515 Crew

ive been thinking about this lately since im in a band now. we've talked about some weekend stuff and eventually next year maybe a week tour so ive been thinking about how to do it and cool things people should do for touring bands to make it easier on them and to help them out. i did a weekend tour with a friends band a while ago and i remember thinking about some of this stuff then.

so i have a few suggestions, you people tell me if im crazy or what.

in my mind if youre putting someone up or promoting a show (along with the money you paid them for the show) at the very least you should try to either put up the band yourself or find a place for them to crash. maybe some of us can donate old bedding, sleeping bags, comforters, pillows, possibly some air mattresses if we're lucky, etc. i know when i was on that tour shit was uncomfortable as fuck trying to bend my big ass on a small couch. dont get me wrong, i was grateful it wasnt the floor but if we could provide people with that kind of shit while they stayed here they'd love it. of course someone would have to monitor the stuff cause people are shady and some would steal it. washing the stuff afterwards isnt much.

also on the necessary list of things you should do for a touring band is feed them. making them use the money you just gave them to eat instead of gas kind of sucks. so maybe we can all show up to the show with some fixings and make them some food. some spaghetti, tacos, pizzas, etc. hell, buy them a bag of fruit and make them salads. im sure being able to eat some nice fresh fruit and veggies on the road would be refreshing since im guessing they wont get much. it wouldnt take that much coordination between us before the shows to get this done and have people show up with their "food assignment". kind of like the dining/food league except for the bands.

i guess thats all i really got. this is just my opinion but i think these kind of things are mandatory and i tried to do that when i did da bassment. obviously finances arent where you can do this nonstop but i think it'd be cool if we tried. this would benefit us in other ways too. if word got around that our scene was really together and hooking bands the fuck up and going insane for their bands, bands would be more likely to come here and more kids would come out and all this "togetherness" would make us all get along and this shit would grow even more solid. sorry about the run on sentence and hippieness.

discuss please.

On the subject of food, I'm sure getting pizza every fucking night sucks. Try to mix it up and I'm sure that produce is appreciated.

Whenever Rat City Riot plays here, they stay at my place and I always make a big breakfast in the morning and they always look forward to it (as well as simply staying in a place that isn't a punk rock dive). Usually eggs, pancakes, biscuits & gravy, hashbrowns and cut up steak or porkchops (cooking bacon and sausage for so many people SUCKS). It's not that hard to make.

Offering a washing machine is a good gesture too.

i forgot an important one: access to a nice shower. getting together a bunch of soap, shampoo, old towels would be a cool idea too. im sure a nice hot shower would be much appreciated.

being able to provide a nice night of eating good food that isnt the same old thing, sleeping comfortably, clean clothes and a hot shower would make those bands think they are in heaven.

Bullet Tooth wrote:discuss please.

ive always felt tour was like camping. so i always bring my own sleeping bag and percolator.

but i spose it would be shocking(in a good way) for a touring band to be welcomed into a room of bunkbeds hostel style?

not to be difficult but when youre supplying food and soap dont forget the veganss....

i would think a place to sleep is almost mandatory but nice amenities would be food/coffee, shower and most importantly a decent shitter.

maybe give them directions to the nearest guitar shop if they need to get strings & things. also, directions to a hardware store so they can get duct tape(handy mans secret weapon) & the nearest napa or advanced auto so they can get things for the van. printing mapquest pages would be good too.

letting them use your computer to check emails & directions to venues would also be helpful.

Bullet Tooth wrote:discuss please.

What happens when a band rolls through that you are excited to have in town and they turn out to be huge assholes? Everyone has dealt with bands like that... The money wasn't enough, the food isn't good enough, a pull out couch isn't as comfortable as a bed, etc. etc. etc. Do you think someone should suck it up for the good the music scene or tell them to fuck off and not to come back?

Every band that comes through the Haunted Basement is welcome to spend the night there. There's comfy couches and blankets and pillows to use, although if you're in a touring band you should always remember to bring a sleeping bag and a pillow with you; prepare for the worst.... or a tent, if it's really nice out and you want to sleep udner the starts. We have food there they can eat. I think it's important to remember that a lot of the bands in the punk and metal genres have vegetarian or vegan members often times due to the political nature these genres, so... keep that in mind. The food provided at the Haunted Basement is of the veg variety. There is a shower there as well that bands can use, but as a touring band you should always remember to bring your own towel. No internet though, but if they need to use it, I usually give them directions on how to get to the library or take them myself.

