Ah Shucks

Hi Dan,

I can't thank you enough for coming out to our Pancake Breakfast yesterday!  It was a real treat to have such great entertainment and I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate you! Everyone really enjoyed your music!

YIS,

Donna

Cobalt Cafe

Getting jaded in my old age. Had a band looking on "Indie on the Move" 
for somebody to share a night. I checked them out and thought it was 
close enough and contacted them. They emailed me last week and said, yeah, come on. But you got to contact the booking guy. 

I did -three days in a row with email and phone and finally gave up. He calls today. Says he's already booked the slot, but he'll squeeze me in by giving half the slot to me and making the guys that offered me the slot, start 15 minutes later. An half an hour he says. This, actually, in booker's real time, translates into three songs. I've learned the hard way- most 45 minute sets at clubs become 30 minutes. You'll go on by 9:00 usually means 10:00 or later. I told him, that was ok, maybe some other time. 

Oh yeah, this was for this Sunday night. 

The Repaired Nut

Lorraine Tolliver

I just learned a good friend is gone. Lorraine Tolliver. A poet and teacher, she was our grammar expert when the kids were small. This is a poem she wrote me on my 40th birthday. I tried to turn it into a song, maybe its time to revisit it. She wrote 100s and 100s of really nice poems and published over 200 of them. There's a few of us that have her anthology. We would walk and talk for hours. We should've stopped there.

Boulevard Music -just a couple of miles from the other place

A mile or two away you can sign up here for their monthly open mic and do 3 songs and there is no contract and you don't have to bring bodies. And the folks are nice and friendly and its a real stage and big room for seating.You just have to go the first Sunday of the month to sign up.

Pay to Play on a cheaper scale, but you have give her your first born

What you have to do to play 3 songs at this venue (little scuzzy coffeehouse in SM)
I asked if I had to give up my 2.5 hour gig with tips to play there? And I have to bring bodies- $15.00 to $30.00 worth of bodies. I asked her what she did with the $80.00 in covers she made for putting the thing on?
She emailed me that I didn't have the right attitude to succeed in original music.

JAVA WITH JAVELYN
UNURBAN CAFE
3301 W. PICO BLVD.
SANTA MONICA, CA 90405
310-281-7454

Contract, Performance Procedures and Policies

We would like to welcome you and thank you for performing at Java With Javelyn, an Indie Music Nite at the Unurban Cafe.

Important: To avoid any confusion, please read this contract carefully. Whether you are manager, agent or the leader of the group, it is your responsibility to make sure that all performers (and fans, family, agents, managers, astrologers, record company execs, etc.) understand the policies explained herein. After reading the contract, please print your name below, and fill out any information which has a blank line attached to it, for our records. It is our wish that you, your guests and our staff all have an enjoyable time before, during and after your performance.

Booking - We require that if you are doing one of our regular sets (25-45 minutes) that you cannot have another gig within a 50-mile radius within seven (7) days before or after your booking with us.

Promotion - We encourage the use of MySpace and your other websites to post announcements about your gig with us. Please post your announcement to show you performing AT LEAST 30-60 minutes prior to your allocated gig time, as we run pretty much on time (relief), and out of that respect, ask that you think about giving your fans respect to see you, as we know a lot of other gigs tend to run late or give you early times for "real time". Please note that the time we give you is pretty much "real time".

Parking – There is parking on the streets, and you can park for free in the parking lot behind the U.S. Bank across the street. Do not park in the parking lot behind Unurban Cafe or you will get towed.

Set-up/Time – It is important both as a courtesy to patrons and as a measure of our professionalism that performances start on time. We require all performers to be at the Unurban Cafe at least 45 minutes prior to their scheduled time of performance. Bands we require at least 60 minutes prior to give time to settle in and be ready to load in between sets, so you have plenty of time to get your gear on stage before you go on. If possible, please check out the venue before the date you play.

Sound – PA and soundperson is provided. As Java With Javelyn is mostly an acoustic, ‘unplugged’ night, we will set levels for you just before you go on. If you plan on bringing a 'guest soundperson', then it MUST be cleared with Javelyn before the show. We do have bands at end of night, and we expect them to keep the volume at a reasonable level as pertains to your audience and the room.

