ANALOG Chronicles

33% Work 33% Love 33% Play

2011-12-23T14:52:00.000-08:00

That is the equation that a good friend of mine told me is the formula to life...
One of many quotes, formulas, philosophies, and cliches I've heard this year as I've finally opened my ears to the world. I know, it took 34 years and countless mistakes for me to grasp, but 2012 has been a remarkable (i loved that word, "to be remarked upon") year for me, and for Saint Rocke.

Saint Rocke. Lots of highlights, some lowlights.
Gavin Rossdale & Bush going old school and standing on the bar singing Glycerine, Bad Seeds coming full circle and playing the Beach Concerts in Hermosa, Black Crowes (Chris) playing NYE, Amos Lee & Mat Kearney inspiring, the girl who had cancer (see past blog) and came to see UL sending me a letter that she's in remission, seeing the Saint Rocke Staff grow, doing 100 live webcasts and having over 2,500,000 watch, taking a wild far fetched idea and making it a reality with IROCKE...great shit. All of it. The bank account is definitely not a marker for success in the music business, trust me. But these memories, and the stories I have to accompany them, are the currency we carry.

We also had some hard times this year -- we lost some key staff, we burned some bridges, got burned, and lost some friends along the way. As a venue, we struggled to find our identity a little bit over the early part of the year with our booking, but luckily have rebounded and are now booking what I truly believe to be the best lineups we've ever booked. Additionally, in 2012, we have created a partnership that I believe will take music to a different level in the South Bay.

I was talking to another booker a few weeks ago, and he had said that we read my blog, and that he really resonated with what I wrote -- the music business being able to drain your will & motivation -- and that he felt some comfort knowing that we were all really in it together. And as I move into 2012, with another of wisdom under my belt (that makes me realize I don't know anything), that quick point is magnified by thousand : we're all in this together. Today you might be in the 1%, tomorrow you might be at Occupy, the next day terminally ill...you just don't know. So how do we all get by? For me, I work, I play, and I love. For those that know me, they know I have the first two of those down, but the third has always been hard.

Never too young, never too old, never too slow, never too fast, to start today.
I hope everyone has a great holiday, enjoys their family the best they can, puts their differences aside, and realizes that in the end we're all in this together.

On behalf of the staff at Saint Rocke, Merry Whatever and Happy Holidays.

This might make you cry. It's that Touching...

2011-11-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

I have become pretty cynical and unemotional working in the music business -- money oriented much of the time, hard ass people, and seems like music is the last thing on people's minds. Last week though, I received an email for that exactly that reason I believe and it both broke my heart and gave me hope at the same time. You need to take a minute to read this...

Hello, I am seeing Unwritten Law at your venue next week along with some friends. I am writing because I would like next Friday night to be memorable. I have recently been diagnosed with advancing stages of ovarian cancer. Although, that is harrowing news, I would like to celebrate a positive aspect in my life. I have been fortunate enough to reunite with my first love. He is the friend who took me to your venue last month for my birthday and we are both HUGE fans of Unwritten Law. I was unable to contact the band directly so contacting the venue was my next move. You have my permission to forward this to the band/band manager. My request is simple, but I understand if it can't be accommodated. I'd like to dedicate a song to him: Unwritten Law's "Rest of My Life". We have both known each other for over 10 years. But, with the complications of life, work, and failed relationships, we just now were given the opportunity to rekindle this long lost romance. I have not informed him of my diagnosis, I am planning on telling him that night. But before our lives drastically change again, I'd like to have one perfect moment to cherish for the "rest of our lives".

After I got this, I contacted the boys of Unwritten Law, and they were so utterly cool about it, it restored my hope & love for this. Changing lives...affecting lives...making a difference. They will be there at soundcheck Friday, and they will be at the show enjoying the music and eachother. And this wonderfully strong girl has inspired me, and I'm hoping to pass it along. (If there is one) God bless her.

Hotel Rooms in San Francisco and our Raison de'tre

2011-10-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

Cut to Sunday morning. In a hotel room in San Francisco, drinking my coffee and watching a Woody Allen movie, this quote melts its way across the screen...

"We all fear death and question the purpose of our lives. The job of the Artist though is to not succumb to despair, but instead find an antidote to the meaningless of existence."

It's been a long year for all of us. Economy is not too good, the news is always negative, and with the growth of social media and twitter and twatter and facebook and foursquare, meaningless jarble seems to be abound. And until recently, I was kind of annoyed by it -- how many videos of nonsense can be put in your face, and how many blogs about nothing are out there (note sarcastic reference to self)? But when I heard this quote, it changed my whole perspective. It literally turned me 180 degrees.

If you haven't questioned your existence, then as Socrates said, life isn't worth living. It's part of the project, part of the reason we're here. And no, everything doesn't happen for a reason, but I can sure as hell create a reason for just about any random coincidence that does happen. Point is though - as we all ask the unanswerable questions (i hope you guys do too or im worried about myself) it's super easy to throw your hands in the air, and say F&(# it. But Woody's quote here says different - you think you have some artistic ability? Then it's your JOB, your responsibility to society, not to succumb, but to try and find something that we all can take pleasure in, that we can all find meaning in.

And so think about music & musicians. That's exactly what they do. They give us a nanosecond, a moment, when we're listening to our favorite song, where we cease to question, and we for a minute have the answer: ahh, this is what life is about. And I've never thought of it that way, but after hearing this, I came with a renewed sense of social responsibility to keep bringing music that the South Bay hasn't heard down here. What if the band on Saturday gives that feeling to a few people? Mission accomplished.

Go buy a CD today (i know, i know).
Thank the person/musician that has provided you some of life's antidote.

And if you got a song that does it for you, share it with us.

Return of the Piano

2011-10-03T23:39:00.000-07:00

I won't risk upsetting people that read this by getting into my religious beliefs, but I will say that I love symbolism and metaphor in life, and that almost any situation or action in our lives can be adapted quite nicely to some medium of meaning. This week has been no different for me - and as I pack up my office in my house, my symbol comes in the form of a Piano.

After moving into my home in 2004, I rushed to get an office set up immediately. I rushed everything back then: life, relationships, breakfast, surfing. Everything that mattered to me for so long all of a sudden had become a distraction, because I was all encompassed into the art of business. I had started my first restaurant venture, the Union Cattle, and my partners and I were obsessed in succeeding there. So, as I moved in, my first thought was to be grown up and setup my camp of operations; a modern day office with technology and printers and screens and filing cabinets. Look at the suspenders on that kid. And so that was my twenties: the office in my home was my metaphor, my constant distraction, my raison d'etre. I can't tell you how many times I'd have a dinner party or female companion over, and I'd sneak to the office to check my emails, or the daily sales reports. Laughable, really.

And so as I broke out my cardboard boxes this weekend, and packed up years of paperwork, old broken printers, and hundreds of fatherless cables, I lamented. I looked through the old deals, agreements, issues, and schematics that had once papered my walls, and I neatly packed them away to make room for the new metaphor: my Piano.

Now one might say - the productivity! Why take a room that spit out creativity, graphics, contracts, ideas, a ton of work and replace it with a simple piano that won't contribute anything to Saint Rocke? And as I thought about it, sitting on a pile of old band posters, I realized that the Piano was my new metaphor. A maturing if you will, into a different type of person, a more well-rounded person, and thus a better business person.

I think we are all creative inside, every one of us. But how many of us pursue, nurture, and promote that creativity? Do you? I can't speak for you, but I know that when I do it makes me more effective, more productive, and everybody that works around me is a little less tense. So for me, as the Piano comes in, and I start playing again, I realize that I've actually started working harder than before. On me.

Go play the piano. Go paint a picture. See what happens.
And if you're not too shy, tell us about it....

It's that Time Again: #*$D Yelp

2011-09-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we're back. If you don't like cuss words, close your eyes. The 2nd Annual Fuck Yelpathon is upon us. The taint of online reviews. The holy grail of whining idiots. Why do I have disdain might you ask? Well, I'll give you a great example as to the veracity of Yelp.

About 2 months ago we hosted BUSH at the Rocke, and KROQ sold the tickets. Now they didn't tell us that 50,000 people were going to try and get tickets so we didn't prepare, and the demand crashed our site. All good, things happen, get it back up and we move on. Nope.

People freaked. Apocalyptic comments were made. Death threats. Grown men crying, mothers of children swearing that Saint Rocke would fall because they didn't get their ticket to see Gavin sweat it out. And one women, in parcticular, 'liked' us on facebook and started absolutely firing verbal missiles. Now mind you, she was from the 909 (no I'm not stereotyping), never even heard of Saint Rocke before the day, and all of a sudden she is hating on Saint Rocke, saying it's the worst venue ever. And then, to really feel righteous, where did she turn? Yes, my friends, to the almighty equalizer....Yelp. And here it is:

7/14/2011

Staff is snobby and cocky. "Regulars" are snobby and cocky. I'll be going elsewhere, thanks.

---------------------------

So there you go. Never been here, never came here, didn't get her "I-worship-Rossdale" ticket, and so went to talk shit. And that my friends, is why I hate the sight. In a day where small businesses are the only thing keeping our economy alive, and where entrepreneurs are trying their damndest to make it work, people like that come on with non-constructive mud slinging that does nobody any good.

So, every year I like to hold my Fuck Yelp-Athon (again, excuse the French) and I ask people who TRULY LIKE (don't lie) Saint Rocke, to post your positive thoughts and comments about Saint Rocke, because the good times never get realized. If you do, I'll hook you up with two tickets to a show of your choice. Copy your review, and send it to office.saintrocke@gmail.com and you'll get a reply back with some tix. And as they say, werhd.

Why is the last day of vacation never that Good?

2011-08-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

You know what sucks? That my 10 day vacations are always 9, my 7 day vacations are always 6, and my 3 day weekends are always 2 and change. I went to Catalina this weekend on a boat with friends to celebrate a friend getting married, and sure enough, Sunday morning creeps in, and all of a sudden I'm thinking about Monday, work, what I missed, what I have to do. Technically, that Sunday was 33% of my vacation, a third, and I spent it preparing my head, getting rid of the hangover, and planning for Monday. Does this happen in other professions? Do you cut your getaways short as well in the inevitable return to the grind?

It's bad enough in the bar business that i have a love affair nightly with my businesses. If they do well, and treat me well, I'm in love. Greatest line of work ever. If we have a bad night, and the band doesn't draw or we are high on labor, I loathe the existence of the places. My most torrid affair is with Saint Rocke, where the bands play a larger part in our overall success as a business. And every morning when I look at my email report, I either cringe or rejoice. So going on vacation is like withdrawing from an addiction - turning that phone is a tough thing to do.

What I propose is that we institute a post-vacation acclimation day. It should be a rule that after a vacation, we are allowed 1 day to "get back into the swing of things." Because let's be real, who is really productive and on their game the day after? As hard as you try, I find myself going through the motions despite my effort.
I've also tried the come-home-a-day-early solution, but then I realized that was even more of a surrender.

So, I ask, whats your solution?

Hermosa Concert Series: "No good deed goes unpunished"

2011-08-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

5,000 people on the beach.
Great bands. Great people.
Awesome sponsors that make it happen.
No city funds.

For those that don't know, Saint Rocke produces the concert series on the beach in Hermosa Beach during the summers. After the City cancelled them due to budget limitations, we took on the burden and made it happen. And for those that think it's easy, it's not. Especially in Hermosa Beach, crown city of gadflies. So when we finished the concert series this last weekend on a high note - 4 great shows of original music, great attendance, no problems, etc. - I thought too good to be true. Nobody had a problem in this city? No Jim Lissner crying foul on beach drinking? No Longacre screaming bloody murder on noise concerns? Sweet......Wrong.

Got a letter this morning from a 'concerned citizen' that was extremely upset at the MBCC sponsor activation on Sunday - a country club kindly sponsored the event, and tried to show their members a good time by creating a portion of sand for their members to enjoy by putting furniture and a tent up (Day at the Beach). It was about 10% of the total space used for concert viewing, and preference was given to people signing up for their raffle ((note: sponsorship!!)) Now, I get it. People are big on rights in this country. My right this, my right that. It's was our country was founded on. But on a real level, if you don't already realize this, let me be clear:

1. Nothing is for free. People dont just spend 100k to put on events for fun. Only cities do.
2. Cities are broke. Hence cities not doing #1 anymore.
3. If you are not paying for the product, you ARE the product.
4. I would love to leave the concert series completely void of any commercialism. Absolutely. And if there are any big money dudes in the South Bay that can write a check for 100k, I personally promise that not one logo will hit the beach.
5. If nobody ponies up, and everyone wants a great concert series, then businesses must be allowed to find some ad/marketing value in their sponsorship of the event.

Super simple. Super straight forward.

So instead of spending my day enjoying my hundreds of hours of FREE work I did to put these on, I instead at their taking grief from a lady who told me that "I should be ashamed of myself" for allowing this to happen.
Although I felt like responding in a different manner, I sat there and took it, and apologized that she didn't have a better time, which I've learned from my restaurant background (just keep apologizing). And hence the lesson I keep learning: "No good deed goes unpunished." But really? Shame?

If someone actually reads this that was involved - a challenge: try to actually HELP our city. Do something positive instead of complain. I'm 100% into collaborative efforts, and would love sponsors, and volunteer help to make these concerts even more special than they already are. And if you want to whine, don't email me. Take the other gadflies in our town to dinner, go to Vons and get old people to sign a petition against the concerts, and put another ridiculous non-logical referendum into play. Go Hermosa.

Artist you believe in, or a Great Night of $

2011-08-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

Zoom.

Booking

Meeting

every Tuesday. The recurring question...

5 of us sit around and talk about who deserves to play Saint Rocke. Who's fresh, who's classic, who has a great voice, or great songwriting talent, who sucks, who's overrated, why that guy is playing those venues, etc. I used to read the LA Weekly and be amazed at the sheer numbers of bands playing every week, and the ads used to give me vertigo. Now I peruse them, and it's as if I'm using a cipher. I get it. The live music business. And so I seem to run into the same question weekly: What if I love a band, but I know they won't draw? I can name 20 (but I won't). And the inverse: I cannot stand this band, but I know they pack the house. Who gets the Friday night?

Now lets be honest with ourselves people. The South Bay is not a hotbed of musical discovery. That was supported by the fact that I had at least 5 different people tell me that "that hippie band" on the beach was no good the other week. Bullshit. Mother Hips fucking rocks. Don't care what anyone says. Good songwriting, pro players, great rhythmn. I just shook my head, and short of telling them that I'd put a Journey cover band on, I walked away with a low brow.

