BrainWash
GIG GUIDE
WELCOME
Thanks for your interest in performing at BrainWash.
Since 1989, BrainWash has provided a venue for up-and-coming acts to gain
exposure to the local community.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- A sample of your music. If
you have a web site or an mp3 site, send us a link. If you end up on our
schedule, the link to your site will be posted on our web calendar for others to see. That way, if someone
hasn’t heard of you, they can see how fabulous you sound and are more
likely to come out for your gig.
- How popular are you? It’s one thing to have a great sound — but will people
come out to hear it? If you live outside San Francisco, will people travel
to The City to see you? We won’t go into detail about how expensive it is
to run a place like BrainWash (rent, PG&E, payroll, etc) but because
it is we look for acts that will draw crowds. It’s important to us that
you have either a good following or lots of supportive friends.
- ALL MUSICIANS MUST BE AT
LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE.
HOW WE BOOK
- We try to book multiple
acts on any given night. It’s good for you — you get exposed to those who
come out for the other performers and vice-versa. It’s good for us because
it’s more likely to be busy. The weekend time slots (bands only) are 8, 9
and 10pm. Weeknight slots (solo/acoustic only) are 7 and 8pm. There are
two ways we fill a night:
- We book all the
slots on a first come, first choice basis.
- We give you the
whole night and you bring along performers you wish to share the evening
with. This can work well because you probably have a lot of fans/friends
who know each other and can turn the night into a party. If you decide to
take the night, we need to get the names and links of all the performers
you bring so that they too can get promoted on our web site.
- The event calendar at brainwash.com is always
up-to-date. You can check it ahead of time to see what openings work best
for you. When requesting a gig, please list your desired dates and time
slots in the order of preference. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.
When communicating by email, always include prior text with your replies.
PROMOTING
YOUR GIG
- The two weekly papers most
widely read are the San Francisco Bay
Guardian and the SF Weekly.
- There are many radio stations
here. The one that will probably post your listing is KUSF. For a complete list of
stations, go here.
- You can send us a few
flyers about two weeks prior to your show and we’ll hang them. Our mailing
address is 1126 Folsom Street, San Francisco 94103.
- To help you
attract the widest audience, BrainWash does not charge a cover and has no age
requirement. We depend on you to promote your act aggressively using
flyers, e-mails, post cards, telephones and any other means available to
communicate with your fans.
PLAYING
AT BRAINWASH
- BRAINWASH IS A SMALL PLACE
AND WE HAVE NEIGHBORS CLOSE BY. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THE VOLUME OF MUSIC
YOU PLAY IS NOT TOO HIGH. IF YOU’RE TOO LOUD, A BRAINWASH STAFF
MEMBER WILL ASK YOU TO TURN IT DOWN. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL LEAD TO BEING
UNPLUGGED – LITERALLY.
- Since we don’t
charge a cover, we can only compensate you with BrainWash goods and
services. While you’re here, you can eat and drink (within reason) and
even do your laundry at our expense. These privileges are limited to
performers only. Although you’re getting free stuff, PLEASE BE
CONSIDERATE OF BRAINWASH STAFF AND REMEMBER THAT THEY ACCEPT TIPS – EVEN
FROM MUSICIANS.
- Load-in time is
up to you and depends on how long it takes you to set up. We try to allow
at least 15 minutes between acts. You can always find a corner in the laundromat to stack your stuff. NEVER LEAVE YOUR
EQUIPMENT UNATTENDED.
WHERE
TO STAY IF YOU NEED IT
AUDIO & VIDEO EQUIPMENT
The
following is an inventory of on-premise equipment at your disposal. Please note
that you are responsible for what you use. You’re also welcome to bring your
own equipment. WE CAN’T GUARANTEE THAT THERE WILL BE MICROPHONES AND MICROPHONE
CORDS AVAILABLE. THEREFORE, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU PROVIDE YOUR OWN.
Audio
Equipment On-Premise
2
Audio
Technica ST90 dynamic mics
1
Audio Technica Pro3 dynamic vocal mic
1
Fender
150 watt 4-channel mixer with 4ins + 4outs
1
JBL P.A.
speaker
1
P.A.
System with 4 JBL speakers running thru a Rane mixer
Video
Equipment On-Premise
1
2000 lumen
video projector
1
4’ X 6’
pull-down screen
1
VCR
1
DVD
Please
contact us by e-mail
if you have any other questions. WHEN
COMMUNICATING BY E-MAIL, ALWAYS INCLUDE PRIOR TEXT IN YOUR REPLIES.
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