THE FOREST ROAD SHOW

ravanwin · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:21 pm

For many years it has been a dream to gather the best of the forest artist and events and take it on the road: from the high lands to the low lands to the gulf coast waters to new york island.

SO... let's do it.

1) we can't take everyone! we'll need to go places where we know cool people who may also pitch in to make a good event.

2) it will almost definately cost us money which we may never see again.

3) maybe we split it up:
february: london and the south land
april: highlands and islands
june: BERLIN and PARIS (or whatever)

Is it worth meeting to discuss the potential of this idea. Spread the word. THE FOREST IS COMMING TO YOUR TOWN?

Will we be massive?

ryan

Gandhi · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:25 pm

can i come...i am the most attractive person in the Forest and therefor will attract people to come talk to us. Everyone else should wear masks...you freaks.

Sounds cool! I wish I was unemployed so I could go!!!!

ravanwin · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:11 pm

well, we should plan it in advance so people can take holidays. also we should aim to do only 4 day stints maybe:

Thurs. fri. sat. ---- 3 cities / towns that are close? oxford, london, bristol - for instance?

then we travel home on sunday. or we could gig fri. sat. sun and workers can pull sickies on monday?
r

Gandhi · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:37 pm

i do love to pull a sickie...i'm in

bill · **Joined:** Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:43 pm **Posts:** 608

sounds boss. i was thinking of doing a forest burber tent at festivals too

dan · **Joined:** Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:04 pm **Posts:** 1410

buy a minibus

ravanwin · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:40 pm

ok - shall we commence the meetings on this? are more people into the idea, Musicians artists poets food people shop people all people every people UNITE.

bill · **Joined:** Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:43 pm **Posts:** 608

dan could we get european youth project funding for this?

dan · **Joined:** Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:04 pm **Posts:** 1410

yes potentially yes. I met the dude behind the funding you are thinking of in Brighton too, talked about the studios project, they could be into this too. If people want to look into this let me know

ravanwin · **Posted:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:22 pm

funding would be good. BUS funding.

nix · **Joined:** Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:49 am **Posts:** 1231

we MUST do this..

we are all talk talk talk...

lets Do this.

when is the meeting?

ravanwin · **Posted:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 6:09 pm

also, when we close our doors for good we could just take all the money we have saved and travel the world in a tour bus and wherever we run out of money is where we build the new forest!

but seriously, next week is good for me? anyone got a date?
r

dan · **Joined:** Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:04 pm **Posts:** 1410

I'm free from Tues afternoon onwards...

Gandhi · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:33 am

Tuesday evening should be ok

Gandhi · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:34 am

you mean this tuesday as in today? if so cannae do.
can do next tuesday though me thinks

dan · **Joined:** Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:04 pm **Posts:** 1410

no i meant next tues, sounds good. set the time x

Gandhi · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:51 pm

ravanwin · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:55 pm

ok. i'll be there.

dan · **Joined:** Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:04 pm **Posts:** 1410

ok can i set the time?
5pm?
5.30pm?
plees...?

Gandhi · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:40 pm

you can but I work over at Edinburgh Business park until 6pm and it takes me over half an hour to get to the Forest on a good day from work so I won't be able to make it, and therefor you won't be able to here my amazing ideas for the trips, and therefor the whole thing will suffer, and you will regret doing it because it will be rubbish, and you will regret not listening to me by making the meeting a bit later, and you will become depressed and vacant and withdrawn, and then noone will see you again because you don't want to leave you're house and noone will visit you because they blame you for a crap trip because YOU set the time of the meeting at 5.30pm!!!!!

dan · **Joined:** Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:04 pm **Posts:** 1410

fine i back down...xx

Shannon · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:24 pm

Ah! Tuesdays are totally out for me. Any day except Tuesday would be perfect.

ruairidh · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:33 pm

If you're considering France, I have good contacts in the Toulouse area...

ravanwin · **Posted:** Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:00 am

sorry shannon - it's already been booked. we'll time the next one better.

we'll be thinking about friance, sure, but will probably aim closer to home at first

ravanwin · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:15 pm

This sounds quite promising from Camille:

what say we try to make this happen : let's reach out to the Copenheagan of the South::: GLASGOW!