Equipment - Space is limited at the Unurban Cafe. Some performers prefer to wait and bring their equipment in just prior to their show. If you have special needs, please remember to tell Javelyn your setup prior to show date.

Donations/People Minimum – Cover charge is $3. Every artist needs to make sure their people know they will be paying a cover charge inside, or they will not be able to stay. Each artist is required to bring at least five-ten people in order to play a 25-30 minute set. If any artist or act does not bring the required minimum number of people, then they might not be asked back for another set at Java With Javelyn. We ask all of the artists to encourage your people to not leave right after you play or to come early to support the other artists playing throughout the night as JWJ is a joint effort by everyone who performs. If you do not have many supporters you can bring, you can always book and come back whenever there is room to play two songs at the beginning of the night. Because there is such a demand for sets and limited spots, we must have this requirement now to keep our new venue, and since every artist brings a few people, it's only fair that you do too, or else we also find that people tend to leave and not stay for your portion of the show.

Merchandise & CDs: We strongly encourage you to bring your CDs and merch to sell, as well as bring your email lists, and be prepared to network with the other artists and people attending the event - THAT is how you make money, build following and make a successful career. We cannot stress it enough.

Filming – Any filming must be cleared through Javelyn prior to the scheduled date.

Cancellation – We require at least a 3-day cancellation period of time, period. No exceptions - If you cancel after this cancellation period of time, and do not come up with a suitable sub, you will not be asked back.

Rotation/Residency – If you come and play for Java With Javelyn and meet all of the above requirements, we can talk about the possibility of your being ‘in rotation’ with Java With Javelyn. We put our most efforts into artists who help us build and respect our guidelines - in helping us build our indie music community, you help yourself build in your music career, and you can earn one of the precious JWJ indie artist residents spots every 3-4 months. If at any time you do not follow the above requirements, we can, at our discretion, choose to discontinue your residency with us.

If you have any questions email Javelyn at info@javawithjavelyn.com or call (310) 281-7454. For emergencies only, Jav’s cell is (310) 739-7445. We thank you very much for your cooperation. Have a great show!

Javelyn
Java With Javelyn
www.javawithjavelyn.com

More Eggs More Money

Ouch

So halfway through the gig in San Clemente, I set the poor thing down on the stand I got, got up, hooked the strap with my foot and threw the poor thing face down on the sidewalk. It broke off the the top bridge on my first string. Fooling aroung with it, the only thing to do was to pull the first string over to the second notch and retune. The only problem was playing anything above the fifth fret because the strings were too close. So I'm looking for easy four chord songs because I can bar chord the C and the D up the neck- and the A & B worked as bar chords/ So at the end of the day, a 12-year old comes over who plays guitar and writes her own songs and wants to know if playing the banjo is mostly bar chords. I showed her my poor banjo neck. I could have used all those triads I was supposed to be learning. Guess what I'm working on now. McCabe's in the morning for getting him fixed.

• Karen Torell-Hoffman, Beverly Hartmeyer and Joseph Apodaca like this.
• 

  Lois Smith oh no! i hope the banjo doc has you a pickin and a strummin again real soon

  February 2 at 11:17pm · Like
• 

  Craig Rogers Ouch!

  Yesterday at 12:39am · Like
• 

  Art Rose A set back for sure, but we know you will be back playing soon! Good luck.

  Yesterday at 6:57am · Like
• 

  Betsy Brandel I had my Gibson in the shop a few weeks ago and had to use my "other" banjo for a few days. It wasn't as bad as I thought. You will probably appreciate your spare while the other one is being fixed.

  Yesterday at 7:33am · Like
• 

  Stacey Maxwell Some of the guys I jam with make it a rule to put their instrument in the case when not in use, for this reason. I had a lady also tell me that her husband a luthier makes her transport their instruments always in the case, even just walking from one room to the next,, as she said they have seen way too many damaged instruments come back broke even over the most casual incident. Sorry for your loss...

  Yesterday at 12:59pm · Like · 1
• 

  Lori Holt Wade Yes Stacy. Dan, Soo Sorry for your loss

  Yesterday at 5:59pm · Edited · Like
• 

  Lori Holt Wade Check for NAMM sales. Word is that they get their NAMM stock in March and April so they are thinning the inventory now.