Syracuse Ska Forum

We call it the saturation factor, but that's just a fancy way to say there is more ska in a market than that market can support. Or to put it even more bluntly, it's booking ska show after ska show that loses money.

It happens all the time and we've gone through periods of it in both Syracuse and Rochester. I know the kids coming to shows at the moment can't envision that, but yes, it's true. Everyone gets cocky and starts booking too many ska shows and/or too many with the same bands. The weakest shows lose money first, but typically all the shows start losing money, promoters and venues and bands drop off and by the time you're done, the market supports a lot less ska than it did previously.

Razbari Sumthing is purposely refusing to play more than one all ages show per month in Syracuse. That's disappointing some people, but we're not willing to do more shows than that, because its very realistic that'd make most kids sick of seeing them. But every out of town band wants to play with RazSum and that's just not doable. So we're encouraging the other bands to step it up so they can anchor shows too. That's especially important this summer when RazSum will be out of town for 2 months.

Likewise, we can't book every out of town ska band or non-ska band that asks, sorry. We just don't see sufficient interest right now for weekly shows. I'd love for us to create something like the Bluebeat Lounge or the Allen Theatre, both of which host weekly ska shows in LA, but we're just not there yet gang. I honestly believe it's doable, but just not yet.

I'd love nothing more than to never turn away a band from playing any ska show they want to play in Syracuse. But I guess instead I'll just keep dodging brickbats from everyone disappointed that we never seem to do enough for all the bands. Sorry!

We have this problem in northern jersey alot too. The two main ska venues are within an hour of each other, and we have about 4-5 production companies putting on ska shows between them in a month, plus people putting on smaller shows at other american legion halls and the like.

it gets to the point where you see the same bands opening a show 3 weeks in a row, luckily we still get enough kids out to break even, but sometimes its a real close shot

Yeah, and that's in New Jersey where you have a lot more kids, two large very supportive all ages venues and major bands like Streetlight Manifesto and Catch 22 to drive the whole train. You can get away with 4-5 production companies booking ska in competition with one another.

We're working with a lot less in Syracuse, but so far, knock on wood, we're pulling off decent shows regularly. The next step is going back to hosting bigger shows again and this is the point where I get a lot more nervous once more. I'd like to not be the only one booking ska in Syracuse, BUT our current scene can't handle 2 people competing for ska shows. We need to cooperate or we'll kill the skankin' goose.

well, i dont remember the last time sm or c22 did much to support the local scene, but i will give it to them for getting kids interested.

and i hear ya with the not having much to work with. i live in south jersey, near philly, when im not at school, and its a whole different scene. philly you cant get a good show more than once a month, and with sgr's absence from playing, all we have is ruder than you. i was talkin to rossi from sgr the other nite, and him and kevin from phillyska have some good ideas to rejuvinate the scene to what it was in the mid 90s

and in south jersey, our major "venue"(church) for local ska just pretty much shut its doors on us. its frustrating as hell now. most shows nowadays are in houses, and not by choice.

its funny how much the north half of the state contrasts with the south

*cough*Start Over Productions*cough*Long Shot Hero*cough*

i say long shot hero to the philly/sj kids and they say, "hm?" lsh does more north jersey work than philly work, that im aware of anyway

Yeah, I've heard that before as well. But I've also notice that they've been playing in Philly or Clifton Heights at least once a month now for a while.

I really hope they can build up a following in Philly, because they're way cool guys and I'd love see them do well.

When I say there is.

(Or when I run out of money.)

Hahahaha. That's never stopped me before.

Pfft, financial security is for suckers and poseurs.

Says the boy who is barred from taking on any financial responsibilities for shows by his parents.

Glib commentary aside, Danny brings attention to a real problem. Keep pushing the same bands, the same styles, in too great frequency, and people get burned out. Buffalo runs into this problem now and then (ironic, since their ska talent pool is a little larger than its eastern neighbors.)

I'm actually a little surprised it hasn't happened to me yet - I booked the BurTones and the Hoboz for all three of my 2005 shows. It's a testament to their skills and the enthusiasm of our audience that we're all still having a good time.

The "ska purists" (if we have any ) probably aren't happy with the liberal doses of punk, indie rock and even acoustic in our recent shows

But guess what? Rochester only has three "ska-____" bands, so the purists will just have to deal.

What happened to The Glow?

PS- We need a Blackouts reunion show!

The Glow are scattered at various schools. I gave Andrew my card back in December, so I hope he'll call when the band is on summer vacation.



That would be very cool. I was bummed that I missed the one at Fat Moe's.