I dunno, yeah, remember to take care of bands you book. I've never had a band leave Des Moines and not be completely stoked on it... it's because the shows are getting radder and I'm taking care of the dudes and hanging out with them and showing them a good time. They all want to come back.

COLONIZER / KNUCKLED DOWN WEEKEND-OF-SHIT TOUR '08.

-Joe.

i figured you guys did a bunch for the bands, just didnt know what. what i was going for though is maybe we can get a list together of stuff needed to supplement what you already do and people going to shows can help out or something.

totally down for a weekend tour. we're going to sort it out so we can get on it hopefully in july.

Bullet Tooth wrote: totally down for a weekend tour. we're going to sort it out so we can get on it hopefully in july.

Kansas City with Circle of Trust!

This thread is really awesome, and I'm stoked that a lot of people in Des Moines are thinking this way. It's always good when you are on tour to show up somewhere and have people be really friendly. I remember when colonizer was on tour we had several offers to stay different places in fargo, and I felt really welcomed in that town. I think stuff like this has something to do with why people like Des Moines so much.

My house has always been open to bands to stay, wherever I lived, as I know many of yours have been as well.

I think the idea of all of us getting together to feed the bands is a really good idea, and I would really like to see that happen. I'm willing to contribute anything I have to that. People are always throwing potlucks around the city, why don't we just do that for shows too?

if someone gives me a days notice, i'll make some tortilla shells. they're totally kick ass and vegan.

i've had a few bands/artists stay at my place over the past few years. i make (vegan) pizza for them usually. one time, i woke up and my roommate had brought home a band and i had no idea, so i made them all pancakes for breakfast.
treating bands like this, they leave des moines knowing the des moines if fucking rad.
also, it's nice if you have a band in your place that drinks to buy them some beer. not a lot, just a thing of pbr or something.

even if you do cater to the vegan lifestyle, i would probably be disappointed if someone made me vegan pizza or something veggie. i mean, i totally appreciate getting food made for me, and i do enjoy veggie things every now and then, but if i'm on tour and all i have eaten is crap for days, a nice vegan pizza isn't something that is going to satisfy me. what is the point of eating pizza if there is no cheese? it is like drinking non-alcoholic beer. i don't drink, but from what i have observed, the point of beer is the alcohol so why drink it if there is no alcohol? so what i am getting at is, not everyone enjoys vegan/veggie food. if we have to cater to vegans, we should provide a non-vegan alternative...hmm, it sounds funny saying it that way..since it is normally the other way around.

McDonald's is your non-vegan alternative.
It's not hard to find meat anywhere. It's hard to find good vegan food in towns you've never been to. Finding meat is not the point... because that's all over the place.

The point of a pizza with no cheese is to try something different and not have the same hum drum boring shit over and over.

But this is a dumb argument, so stop bringing it up every time eating "vegan" food is brought up. We know you don't like vegan pizza.

So get back on track.

-Joe.

Joe wrote:McDonald's is your non-vegan alternative.
It's not hard to find meat anywhere. It's hard to find good vegan food in towns you've never been to. Finding meat is not the point... because that's all over the place.

The point of a pizza with no cheese is to try something different and not have the same hum drum boring shit over and over.

But this is a dumb argument, so stop bringing it up every time eating "vegan" food is brought up. We know you don't like vegan pizza.

So get back on track.

-Joe.

i think it is a completely valid point. why not provide for all people instead of just what you are into or assume they are into? it isn't necessarily me that i am talking about, there are a lot of other dudes out there who don't like veggie stuff and i think it would be terrible to tell them, if you don't like this, you can go spend your money at the mcdonald's around the corner. that is shitty. i also don't see how this is an argument being as i was merely adding to the topic, just because it talks about non-vegan food, doesn't mean that what i have to say is off the track of the topic.

and in no way is pizza with cheese hum drum. it's not like the absence of cheese is this mind blowing experience from the norm. and i will bring it up whenever i feel like it, i don't see why you are so offended by my suggestion.

pizza without cheese would be the definition of bland and hum drum, no matter what you add to it. thats just my opinion.

easiest thing would be to ask the band what they like and then provide it. maybe include it as a question when they are booked. make them excited to get here and chow.

My entire life is avoiding meat! Seriously. You don't know the hard lyfe, duuuude!! A vegan and or veggie meal is only going to benefit you if you've been eating "crap" for days.

