more info on that go to facebook.com/bridgetowndiy / bridgetowndiy.org Look for some cool shit happening soon! Wayne: Living in the LA area, Pay to Play promoters and venues are very prominent. How do you feel about the concept of Pay to Play and what suggestions do you have for bands who get wrapped up in that nonsense? D: Good god, first off let me just throw a big FUCK YOU out there to anyone who is doing pay to play. No excuse for doing that. Making bands do presale to cover these ridiculous guarantees that bands ask for and making them do the promoting work rather than you. While the bands are definitely responsible, don’t make people sell tickets to shows to guarantee people being there. If you book a good show, people will come and bands will make their gas money they need. Anyways back to the questions... I have always disliked pay to play. To me it makes it seem like there is definitely going to be a good chunk of people there who have no interest in being there. Bands sell tickets to ANYONE just so they dont have to pay the dipshit promoter money if they don’t sell some of the tickets. However, if they have presale tickets and aren’t required to sell them, that’s a different story and I have no qualms with that. As for not getting wrapped up in all the BS....say no. Try to play without them. I’ve definitely refused to do it before and while sometimes
you get kicked off the show and sometimes you may even still get to play...shit happens and it’s worth it not to do them. Also, seek out DIY venues/promoters in your area. You might not get the biggest shows right off the bat, but if you play and get a good following then maybe down the line, you can play the bigger venue without having to do presale since you can negotiate that you have a big following and such. Avoid presale, support DIY, support locals venues, fuck shady promoters, and fuck pay to play. Wayne: Any last words or shout outs? D: Get involved in your scene!!! Start a zine, start a band, help out promoters flyer, running doors, learn to do sound, and just keep going to shows. Scenes cannot exist without you. You are a HUGE part. Who gives a fuck if you can’t play an instrument, if you weren’t coming to shows, bands wouldn’t have anyone to play with any might not
wanna play anymore. SUPPORT DIY. Shout outs to: David, Jordan, and Gabe from Aukerman, Stresscase, La Bella, Higher Learning, Trench Rot, Media Blitz, ACxDC, Dangers, Coke Bust, Ill Repute, RO, Minus, Pressvre (RIP), Soul Search, HORDES, Bridgetown DIY crew, SOS Booking crew, Bones Booking, Circle City DIY, DNF, Condition, The Redroom (WA), World Won’t Listen records, anyone who comes to the EarthAD/SOS shows, Jamie Gray for always helping me out at shows, Aladdin Jr for letting us go wild and throw whatever show we want, Toxicbreed’s Funhouse/Words of Evil for being a badass blog. I’m sure i forgot a ton, you know I care about you all. If you haven’t heard of the bands listed, CHECK THEM OUT. Most, if not all have bandcamps, facebooks, stereokillers, etc. Don’t miss out on local music. Go to as many shows as you can. Stay punk.