is good and works well with dj_slingshot's gear. Together with his lights and decks (which play any CD/R), the audio/visuals are better than at the Kambar
- The venue is cheaper for us, the drinks are cheaper, there's proper beer and more variety
- The Portland staff seem a lot more interested in what we do than the Kambar's

Bad things:
- only three hours, by the time people leave pubs, we have to shut down as well
- this leads to problem No 2: attendance. 15 people is not enough, we need twice as many to cover all our costs without raising the door price which I really don't want to do
- more work for setup and takedown, especially for dj_slingshot who's got to transport it all.

Solutions:
- More advertising, especially at the venue but this was tricky this time due to the short notice
- Get people to bring along friends etc.
- Any suggestions welcome!

Comments

[whiskeylover.livejournal.com]

The beer isn't cheaper :(

Guinness at £2.65 a pint is quite steep

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Ah, owdbetts said it was. Still, they have beer on tap while the Kambar only do cans.

[whiskeylover.livejournal.com]

I know- I still have a can of the Kambar brew sitting on a cupboard at home :)

[sogoth.livejournal.com]

sounds about right for Reading :\

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

and not too bad for Cambridge, either.

[razornet.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry we weren't there. I 'm still not quite at the point where I wish to be around large amounts of people drinking when I can't.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

No worries. Then again, various people didn't drink so you might have been fine. :o)

[briggsy.livejournal.com]

At least there is a choice of beer (Greene King though: 1799, Mild, IPA, Abbot?; Guinness, and Wadworth 6X, didn't check out the lagers 'cos it's lager, innit), and it is better than the kambar's offerings, and proper glasses are nice too!

Better than "Barnstormer Cider" and that NASTY canned bitter in the Kambar.

Longer licensing hours after November might help with the time problems ... but the Portland Arms isn't right in the town centre. On the other hand, longer licensing hours will probably mean that many clubs don't get the 11.30 influx of "need more drink" people.

I liked the first set.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

We talked to the bloke from the Portland about the licensing laws and he wasn't too confident about extending it. It not being near the city center being one of the reasons.

Weird thing is, he actually thought it was busy so I don't have any idea how many people they usually get.

Thanks! I guess I'll be bringing loads more of Blues from New Orleans. ;o)

[briggsy.livejournal.com]

That'd be a shame, because it isn't as if the pub is in the middle of a housing area! It's by a busy road, Staples and a furniture store. Surely not aggregating people into the town centre is a good idea, but maybe the police want to bring around the 'chaos' that they've been mumbling about recently relating to these licensing laws.

I can see it now. People starting the night at a club, and then leaving to go to a pub afterwards!