So how do I make the decision? The investors at Saint Rocke want ROI, the music crowd wants discovery and new music, and the bar patrons want a good time. I still haven't figured out the right cocktail mix of the three, and when you look at our booking calendar, you might find evidence of that. But I can tell you this - no team has worked harder to give the local community music like they've had here before, and we always appreciate your feedback. We all post on our facebook & twitter so when you have band suggestions, throw em our way!

I'll leave off with a poll question: does HelloGoodbye win over the beach crowd on Sunday?

Where is Music going....

2011-08-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

Music is changing. The way its created, the way its presented, and the way we listen and watch it. Its happening now -- the foundations are being built for a music business that we as consumers won't see for another year or two, but trust me, it's happening. Not bad. Not good. Just evolution.

1. You won't "own" music anymore. There'll be no need. You'll access cloud music for a small fee, and your library will be endless. The idea of buying & owning music from an artist will be gone.

2. Albums are gone. The only remnants of the album will lay in nostalgia - where artists put out albums for creative reasons. But they will be penalized financially by the market. Artists will put out singles almost in constant flow - because the market will reward that activity. Think of these major bands putting out a song a month instead of an album per year.

3. Calls to Action will become normal - as the ticketing & music business team up with peripheral industries to push product, which will support the artist. The cliche is true: "if you are not paying for the product, your are the product." Good example -- you really surprised that you need to sign up for a Citibank card in order to get preferred tickets to JayZ? Well done LiveNation, for working a smooth payment deal. Citibank gets tons of new customers, and the artist just has to give them some tickets, and then get paid. Genius. Did you even realize that when you went to signup?

4. Creativity will flourish. If a song sucks, no more hanging onto it. It will disappear just as quick as it was posted, because it won't be supported by views/listens online, and that will be the ultimate indicator. The power of what gets played, rewarded, and seen as good truly will lie with the masses.

5. The live performance will become ALL POWERFUL. Artists will find ways to monetize this more, and to make this their special sauce. Every single artist will live stream their performance nightly as technological obstacles are removed (as they are). Imagine watching live shows in your home theatre with your big huge sound system, in the comfort of your own home. Can't replace the live experience? Of course. But look at the NFL if you think it can't be done.

6. Record Labels will get weaker and weaker. They already are losing distribution control, and now more and more they are losing content control. What is their use? Big production studios? nope. Big marketing plans? nope. Im still trying to figure out what they are good for. Let me know...

7. There will be a company called IROCKE, and when it's worldwide, you'll remember this blog. It is an opportunity I have taken to develop a niche in this new marketplace with a friend and partner. We are building the platform, and I truly think it will be a large part in changing the face of music. More to come as we develop, but keep your ear to the ground.

Is music better off? worse off? Neither. It is. Just like a good song or a good artist, there is constant evolution, change, and untraveled paths that this thing called music has been trudging down since the beginning of time. Music is in a growth, a rebirth, and I think on the other side of this period we will have emerged in a new golden era. Get your headphones on, and sit back.

Why did it have to be today...BUSH

2011-07-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

So, I wake up this morning, having been focused on some personal issues I've got (surgery on Monday for my back at 33, sweet), and my message box is full on my phone, facebook, and email. WTF? So I figure, OK, something is up with one of the spots. I got to the Saint Rocke Twitter Feed, and then I realize -- BUSH had set up a KROQ show at Saint Rocke, and it was a private link and they put in on sale this morning. And we crashed...

Now lets talk infrastructure. I don't know of one venue in the country that has their own ticketing system. We do venue, it's what we do. But we don't do ticketing, and so we have middleware. So to be clear, it's our website, and then Company X does our ticketing.

So KROQ announces this morning, and 50,000 hit the site at the same time, and it overwhelms Company X's servers. Then the social networking starts...hundreds upon hundreds, if not thousands, of posts on our Facebook and Twitter. And not just frustrated...massively pissed off at Saint Rocke. And that deserves another WTF.

Listen, Bush is one of the biggest bands of our time. Simple Fact. Our venue holds 280 people. Simple Fact. Economics 101 says demand is way bigger than supply. What a fun, cool thing. So you didn't get a ticket? Darn. Next time. Is your job and life that bad that you produce such negativity in the world? C'mon now. They do always say that sports & music takes a dramatic upturn in down economies.

Like a kindergarten class, I want to share what I've learned today: No wonder. No wonder we have wars, religion fights, countries that are bankrupt, etc. If people get that upset at not getting to see a great band, then what do people do when somebody critiques their religion, or accidentially bumps them walking down the hallway.

I wish I could give everyone a ticket, but I can't. I actually have none to give away because Bush & KROQ have them all. We are the biggest little venue in LA, and thanks to some really cool people in the industry, we were blessed with the opportunity to have this show. So, for all of you that didn't get a ticket, truly sorry about the Company X server crash. But really, you're chances were 200/50000 = not much %. Don't hate the venue, don't hate the band, don't hate on KROQ, just simply realize that sometimes things happen and smile. Smile that you are alive, that you have ears to listen to the music, and that there is always another tomorrow.

Big Head Todd & the Monsters

2011-06-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

The Apple Addiction (iphones)

2011-04-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

I need to understand. Because I know I'm not that boring. I realize that sometimes I might not be witty, or that I might not be up on the current news, but lately my presence at dinner & lunch with friends has been overshadowed by this pushy, interrupting character....the iphone.

So tell me, WTF? why is it that I go to sushi with friends, and three minutes later everyone is on their iphone playing "words with friends", the newest incarnation of Chuck Woolery. And when we're headed to eat, what ever happened to just trying something new, or finding your way there by taking a few sightseeing turns? Is the quickest path always the best?

And holy shit...geotrackers? You guys realize what the Man is doing to you? George Orwell 1984 is actually coming true (if you don't know that reference, go back to 7th grade). Knowing where I am all the time? The only thing that can accomplish in my life is getting me in trouble.

The most oxymoronic part? That this very contraption that I'm screaming bloody murder about on a social level, is actually a godsend on the business tip. Live, up-to-date info on who's playing? set times? watching the show? tracking where people are? A venue dream.

So which wins? business or personal?
Im torn.

I could give a shit what people think (don't you love when people say that?)...

2011-03-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

We've all say it. It's the cool thing to say. Hipster. Confident in skin. etc.etc. Bullshit.

As Saint Rocke has grown, I've had my head to the ground, and I'm the first to admit that I'm sometimes oblivious to trends, ignorant of current popular culture, and hard-headed in my ways. I like things a certain way, and I've come to a peaceful position that I hope people like what I do (how Saint Rocke looks, feels, etc.) or I'm out of business. I can't fake it. I can't be "that guy" when it comes to certain things in the bar business (if you want a definition of "that guy" just let me know), and because of that, I've had to develop thick skin. I can't tell you how many times I've heard -- "yeah, this sucks. You should...."

Most of the time, I politely listen, and then walk away. But I care, I really do, about what other people think. And even though I say I dont, I do. So when we got #1 venue from the Easy Reader, I have to admit, I was pretty excited. Now, I'm not supposed to say this, but usually the voting in these is rigged. From either (1) small businesses that stuff the ballot, or (2) the editor being biased based on who advertises with them. But in this case, we totally dropped the ball, and I didn't even vote, much less did we activate our fanbase. And (2) we don't advertise in the Easy Reader, but other venues do.

With that, I have to admit, at the cost of potentially not being as cool, that I was super stoked, and humbly grateful when we got this. It's nice to know that the sweat and tears we put into bringing music & culture into the South Bay is not going unnoticed. Even our happy hour - when we started programming music during happy hour - we immediately saw a difference. Right on. That's all I can say.

So just wanted to say thank you to all those who believe in Saint Rocke, and appreciate our efforts, and also to say keep the suggestions coming. If you don't like something, be vocal. If you do, BE VOCAL. We love it on both ends. In the end, the product is that we deliver a better experience.

Oh yeah, one more thing. In the spirit of hating on the Yelp world, if you post a REAL response/critique of a great experience at Saint Rocke, some tickets might just come your way for a show of your choice :)

Anybody want to Meet-n-Greet PEPPER???

2011-02-22T23:01:00.000-08:00

Enough of the SERIOUS. Okay, okay. Last week I published an article that I wrote for a newspaper on the state of the music business (comments?) so this week I figured...take it easy man. Stop your preaching.

Okay, then simple. Who wants to meet Pepper? I have some backstage green room passes to meet PEPPER on Sunday night for our SOLD OUT acoustic performance that is being live streamed worldwide. here's the catch....to win you need to:

1. take a picture and either send to office.saintrocke@gmail.com or post on saint rocke's facebook and it has to have something to do with PEPPER (shaker? sneezing? whatever...). Most creative wins. Hurry, time running out.

Article I just wrote on MUSIC BUSINESS for the Newspaper

2011-02-17T08:40:00.000-08:00

THE MUSIC BUSINESS: Supporting music from the ground up

I own a music venue, and every day it gets harder for me to understand the business of music. I see hundreds, if not thousands of artists a year, performing at Saint Rocke in an effort to make a living on music and I increasingly hear the same thing from them: “our fans love the music we create, but they are less and less inclined to support our music making endeavors.” In other words, we [the consumer] love to listen, but hate to pay for it.
They have a very valid point. Think about it.
What would your life be without music? How would it feel to experience a wedding without that special first dance, a drive up the coast without the radio blasting, or a baseball game without the national anthem? Music gives us the soundtrack for our lives, and Id venture to say that the art form of music is appreciated and enjoyed in some manner by every human being that walks the earth. It would make sense that the community would embrace artisans that create this music, and that great value would be placed on the songs that we all laugh, cry, and fist pump to. Why then has a beautifully written song been reduced to a $.99 purchase, and why has the music marketplace cultivated itself in a band of online thieves?
The majority of people involved in the business of music will agree that the marketplace is currently in a state of flux, and most will focus on the specifics of the economic model, such as the transition from CD to digital, or the economy hurting live ticket sales. Over the last decade, CD sales dropped 50%, from $14.6 billion to $6.3 billion annually, and no end to the decline seems near (the impetus of this decline was the infamous Napster, that took the price of a CD from $14 to free in 1999). As a result of this lost revenue stream, artists initially focused more on touring and live performance in order to continue making a living. But increasingly higher ticket prices coupled with a struggling economy have resulted in the first decline in ticket sales in decades, as reported by Pollstar. The most alarming byproduct of this decline in revenue was illustrated well by a musician friend of mine that I had coffee with last week (an artist that has sold millions of albums over the last two decades). During our conversation, he told me that a major sporting event wanted to use his song during their TV intro, and that to license the song they would give him but a few hundred dollars (in 2001, this would have been a $10,000 price tag). Translated: the Artist of today is struggling. Struggling to prosper, struggling to thrive, and struggling to simply make a living under the current model of the music business.
Let me be clear: I am not finding fault with the consumer. Supply and demand is a simple economic theory that holds true with the human condition, and people will pay for a product they see value in. Additionally, I see the magazines too--the fancy cars & the big houses, and the bands like Rolling Stones and U2 taking private jets to San Tropez—and sympathy is not the feeling that comes to mind. It’s almost as if the media engines that create this perception of cool are the same engines that fuel the consumer’s “love to listen, hate to pay” attitude. However, I do believe that we need to be more conscious of the situation, for our own benefit as well. I want to wake up and throw some tunes on, like I did this morning, and listen to good melodies. I don’t want to take a run and have no music to inspire me, or get used to silent film on the weekends. I want good music in my life today, tomorrow, and as long as I’m alive. And so I believe we, as the consumers, need to be cautious in our perceptions, and understand that one day our economic actions might reduce the volume and quality of music that is being provided to us every day. If that day ever comes, the world will truly be in trouble.
So what then is the proper characterization of the state of the music business? It’ll survive just as sure as music will survive, because that’s what we do. People survive. But I’m hoping that somewhere along the line, we will all realize our ever-important roles in supporting and nurturing those who provide us these unique soundtracks--the coffee shop singer that is charging $2 at the door, the independent artist selling his CD for $8, or the band offering a live stream online of their performance for $1. There is a post-music industry music industry developing as we speak – and our actions as consumers will be the defining impetus for the new frontier.
Does buying a CD or paying for a show at Saint Rocke sound so crazy now?

Fuck the Boundaries. 2011 (cue Eye of the Tiger)

2011-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

You might laugh at me. You might think Im retarded. But I just came upon a realization...
those guys on TV, those normal dudes from Idaho that won the lottery, or the American Idol that's sitting in front of 10,000 people realizing a dream, they are actually right. My cynicism was off...pretty much (caveat) anything is possible, and the only super limiting thing is your own boundaries you set.

I know what you're thinking. Really? It took this guy that long to figure that out? I've heard this a thousand times, and although I like to think I've done some cool things, they have all been in the 'safe' harbor...the harbor where it's fun, but you don't really put yourself out there to fail. Ask yourself if you don't believe me...when's the last time you did something outside your comfort level? something that you otherwise thought you'd never be able to do?

Example (small). A year or so ago, I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool to film in Saint Rocke and get big artists that normally wouldnt play a 300 cap room? Pipe dream. A year later...Pepper, Bush, Amos Lee. Fuckin rad artists playing this tiny little room. And so I started thinking bigger and bigger. and bigger. And I realized that Johnny Ohio & Mindy Wisconsin were right, as I was watching American Idol last night (yeah, I watch) and the people crying before they did their song because they wanted it so bad.

So, on this thursday, a little pep talk. 2011. Kill it. Dont take no for an answer. I'm not....

A freaking Sap. Yup. Calling It. New Trend (maybe)...

2010-12-28T23:35:00.000-08:00

Tonight I proved to bridge perhaps the biggest gap in music listening history within 2 hours: JayZ Blueprint 3 to Sara Bareilles Gravity. Don't know how it happened, don't know quite how it went down, but goddamn, I love both artists, and Im calling it in public.

You know how you feel when you get numb to the world? When works sucks, and you have all those little menial personal chores piling up (need a reminder? bills, dry cleaning, dog food, medicine, doctor, house, food), and you just want to give in? Well, I was feeling like that tonight after being at Saint Rocke all day dealing with New Years last minute details, and so when I got home I went running around my neighborhood, threw on a little JayZ, and got lost. The pulse of hiphop always helps when running --helps you keep your cadence, like little toy soldiers, and you get lost in the beat. And a by the way, his lyrics are genius. His mastery of the English language --analogies, metaphors, similes, puns -- is impeccable.

So then I get home, have some wine, and sit down to do some work, and I find myself moving around myspace listening, until I land on the Sara Bareilles square, thanks to my friend Jay Nash, another recording artist and friend of hers. And yes, just like that, I go from a gun-toting JayZ disicple to a Sap. She seems like a lovesong kind of gal, so imperfectly perfect in so many ways -- looks, piano-playing, voice, lyrics...like the difference between a digital and analog recording. And I've sat for a half hour listening to the archives, and although I know better, for a moment I am finding solace in somebody else fighting the fight.