"
and i have a great venue for you. its where we put on our birthday fashion show this summer. you can even do it for free (potentially), if you get enough people in so they make something on the bar. the place has an event license and can even sort out an alcohol license for you. sound good? wait till you see it. its like the forest, but in the merchant city area of glasgow city centre, up a few flights of stairs, and full of carnival sculptures.

yes.

i think you should come over and check it out, or google Carnival Arts, glasgow. or, let mek now and i can email you the woman's name and number. they're having a new years eve party and i've agreed to sell tix for them in the shop."

looking into it now. anyone wanna set a time to meet NEXT WEEK?

r

ravanwin · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:59 pm

so ---

i spoke to julie at carnival arts in glasgow and actually it sounds quite cool. two rooms and they do a lot of arty party stuff so it could be really well suited to what we do. maybe this should be our first strike?

she was thinking that march would be a good time. is that too soon?

thought and ideas?
r

(for the record:
scottishcarnivalarts96<at>yahoo<*>co<uk>

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:00 am

If you ever eventually get round to doing this.. it will mean collaboration with lots of new people outside your community... specifically if you are intending for anyone to actually show up... That means reaching out, outside these 4 walls.... I have already posted a suggestion of a methodology which will help you to do this using the website specifically in regards to prepping for tours also, posted in august 2007 (see web forum)...

Focus on developing working relationships with outside organisations NOW, not just around the UK and Europe, but in Edinburgh too... the best place to develop partnership, promotional skills and media skills is at home, however if you need to do this nationally first then be aware it going to mean putting yourself out there... that means good planing, effort and the possibility of some rejections, .. things i'm afraid you will need to get used to, if you intend to participate - content wise - on a national or international level and support your artists and your values outside your 4 walls... (something i'm aware the issue based activists and Beltane are already doing)

incidentally I am currently working on a contemporary and digital arts, live music event @ the PissPalace (the old left bank)... as well as a 30+ venue urban / contemporary arts festivals in theaters, clubs and galleries around the UK (which is supported by the arts council, and a large percentage of urban music/arts media), feel free to stop me to chat if you see me about and i'll be happy to fill you in with any details...

finally, i hope this tour works out, as it will be very good practice for everyone involved... and obviously its about time too...

Gandhi · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:42 am

I think we should just turn up at places!

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:27 pm

Well... that would be a start, but not one you could drink out of...

In any case it'll involve some work, considerably more work than the New Years eve party... can anyone find (and organise) a bear costume please???

The thing about ideas are, they are ideas, action means action, oh and then there is consensus... if the "committee" are going to run the forest then they should run the forest, and as wonderful as the open forums are they do have to produce an outcome, and at this point I'm talking about the type of action discussed in this thread... it’s obvious that it (the forest) has worked up to the point of creating a relaxed and homely environment, but how can you develop the project from here without the necessary revaluation of the model, specifically the collaborative in-house delegation e.g. the sound maintenance and engineers.. and outhouse action plans e.g. like the forest records, artists tours and the inside Edinburgh outreach program.

The question is; does this in-house communication model specifically in terms of allowing new enthusiastic people (without the necessary political skills) and people with real skill sets to get involved without them having to canvas full time. What I am saying is one has to constantly evaluate the idea and the current environment against the objectives, all of which will continually organically develop, an evaluation that has to happen on a personal level as well as a group (if in fact that is at all possible, also subject to what ones perspective of a group is in the context of the forest organisation).

Gandhi · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:43 pm

whoever gave me that kickass Avatar is a legend! Thanks, its comedy gold.

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:08 pm

Anything constructive to add Andy, i know you probably have some ideas worth sharing!, or do you consider the forest bulletin board an inappropriate place for a discussion of this sort :roll:

Gandhi · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:38 pm

uuum?
I have plenty to say, but at that time I wanted to say something about my avatar!
I'll ask permission next time

Gandhi · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:42 pm

that was joke.

I do definately think we need to organise the roadshow around the event spaces. it will be quite a mission to get on top of which places are best to use, how to fill them with people, and what to do inside the spaces to show off what we do whilst utilising the spaces to the best we can. We need to work with the venue owners/management very closely as they are as inportant in making it work as the Forest, due to the fact that most of live in Edinburgh. This was in fact discussed at the Roadshow meeting and I believe people are currently gaining contacts in different cities.