Also, please don't say not eating meat is a choice. If I ate a meaty diet my intestines would rot and I'd bleed to death from them rotting, and due to that I would be on shitty medicine that makes my face fat and gives me a mustache. Not even joking here!!!

I know it's not this way for everyone, but I'm just sayin.

Joe wrote:McDonald's is your non-vegan alternative.
It's not hard to find meat anywhere. It's hard to find good vegan food in towns you've never been to. Finding meat is not the point... because that's all over the place.

The point of a pizza with no cheese is to try something different and not have the same hum drum boring shit over and over.

But this is a dumb argument, so stop bringing it up every time eating "vegan" food is brought up. We know you don't like vegan pizza.

So get back on track.

-Joe.

Joe, you know I have absolutely no problem with veg/vegan diets but this kind of talk is absolutely ludricous....McDonalds!!!???

i may not be "healthy" to you vegs out there but i know better than that shit.

as far as what jjjsxe is saying, he's got a more than valid point. Several years ago when i took a trip to Cleveland and I stayed a Fort Totally Awesome, which is easily the coolest 'punk' house i've ever been to. The people who lived there were all veg/vegan and being as they were my hosts I respected that and did not bring meat into their house. I was there for 3 days. Now for those of us who do eat meat, when you are deprived of those certain supplements found regularly in the animal products we eat, the body starts to go a little wonky on you. I had eaten 2 or 3 full meals every day i was there and still on the way home i was shaky and felt fatigued. As horrible as this may sound to you guys, i stopped halfway home and got some meat and within 20 minutes felt right as rain.

I guess the point of all this is that if you're planning on fixing a "home away from home" type meal for bands, don't forget that not everyone is veg/vegan and that some people don't take supplements/eat a good amount of certain veggies to get all the nutrients they need. Maybe the Haunted Basement stop on their tour is that third day of malnutrition that puts them over the edge.....

How about keeping a package of Canadian bacon and/or pepperoni to throw on the vegan pizza should someone really object to a vegan pizza?


Problem solved, now move on to more important topics.

only bitches bitch about free food.


theres a polite way to decline something if you dont want it.

joseph wrote:only bitches bitch about free food.


theres a polite way to decline something if you dont want it.

truth.


besides that, if i go through all the trouble of making my pizza, which takes quite a bit of time, and some ass complains because it's vegan, that person's not staying at my place.
it's still really good pizza. it's not bland because there's not cheese on it. (also, there is vegan cheese to put on it)

i definitely would not buy sausage or anything to put on it.

also, storkus is right on the money as well.

yeah, nothing worse in the cooking world then taking the time to make something delicious, then have someone complain about it. Time Out! To your room!

then how is it any different if it is a house full of meat eaters and they go through all the trouble of making a good looking sausage or pepperoni..or even just a cheese pizza, and the one vegan wont eat it because it isn't vegan? i wouldn't say, fuck off, you can't stay at my house if you don't eat this pizza i made for you. i would accept their preference to not eat the meat and supply an alternative. you guys act as if meat eaters are just picky assholes.

this the is same argument as "can i bum a smoke?... oh thats not my brand i dont want that"

(substitute smoke for anything desired)

jjjsXe wrote:then how is it any different if it is a house full of meat eaters and they go through all the trouble of making a good looking sausage or pepperoni..or even just a cheese pizza, and the one vegan wont eat it because it isn't vegan? i wouldn't say, fuck off, you can't stay at my house if you don't eat this pizza i made for you. i would accept their preference to not eat the meat and supply an alternative. you guys act as if meat eaters are just picky assholes.

i didn't say if they didn't eat it i would kick them out. i said if they complain. if i were touring and some dude made me a pepperoni pizza, i would --just as i do on a daily basis-- politely decline. i'm not a dick about it. if someone were a dick, they'd be sleeping somewhere else.

also, meat eaters are dumb. your face.

joseph wrote:this the is same argument as "can i bum a smoke?... oh thats not my brand i dont want that"

(substitute smoke for anything desired)

no it's not.

this thread turned into a way dumb argument. If you're band on tour you take what you can get. Free food is free food. If you REALLY don't like it no one's going to force you to eat it. Pizza? gnarly. Steak and eggs? sweet. Vegan tofu surprise? surr. Pork jowels? Thanks but no thanks... i'm not going to bitch about you offering though....

Crumpty Williams wrote:this thread turned into a way dumb argument.

Most conversations about vegan/non-vegan get to this point very quickly. How about getting back on topic with what bands need?