This world is amazing. But this world can also suck sometimes. And when it sucks, it's always nice to hear some words that give you company...whether it be JayZ, or the lady Bareilles, it's soothing. it's comforting. it's the power of music. And it's hard for us guys to admit that we're Saps too. But fuck it. New trend.

Top 5 Things I've learned this year

2010-12-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas is always a time where I slow down, I think about my life, my business, and the people around me, and I try to excerpt some knowledge from the year and its months. Thought it would be cool to share a few things I've learned this year, and to see if you all had any knowledge eggs to crack over my head as well...

WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN 2010

1. When a politican says A, he means B. Against prop 8 = he is gay. Wants to tighten the rules of Wall Street = pockets being lined by Goldman Sachs. So, it's easy for me now. I vote for the person that has the opposite views of me, because I know he/she's lying.

2. Smart Phones (iphones imparticular) have made it to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. They are right up there with food & shelter according to most people in our society.

3. As you age into your thirties, you have to be supremely aware of more and more situations in which you have automatically become "that guy." For women, they have a particular word for it = cougar. For men, it's, "hey, look at 'that guy".

4. Whoever thought of Christmas for sure owned a mall.

5. Having a nice scotch and soda at the end of a stressful day still solves the problem. Having 10 makes you call & text people you wouldn't normally call = makes more problems. So although I haven't pinpointed it, the sweet spot seems to be 4 or 5. More on this next year.

To everyone out there in the music world, a part of Saint Rocke, or somehow reading this, have a very Happy Holiday & Merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate, spread some love into the world, and we will see you on New Years. aJ.S

Best of 2010 at Rocke

2010-12-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to do one of these; best of this, best that, biggest this...you read the ones in magazines and you nod your head, knowing that half of the votes came through buying an ad in the mag. Well here, not going to happen. Got nothing to gain. Next week, Im going to put out a best of 2010 which all 10 of you that read this will enjoy - and I thought since we are a small, tight little crowd here that I would love to hear some categories that you'd like included. Here is my short list:

Best Face-Melting Performance:
Biggest "diva" artist to deal with:
Artist I'd most like to put in a box and take home:
Best surprise performance:
Coolest Employee at the Rocke:
Biggest Underplay:

What else? This is way harder than I thought... Help me figure out these different categories and come up with some "different" types of things, and whoever hooks up the most questions for me I'll give a NYE ticket to (open bar, full dinner, World Tribe performance, all included). Deal?

Bathroom. Me. Staples. 10 cops....Holy Shit.

2010-12-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

It's not very often that I actually get scared. The occasional adrenaline rush, sure, but actually frightened like a child? Not really. But this last weekend, I went to the Roger Waters show at Staples Center (he performed Pink Floyd's "Wall"), and I legitimately got frightened. Like going to Knotts Scary Farm when you're 12 years old frightened. Like the phone rings Freddy Krueger style frightened...

Night starts off good. My friend and I. Get to LA Live, settle on Flemings for dinner. Johnny Walker Black flowing freely, good food, time to have fun. Get into Staples, grab two big beers, and we're ready for a show. We see a few friends (remember that) walking to our seats, and I don't presuppose as to what they had to drink, but lets use the "three sheets to the wind" cliche. Quick hello. Onward.

Now, I'm going to understate this because certain people read this, but I was feeling pretty good, really good. The show was amazing, but alas, my first bathroom break calls. So I casually stroll into the huge bathroom and begin my urinal transaction, when all of a sudden everybody starts leaving the bathroom. Initially Im confused, but as I turn my head I notice the entrance of Venue Officials, and lots of them. I'm standing at the urinal, and immediately start thinking, "what the hell did I do?" and this nasty nervousness starts setting in. At this freeze-frame, the head count inside the Staples bathroom is : (1) Allen, (4) Red Coats, (2) Cops, (2) Security Guards (with badges), and there is only one exit. I skip level 1-4 scared, and go right to 5 because I can't figure out what I've done wrong, and Im assuming they're coming for me (remember, I've had a few and I'm not at my intellectual peak).

Did I say something bad? nope.
Did I sneak into somewhere? negative.
Do I have contraband? negatory ghost rider.
Then why the hell am I freaking out?
and how am I going to plan my getaway?

But just as I've concluded that Im guilty for a crime I didn't commit (Ateam), and just as my scare level is eclipsing 8, I see another figure through the mirror reflection by the sink...and low and behold, who is it? The friend we saw 20 minutes earlier that we knew, being questioned by these cops. Relief. Scare level drops 3 points.

But, even though Im not exactly sure what went down, what Im sure of is that I dont want to get in the middle of this. This guy is wasted, and if I walk by and try to leave, all I can think of is that he'll say he's with me, and I'm "guilty by association" somehow. There is no help to be given, no "saving your buddy", because these Officers are absolutely riddling this guy, and preparing for the inevitable tackle & cuffs. But they are blocking the exit, so I stand at the urinal for 5 minutes pretending, freaking out (remember, the room is 100% empty except for me). Then, like a tunnel to heaven, there is a quiet shuffle, and the whole Police parade moves from the door for a second, and I see my exit. Bam. Like a ghost. Gone.

There is more to the story, but for another time. The most interesting part of this was that my mind created the whole situation, and there was really no reason for me to be scared at all. But the kicker for me was that leaving that bathroom felt like Shawshank Redemption. Free at last. Free as last. Lets go home...

Oh wait, Im at a concert that just started.

(postscript): our buddy is fine. Lesson: Never drink 4Loco. That drink is like cocaine + acid put together.

Rocke Society. Wanna be a part?

2010-12-01T18:14:00.000-08:00

As is always the case when you own your own business, I have been thinking of ways to make Saint Rocke better...to make the Rocke product stand alone, and to entice people that I want coming to Saint Rocke on a regular basis to do so. I like to think (I know) that our regulars are not the typical Hermosa bar commoners. I like to think that they are more educated, more into quality over quantity, and that they love music and the vibe it brings along.

So for that reason I've been playing with a membership card to the Rocke Society. Something that if I was going to Saint Rocke, I'd wanna have. It will be a purchasable card, and will basically give the bearer a carte blance in at the Rocke. Free entrance, reservable tables, discounts, merchandise, meet the bands in the green room, etc.etc.

But who better than to ask then you what it should cost? what it should look like? what extra fun stuff it should have be a part of it. I mean, do you really care about meeting the band? Do you really care about being able to get a seat? Or is a food discount more important?

Help me help you (had to do it).
The more you help, the more likely it is that you get a card fa fa fa fa fa free.
Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving.

aj.s

Facebook Etiquette. Such a thing?

2010-11-16T21:35:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: This has nothing to do with owning a venue, so it really has no place here. But, seeing how Facebook is a large part of our branding & promotion at Saint Rocke, and seeing how I actually "facebook" a lot more than (100%) than I used to, this blog shall be the home of this story. If you're not alright with that, stop reading.

Im 33. I had no cellphone until 26, and I had no email account until 20. I was raised with two brothers, and we were basically outside all the time. I played the occasional Super Mario or River Raid, but computers and TVscreens were not a big part of my adolescence. These days, my group of friends do very little social networking, so most of my time logged on Stalkerbook is business, and building the Rocke brand. Okay, enough background. Lets get to my little story...

Was on the other night, and on my wall read "Keep your soul, I don't want a soulmate", written by a girl that is my 'friend'. Now, of course we don't actually know eachother; she is building her brand as a TV personality, and I mine with the restaurants. But, I happened to be intrigued by that comment --which I won't digress on, but which actually doesn't make logical sense to me -- and so I wrote a quick note : "a second level comment, interesting." The point was, I like it. Right on. Somebody said something that had just a tad bit of thought behind it rather than quoting the Bible, their favorite Billboard hit song, or some over-quoted cliche writer. Right?

Wrong. Later that day, I log in, and I get this : "hey dude, scientology? it's a song. Chill Out." What? really? First of all, I was chilled out until you wrote a rude response. Secondly, what does scientology have to do with anything? And thirdly, damn. I take back my comment above, where someone wrote something original & interesting. So of course, I wrote back, apologizing for butting in and basically saying sorry, to which I get another reply, this time pretty much scathing (without quoting, basically saying my comments were a cheap attempt at intelligence and I lost the game...game over). Whats the acronym Im looking for? WTF?

Is there no etiquette on this social behemoth? Can you not have some friendly lively debate on this? Did I miss something? Someone please clue me in. Or, is it: write comment = making a pass. The awesome part is that she expected an intelligent remark on Facebook which seems similar to telling someone you love them on facebook, or telling your wall to 'carpe diem'. Only in America do people eat cliches for breakfast. The last part of the story is me getting riled up, and writing back, as I am an easy sucker to get pulled into matches of wit, or debate. It's like chess, the more the lose, the better you get. So I guess since I wrote last, I lost? That how it works? Or does anybody even care...

And then it happened. I was deleted. Just like that. Oh, the horror. No explanation, no letter, no phone call. Just a delete button, and poof, out in the cold. I wonder if kids have support networks for this these days.

Whats the moral of the story? Can't find one. I've failed the "cool" test on Facebook, and Im washed up.
Thank God.

Going to New York City to find a name for my Restaurant

2010-11-12T21:39:00.000-08:00

NYC with a plan : Find a new Restaurant Name

2010-11-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

Even the cab ride is exciting to me, my flip cam recording each swerve and swear word with high def accuracy. Walking the streets with thousands of people, seeing Al Pacino opening night on Broadway, walking through Soho and feeling the culture drip down off of the graffiti-laden buildings. I love this town. I love NYC. If I didn't surf, I'd be there...

No wonder the New Yorker is so adamant about the town. No wonder all the Yankees fans love their team even if the players are mercenaries. No wonder JayZ sings about the town (er, raps). I even caught myself blasting that tune as I rolled down 7th Ave & W 23rd. It's an energy, a brother and sisterhood of strangers. It's fuckin cool.

Don't get me wrong LA - you've got alot to offer. Beach, desert, mountains, city, entertainment...all a stones throw away. And the weather, always nice. But when you talk culture, art, food, spirit....NYC is so clearly above the grade that as I went to the 20 restaurants I went to in 4 days, and ate and drank like Bacchus (thats the Greek God of wine, no need for Wikipedia), I felt like a novice. Oxymoron? a 12-year experienced novice?

I went to NYC with a purpose: to find a new name for a restaurant I start building in January. I wanted to find some inspiration & creative outlet, or more precisely: see their food, see their plates, see their walls, how the light their room, how they layout their occupant loads, how they wire their speakers, and what they play. If you ever go to a restaurant with me, you'll notice that the first 10 minutes of our conversation, my head is swallowing as much information about the space as it can handle, down to doorknobs and floor tiles. But, above all, I wanted a name.

And when I got there, I got an idea. Why not let the people of NYC name it? After all, they are here all the time...so I got my video camera, told my friend (Im camera shy as you'll see), and we walked the city for four days asking people to name the restaurant. Im almost finished editing the video, and I'll post it for all to see, because it's actually pretty funny - security guards, landlords, actresses, bartenders - they all took a shot at the crown.

Did it work? Do I have a name? Lets just say that next week, my camera will be out in LA doing the same thing. But it was the creative process that was born out of that city - the ability to make someone creative in a non-creative endeavor. So thank you NYC. And by the way, if you've got a cool name for an American Gastropub serving breakfast lunch dinner, throw a comment here. Or better yet, throw a video here. You'll eat there for free if we pick your name....

Life. Try it Out. Stop being a $&*($#...

2010-11-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

13 months, 6 days, 2nd hour.

That's how long I've been writing this blog. I was going to count the number of words I've written, but that might be overcooking the meat. I'm a personal guy by nature, and for those that know me, it's almost laughable that I've started this blog. As it was conceived, I thought it'd be a great business marketing machine - give the venue a face, personalize it, and provide a glimpse into the other side of Oz, behind the lights and curtains. But as I've continued to illustrate my experiences in this digital journal, I've begun to move towards personal issues rather than venue issues, unknowingly and without motivation. I guess I'm a reader of my own blog, as well as the author.

The single most memorable life moments I've had is connecting real life with the words - meeting people that read this, hearing their feedback, hearing their comments, and knowing that we are pretty much all in this together. I'm humble enough to know that my path has been walked on, but idealistic enough to realize that my footprints are unique. And I've grown to enjoy sharing my thoughts - partly because there are no faces to disapprove of them, and partly because I find it rare that honesty without filter finds it's way into the world.

So this post, I'm turning it around. I'd love for anyone who wants to try it out - to write me a post, and I'll put it up. Think about it - you can be anonymous if you'd like - and throw out an idea you have of the world, of music, of love - and see if people feel you. Whether you're a dentist in San Fran, a lawyer in Newport, or a bartender in Vegas, you all have those secret ideas that you keep within the vault. Here's your chance to let them out...without any social consequence. Trust me, it's a social experiment, and it's fun.

I had dinner a few weeks ago with someone, and I told her that I go out to dinner pretty often by myself, to restaurants, and bring the newspaper, and I love it. I love it. And for the first five minutes, she made fun of the fact that I did that, and that she would feel like a loser. But by the end, she was determined to try it (did you?). I have a tattoo. Only reason I got one is that I always told myself I would never get one. Make sense?

I challenge you to act outside of your confines today. or tomorrow. or the next day. And here is an easy opportunity. You can either post below this, or if you want to post officially, send to my email at asanfy@aol.com.

And I promise, I don't judge.
ajs.

Hypothesis: The Point of Music is to Evoke Emotion. Agree?

2010-10-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Why do you listen to music & go to shows? Here's my motivation....

I hope Im not the only one, but Im so sick of hearing Eminem & Kanye trying to sing, of drummers being out of work because of producers using loops & ProTools to create repetitive drum lines, and seeings acts that have no business selling out doing so because of mass marketing appeal. The mass music does nothing for me, except keep my ears busy as Im driving around the South Bay. And to be honest, I never understood when I was a kid why my Dad drove with nothing on the radio - but I get it now. Noise. Marketing. Buy this. Be cool and wear this, or be there. Be an artist and buy Apple (yes, Im an Apple Hater).....I just hate it.

Then a friend drove to LA just to go to a show...which I thought was a little strange, because she is what I consider a tastemaker, and she wouldn't do that unless it was worth it. So, even though I hate to be in the popular circle, I found myself perusing this band she was going to see, curious as to why she had to see them, and travel at that. Note: check Mumford & Sons on myspace. Results: (1) it wasn't hiphop; (2) it wasnt the same old 4 man lineup of drums, bass, guitar, vocals; (3) the songwriting, delivery, and emotion of the music was truly unique, which is the most important thing in music to me at some level. Remember, I walk into a venue daily, and probably see 1000 bands a year perform. Alot of them start sounding the same.

