PLEASE READ.
It's a long read, but please take a moment.
First off we aren't boycotting it because they dont pay bands enough. It's the kids that get the brunt of it not the bands.
Its not worth 10$ to get into a neptunes show. The only way touring bands can get enough money is to jack up the door price because Eddie(the owner and ultimate decision maker for shows) takes such a huge cut. He was making shows impossible and has openly admitted that he "doesnt care about the bands or the kids that come out," just his money. That is not what hardcore and punk is about.
Eddie has on many occasion made 500$+ at the door (and this isnt even counting tarpon fests). That's way too much. The State Theater charges 500$ to a promoter but that includes professional sound, lighting, SECURITY, and a huge fucking venue that can hold hundreds of kids. There is no way Neptunes is anywhere near that. Its one door guy who can barely keep track of the money, an asshole bar tender who is pissed that 16 year old kids arent buying alcoholic drinks and tipping him(go figure?), and an owner who sits in his office the whole time and comes out periodicly to toy around with PA levels. Yet some how he walks away with rent money for the month, at the kid's expense.
If you think this is some kind of boycott to protect local band's financial interests, then you're out of your mind. Every band ive been in has taken 20$ to no money at 90% played shows with a FUCKING smile. We have no local guarentee, and we keep it that way for a reason. The idea here, was that Eddie could have taken a smaller cut so that door prices could be lowered. This is for the show goers.
Not to mention that Eddie himself is a huge scum bag. He talks shit on fucking kids despite the fact that he is a 45 year old business owner. Calling 17 year old kids fat and starting fights with people half his age is not professional in the least.
That little club has a lot of memories, but they are just that MEMORIES. We worked with them for so long, because we had NO WHERE ELSE TO go for shows. He fucking sucked us dry. Local promoters would work so hard on bringing out amazing touring bands. But Eddie was a financial and moral hindurance to everything.
There is nothing positive about sitting in a trashy bar while some fucking nut robs you blind.
There's nothing wrong with Eddie putting his "business" foot forward and thinking of only himself. He owns a bike shop and a bar. If he wants to have radio rock jam sessions to bring out the drinkers on friday night let him. But that is not what most of us are about. To most of us, music is not just something we turn on or off witha radio switch.
As a local underground music scene we can not forget what's important. We have to stand up in the spirit of punk rock. We aren't asking you spit into owners faces or spray paint a cheesy "anarchy" symbal all over a venue. This is small step that everyone can take to help preserve what we have worked so hard for. DO NOT go to shows booked at The Neptune Lounge.
If you are in a band, whether it be hardcore, punk, indie, screamo, whatever; DO not book shows @the neptune lounge. There are plenty of other venues. FITS presents has been lucky enough to move all hardcore shows to the 688 skatepark. I know i'd rather be going off with all my friends in a skatepark than sitting in a bar waiting to get my money stolen from me. It's an all around more positive enviroment. This lets us get back to what's important, having a good time and sharing our common passion of music.
Please repost this, in myspaces, livejournals, AIM, whatever. Everyone in the
clearwater/tampa area should know about this.
-signed
Now Soldiers
Endurance
FITS Presents
Vince
Poey
Tyler
Justin
Josiah
jake(Hawaiian jake)
JP
Beauty In Chaos
Eliot
Zack
Full Count
Ashleah Nila
Cara
and everyone else involved with the boycott
(feel free to add your name or band name to the signature in repost to show what our strength as local music community really is)
First off we aren't boycotting it because they dont pay bands enough. It's the kids that get the brunt of it not the bands.
Its not worth 10$ to get into a neptunes show. The only way touring bands can get enough money is to jack up the door price because Eddie(the owner and ultimate decision maker for shows) takes such a huge cut. He was making shows impossible and has openly admitted that he "doesnt care about the bands or the kids that come out," just his money. That is not what hardcore and punk is about.
Eddie has on many occasion made 500$+ at the door (and this isnt even counting tarpon fests). That's way too much. The State Theater charges 500$ to a promoter but that includes professional sound, lighting, SECURITY, and a huge fucking venue that can hold hundreds of kids. There is no way Neptunes is anywhere near that. Its one door guy who can barely keep track of the money, an asshole bar tender who is pissed that 16 year old kids arent buying alcoholic drinks and tipping him(go figure?), and an owner who sits in his office the whole time and comes out periodicly to toy around with PA levels. Yet some how he walks away with rent money for the month, at the kid's expense.
If you think this is some kind of boycott to protect local band's financial interests, then you're out of your mind. Every band ive been in has taken 20$ to no money at 90% played shows with a FUCKING smile. We have no local guarentee, and we keep it that way for a reason. The idea here, was that Eddie could have taken a smaller cut so that door prices could be lowered. This is for the show goers.
Not to mention that Eddie himself is a huge scum bag. He talks shit on fucking kids despite the fact that he is a 45 year old business owner. Calling 17 year old kids fat and starting fights with people half his age is not professional in the least.
That little club has a lot of memories, but they are just that MEMORIES. We worked with them for so long, because we had NO WHERE ELSE TO go for shows. He fucking sucked us dry. Local promoters would work so hard on bringing out amazing touring bands. But Eddie was a financial and moral hindurance to everything.
There is nothing positive about sitting in a trashy bar while some fucking nut robs you blind.
There's nothing wrong with Eddie putting his "business" foot forward and thinking of only himself. He owns a bike shop and a bar. If he wants to have radio rock jam sessions to bring out the drinkers on friday night let him. But that is not what most of us are about. To most of us, music is not just something we turn on or off witha radio switch.
As a local underground music scene we can not forget what's important. We have to stand up in the spirit of punk rock. We aren't asking you spit into owners faces or spray paint a cheesy "anarchy" symbal all over a venue. This is small step that everyone can take to help preserve what we have worked so hard for. DO NOT go to shows booked at The Neptune Lounge.
If you are in a band, whether it be hardcore, punk, indie, screamo, whatever; DO not book shows @the neptune lounge. There are plenty of other venues. FITS presents has been lucky enough to move all hardcore shows to the 688 skatepark. I know i'd rather be going off with all my friends in a skatepark than sitting in a bar waiting to get my money stolen from me. It's an all around more positive enviroment. This lets us get back to what's important, having a good time and sharing our common passion of music.
Please repost this, in myspaces, livejournals, AIM, whatever. Everyone in the
clearwater/tampa area should know about this.
-signed
Now Soldiers
Endurance
FITS Presents
Vince
Poey
Tyler
Justin
Josiah
jake(Hawaiian jake)
JP
Beauty In Chaos
Eliot
Zack
Full Count
Ashleah Nila
Cara
and everyone else involved with the boycott
(feel free to add your name or band name to the signature in repost to show what our strength as local music community really is)