Gandhi · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:46 pm

I am currently in talks with some like minded fellows in Birmingham city who run all sorts of nights at different venues. i will ad any updates on the situation as soon as I get any information.

Has anyone else been succesful/or in the middle of talkinking to venues and peoples about the Roadshow? Should we ad all updates to this bullitin?

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:32 pm

Andy i was not saying you cannot talk about your avatar, I found that post very interesting and enlightening in the context of this forums subject... i was just wondering if you had anything else to add... now i know you have, so it was a good question to ask.. wasn't it?

But seriously on another note: It might be an idea whilst organising a tour that you prepare the forest for similar incumbent tours... This may mean having a transparent apparatus for dealing with sound checks and sound engineering on the live nights... This may mean (GOD FORBID) actively going out and finding sound engineers that can go on the rosta...
Alot of nights have been seriously negatively impacted upon due to this issue and it does need some pro-activity to resolve this... As we are all aware sound engineers that can be relied upon a few nights are week may be difficult to find/manage, but it is for just these reasons why its very important to deal with this possibly outside the normal modus operandi... Possibly a little like your current search for an account (with the right qualifications) who you may be willing to pay a little... The art and live music (and its promotion) is as important as the kitchen, if everyone has a consistently good experience (including good sound)... the more people will come to gigs, the more people who buy food and drink, which is what finances the organisation.. so you don’t have to be Einstein to work out that the more bands that use the venue because they can rely on its sound, the more people who will use kitchen and hence the more artists the venue can support.... Which is why possibly a sound and event manager may need to be paid a little bit... I’m sure everyone in the venue would agree that its quite a skilled role, and is important to the forest art and music platforms, and the system in place for the last 2 years has not been able to resolve this problem, to my knowledge.

Imagine turning up to a venue that supports artistic expression and live music, to find there is no one around to actually plug you into anything that can make you audible... i know this does not happen all of the time, but i do KNOW it happens enough to give some bands a negative opinion of the venue...

What i am saying is that if you want to be taken seriously you need to have these types of things sorted out, this allow you to be positively reviewed on websites and other independent media... these reviews of your venue and artists you can then leverage to get into other venues across the country... Otherwise what is to tell the promoters and venues you would like to collaborate with anything about the quality of your artistic expression and/or live production if the issues surrounding your own performance space are not resolved (in 3 years)... These problems are not impossible or even difficult to resolve with a little effort, but they do need action by the leading members who are really the only ones who are empowered to deal with things like this. what do you think?

I do have a selfish interest, and that is many people i know use this venue, and its a shame when they hampered in using the venue as a platfrom for inviting people who may be able to help them proffessionally, because the sounds not up to scratch, and 2. i have promoter who works with several venues, issue based events, and cultural events coming over from down south to discuss collaborations of this nature, and if I come to the forest and the sound is not right again, i'll find it difficult to come up with a decent reason that makes any sense to an intelligent person, why there are no sound engineers that can be relied upon by incumbent bands, when they are evidently depserately required.

excuse my little bit of activism here, but someones got to do it...

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:43 am

Other possible ideas which will help this plan and the tour... is you could use the webspace to create artist pages which link directly to the events calendar...
This will allow each artist, event to put up there own bios, images and possibly links to myspace... this will do the following:

1. allow forest visitors to get more of an insight into whats actually happening

2. support the artists, by giving them another google spot, as well allow them to collect emails of anyone interested before and after the event.

3. allow venues across Edinburgh and the UK to see who's doing what, as well it make it easier to book them.

4. eventually make a good platform for assessing national interest on the types of formats you have at the forest, by tracking artist page stats, also where possible giving the early artists an insight into using the web for their promotions, via venues and offpiste websites...

5. these pages can also easily be incorporated into the element of forest speaks mail broadcasts, which should be more categorised, to allow people more control of the type of mails they receive from these forums, as i know some people with literally 100's of unread forest speaks mails in their inbox, which is not good.. (including one of my flatmates that loves the place)

On another note, the events poster needs to be sorted out, with a couple of teams of volunteers, creating a map of all the relevant places in Edinburgh which is willing to put up a poster, and get it out there.. I have done this myself several times and there are loads of cafe's, hostels, issue based retail outlets that are willing to do this... But you will need to make the poster bi-weekly i believe, as once a month does not give you enough time to put the poster one week before the promoted dates, specifically in terms of the dates in the first week of the month...