And I believe the most important thing in music, or listening, is this: It Evokes Emotion in Me. My mind & intellect feeds off of it, and it evokes a feeling (doesn't matter what feeling) that I haven't had before. In certain cases, I listen to a song, and I feel like the world is brighter, or Im invincible, or that Love really does exist.....

and in this case, it really hit home on a relevant topic in my life, and gave me some insight....

"And you are not alone in this

As brothers we will stand, and we'll hold your hand, hold your hand.

I will tell the night, and whisper lose your sight.

I can move the mountains for you."

So again, Do you agree? Why do you listen to music or go to shows? What is a lyric that evokes emotion in you?

Buddha Question: What side of the creaky fence do YOU sit on?

2010-10-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

Just woke up. 9:43am. 2 ads, newsletter on graphic deadline before noon. Meetings with staff all day, national show tonight. Went to bed 4:46am. Massive day of techie geek upgrades to our computer network at Saint Rocke. Cursing myself for liking to learn, and then, when things are not gravy, not hiring professionals to do the work in half the time. Life of a business owner. Pretty romantic, eh?

The problem is more complicated, for reasons I can't discuss, but at the same time the problem is simple: when is too much work too much? In our culture, we see it all the time. In music, you can take your pick from a veritable ocean of songs that loathe the corporate fool, or wasting your life to work and forgetting about love. If you work alot, you are characterized immediately as lacking soul, lacking true direction in regards to Plato's objective nature of things. But where is the line?

Play for too long, too hard, and on the other side when you're older, you'll struggle. When you get sick, you won't have insurance or a roof over your head, and you'll have to rely on other people, which I think is part of what makes this country amazing and terrible at the same time.

Or work hard, really hard, and buy a nice home, and provide & be responsible for your family. When you get sick, you go to good doctors, and when a rainy day hits, you have an umbrella. But that takes toil, time, and when you'd rather be surfing....we'll, lets say you click on "surf report" , watch the cam, and daydream for 10.

I've been trying to ride that middle - and God knows (don't know if there is One, but read Pascals Wager and you'll understand) it's a thin fence. Right now, it's pretty clear what side I've been leaning towards, and I've got to say, it's sucking. So I begin the transition of my ass cheek to the other side of fence, lean a little too hard that way, and then write again in a few months about how there is more to life than being happy in the moment.

Or is there?

What is YOUR soundtrack? I'll tell you mine....

2010-10-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

REWIND.
SUMMER 1994.
FRIDAY NIGHT.

Call John Welbourn, our big neighbor (who ultimately played in the NFL) to help us collect money for the keg we bought with my brothers fake ID. By the way, claim to fame, I once wrestled John to the ground...so by deduction, I am stronger than an NFL player (yes, I know, faulty logic.). Checklist: Miller Ice Keg, Jack Daniels Country Cocktails, Zima, about 200 people coming, $2 at the door, and the best band around playing at 9pm. Solid bar night, right? Wrong. Highschool. I'm 17. House party. All illegal, all risky, all shit that we had no idea about. All we knew is that (1) alcohol was a new found glory, (2) there was a slight chance I would get to kiss the Chadwick private school girl that I invited, and (3) there was going to be music played that would sink & dissolve itself into my mind like ice cubes in my scotch. That night World Tribe played until the cops came and broke the party up; I learned the lesson of not inviting 2 girls to the same party, and 200 people heard music that they would remember for 20 years.

Everybody has a song, or a band, that sends nostalgia running down their back, reminding them of their first beer, first trip to second base, or a time they promised someone friends forever. And although I hear hundreds if not thousands of songs a year, and look at countless artists, there is reserved space in my heart & brain for certain songs, that to this day still evoke certain endorphin triggers, the way a sunset or picture might.
For me, that band was World Tribe. And so coming full circle, I smile when I think that this New Years, that same band that played the highschool party I speak of above, will be playing Saint Rocke to a sold out crowd on a 2 night stand. FINALLY. For one night, I can be a fan again, and just enjoy some music. No management or artists, no difficult riders, just good vibes. And although I own the venue, and it's business and this & that, for one night I can be that 16 yr old kid again, close my eyes, and remember.

This blog is not for promotion, so Im not going to get into promoting the night, talking about the date, etc. If you like the band, you'll come, and if you grew up where I'm from, I know you'll be there. You can't not be there. People will be flying in from around the country to see this. But for those of you that don't know, I want to remind you of the moment. Stop. Think. Think back to when life wasn't about responsibility, iphones, and schedules, but was more about figuring out what you were going to say the next time that person you liked walked by. Or what you were going to wear to Homecoming (I wore nothing. I streaked the football game with 3000 people watching, and asked my girlfriend to the prom). And then think of the soundtrack thats playing while you recount this memory. I want to know what songs they are...so hopefully you'll all share your nostalgia soundtrack, and maybe we'll even make a mixed cassette tape out of 'em.

Have a good week.

Pockets of Contenment - Green Room with Amos Lee

2010-10-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

Amos Lee played tonight. I couldn't stand to be in the room to watch the otherwise amazing show.....

I'm generally not content. It takes the perfect mix of life, thought, my mood, people around me, and sometimes whiskey, to create that perfect storm which brings on the feeling of contentment for me. The Rocke world is no different; I've been now first hand in charge of hundreds of shows - having booked them, or filmed them, or at them - and with every show there is something that prevents my feeble mind from being content. But tonight was different at Amos Lee...tonight, it wasn't the show that made me content. It was the periphery; and I'd love to share why...

First of all, it't not everyday that you get to see Amos Lee play in a venue our size, on a stage that you built with your own hands, sound coming through speakers that you lifted up yourself on a jack. That man is truly gifted, and the carry of his voice is tremendous. What sucked is the lame girl in the back that had too many cosmos, and kept whooping and yelling, her shameful boyfriend that didn't get his lady in line. C'mon dude. Figure it out - you looked retarded, and everyone would agree with me. So right there, although Im supremely sensitive, that blew my contentment out of the water. The Manager was right next to me, and we both didn't need to even communicate - it was that apparent.

But after the show, as I was gathering my stuff upstairs, I went to say goodbye to Amos and thank him, and we had a brief conversation about the live stream we did, and the ramifications thereof in the music world. And don't get me wrong, I am humble, but I very rarely hear philosophical thoughts that floor me. But, if you could have listened to the way he explained the life of a musician, and his job as a musician, how he viewed the digital world as it relates to artistry ("to keep moving forward, to never stay in the same place...") well, for a moment, my mind lost its place and I just listened. Peaceful, content, learning. Thank you Amos, you don't even know that you cracked a knowledge egg on my head, but that was a really special insight to hear as a sometimes jaded venue owner.

And as if that wasn't enough. I walked downstairs and saw a couple that I had met earlier that night, and they thanked me for the show, and thanked me for "keeping the dream alive." Wow. Not a whole lot of cooler shit in the area of job satisfaction/appreciation than that. And just like that, as quickly as I was browbeaten on the girl being loud during his performance, and actually not being able to even be in the room during the show because of it (yes, I'm extremely obssesive and impatient:), I was turned 180 degrees by two moments, which I aptly call "pockets of contentment." Because life can't be happy all the time, can't work perfectly all the time...but as long as we all still feel these pockets, we know that it's there, and one day, maybe one day, I'll stay in the pocket.

Why Do I write this Goddamn Blog anyway?

2010-09-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

What an interesting session last week - I wrote the blog about this girl I know, her texting, etc.etc. If you don't know, read the last post and then this begins to make sense. If you all are getting to know me on paper, you'll know that I fancy myself to be somewhat intuitive, and I have a great interest in social white elephants (def. something we all know to be true (ex. alterior motives), but that for some reason nobody either has the confident to, or cares to mention. And although I had my opinion already, I started thinking, well shit, Im 33, all my friends are married, I'm not, I'm terrible at relationships....maybe I'm wrong? And so I wrote last week's post, different from my usual humdrum-music-business-this-is-the-real-info-on-what-its-like-blog. Switch it up, right?

Now stop, and go read the comments to the post. Wow. Now I love comments, the more the merrier, so thank you for posting your opinion. But, I learned two things along the way through these comments: (1) I'm obstinate, and I haven't changed my view. Very simple: if I'm in love, have girlfriend or wife, I will never ever text or call an ex. Never. And I'll go a step further - when I'm married, I will not be friends with ex-girlfriends, because I don't see the need/reason. So all this about wanting to just play....eh, don't buy it. I just can't see that.I think you that say that are perpetuating the white elephant sickness. And thanks to my boy who stuck up for me as well - always nice to have some testosterone in the room, even though I don' think she had any desire to actually play the venue. Rather, it served as a good departure point from which to start dialogue.

The second thing I learned is that writing this blog is actually pretty fun. I have always been extremely personal, and still am. But throughout my life, I've seen that people always get it wrong, make up stories, and fill in blanks where information is lacking. And with me, there is no information , so there is alot of mad-libbing going on. This has been a fun, business-friendly way to share my opinions, only to those who want to hear, and also inject some of that fun awkardness into my life knowing that Im sharing with strangers (that hair-on-back-standing-up-feeling). I know I'm not Hawthorne; hell not even Abby. But I'm me, and thats plenty.

So, next week, probably back to music as we have some unbelievably cool shit happening at Saint Rocke..most notable this week of which we were approved for a 5 year contract to produce the Summer Concerts in Hermosa Beach. Mark my words - don't miss the first show next year. It will be unannounced, and it will seem like a "nothing" show. It won't be. Stay tuned...

A Nonmusical, musical post about Sex & Music....

2010-09-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

I know there are going to be some reprocussions from this post, but there isn't much you can scare an agnostic man with except for jail or more taxes. I got a text (which has replaced phone calls by the way, to the demise of human interaction) yesterday from a girl I used to date that I haven't talked to for quite some time. When we were dating, I was always trying to get her to further her love of piano and take lessons, because she had some talent. Not as a career move, not as really any motive-fueled reason, but because I find it a shame that most people haven't experienced how breathtaking it is to take part in the literal creation of a piece of music. She never did take lessons, and soon thereafter we stopped dating, although there was no connection between the two.

The text read: "I am taking lessons. If I get better, it'd be fun to play Saint Rocke, and you have to jam with me." Now, I am an over-analytical guy, so that text read something else to me. And side note - she has had a longstanding boyfriend. So, although I was amused by the text, my immediate reaction was, uh, not happening. Because, I don't know if I'm along in this, but there is something incredibly sexual or romantic about playing music with someone, or even watching someone play music. In these cases, your ears transcend your eyes, and you're hearing beauty, not seeing it. I am a sucker for this - and I know it - and so I quietly declined the invitation, to which I received a text in the manner of "why not? thats rude".

And so i ask, was I rude by over-analyzing and thinking through the situation? Or does over-analyzing just make you look stupid? It's not my first circus in regards to this question....

The Demand for Art, and why technology seems to made it a bargain offer...

2010-09-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

It seems to me lately that there is disorder in the economics of art. Simple supply & demand. With the birth & growth of the internet, there has been a huge oversupply of in the art world: everyone is a musician, a producer, a writer, an everything (shit, look at me and this blog). But what I've seen now, is that the TRUE musicians & artists, the ones that have true talent, now have to dodge and weave through this digital world like asteroids in the old Nintendo game to get noticed. And what has also happened, is that it's become a buyers market. Free downloads, free this, free that. Well goddamnit, free sucks. Why do we want everything for free? Why do we want to take a song (a piece of someone's soul that they probably spent 20 hours on) and not even pay $1.00 for it?

Tonight at Saint Rocke is the impetus of what I wrote above. Norton Wisdom. Painter. If you cruise tonight, you'll see this guy paint things from NOTHING, in ten minutes, right IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES, based on what the music playing is telling him. It is absolutely unreal. I saw it for the first time two weeks ago, and trust, it will blow your mind. He should be in a museum, or on TV, and to be honest, Im humbled he agreed to do this for Saint Rocke (we're not real big potatoes if you add AEG & Live Nation to to the game)......

So yes, I'm self promoting. But no, you don't have to partake in the wine night. There is no cover. Im paying Norton. So technically, you could come in and watch this for $0.00. True. But my goal is that you'll see this and you'll want to contribute to him, you'll want to pay him. Because without Norton, and others like him, ART IS GONE.

Watch Norton at WORK

Something other than Music....

2010-09-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

I dont have the Monday blues today at Saint Rocke. I've actually got some relief. You see, tonight we are not producing a show at Saint Rocke. We aren't booking a band, or talking to an agent, or hoping people come pay to see music, or dealing with sound & production logistics. Im not getting angry calls from managers or publicists on things that have nothing to do with us. Nope. Not today. Today we're watching some football.

We're doing fun specials. Easy specials. $1 beer & $1 mini burgers (the gastropub term is slider). Super simple. And we bought a ping pong table and are putting it on the stage for after the game. Simple, fun, easy. What more can you ask for?

And I love music. Dont' get me wrong. I love it, I love being around it. But just not today. Feel me?

New Years Artist Booked, but not Announced...

2010-09-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

So we just booked New Years, and personally Im super excited. We cannot announce the band yet, but I can tell you that I also booked them on October 24 somewhere in the South Bay at a surprise performance, so when you hear about that after the fact, you'll know they are hitting Saint Rocke for a two-day performance (Dec 31, and Jan 1). I had a ski trip planned, but actually cancelled it because I wanted to see this band play. I think you are all going to be pretty stoked on the evening - I'll keep you posted on details, and I'll also be giving blog readers first chance at the good tickets. Stay tuned.

VINTAGE ROOM: Wine, Art & Culture

2010-08-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

Remember the culture blog? Well, we decided to actually try and do something about it. We love wine, we love music, we love art. So we put all three together. September 14th. Im hoping I was wrong, and that the South Bay will be into this. We'll be having a live artist filmed as he paints his thoughts on what the wine we're tasting looks like on canvas. We'll also have live jazz going, and Bryon Holley will be hanging out, teaching us about the wines that are being tasted. For $30 you'll get three wine tastings, a glass of the one you like, dinner, good conversation, live art, and live music. From there, we'll take comments & feedback for the next one, which we'll have monthly. Want to be a part of this? let me know...anything artistic will be considered, as long as its outside the normal box of what's done all the time around here. So what do you say...share a glass of wine with me?

He says it perfectly....

2010-08-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

I read this article. this morning. this is a talent buyer at a large venue. He nailed it...

