indie events: July 2010 Archives

I feel any bare bones guide to doing stuff DIY - especially putting on an event which requires bring an artist/act in from out of town - must talk about the following aspect:

Two clarifications. This is if you are taking the matter seriously and it's not a bad thing. I love every minute of being involved in music and the arts.

I know that certain promoters in town who read this point will be actually feeling pain in sympathy as they read this.

So. We've been having a great time getting busy for both this event and this project. We met Ren Hang at the airport as this was his first time in Shanghai. The event is on Saturday but he is also doing some shooting while here. That's where the crossover with the label project comes in. 

Last night we met with Pairs at Yuyintang and shot photos up in their room for rent, which is done out like a dance studio. We hired it for a modest hourly rate and then had complete private use. People came directly from work to do this and it went on a couple of hours - so the other point was to go out and get decent hot food for everyone while they worked. 

Half way through, Ren Hang's camera had a problem. The lithium battery (available only at camera stores) ran out. This was not a big problem as I'd already identified the camera shops in our neighborhood. Because we were spending all week chaperoning a photographer. We were also there to play through Ren Hang's slide show and check everything worked. It didn't, but we got it all sorted because we were there days before.

So, all these things required having money ready too. Not everyone gets this point. I have a friend who was very recently approached by some film makers. They petitioned hard to film this person and they agreed. They then started going, on the spur of the moment, to high profile ticketed locations - then making themselves scarce and leaving the artist to pay for their tickets, food and transport (and the artist had no idea it was coming). 

Also, check out my swish sign in the photo. The plane was a bit delayed too. We got the night bus from Pudong airport (just 20 RMB each) and got into town again at 2 a.m. and then someone called him to do a night shoot in a park. I could go on and on but the basic idea is that some groups have staff for this but if you do it yourself, indie style, you have to be prepared to actually do it all yourself.

It's been a while since our last full event at Kungfuology. That was the PETA show which is not on this blog.

Next up. Having struck up a relationship with Beijing avant-garde photographer Ren Hang, I decided to bring him down for a show. We originally wanted to get him on at an existing regular event, a photographer's night at Dada Bar. I didn't work out though so we crafted our own.

Before I talk details, this event has a special condition: I'n bringing someone down from Beijing. Obviously this adds massively to the cost. An event featuring artists from only the same city would cost only a fraction.

Ren Hang. I followed his work as a genuine fan and ended up buying prints from him directly. This led from looking him up on Douban to having a direct line/relationship. 

We decided to have the event at Yuyintang. Ren Hang will show his work via slideshows and video then we wanted the band Boojii to play. Time Out magazine were going to in some part sponsor the event, but that didn't come through either so all costs I mention had to be put up by ourselves.