Incidentally, in a few weeks time I'll give a 2 hour workshop on promotions, marketing and media partnerships, where i'll come in and show you a couple of my own case studies from very large events, and also some smaller events, including a couple of overviews of the most succesful marketing strategies that i am aware of... with questions taken about specific problems people might be having in their own attempts...

:wink:

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:13 am

Ed Stack, who ran the successful event “Acoustic Cafe” @ Out of the Blue - Dalmeny Street, on Friday, 14th December. An event which was supported as part of the Forest artist support Program (a successful Forest outreach action, which as mentioned above I believe they should be doing alot more of) will also come down and talk about his experiences... Ed has tentatively scheduled another acoustic cafe event for late march (TBC)

We will hopefully be able to bring down one or two other people with insights and experience to have an informal chat about the types of things to expect and look out for...

I'm hoping this thread and ensuing actions, will embody the values of ideas, and then action, which within themselves promote insight as well as promote insight to the intended audience of the action / promotion / performance and exposition, which at the end of the day is what it is all about....

Jimmy Bastard · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:28 pm

Chakan, I would readily subscribe to your counsel but try as I might, I cannot break beyond the industry-speak spiel, you do make some coherent points but none that I would consider breaking news.
There are times, however, when I'm fully flummoxed, I don't know what 'transparent aparatus' are, nor do I know what a 'google spot' is, and I'm unsure about your use of the word 'incumbent'
Then, and this I find unforgivable you state the bleeding obvious
'The thing about ideas are, they are ideas, action means action'
and don't have the decency to heed your own advice, you just tag on the current section of your CV.
It is not constructive to tell people what they should and should not be doing, if you're genuinely pissed about the absence of an events poster, maybe you should think about making one.
Present operations may strike you as wilfully amateur but your professional advice carries little worth especially when it dressed up in buzzwords and PR shite talk.
To return to the subject of the thread, It's a tour, fotunately, due to the transient nature of this place, we have trusted contacts world-over, calling in these contacts strikes me as the obvious way forward and it seems there are people already on it.

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:55 pm

Thanks Dai for your commentary.... I am not attempting to be divisive... and maybe i am stating the obvious, but if you deal with the subjects i have broached point by point i can answer them point by point.... in terms of breaking news, there is nothing new in what i am saying as it all comes from experience, which means it has already happened, but from a planning perspective it might be a good moment to focus on how these points translate into action on the ground on a continuing basis... In terms of industry speak sorry about the language, force of habit, i’ll try to use laymans terms, as long as you promise not to use populist tones..

If you feel a little defensive about what i have said, then i cannot help that, but i will attempt to make my points, even if you do attempt to blaze me in the forum... this is a community and the last time i looked i was a volunteer of sorts even though now i am bit too busy to be scrubbing floors and working in the kitchen... and i am volunteering my thoughts on a subject i have been involved at the forest for several events and preceding that for 9 years in a myriad of places...

The manner of how you have dealt with these points i have made may be indicative of why these things do not get done, but i do not want to get into this negative approach, so i won't mention that again...

Incidentally i am not suggesting you personally would benefit from a workshop of large and small event case studies as I am sure you already have everything in terms of event promotion in hand, but maybe other people, the same ones which have been asked to promote their own events at the forest (ref: booking events at the forest advice) may be able to benefit from a little bit of insight... don’t you think this is a good idea young man.. please lets keep this chat light if possible... :wink:

this could be quite a fun thread don't you think....

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:15 pm

Open it up to all of the graphic designers and artists that frequent the forest..
e.g. a competition or rosta, where each graphic designer / artist covers one period...

you'll need to ensure that everyone doing events gets the correct information to you in time.. this may be possibly actioned, by making it clear on the event book cover (under the till), and on the website that by booking an event you are obligated to make sure the information for the event is submitted at least 2 weeks before the date the poster needs to go out.... This aspect needs to managed, and from my experience with helping out on this, only you really do have the information... However once this poster was made it is relatively easy to put it up on walls around Edinburgh, we got it up in 20 venues, as you are probably well aware..

The reason i was thinking about doing the workshop was to possibly find some people who had a an interest in doing this type of thing, not as any negative thing about you personally, as i know you probably need more hands on deck, but to do this i though possibly a bit of outreach / promotion is necessary...