What are your thoughts about ticket prices?
I love an agent, when I say “How much?” and the agent says, “All-in, with fees, we want a top of $38.”
That’s an agent who’s looking out for the fan base of his artist and is therefore looking out for his artist.
To say, “I need a hundred grand” is the wrong way to approach “the triangle.”
I learned early in my career there is a triangle in the concert industry. There are three stakeholders that have to have a good financial and experiential success in order for the event to be successful.
The first is the artist, the second is the patron and the third is the infrastructure, which includes the venues, the promoters, agents and managers.
All three of those points on that triangle have to be successful to have a good experience financially and experientially. If any of the three points is slighted, it becomes a house of cards.
And the venues, agents, promoters and managers have all got to stay in business for the concert industry to stay successful. I think that’s part of the turmoil right now, that people have forgotten that.

Reality Show : Rocke Star

2010-08-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

So, finally. Pre Production has commenced. We shopped our story to Sony a year ago, and they wanted Kid Rock to be our frontman. F that. Instead, we decided to do it ourselves, and so have just started pre production on our show - what it's like to work at a live music venue...the video incantation of this blog. So when you cruise in and see the cameras, thats whats going on. So much cool stuff is happening right now - especially on the Sundays for the next few weeks with the beach concerts, which if you didnt catch, this weekend is going to be all time. But I digress.

Part of our show is creating characters out of people that come to Saint Rocke. So should you think that you are one of them, and have something to say, do, or convey - hit us up! Coming soon...

For the Love of....

2010-08-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

I book a band. I negotiate with the agent on a price. Then I negotiate with their management on specifics on the contract. Then I spend money marketing them & pushing their product (band). Then, day of, I argue with the tour manager on things like dinner menus. Then, I pay them. If the night is a success, the venue makes some money. Then I pay licensing fees to big companies that never even pay the artist back. Throughout the whole process, the venue/promoter (me, and by the way, i hate the word, promoter) is looked upon as the opponent, not as part of the equation in making an artist successful. End of the day, question: what is the motivation for the venue?

MOTIVATION. MOTIVES. Always been an interesting word. Whats behind the action of an individual or group? What drives or motivates the words coming out of someone's mouth. You hear the "chess" analogy alot, especially in the business sphere, but also in relationships, group settings, even foreign relations. I've got to thinking: Do people even know they are playing?

Let me give you some examples. You dont want to date someone anymore, so you become distant. You are negotiating a contract, so you become quiet and let the other person talk first. You are worried about how you look in a dress so you call up your bigger friend to go out that night (girls only). Nuclear war tit-for-tat. Congressman hating on gay marriage & hookers and then getting caught, literally, with their pants down. Get it? My point is this - why has the world become so coy? what happened to just asking for what you want, or would like to get, being open to compromise, and cultivating a society where nobody had to question motives? Where everyone was themselves (be yourself, everyone else is taken (Oscar Wilde). Is that too utopian?

Lately things have happened in my life where my motivations have changed. my motivation for waking up in the morning. I found myself wrapped up in progress, money, success. But in that equation, I thought that those equaled being content, and I've found that I had it completely backwards. Contentment first, the others after. Because as I was interacting with people, my motivations (PMS-progress,money,success) we're driving my actions - were my motivation - and I wasn't always being the type of person I wanted to be: someone that does things because they are fun, because they provide inherent value.

It's like drug addiction. Chess mentality addiction. You become good at it, and manipulation starts rearing its head as well. And then you're doing your thing, and you get an email about a possible Blues Traveler play. And you forget all the progress, money, etc. and you just say, holy shit, i drank my first beer to Blues Traveler music back in 91. And you do everything you can to get the show, just because its going to be awesome. no other reason.

And its like surfing. In a split second, you return to what you were meant to be. Human.

BEER PONG???? Management Meeting Vote

2010-08-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

So how do we come up with what we do at Saint Rocke? How do we come up with a promotion, figure it all out, and finally, AGREE on it? Well instead of trying to explain it, I thought we'd show you the final vote process at our management meeting and introduce some of the team. This is what happens every Wednesday in our office - and this week it was the discussion and vote on the BEER PONG promotion.
Check out the vote, and meet some characters!

Does the South Bay have a cultural side?

2010-08-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

As I was at the 6man tournament in Manhattan last weekend, surrounded by volleyball, booze in gatorade bottles, cunning costumes, and an oversupply of teens trying to fit into an adult world, I asked myself if that event, being the most crowded, was really the apex of life in the South Bay. I mean, where are the art shows? the true wine tastings (not the fake restaurant ones)? the poetry or political banter, the film night, or even a Ginsburg coffeeshop reading of Howl?

Now, I know for a fact there are people in the South Bay that have culture. That's not the question. Those people know art, wine, poetry, history, and all the rest; but usually they go outside the bubble to find it. Why? Does beach life consume so much of the beach culture that there is no room past surfing, vball, or boozing on a saturday? And don't get me wrong, I'm not harping here - I'm just wondering. Where do you go for art? for a wine tasting, or listen to somebody rant over why the government is corrupt? I can't find anywhere.

Case in point : Saint Rocke. Monday night Kinky Friedman played. This dude ran for governor of Texas, rubs elbows with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, and a ton of other famous people, had a huge writeup in the LA Weekly, and yet the South Bay crowd didn't get it. Or did they? Next week we have a group of musicians from a refugee camp in Sierra Leone, a truly amazing story, and truly life-altering music & hope. I love it - I get to meet & talk to these guys, learn about their past, learn about how the world has brought them to where they are. If you are into these things, you HAVE to see this show. And well, if you're hungover from the rager on Sunday, I understand. Be well South Bay.

http://refugeeallstars-audience.fm/ to check out Sierra Leone Allstarts

Own the Bar...Make the Decision

2010-07-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

I am humbled.

Last post was rad. So many great ideas, so much good feedback. Some classic ones as well (Sophia). So much so, that I thought it'd be cool to do a contest...so here it is. Monday night football is rapidly approaching, and if you've rolled Saint Rocke on a MNF, you know that its full, its packed, and it's a cool place to watch the game with a chill vibe. Thing is, I cant figure out what to do after the game. Football + live music doesn't go to me, so SR is going to take the night off of music. But I wanna do something fun that night to end the game...and here are some ideas. So here is the contest; if you come up with an idea for MNF post game that we end up using, you get free entrance to Saint Rocke through the whole football season to any show you wanna see. If you're a music junkie, thats some serious dough. So step out of your office, your home office, or off your headset, and become a bar owner for a minute. Here are some ideas, some diving boards, with which to make your creative flow jump...

1. PingPong on the stage post game. weekly tournament
2. Beer Bingo
3. Music Trivia
4. Concert Night DVD - show a concert DVD of favorite artists based on votes

Alright. Get in our heads. Whadda we do???????

A little help from my friends...

2010-07-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

Different type of post today. Gonna share a business question with you all...

Im sure most of you have already been to Saint Rocke a few times, and from what I gather, most people like the vibe. Good shows, good room, etc. But one thing we have that alot of people dont go for is our kitchen. We really do have some good food, and the happy hour is pretty sick by any standard ($5 for anything until 730pm), but we should be busier. Have any of you been to happy hour? did you like? what can we do to make it more alluring for people? is the deal good?

Help a brother out. Need some good critical feedback. If you guys give me some good feedback I'll hook you up with some tickets for a show if you want. Thanks all. Have a good thursday....

EUROPE or bust...on a search for music. Not Russell Brand

2010-06-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

So Im going to Europe this week. France to be exact, mix in a little Italy if I get bored. Im going to get some inspiration. For Saint Rocke, in the gastro world, the cocktail world, and also to just plain get out of the USA for awhile. I figure I either need to validate my concerns, or go there, and come home with my mouth shut, and thankful I live in the USA (which I am, but you know...)

So first, anybody got any good info for me? Paris, Bordeaux, Nice, San Tropez...any good music connects? I want to go to some little side street in Paris, drink red wine all night, and listen to some crazy insane music that resembles carla bruni (guilty pleasure). maybe fall in love, get my heart broken by some french intellectual ideologist who wants to change the world and end hunger. and likes wines (prerequisite). Isn't Paris the city of love? what the hell does that mean anyway?

Secondly, any restaurant ideas for me? places to eat? cant miss locations? would love to know.

And lastly, San Tropez. My friends pick. I would try to make that crazy house music bass sound right now, but im writing, not talking. i have a feeling i'll be able to take this for 1 night, till 4am, and then be done with it. But like an ambitious 33yr old feeling 20, i'm gonna give it my all. :) maybe thats why i got my cholesterol levels checked last friday. anyway, bon voyage, and enjoy some good shows while im gone!

Gavin Rossdale Show Just got another Fan

2010-06-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

I have to admit. Not the biggest Bush fan initially. I tend to shy away from things that pop culture glamorizes. If you know me, you've heard of my intense ban on mac products (apple) because i dont want to fall victim to their decisive and hypnotical marketing efforts. Its not always smart, and doesn't always serve me well. But goddamnit, they won't get me!

And tonight, as I rolled down to check Gavin Rossdale of Bush's set, I was in the same mood. Uh, okay. Not a huge fan, big for Saint Rocke though. Go make an appearance, you know, talk to people get feedback etc.etc.

Holy shit. That guy is (1) super talented, (2) sounds as good live - his voice - as he does on record, and (3) is a genuinely cool guy. While I was there (not super long, as I get anxious and nervous in my venue - i start getting ocd about stupid things and cant relax) he not only played some sick tunes, but covered "landslide" acoustic, and told a story about his kid in which he alluded to Saint Rocke, and how his kid was baptized Saint Rok.

And that being said, I have to publicly display my musical affection and "cool guy" reverence for Gavin. Wow. what a show. You missed it again! He just played in front of 280 people, and in 5 months, you'll see him play in front of 50,000 people. If you haven't seen a show down here, you are missing out - the intimate vibe is the way to go.

Ok then, here's a test...an OIL test

2010-06-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

American culture dumb? lots of feedback, lots of weed proponents saying its not the herb. Let me be clear, Im not hypocritical. Was just saying - those who are smart know how to get it, and they do. But if the tards just need to walk in the store and get it - thats what im worried about. Is it really even illegal? doesnt seem like it.

I digress.

lets see how sensitive south bay is to the world. We were asked to be a part of a 60 venue fundraiser for the Oil Spill down in the Gulf - to help raise a music fund for it. Iglu and Hartly, a solid band, is playing for the cause. Lets see how many people actually care and would listen to some good music over a beer to contribute to the cause.

And then we could be on it....Any takers?

Is American Culture Stupid?

2010-06-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, I said it. Not the first, not the last.

Have you noticed? car commercials have a bikini on it...does that make you wanna buy a car? a television show is super famous because they follow around 21's in hollywood who argue, fight, and spend daddy's millions. Villain or no villain, Spencer is not that fun to watch, and Heidi is not that hot. Jersey Shore is perhaps the best example, and the most honest. Fuck it. Put 5 italian dudes that are steretypes, that love fucking, fighting, and working out, throw them in with 5 italian chicks that, to be honest, i can't figure out what they like, add nicknames like snooki, and "action." That little recipe made Snooki 10k per appearance in 2010. Appearance? What does she actually do?

I remember when my Dad explained famous people. They could do something no one else could, or they did it in a unique way. Sammy Davis, Jimmy Durante, Sting, MJ, etc.etc. I could go on and on. And now? what do they do? Fist Pumps.

Don't get me wrong. If I was Snookie, Id take that to the bank. the point is that there is a market for it, that WE provide. America. Gone is classic literature, original dramatic movies. Replace with books on tape and remakes of 70/80's tv shows like ATeam. Pity the fool.

What are we going to be like in 20 years? I think Im the only one around who is against legalizing weed only because it'll make our culture even more retarded than we already are.

Is anybody seeing this?

Just a Great Moment....

2010-06-08T00:05:00.001-07:00

Monday morning. Wake up. Have Coffee. Estimate damage control over the weekend - paperwork, what got broken, upcoming events. Have meetings (i hate meetings, useless most of the time). Robot work is what monday is all about. Getting caught up.

But this morn I got a treat. A friend of mine is doing some work for me, and this weekend his son played for the Hermosa Little League Championship, and he is the coach. Well, this morning, I got to hear a full-blown, play-by-play recital of the game from a father beaming with pride. He remembered every bunt, every pitch, every at bat. You could see the admiration for his son dancing in his eyes as he told me about the politics of LL baseball, the screaming parents, the haters. It was classic.

And on a certain Friday night, you would never know, but this proud Father would be jumping around on the Saint Rocke stage singing about love, drugs, peace, fighting, and everything under the sun.

And I thought to myself : what a lucky guy I am. I get to see inside the veil, the human side of these artists. The side we never usually see. It inspired me to start a series at Saint Rocke on exactly that. So Im going to delve into another new little project, and I'll let you know as it rolls.

Sound interesting?

THE #&$($ SHOW WEDNESDAY - IMPORTANT!!!!

2010-06-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

For some of you, we didnt have your email list....if you YELPED, please copy your review, and send to asanfy@aol.com AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL SO I CAN GET BACK TO YOU.

This is the list I have so far of the people that have tickets, and I want to keep my word...let me know.

Tyler Critelli	+ 1	no
Jason Weber	+ 1	no
Frank C	+ 1	x
Sean Maloney	+ 1	no
Rane	+ 1	x
Megan Williams	+ 1	no
Tanya Monaghan	+ 1	no
Judie	+ 1	x
Arian Barnett	+ 1	no
Peter	+ 1	x
Ashley B Lewis	+ 1	x
Jonathan Roberts	+ 1	x
Tami Ellett	+ 1	x
Lisa G.	+ 1	x
Michael Hillson	+ 1	x
Jim S	+ 1	x
Sherry	+ 1	x
Sheri	+ 1	t

An HONEST Thank You

2010-06-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

Everybody knows what I did. It's no secret. Fight fire with fire (which if you think about doesnt make sense, you should fight fire with water). But anyway, I hate YELP, dislike the negativity of the YELP community, and so with this private show, thought hey, why not try something out. What I thought I'd get were some unthoughtful quick replies on Yelp about Saint Rocke being cool, yah, yah,yah. But really, some of the responses you posted honestly gave me chills, and reinforced the reason I do this - to have a place where people love seeing live music, free and clear. And so thank you for those of you that made an effort to let people know that we're trying hard, and that we're in some way helping music live down here. Really Really Appreciate it. And all you that did that, rest assured, Im emptying my inbox tomorrow and you got your tickets, and we're going to party on Wednesday for sure. I personally love this band/guy, as he just imbibes what Saint Rocke is about. For those of you that don't know the play, if you REALLY ACTUALLY LIKE what we're doing at Saint Rocke, I ask that you tell the world how you feel on YELP.com and I will reward your work with 2 free tix to the secret show next wednesday. And by the way, did anybody see the YELPER who freaked out at gave us 1 star because she read the blog? really? you actually missed out on a great show - but we'll all have fun for you. later.

