JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Brian Austin Whitney Blog Wednesday, June 7th, 2006

Hi Folks,

Another long night last night. But I did manage to get 4 hours of sleep this time! We're working on an awards venue and wanted to move back to Hollywood. We loved the venue from 2004, but we're afraid it's too small considering the growth of the awards again. However the cost of doing the show in Hollywood has skyrocketed. The quotes we got in 2004 have gone up a whopping 6 times! For us to do the show under the same terms as our 2004 show, we've been quoted a needed ticket price of 200 dollars! ack! (We charged 60 dollars a head last time and unforunately lost some money on the deal.. ). We can return to the previous venue, but it only holds 550 people and we feel we need to accomodate 600-700 this time around. One option is to not have the Buffet Dinner and just charged about 50 dollars a ticket and let folks buy their own food. If we include the food again, we'll likely have the charge 75 dollars to break even. It sounds like a lot, but considering nearly everyone who entered entered an entire CD of music to the awards and all the other "awards" or "contests" charge 30 dollars per song or more just to enter and these would be people already nominated, it's not that much. But people still get sticker shock. They're happy to send another "contest" or "awards" 300-500 dollars in entry fees and never hear from them again.. we just need to them realize that since we don't charge for anything, the show has to pay for itself, the trophies and the other expenses around doing it. I hope folks will realize that when the show comes around.

We considered also doing it in Nashville. It's probably the only other city that would make sense. We have a gigantic number of members and previous nominess (and thus likely future nominees) in the So. Cal. area. No other area comes even close. NY, Boston and Nashville would be the next ones in line. NY and Boston in November would frankly suck because of the cold, so that leaves Nashville or LA. If we did Nashville, we'd want an historic venue. If anyone has suggestions to consider there, please let us know. Also, if you have a contact in Hollywood that can seat 600+ for dinner and work with our modest budget, we'd love to hear about it too.

On a sad note, Billy Preston died yesterday. He seemed universally liked in the music business and it's hard to believe he was still so young. He must have been barely over 20 years old when he was jamming with the Beatles and still in his early 20's when he did the classic disco tinged instrumental Outa Space. (You all know it by sound if not by name). All of the Beatles did amazing things at such young ages. Why is it that so often everyone stops their most productive years so early? Sure there are exceptions, but much of the greatest work from musicians (unlike other arts) happen early on. Is it something genetic? What are your thoughts?

Have a great day!

Brian

<< NY and Boston in November would frankly suck because of the cold >>
No need to be so subtle.

I think maybe young artists can just work on the music where after they've been snatched up by the business there are too many distractions. How many new and fresh sounding artists (who've developed their sound over the first 20 or so years) fall apart on the sophomore release with all the money and extra input and handling?

I'd love to see you do it in the middle of the country - just from a travel point of view. And an excuse to get to Nashville wouldn't hurt either.

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Marty my home

Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you
recognize a mistake when you make it again!

[This message has been edited by Marty Helly (edited 06-07-2006).]

Brian-

If you decide to have the awards in Nashville, you might check with the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. I know it's not a music venue, but it is historic (originally the downtown post office) and they have banquet facilties. There's the Factory in Franklin, which is cool, but further from dowtown, the airport, etc. Those are the first two that come to mind, if I think of others I'll let you know.

Chuck

If we took a risk on Nashville.. it would likely need to be a place with stature like the Ryman for example. Just a nice facility wouldn't likely justify the risk of moving it. Unless the financial deal was beyond amazing.

Brian

What about a hotel like the Berverly Glen, or the Beverly Hilton. I know they have big banquet rooms. I'll dig up another copy of the LA Weekly and refresh myself on some of the other bigger places here in LA. I totally spaced on it the other day.

Jody

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Music That Makes Your Soul Happy!
www.jodywhitesides.com

yo brian...
lost wages... i mean las vegas! plenty of sun, plenty of room, plenty of food, plenty of eye-candy, plenty of everything actually... a musician's playground... and not too far for all your southern california winners to travel... and good flight deals for everyone else? las vegas... it's not just for breakfast anymore!
rock on.
r.

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http://cdbaby.com/all/chevyford

I considered that, but we have no contacts there to assist and no real leads to try and make it work. We have very few active members there compared to other cities, so everyone would have to travel there by plane, except a few die hards from So. Cal that would drive over. That would be a big risk without a stellar location and an amazing financial deal from a top venue there.

Brian