Gandhi · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:22 pm

Chakan, bonjour.
Of course you are entitled to say what you want and some people may find it interesting and very useful I'm sure ( that isn't meant to sound sarcastic ), but this thread is about the Forest Roadshow and not the inner dealings of business and the economics of the Forest and businesses in general, and we really should keep the thread to just that so we can have a clear picture of where everyone is at currently with the organisation of the Roadshow. (I know you feel they are interlinked but at the moment we do not want to be delving into things a deep as what you have stated). The thread is for updating and discussing where people currently are with their action points.
So if you don't mind could you please stop posting this stuff on this thread and start a new one?

I'm sure you may have some valuable points to make, but just not on this thread please.
I'm sure you'll understand.
thanks

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:26 pm

Andy, this makes sense.... I will start a new one and will try to collate the relevant information from this thread onto it... cheers..

Jimmy Bastard · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:31 pm

sorry andy, i will jump threads after this, in interests of continuity...
[reply to Chakan]
I take your point about your intended workshop, I never stated any issues with it, I'm sure the people it is intended for will find it useful.
Regarding manner and negative approach, you're likely right, that's me being upfront and honest and yes far from tactful.
I outright despise media speak, my hackles naturally rise, I can't stop myself calling bullshit on it. It depresses me, I;m sure, in the same way as my negativity depresses you.
My intention was not to blaze you nor am I attempting to stop you attempting to make points, many of which I agree with, in future I will ensure that I address them point by point.
If my reply came off too personal or populist, it was just a direct response ,the style of which, was an attempt to combat what I saw as unecessary waffle in your posts.
I do see, you've taken care in your reply, to ensure that this doesn't fall into point-scoring or trying to get a petty rise from one another.
I respect that.
Sorry if I made the thread unfun.
(There's no business like roadshowbusiness and this isn't it.)

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:37 pm

all cool

where there is passion there are different ideas, and its important that we create an atmosphere where these ideas can be explored, as i know the forest has done in more cases than most other organisations... hence why i am still attempting to communicate with everyone who belongs to this community..

ok back to the thread :wink:

chakan hislop · **Posted:** Fri Jan 11, 2008 4:58 pm

Like the forest Cafe, many of the different types of organisations that you are planning to visit have to do certain things to exist... The use of artistic work and as much relevant information as possible will help them to promote the forest cafe tour... for instance, one of the things that will be used as a reference point is the forest cafe website, the better the artistic/tour program looks on the forest website, the more people who are most likely to be interested in "the best of" tour..

Since apparently it is this communication that it is going on right now, it might be an idea to have a page on the website that you can use as a reference in the initial emails, so its easier for your friends around the world to hook you up.
It may also be an idea to start collecting information, images, and mpegs early so that the tour page is very informative and allows people to get a good idea of what the tour is all about...

Preparations of this type have a snowball effect and also show your friends and organisations around the uk, or world that you are taking the early stages of the communication of your events in their venues seriously, which will hopefully promote that the same efforts will be made throughout the collaboration maximising the possibility of a successful event...

Keep in mind how each venue works, and try to show within the communication at each stage that you understand the logistical make up of the venues and organisations you are communicating with..

Incidentally im not sure whether the words; reference, preparation invaluable, maximising, logistical, collaboration, seriously, informative, organisation are business speak, if they are you have permission to shoot me (not literally though

let me know if this is not relevant, and/or i do not need to go into too much detail about the why's of each suggestion..

frog · **Joined:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:31 am **Posts:** 8

hey, if you are gonna be visiting the highlands beyond inverness, please dont forget to come to wick. this place could do with some cool happenings.

(i would be a forest regular if i lived near enough, but i dont so i have to make do with reading about you on this website)

Margarida · **Joined:** Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:36 pm **Posts:** 577

ravanwin wrote:

also, when we close our doors for good we could just take all the money we have saved and travel the world in a tour bus and wherever we run out of money is where we build the new forest!

but seriously, next week is good for me? anyone got a date?
r

This.

Lien · **Joined:** Tue Feb 08, 2011 2:55 pm **Posts:** 119

hell yeh

simone · **Joined:** Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:47 am **Posts:** 896

i remember alex proposing this at a meeting ages ago too, good idea!

Stephen · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:00 pm **Posts:** 741

http://www.secretgardenparty.com/2011/#

grant application are closing soon, could be a part of the tour.

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