Tickets to the next SECRET SHOW : June 9

2010-05-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

Quick one : We have another artist playing on JUNE 9 that we CANNOT ANNOUNCE, nor can you even purchase tickets. They gave me some tickets for my friends, and so IM GIVING THEM TO YOU GUYS, because you're what makes Saint Rocke run...music lovers. So..... here's what I ask...
1. Read my last blog.
2. Go to Yelp and either hook Saint Rocke or Union Cattle up. NOTE: do not lie. If you hate Saint Rocke, or UCC, don't do this.
3. Send me a reply on the blog saying you've done that, and I'll hook it up with 2 free tickets to the secret show.

So far secret shows : NOFX, Cypress Hill, and many others. I ain't lying. I love this artist. If you know my vibe, you'll know why, and he is probably going to be playing in the summer concert series that I'm booking in Hermosa. Rocke on peeps.

YELP this.

2010-05-17T19:25:00.001-07:00

I've had enough. I've tried to play it cool, play the rules, listen to their ad calls about why I should pay Yelp to help me even though people take shots all day...well, you know what? Screw YELP. Screw you YELP, the creator of YELP, and all of you people that hammer down on small business owners everyday. You guys blow; you are what the world does NOT need more of - negative people that slam others, with no offers or suggestions on how to improve. Pretty rad. Go USA. And then you have the nuts to call me and ask me advertise on your site? As they say in Strange Brew, "take off eh".

At the bottom of the USA economy is the small business owner. We're the donkeys. We employ the people, get hammered by the state and Fed over taxes, have insanely unfair labor rules (did you know we can't even fire people that steal?), and pretty much get bent over by everybody (note: see new healthcare bill. who is carrying that load? small business). Still, that being said, we happily oblige because only here in our country can you start something from nothing and make a living doing what you love. So we say, cool, some for you, some for him, some for her, and the little snibbets that are left go in our pocket.

And we work tirelessly to make our businesses cool (at least I know I do, and my partners do). We work all night, we basically talk business all the time (wives and girlfriends can attest to that), and our work pretty much becomes a part of our identity. Take the ROCKE for example. If you know me, and you've been to Saint Rocke, you know my soul is on the wall. I had a tool belt on when we built that place, and I know where every plumbing, electrical, data, and sound line is in that building. I spent all night (2nd note: when i saw all night, i mean all night, like 11pm-8a because we're open the other hours) before NOFX rewiring our entire lighting rig just to be sure that it would look sick. And I do that because I love to. But occasionally we screw up - some food comes out wrong, servers screw up, we screw up. It happens. It happens to all of us. When is the last time you messed something up? thought so. we're human.

And then I go to YELP, and I see this goddamn people YELPING all day about this and that - too expensive, too salty, they didnt tell me happy hour lasted only till 7, free this, free that. And well, I've been YELPED out. We own Saint Rocke, the Union Cattle Co, and now Ocean Bar. And they aren't perfect, but I think they are pretty fucking cool, and if they are not, give us some suggestions to make them better, which I truly mean (my email is asanfy@aol.com). But imagine a stranger slamming your job, or your efforts, and giving no good feedback. It sucks, and so therefore, YELP sucks. YELP in a nutshell: an internet nerd got a community of people whose mantra screams "misery loves company" and is making a ton of money off people who actually think that YELP is unbiased. Right. Sit in on a sales call they make...you'll see.

So here is my plea.
If you YELP - take the Y out add an H. HELP. help businesses be better.
If you dont YELP - dont start. does this really make anybody, or the world better? nope.

and if you want to, join me in going onto yelp and fighting back. gloves off baby. you slam me, i slam you. im just one small business owner, but im over it.

You think Im off base?

TRIBUTE BANDS - super fun or bad taste?

2010-05-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

So, I've been getting hit up by arch rival groups lately about the same thing...the same issue...and its got me puzzled. If you know me, I'm not very 50/50 on anything; I have an opinion (usually not right), but regardless, I have one, and I'm vocal about it. BUT, here, Im experiencing a real life, bonafide, cant-figure-it-out crux. a quagmire if you will.... SHOULD I HAVE TRIBUTE ACTS AT SAINT ROCKE?
One side : No way. To be a real music venue, you cannot have those bands, as they do not promote and culture the development of music. They capitalize on music already written, without paying royalties, and they don't add to the creative soup of the music world. (fans : bookers, agents, music aficionados).
Other side : Dude, relax. Stop taking yourself so seriously (since when did musicians become so serious anyway?). Music is music, and come Friday evening, after I've been slaving for the man all week long, I want to have a beer (or two) and listen to some good ass live music, and yes, I wanna hear some music I know and love, not some twenty something crying about the man & the state of the world in a song i've never heard, and wont remember for 20 seconds. I wanna hear some Sublime, some Cash, some Dave Matthews. and these guys are freaking good - so cut em some slack.

See what I mean? they both have a point. Thoughts? (and by the way, funny i bring this up now - Superdiamond playing this weekend, and they dominate).

Who wins...the Turtle or the Hare?

2010-04-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine was telling me about this girl he met, and he described her like a turtle (I actually just thought M&M as I was writing this) : she is very hard to get to know (shell) , but says she has a soft side (get it now?). He says he is just trying to get to know her, and that he thinks one day, like a turtle, she will reveal herself, or "come out of her shell". (I need to stop it with these cliches)...anyway, I asked, what if she never comes out? Then you spent a bunch of time waiting and coaxing for not...and to which he replied, ' I guess thats why they say the turtle always wins'.

Aftermath of the Shows

2010-04-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

A week to remember. Fuuuuuuuuuuu$%k. I try not to use bad words on this, but there is no better descriptive expletive that can better illustrate how I feel. First, NOFX. It's funny, I get so excited to make things happen, to get the streaming going, to surround Saint Rocke with people that can get things done, to deliver a product, that by the time comes, uh, too tired to enjoy. So I sat through NOFX with my eyes half open, but all the while amazed at their show. I truly don't understand how guys that party that hard are able to play music for 20 years, and are able to sound musically tight. Thats why they are big...so then I go home to sleep for 3 hours, because Cypress Hill and KROQ are loading in at midnight right after the show. By the time I get back to the Rocke, there is, NO JOKE, a line from Saint Rocke to nearly the Land Rover dealership on 1st street; at 430am. What??? Could not believe my eyes. Just so you all know, it takes a good 30 people working super hard for 4-5 hours in the morning to put this show on. An army. Sound Army. Kevin & Bean were super entertaining - but Cypress BLEW DOORS. absolutely blew doors. Insane in the Membrane followed by Rockstar. Now I now why people stay up and wait in line. All done now, but still enjoying the aftermath...TMZ called wanting to know more, we got calls from some agents with some more huge acts (one of which if books, oh lord), and word is getting out that Saint Rocke is growing a music garden down in the South Bay. So word to all the people that go to the Rocke - and to keep the cliche fresh, Rocke ON. Lastly, nice to meet alot of you through these shows - great to put a face to a name/email. Keep checking in, many more secret shows to come.

Winna Winna Chicken Dinna

2010-04-13T23:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, so winners round 1. These were the first to post on the blog....if they dont go, we pick more people. They have 48 hours to respond. also, we are giving away 2 tix per day on Twitter so check us out over there if you didn't win in this round....for those below, email me to confirm.

Jezin	Vanessa
Delight	Sherry
Gregory	Gerily
Holderman	Evan
Lange	Jani
Handzlik	Craig
Sikola	Jason
Carter	Cedar
Weems	Lindsey
Sikola	Jason
Cressman	Jordan
Fisher	Erin
Lewis	Ashley
Barnett	Arian
Heath	Jessica
ValCarcel	Meredith
McCown	Jackie
Grey	Tim
Addante	Brianna

Got a few more - will give out end of week.
Thanks for supporting music. Thanks for supporting the ROCKE.
and by the way, another tidbit. tuesday morning - BIG band following up NOFX. cant announce till 4/16.

NOFX Tickets & the definition of COOL

2010-04-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

I know I know. All you all just care about the NOFX tickets. Cool. I have them. lots of them. and I'm going to give them away somewhere in this post. Read on...
But before I say that, wanted to thank a good friend of mine, a guy who played last night at the Rocke, Jay Nash. I met Jay through CP a few years ago, and one night we had walked through a torn-up beginning of what was to ultimately become the Rocke. I bullshitted my way through the layout, even though I winged it when I was building it, because I hadn't built a live venue per say. But last night, I was watching Jay, and he elegantly thanked me for putting live music back in the South Bay on stage (which is nice, but a bit overstating) - and I thought to myself. Damn. In two years we've done some really cool stuff in here, and music seems to be back in the South Bay, alive again. And as I was reflecting on that, he started playing one of his tunes (by the way, www.myspace.com/jaynash) and I realized something : I love listening to slow, mellow tunes about life, love lost, times gone, and letting my mind run with it. Some good solid emotional tunes, and no I dont cry when he's playing. So Yeah, not manly, not macho, I get it, chicks dig the asshole (yes girls, its true, stop lying) . Punk, reggae, rock, way "cooler." And 5 years ago I would've lied. But I guess that's what being in your 30's is all about - defining cool as whatever you like, regardless of what people think. So, f people who try to define cool, or put it in a box and wrap it up (case study: Apple). Let people decide whats cool for them. And gd (making my own acronyms) you'll find me at the next mellow, songwriter show, because I like it. That being said, the actual next show you'll find me at is the NOFX show - and so here's how to get tix:

Thank you for your reponses already, but you have to be A FOLLOWER of the blog to get tickets through me. sorry, ruthless self-promotion. :) BUT, if you're my friend on the digital, then you get hookups with free tix. so become a follower, and then email me. First 25 people to do that (i have timestamps) get free tix. GO. Also, if you are blogger illiterate, follow twitter cuz we're given some away there as well. And lastly, everyday we're giving away some tickets at Happy Hour AT SAINT ROCKE in drawings. Cool? See you all there.... Allen

A week of Good Karma....f'ing finally

2010-03-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

If I were religious, I would throw out an academy award "thank you jesus" while pointing towards the sky (and I would say it really fast). But alas..

A recap of a kick ass week:

1. Close friend got married. I was in wedding. Saw my old friends, and got super nostalgic. My most sarcastic friend (whats up Peter) found about this blog. I took alot of shit for it. I did the old "good for business" response to deflect. nice speech by the way.

2. I finished building a new bar at Union Cattle Co. 2 nights of no sleep, 4 days of construction, 15 subs helping, and a ton of coffee. check it out. its sick - and we're doing the whole restaurant in 20 days. by the way, building a venue/restaurant is like building a house on crack. we can't close for very long, so we work all night long. just so all you all can drink in a disneyland looking adult place.

3. TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS confirmed at Saint Rocke 5/15. Holy shit. 5546, pressure drop, and the list goes on. if you have ever listened to reggae music, this guy is up there with bob marley. seriously. this show at saint rocke will be RETARDED.

4. NOFX confirmed 4/19. Scared for my venue. Take it easy on us Fat Mike. But so excited. Another band I grew up, skating & surfing pre-music. This show is PRIVATE. I have tickets though for my online crew - so hit me up. respond to the blog and we'll hook it up. This is with HavocTV, some guys from Manhattan that grew up local and went to Costa. They are doing some really cool stuff over at www.havoc.tv

5. SHOW ON 4/20. Can't tell. But late on 4/19 after the NOFX show, we start loading in at 2am, for our next show which will be at 7am. more to follow. definitely follow this.

6. HAD A GREAT DINNER & TALK. Sounds basic right? But think about it. when is the last time you had dinner (grilled salmon i made, bomb), a glass of wine, a good 75F sunset, with a lovely lady, and had a GREAT CONVERSATION. I tend to talk too much as it is, but I don't think she minded. She's a friend of mine, and it's plutonic, but damn, these days those day are rare.

7. DOGS GOT WASHED. The stinkin dogs. Finally got them washed. thats why this is #7. You're thinking who cares.

8. Figured out concept for upstairs UCC. I am separating union cattle into two places. the upstairs is going to be called OCEAN BAR. YOU LIKE?

And that my friends, is a kickass week. Finally. Was wondering when karma would hook a brother up.

Pondering a classic question on the way home from Mammoth...

2010-03-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

Last Weekend..Mammoth....1.5 days....epic. Solid snow, solid friends, blue skies, and aside from my tired quads, just a great trip. Good to get away from the bar business for a weekend. That being said, went to some restaurants up there - and I'd have to say - pretty average. But like crooked police, I never name bad restaurants. Its the brotherhood. But I digress.
So I'm driving the drive home from Mammoth, with a friend I've know for 25 years, and we're talking...what else...women. And we get into the "age" conversation. And we start talking about honesty, and how (now dont get all pissed off - read through it) women almost force men to play games in a way. Let me explain. Most men are super straight-forward with what they want - but if they are too straightforward, women (especially younger) don't like it. They like the bad boy, the non-communicator, the guy that doesn't call 'em back, or that waits 6 hours before a text back. But see, guys know this. So instead of do what they are feeling, they instead are forced to play the manipulative role in order to keep it going - to keep her interested and on the edge of her seat. Now I call bullshit on this, because I try to be as honest as possible, even if it hurts. Doesnt mean I succeed all the time, but I try. So my friend, who is back in the fishpond after a 10 year hiatus asks me....

"Well what the F do I do then? Be honest and lose, or play the game and win?"

GD, thats a hard question.

SUBLIME w. ROME : Yeah or Nay

2010-03-11T12:35:00.000-08:00

Now we all know Sublime, and if you didn't like them, you suck. They created a genre in my eyes, that people have been trying to copy/edit/make their own for the last 15 years. I saw Sublime in 95 and it was one of the worst live shows ever, as Bradley could barely play the guitar. I was going to school at Santa Clara, and it was in the student auditorium. Look back at it now and laugh....BUT, they put out some amazing, ground-breaking tunes, and the tunes are still going strong today.

So the question is - ROME WITH SUBLIME. Good idea or bad? On one hand, you say, look at Van Halen. David Lee Roth, then Sammy Hagar. Still Van Halen, both good, both different. But Sublime seems different. Sublime IS/WAS Bradley Nowell. At least thats how it feels to me. And Sublime with Rome seems more like marketing than the same band. What do you guys think of this latest incantation?

Temporary Personal Ban on Reflective Music

2010-03-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

I realized something today. Its pretty basic. I tend to listen to slow, mellow vibe music, and although Im not a huge lyric guy (more focus on the instruments), the lyrics tend to be about life and everything being alright, and valleys, and peaks, and etc.etc. And you know what, whether you realize it or not, it sets your mood during the day. And lately i've been a little flat, so I've installed a temporary ban on this music in my life for a few weeks as a test. Like today. I went to update the website and I usually throw on Jay Nash, Josh Radin, Tyrone, Chris Pierce - some mellow cool shit like that - but I type slower, create slower, start thinking. So today I put on Dirty Heads (although wish they would play Saint Rocke over Brixton but oh well) and I was rocking it. Just getting it done. (didnt mean to plug, but did). So lesson for today to myself. You make your mood, you dont let the world make it. Its better that way. Turn it up!

