[NewMusic] black box & radio

[Sarah - 21 Grand]

matt ingalls intoned with this ingot:
 "club- 
like" presentations (which 21grand basically is - except everyone is
there to listen!) are cool, but so are "concert-like" shows that
start on time with one short intermission, especially when i'm
feeling stressed for time.

- Well, not all 21 Grand shows are structured the same. It depends on the
show and those putting it together. A number of the shows Kattt Sammon put
together in the past year were definitely concert-like, just to give one
example. It's also a strategic manoeuver in terms of audiences: some
audiences prefer (perhaps it's just the conventions they are used to) a more
"rock show" or "warehouse show" like structure, where things run late, and
there are longer breaks. Other audiences are more accustomed to the more
formal concert structure with introductions, programs, etc. We try to tailor
the structure of an evening to the expectations of the various audiences and
performers along with what makes sense in terms of what/whom we're
presenting. 

Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don't.  Most of our shows are curated by
other people besides me. I doubt our programming would have the same breadth
and influx of new performers, audiences, connections made, etc. if it was
entirely up to me - that's something I feel is a risk with programming
curated by one or a handful of people - what I call the "usual suspects"
phenomenon - that begets clubhousey insularity. If you're a member of the
clubhouse or fan of the usual suspects, then it's awesome. If not, it can be
pretty cloying. I've been on both sides of this.

So, if someone wants to do an occasional series with a more "concert-like"
atmosphere - 21 Grand would be up for it. If you want to bring in someone
from out of town that wants a guarantee, we can negotiate this.

sl