New Dating Service

2010-03-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

Anybody need a business idea? Someone should start a LIVE MUSIC DATING SERVICE. Check it.
Music connects alot of people - its pretty hard to drive in the car with someone thats playing sucky music; if you love Dylan, and she's playing Young Jeezy, no go. If he's playing Death Cab, and you hate emo, goose egg. So, this service lines up music styles, and single people into go with some sort of tricky signal that they are part of the this thing. See, a few things: 1. you already like the same music. 2. It's loud, so the initial talking is minimum (good thing, not bad thing). 3. easy escape routes. 4. depending on your mood of what type of girl (or guy) you like, you go to either a Sade love show, or a Courtney Love show where the guys liked to get walked on. genius i say. genius. and by the way, there is a revolution called SPEEDY starting. you'll see. And lastly, if you're not following the blog, start following because only blog readers getting tickets to our iROCKe shows in April (holy crap, the lineup is getting retarded).

Girl Surfers

2010-02-25T21:46:00.000-08:00

Quick aside. Growing up in the South Bay, and growing up in the surf, I've always been a little wary of girl surfers. If you ask Speedy, he will give you 20 minutes & 2 pocketfuls of reasons why girls shouldn't be surfing - and he's one of the best surfers around this beach town. But I have to admit, I stumbled upon the girl character they call Holly Beck, whom I've know through name but never placed a face, and she actually has a pretty cool vibe, surfs pretty well (I think she attends her classes at Haggerdes, ah poor Hags), and is pretty freakin hot. Now, I will 100% approve when she outsurfs Troy at Hags, but until then, half nod. So, Im actually changing up my vibe a little. And, yes, for all the women shaking their head in disapproval, I know my approval means nothing, but its my blog and my bar, so I get to say whats on mind. And for what its worth, at least this male is telling the truth.

Finally...Finally...Finally...

2010-02-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

There is this thing in small business that can be at times devastating, but at times the most amazing feeling there is. Its called momentum. With what I do, we have ideas floating around daily like flies in the office; we swat them around, some allude our criticism, some die by our critical hand. But in the end, there are always 1 or 2 left in the window sill, waiting for the window open so that they may be free to fly into the world. One such 'fly' in my office is the iROCKe streaming platform, which I have been trying to develop for close to a year. Like the article in the Easy Reader said, I've been trying to break down the walls of Saint Rocke - imagine our little old brick building being as big as the coliseum. Well, for the Rebelution show, it was. 133,000 people virtually in Saint Rocke. And so now the momentum has shifted and that rock that Sisyphus was pushing up the hill finally made to to the top...and for those reading, we all get to enjoy. In April we start our series officially, and the first band that just confirmed is NOFX. Now you guys might think, ok, pretty cool. But if you know the music business, for a band like NOFX to play Saint Rocke is like the LA Dodgers playing a game at Torrance High (no offense Saint Rocke, no offense Torrance). Saufua if you're reading this you're laughing. Chris is my good friend from the flatlands. Anyway, NOFX draws shows of 2000-3000 people, and they are playing a venue of 290. Hence momentum swing. In addition, we have Jim Lindbergh (former Pennywise singer) and our local favorite Colleen (pickupchick.com) hosting the show. And guess what, I got tickets for my blog readers. You guys were part of the negotiation. So, pretty soon you're going to see promo for 8 shows in April /May with bands that you would never think would play the South Bay. And on this little private blog here, we're all gonna hook it up and see some amazing shows. and we're going to see them free. thanks for reading, and go shift some momentum your way. aj.s

Small Business Mentality

2010-02-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

Sure, I'd love to sit at an office desk, take meetings, and chill all day. Would love to stay at 80,000 ft, talk in macro ideas & concepts, and then assign people to plans and see what brainchilds are born. I can imagine the CEO of LiveNation now... a decision a day, mixed in with meetings. But when you have a small business, you play everything. Tonight for example, I will spend my Friday night at Saint Rocke filming ALO (which is a killer band by the way), then go to UCC make sure everything is smooth. And by the way, right now Im updating the blog (fun part) so that I can finish the email newlsetter we send out weekly (not fun part). But you know what - thats what small business is I guess - its the sweat, blue-collar work, that in the end you look back at and can appreciate, if you make it. So tell Obama and his crew to give us a break. Tell the CA labor board, and the workers comp union, and all the other people with their hands out, to chill. It's hard enough just making a business work in simple terms of supply and demand. Let us small business people do our thing, and in return, if small businesses survive and thrive, even though we scrape our knuckles doing it, maybe our country will survive too. (wow, was i just doting politically?) aj.s

Online Downloading - The Horror! The Horror!

2010-02-03T19:21:00.000-08:00

So who have you have used Legalsounds.com or something like it? C'mon, just admit it. I have. And before having Saint Rocke, I didn't think twice about it. Fast forward to the other day. I haven't downloaded music in I-dont-know-how-long, but I decided it was time for a new album to listen to as I lay in bed at night trying to close the eyes. So I, through repetition, go to that website, and then I think to myself, wow, an album by Josh Radin costs 1.99? how the hell can someone charge only 1.99 for all the creativity, artistic endeavor, and originality that Josh Radin put into the creation of that album? Repeat $1.99. That is 3 Snickers bars, or a 9 volt battery...and for that Im getting 10 songs that I will listen to and will shape my emotions & thoughts for an indefinite amount of time. That leads me to a bigger issue...why, if music is the soundtrack to all of our lives, is the general public so willing to bootleg the artists that are behind it?

The worst part is this. It's overwhelming. It's like the Haitian earthquake. Millions of people read about the horror as they eat their cocoa puffs, and then they put the paper down, get on the 405, and listen to Ryan Seacrest talk about Simon & Idol. WTF (thats what the fuck?). And I found myself overwhelmed by the insanity of a Josh Radin album priced at 1.99, and then you know what, I downloaded it. Shame on me.

Authors Note: listen to Josh Radin. He's an awesome artist. And buy his album for the sticker amount to support him. After writing this blog, author went to his site and bought album for full price to make himself feel better.

She Sunk My Battleship

2010-01-28T00:55:00.000-08:00

And by the way, for those out there having trouble in relationships, take heed. We feel you. I sunk another ship - can't even figure out who's fault it was though. Good question - Does it really matter at the end of a relationship to figure out who was at fault, if anyone?

Brand New Day

2010-01-28T00:44:00.000-08:00

Just one of those days. Got to surf manhattan this morning, but the payback is that its 1245am, and I'm still working. And its all soooo important! yeah, right. you ever laugh at yourself as the anxiety is settling in, the nervous energy brewing, and you laugh because in the perenial bigger picture its really not that important. After all, I have a restaurant/bar and a venue...I wonder what Obama is doing right now. I bet he takes the blue ones every time. But alas, the work continues, and we confirm new artists, and we develop new stuff, and it can be fun. But the other day i was at Tyrone & Mark's show (Tyrone Wells on Sunday), on Sunday when I usually dont work, because I went to film them. And it was fun. I got lost in the music for awhile (see the clips at the end of this blog). And at the end of the show, after a great performance, Tyrone was outside talking to fans and signing autographs like a true fan-thankful artist; not too cool for school, no give-me-my-post-show-rider-pizza-and-hot-tea, no pay-me-im-out...instead, he was genuinely interested in the people that had driven miles just to see him play. And as I walked away, humble, I smiled. Music is alive.

http://www.justin.tv/s/oHEV75M/clip/60824f08e89db688

Marley Family & Saint Rocke

2010-01-20T09:08:00.001-08:00

So the last time Julian Marley came into town, he needed a practice venue - somewhere to polish up the show before they played Saint Rocke and moved onto Australia. So I told the agent to send them over to Charlie's, a friend of mine that has a pretty cool studio over by the old PV Bowl on Crenshaw. Well, Julian and his crew enjoyed it, so when they came back out, they asked for the favor again - and Charlie was gracious enough to grant it. They played SR last night (sick show), but on Monday night I had the pleasure of going to see them rehearse. Now let me set the table...you show up in an industrial cul-de-sac, walk into the back lot of a chain-linked fence lot, where there are few stragglers warming their hands at the makeshift firepit, with the smell of you-know-what pungent through the night air, and as you make your way inside, there is an army of music loving reggae souls getting the space ready for julian to play. The best way I can describe my interaction was 'fly on the wallesque', which is what I love. Colleen, a friend (who by the way check out her classic website www.thepickupchick.com) came with me, and usually I would go alone - but in this case, it was more fun with her. Cool thing about her is that a long time ago, I totally blew trying to ask her out and putzed it, and because of that, there is no longer that nervous expectation in my head. Sounds odd, but then again...
Anyway, they start playing slowly, sharply, jaggedly, stopping and starting, calling out changes, and then a rhythm sets in. drums and bass connect, keys follow, guitar starts up, and they begin with Natural Mystic followed by Positive Vibration. And I start laughing. Cant stop laughing. Am I really here? Is this what it felt like to sit in on Bob's rehearsals in Kingston? I closed my eyes, and Julian's gruff voice resembled Bob's, but his energy and love for the songs seemed identical. And I listened for a few hours, lost in the classic melodies. And a story was born.

IROCKE presents: Tab Benoit

2010-01-09T14:32:00.001-08:00

Watch live video from Saint Rocke Live Music Venue on Justin.tv

Perenial Debate

2009-12-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

A super tough question: open on a holiday like christmas eve or christmas in order to help the business stay in business, and help everyone keep their jobs, or close on christmas and these holidays and let your employees enjoy the holiday with their families and loved ones? Thoughts?

FOR MY BLOG READERS

2009-12-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

So, I know I like doing this more than people like reading it, but I hopefully some people do actually read this - and if you do, got some special news. We are going to be filming live, with the streaming platform I talked about earlier, on January 12 and closing to the public, and the band that we are streaming is XXXXXX. I cant tell anybody who the band is, and there are all sorts of people that would squash the little venue owner, but I do get a few names on the list to add (they get 90% of the list) - by the way, thats called having leverage in a situation. Anyway, if you'd like to come, email me at asanfy@aol.com and put the code BLOG in the message header, and I will give my tickets away until I dont have anymore. One thing though - and i wont be able to check so we're on honor system - forward my blog to your friends. See if they think its interesting. Alright then. Off to the Cirque show in Santa Monica.

New Years Eve

2009-12-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

I know this might sound anti-business for me to say - but why is New Years eve always inevitably a letdown? I was talking with my friend today, and he said "NYE sucks unless you are with a girl that wants to kiss you." I paused, and thought, and then wholeheartedly agreed, but not for the reason you might think. I think everyone has a 10 second reflection on life when the ball drops, a promise for a better tomorrow, and chance at repentance, forgetting the bad that happened, and memorializing the good. And then after that quick reflection, you want to feel like you've got a partner in crime to start out the new year - a bud, a shoulder, a lover, someone thats focused on you right then and there. Then, its back to the partying. But no matter how good a party you're at, if you're the one running around at 11:50 trying to spot the only single guy or girl left in the place, pretty much you're f'ed. That being said, as I smile, what are some things I can do to make NEW YEARS more fun at both our places?? I personally think we have some kickass stuff going on (check out the websites), but Im always done for ideas. Anybody got any?

Life as a TightRope

2009-12-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

When you own a venue, or a bar, or a restaurant, its pretty easy (actually really easy) to get caught up in the minutia. Our business is a cycle, a repetitive weekly cycle. On Mondays we start, on Sundays we finish, and on Monday we start all over again. We order our food, our liquor, our beer, our artists (booking), schedule our employees, review our performance, make goals for the next period, and then we start all over. Through this process, you can find yourself looking up, and the weeks simply become a number: 1-52. Then after week 52, comes week 1, new year. Besides making a living (which is essential but not primary - big difference), there are certain joys that come with our business. One of my mind is the people that work for Saint Rocke & UCC. 90% of my employees move on, are doing this in the short term, and I'd say 50% dont care at all about the business. But the other 50%, and the minority within that percentage, really do care, and they find themselves growing as people. When I see someone like that in our organization, I do my best to give them tools to grow, learn, and come away in a place they werent before. Ask a few of them - started as busboys, now they are in management. Its amazing (its actually how I started - Louises Trattoria, Riviera Bar & Grill, Molloys). But when the other thing happens, when you put effort and hope into an individual, and seriously take time and your emotion and pour it into someone turning the corner, it can be brutal when they turn their shoulder. Its happened to me, just happened, and will happen again. It brings up a good point in life: Most great occurrences in life, most meaning, is found in a place that can just as easily bring you negativity, as it can positivity. And I guess that's the tightrope of life.

Working with the City....MAN, Oh Man

2009-11-24T16:59:00.001-08:00

So not sure if you've heard, but we partnered with the Mamma D's crew to open ROCKE SUSHI KITCHEN, down in Hermosa, at the old Club Sushi spot. I've been building and designing the restaurant, and tonight I have to go down to the City Council to plead with them to allow us to fix a mistake that was in our city documents when we bought it. I thought this would be an interesting topic, because when we opened Saint Rocke, we went through the gammet of the City, with the naysayers telling us that we were too loud, we couldn't operate, etc.etc. If you look at the door at the back of Saint Rocke, at the behest of one city council member, I had to put in a door that costs $9,000. FOR ONE DOOR!! It is made for an airplane, just so no sound could potentially leak out. Now Im not being politically charged here, but as this blog is about owning a venue, those potential venue owners beware....know the city, know the politicians, and konw what you're getting yourself into before you dive in. It's half the battle. And by the way, a bad economy doesn't do much on the scale of weighing into their decisions. So, check us out on cable tonight, and hopefully we'll make it through so we can serve you some sushi.

HOLY F .......Tuesday in December

2009-11-09T21:46:00.001-08:00

Man, I gotta say we got some cool shit that Im excited for. When you run/own restaurants (ask anybody), you dont tend to like to go to your own place, because you can't have fun there. You can't "let down your hair" or guard, you get annoyed by little things like trash on the floor, you have to talk to people that are pissed off for some reason or another, you can't flirt with the bartender (keyword: sexual harrassment), and the sound is never just right. a little too loud, a little too soft, etc.etc. BUT I have to say, there are a few shows coming up that override my nuerotic idiosyncracies that Im going to FOR SURE. Top five upcoming shows and why:

1. Unwritten Law Christmas Unplugged. I f'ing love unplugged shows. Great songwriting, and the genius bleeds through the distortion. This is going to be sick. 12/13

2. Ellis Hall in December on Tuesdays. The only thing I can attribute this to is good karma since someone stole my surfboard in manhattan off the beach. I knew I had something good coming. Tuesdays in December. He is a modern day Ray Charles.

3. Justin Nozuka. Cant get that friggin "golden train" song out of my head. 11.25.

4. Chris Pierce + Amber Rubarth. CP has more soul than my favorite Vans. Amazing.

5. Justin Hopkins w. Katie Costello. LOCAL. can you say SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC?????

Hope to see you all there. Introduce yourself - would love to meet anybody that reads this gibberish :)

Allen

FIRST LIVE STREAM SHOW

2009-11-02T23:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Jay Nash, will be our first artist to be a part of our live streaming show. Log on to www.saintrocke.com this Friday night at 7pm to check it out. Worldwide from the South Bay.

An Amazing Visit (Ellis Hall)

2009-11-02T23:44:00.000-08:00

Last week I went down to have some wine at Soundbox on Wednesday, and our friend Bryon Holly was tasting (by the way, he works at CostPlus on Hawthorne - go buy some wine from him), and invited his friend ELLIS HALL down to play some piano and sing. Ellis is a blind, black man, and he is supremely talented as I found out throughout the night. He walked (yes, he's blind) around the stage, playing every instrument on the stage - bass-guitar-drums-piano-vocals- and killing it at every turn. He covered some Paul Simon, Otis Redding, played some of his own stuff, and just absolutely blew me away, so much so, that I had to write how much I respected his musical talent, and how much I enjoyed his music. These days, I listen to almost TOO MUCH music, and the one thing that's always missing for me is what I call MOVEMENT: the ability to take me somewhere else. Ellis, thank you for giving me movement last week, and hopefully, if I get my way, you'll be playing at Saint Rocke regularly and blessing the south bay with your music. check him out...and keep your ear out for when he's playing next.

If you were me....

2009-10-20T00:45:00.001-07:00

What would you do?????? I honestly don't know, so help me out.

You book a show, 5 months out, agent telling you its gonna kill, and you pay a pretty penny for it. You then forget about the show, how much you've shelled out, and go about your merry way. Sure enough, 30 days out, you realize that this show has sold 3 tickets. Then 4 days out, 20 tickets. You are headed for a trainwreck (in the financial sense), so you.......

1. cancel the show for 50% loss

2. ask the agent if you can pay the band less (split the trainwreck)

3. take it in the pants. your fault for putting out that over.

4. Close your eyes, and wish it would all just go away.

Welcome to my world. What would you do?

TOOTIN YOUR OWN MOTHERF'IN HORN...

2009-10-20T00:41:00.000-07:00

So when is okay to toot your own horn, or pat yourself on the back. You dont want to be cocky, thats to be sure - cocky bastards are the worst (and yes, girls, you can be cocky bastards too). I'd say its a 50/50 split. But sometimes, you do some cool stuff, and you just feel like you need to relish a little bit. Well, our team at Saint Rocke over accomplished something that no other venue EVER EVER has done. We have developed the technology & system to LIVE STREAM our shows nightly in a 4 camera high-def stream, with super audio & video clarity. Dont believe us? check it. www.justin.tv/saintrocke Now it's in the tweak portion, and we haven't even started advertising it, but seriously, pretty f'ing rad. So, to the team that made this happen, nice job (i keep wanting to use the F word).

SAVE THE DATE - 12/19/09

2009-10-05T23:10:00.000-07:00

We are doing our first show outside the 4 walls of Saint Rocke at the Hermosa Playhouse on Saturday December 19, 2009, where Saint Rocke presents: Lou Giovannetti and his big band, playing all the great holiday & classic big band hits in a 500 seat room. With special guests, and holiday cheer, going to be amazing. Great christmas present to take your folks or grandparents to as well. Old skool classy music, with cocktails at 630pm and show at 8pm. go to http://www.saintrocke.com/ to buy tickets.

LIVE STREAMING

2009-10-05T23:06:00.000-07:00

So we're super excited here at Saint Rocke - big week for us. Our beta platform for live streaming is being tested this week. Dont want to spoil the big surprise, but for music lovers its going to be pretty kickass. If you happen to be on the internet this sunday night, shoot over to http://www.saintrocke.com/ for a minute and check out some venue history. We like to be humble, but there may be a new trend in live music a stirrin...

ITS BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE IM KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR, BUT I STILL CAN KNOCK SOME MORE. what an amazing lyric. random.

I finally figured out Monday Night Football

2009-09-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

I finally figured this perplexing puzzle out. Monday night football. Its on about the football, or the game...its about the fact that its Monday, and monday kinda sucks (usually bad news at work is doled out on Monday), and so people want to hang out Monday night, but they feel bad, and this game gives them a defendable reason. By the way, I know football lovers just like the game so I'm not talking about them. Im talking about the groups of 30somethings (men and women) at Saint Rocke for the game last week, but nobody really caring/paying attention to the game. I loved it. Background white noise. And secondly, all the bars & restaurants are caught up competing for that Monday business that they offer ridiculous specials (exactly like $1 beers & sliders) to showcase their place. But the football? Nope. secondary. I'd even bet that most of the people out on Monday watching the football (Sharks cove exception) dont really even watch much football. Agree?

November 3 Special Show

2009-09-23T00:25:00.001-07:00

Cant tell you what I booked yet - until Monday. But going to be one of the coolest shows we've had since we opened. Check back for sure. This will sell out in 1 day. Gonna be amazing!!....................................SO ITS MONDAY. MATT COSTA is playing NOVEMBER 3. If you dont know this artist, you need get out from under your turtle shell. He usually sells out House of Blues, and the SOUTH BAY is on the run this time! Get tickets at the calendar page of http://www.saintrocke.com/

BUZZWORD in songwriting: Soul Mate

2009-09-23T00:14:00.001-07:00

So, I listen to a fair amount of singer songwriter music, and they all do it. In one way or another, using an analogy here, a metaphor or simile hear, comparing it to the faded pair of jeans they had in the fifth grade, all these writers use the good ole subject of LOVE in, I'd say, 70% of their tunes. Some are angry, some are happy, some are longing, some are trying to just figure it out like the rest of us. But this one word I keep coming across, SOULMATE, is a pretty hefty philosophical endeavor...What does that mean? First it infers we have souls (what exactly are those? more than the nuerons firing in our brain? some kind of invisible cloud in our body?) and second it infers a predetermined connection to another human being. Makes my head hurt...but somehow after listening to some of these tunes, I start to believe. Maybe its just more romantic to believe it, or makes life seem a little better, dont know. Is this insane? Are there soulmates?

Mike Tysons Punch Out

2009-09-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let any old schoolers know that I got a screaming deal on an old Nintendo, and I bought Mike Tysons, Kung Fu, and Super Tecmo. When I set it up at Saint Rocke, you can play anytime, and I buy the entire tab if anybody can put the beat down on Iron Mike. Im calling impossible.

Dealbreaker Number 42,358

2009-09-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

For those of you that don't know what a Dealbreaker is, it's a term I use often in my dilapidated dating world that is defined as "an action, characteristic, stylism, or vibe that an individual exudes or displays that makes it completely impossible to further any type of dating, sexual, or romantic relationship." See below for other people's dealbreakers...but I just found another one...I was listening to some music the other night at the Rocke, and a certain person just kept asking me question after question while someone was playing. It's like interrupting during a movie. Unacceptable. Hate it. Dealbreaker. agree?

the infamous FREE show

2009-09-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I go see live music, and I walk up and its free, it does the opposite. It's like when people who dont know wine go to the Vons market and look on the top shelf, and pick the second most expensive pinot noir (only because they saw Sideways, which by the way, fuck that movie bc it busts on merlot, which is my favorite red wine) and buy because it has to be good if it costs more money. Well, hate to say it, but sometimes I fall into that with live music. The other day a friend and I were talking though, and he told me that Robert Cray played the Shed in Louisiana and the show was free, because he was intent on keeping the old feel of a southern blues show. I dont know about you, but that warms me up inside, that someone in this grey day and age still has the soul to do things like that. But in the end, and Im not just saying this, I feel guilty when I go to a show for free. We all make a living doing our shit, and then artists play their hearts out and we dont want to pay for it? hmm. dunno. thoughts?....by the way, shows this weekend are free for those of you that disagree. come check out the friggin rocke.

PANAMA

2009-09-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Panama, and I got the opportunity to surf a break that hasn't been surfed before off a remote island in Panama through a dense jungle river and out into the open ocean. I attached a pic of the wave - what an experience. There are still spots left!

Live Venue VS Sports Bar

2009-09-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

I use this blog to show you into what it's like owning a venue, the good and the bad. In our endeavor to spread live music in the South Bay, and in life's endeavors, we inevitably hit tired spots in the road, and today is one of them. Working with artists, agents, managers, road managers, etc. can be convincingly defeating at times, and I've even talked with other venue owners that feel the same in certain ways. Sometimes I wonder - would the South Bay rather a sports bar be at 142 pch than a live venue? For the labour of love, is music strong enough in the south bay that it's worth doing? Then, the paradox arrives. We have Guitar Shorty in last night, and it isn't sold out or even super packed, but he plays his heart out and everyone in their feels it. And my question is answered. Nothing, no other hobby or game, imbibes the soul and the energy that music does.

Is the LIVE MUSIC BUSINESS flawed?

2009-08-19T02:24:00.001-07:00

As the tech world gets greater and greater, and home technology stronger, and the economy and people's spending power weaker, will people ultimately not go to see live music anymore? Do you think that live music plays a large part of people's lives? My opinion is 50/50. I'd like to hear someone elses...

If ANYBODY reads this...

2009-08-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

Im having dinner with a close friend, Chris Pierce, next wednesday at my other restaurant UNION CATTLE CO (greatest place ever, besides Saint Rocke) to taste his signature wines, and then he's playing Saint Rocke after in SOUNDBOX. If you dont know CP, you have GOT to see this guy's voice. Truly phenomenal. There will be no cover, and it wont be crazy crowded. If you read this, and you come next week, come introduce yourself, say "the eagle has landed" and I'll buy you a drink. How cool is that using James Bond codename shit.

Why is EVERYONE on BLAST lately?

2009-08-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed lately that everyone is super on edge? every message I get, every negotiation I enter into, every agent I talk to, every band member....everybody is so intent on not getting F#*$d, or taken advantage of, that everyone is constantly ON BLAST, and to be honest, its annoying. I know the economy sucks, I know the world is jacked right now, but really does it all matter anyway? Life would be so much easier if everyone moved a little slower, spoke with a little less volume and venom, and just let the good in people show. As a venue owner, Im trying super hard to do something that has not been done in the South Bay in a long time - and everyday we try to perfect more and more. Shit - today I was up in the rafters re-hanging LED stage lights MYSELF because I want the stage to be perfect. Then I open my email and get ripped by a bunch of people over tiny details, so unimportant to the greater scheme of things... to the point where I throw my hands up. So, Im taking a break this weekend, and if you know me and/or see me, dont come at my ON BLAST. I'll have to either buy you five shots, or give you a smackdown (if you know me, you know the latter is an empty threat).

SUNDAY HERMOSA CONCERT ON THE BEACH

2009-07-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

So, for my first time ever, I decided on Sunday to go to the Concert Series in Hermosa Beach. Rebelution, solid up and coming band, whose management company I know pretty well, was playing, and I thought, hmm, mellow day, listen to some tunes at Sunset, cool. So we got there early, got a good spot, and aside from sound sound snafus, it started pretty good. But somewhere along the line I didnt get the memo that the highschools sent out inviting every kid in town down there. And Im even cool with that. But parents, please teach your kids 3 things...
1. clean up after yourselves. the beach was a friggin mess at the end of the concert. unacceptable, especially if youve grown up here, and have any pride in keeping it nice.
2. when people set up their blankets and shit, that sand is tapped. it doesnt mean that you walk all over it, push your crews inside of it, and ruin the older folks good times down there.
3. leave your dogs at home. no place for little dogs - its not even cool for the dogs sake.

I guess its true. Im getting older.
Band was solid though. they should play Saint Rocke.

How long should a band really play for?

2009-07-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

Lets face it..I couldnt listen to Bob Marley, well actually, I could, so lets say Dave Matthews, inside of Saint Rocke for more than 2 hours. But I'd also feel jipped if I got only 30 minutes in. So that begs the question - what is the perfect amount of time for a band to play? For the band, they want you to want more after they are off stage. Its good old econ 101. Give them more than they want and they won't want anymore. Give them too little and they won't fall in love with it. So I ask, how long is the PERFECT SET? Im apt to say 60 minutes, with an encore only if the fans want it....nothing worse than encores with nobody clapping. It makes me nervous, like movies where they get laughs out of making fun of people. Agh. Hate that nervousness.

Whats your call?

Words that Suck : ROUTINE

2009-07-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

How bad does that word suck? the same way, the same time, the same thing. hmm, same kinda sucks too. the same music, the same vibe. Thats what sets music apart, NOT the same. Got stuck in a routine today, and had to share.

Three Albums on a Desert Island

2009-07-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

Bob Marley - Uprising (for the daytime to keep it mellow). definitely not legend though.
Frank Sinatra - Greatest (for cocktail hour, i would find some kind of alcoholic berry to ferment)
hhhhhmmmmmmm. cant decide on a third right now.
i want to hear what other people say.

Another Dealbreaker

2009-07-08T13:00:00.001-07:00

Freaking out when ABBA Dancing Queen comes on.

SR Live Recordings

2009-07-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

We've just started posting a bit of our archive of music we've recorded at Saint Rocke and want to get your guys feedback on it. There are two different playlists...one is of our wednesday sessions with steve aguilar http://www.saintrocke.com/soundbox.html and the other is of the national touring artists coming through http://www.saintrocke.com/media.html . Let me know what you think. If you do some judging, I might throw out some free tickets to the show of your choice. aj.s

July 4th Highlights

2009-07-06T09:07:00.001-07:00

Highlight on the 4th - seeing a punk band on a moving stage rolling up and down the strand. I wish I had thought of that - guerilla marketing style. anybody know what band that was? that was sick.

Is it just me or does anybody feel like the 4th is super tame compared to five years ago? We rolled out at noon, and it felt like a normal busy day. I remember the days where it was chaos.

good weekend for Dealbreakers too - saw a ton of dealbreakers on the strand - all forgivable on 4th of july though.

good weekend of music. highlight for me the ITALS saturday night. sick band. never get tired of the roots.

And lastly, congrats to my buddy Brad Bohl and his wife Leah, and their new son Logan. welcome to the world kid.

Adele

2009-06-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

Is amazing. Saw her at Hollywood Bowl last night. unreal. She should play Saint Rocke...