Are you an under-appreciated original performer? Have you been searching for a place to showcase your unique musical perspective? Do your friends keep telling you that you really should get out and play some gigs? Too small for the big venues? Too "different" to play in the bars?
Now's the perfect time to spread your wings: perform at an upcoming Cosmic Coffeehouse!
So take the first step:
Call Ken Palmer at 609-298-1877 and leave a message. Be patient--he will get back to you!
OR
Send email to brainstatik@aol.com
OR
Send a CD or cassette to
Cosmic Coffeehouse
c/o Ken Palmer
PO Box 458
Crosswicks, NJ 08515
Be sure to include some info about yourself or your group. Press kits, Web page and MP3 links, and reviews would all be helpful too, but if you're not all that organized or professional yet, don't worry about the details (we're not all that organized and professional yet either!). Just give us a hint of who you are and what your particular passion is. Remember that our primary goal is to embrace and celebrate the misfits at the Cosmic Coffeehouse-- if every other venue has said no to you, we're likely to say YES!
(Remember, though, that the Cosmic Coffeehouse has a very limited number of openings for performances during the year, so there are no automatic acceptances into the series.)
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A few simple guidelines about the Cosmic Coffeehouse series:
YOU DON'T PAY US TO PLAY. WE DON'T PAY YOU TO PLAY.
These shows are run entirely by volunteers who donate their time and effort to raise money to maintain the Crosswicks Community House. That means that the Crosswicks Community Association lets us use their building for FREE, the people who run it work for FREE, and the performers play there for FREE. The admission fee and money made from the sale of coffee and snacks goes directly to the Crosswicks Community Association.
YOU MAKE A FEW DOLLARS. YOU MAKE A FEW FANS.
The big upside is positive exposure for yourself and/or your group, without having to pay a promoter big bucks for the "privilege" of showcasing with 20 other bands. We can't pay you to perform, but we do provide the venue and publicity free of charge. We strongly encourage the selling of your CDs and/or cassettes at your show-- you get to keep ALL proceeds from the selling of any "swag." You also will gain exposure for yourself, both from performing, and from the pre-show publicity and media exposure, as the buzz surrounding the Cosmic Coffeehouse series continues to grow. Post-performance publicity continues with an archive page of photos and videos of your performance, with a link back to your own Web site (actual example here).
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"ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE? ANYONE?"
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Q: WHAT IF I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE?
Besides practicing a lot for your upcoming performance, and making sure you tell all your friends and relatives about it, and promising to show up and play, you don't have much to worry about. We provide the PA system and some really cool lighting, so your performance is presented in a professional way. Performing here is a fairly casual, mellow and non-intimidating experience, and everyone usually has a blast. The audience comes prepared to hear something new, and is very appreciative of each performer's vision.
Q: WHAT IF I DON'T OWN A MICROPHONE STAND?
No problem--we've got some of those. You DO have to bring your own instruments of course, and any special requirements (vocal mics, farm animals, etc) can be worked out well before the performance. Performers are encouraged to BYOG (Bring Your Own Gear) if they feel more comfortable with their own PA and/or sound engineer. If you have any special video or lighting effects that you've been itching to try out, bring them with you! We are very flexible-- we just want everyone to be happy, to play their best, and to present themselves the way they want to be seen and heard!
Q: WHAT IF MY GROUP HAS "X" NUMBER OF PERFORMERS?
We can't really accommodate groups of more than 4 performers, unless you don't have a lot of equipment to set up. We prefer solo performers, duos and trios, but we might make an exception if your act is really strong. It's more a matter of available performance space and controlling the volume in the venue. Acoustic drums are definitely discouraged-- we prefer that the performers play at a level where conversation is still possible by the audience. Think intimate coffeehouse, not rock club.
Q: I REALLY DON'T DO SPACE MUSIC. WHAT IF I'M NOT ALL THAT "COSMIC"?
The name of the series actually refers to the fact that the performers were all "out there" in their own little worlds, stuck in some undiscovered region of the musical universe. You can imagine the Cosmic Coffeehouse as a remote musical outpost in that vast uncharted expanse, where a diverse group of quirky lifeforms converge to make and hear some interesting new music.
As is often their fate, a lot of the "electronic" musicians end up stuck in their home studios with little or no opportunity to play in front of an audience, so the Cosmic Coffeehouse attracted the attention of the local "space music" scene pretty early on, and the we happily continue to welcome them. But if you're an acoustic singer/songwriter with an edge too sharp for the local bookstore scene, or a vocal trio singing ancient ditties in 3/4 time, and you know that you're good, you've probably had just as tough a time finding a venue willing to host your particular musical vision as the space music players. You're "cosmic" because you're not bound by the usual restraints of what's popular or acceptable. You'll fit in with us precisely because of that quality. If this sounds like we're describing you, it's time to break out of orbit and grab somebody's attention. Get in touch with us!
Q: WHO ARE THESE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE BILL WITH ME?
They are talented people just like you. Sometimes we might have up to three solo or duo acts play in one evening, especially if they are just starting out or aren't comfortable playing more than one set. But in most cases, two acts will be paired up for the evening's performance. When and how this happens is a tricky combination of scheduling, vibe, and pacing. Sometimes the musical styles will be similar, and sometimes they might be in sharp contrast (which isn't necessarily a Bad Thing!). Performers often have a preference for going on earlier or later in the evening (as in: first or last), and we'll try our best to work that out with you. No act is billed or singled out as the headliner, unless we have one larger group playing for the entire evening. The point to remember is that this is not an impersonal nightclub experience. The Cosmic Coffeehouse is a unique opportunity-- it becomes your special moment in the spotlight! We'll stress again here that we are all volunteers-- warts and all-- so mistakes will be made. This is one big experiment-- none of us have much experience putting something like this together. But we do try to have lots of fun! So come, join us!
Q: CAN MY FAVORITE COVER BAND COME PLAY?
Sure, as long as we'll hear only their killer original tunes that the regular nightclub crowds weren't interested in hearing. The whole point of the Cosmic Coffeehouse is to showcase the NEW-- we're looking for stunningly-original content by the unsung heroes of music. We absolutely want to avoid copyright hassles with the RIAA, ASCAP or BMI performance rights problems, or other unlicensed use of other musicians' work without the proper clearance from Harry Fox or the legitimate copyright holder's permission. Sound like a big pain in the butt for you? Us too.
Q: WHAT ABOUT SAMPLING/REMIXING?
As far as incorporating sound samples into your work, as long as you're using royalty-free clips or sample CDs you've already paid for, or mined something from the public domain, it's fine with us. Go wild and start looping! The quick legal test is to ask yourself this one question-- "If MTV played my song, would I probably get sued for using this sample in it?" Regardless of your personal opinion about the "sharing" of music and the corporate music machine, our little coffeehouse could risk getting fined and/or shut down, which is a Very Bad Thing. If this policy comes as a big shock to your politics, welcome to the adult world. Radio and TV stations, bars, clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, concert halls, web sites, and airlines-- all the users of music-- have to negotiate license fees, if they only want to play the radio. That's how cover bands can continue to play in clubs-- the venue picks up the tab for performance fees to BMI and ASCAP. The Cosmic Coffeehouse is a very little (and very part-time) fish in this game, so we're trying to avoid all of these issues by keeping it simple. If you own your music, we're happy to give people a place to hear it performed, no lawyers required. (Sorry for the long lecture!)
Q: I USE A SEQUENCER IN MY PERFORMANCE. IS THAT COOL WITH YOU?
As for as sequencing goes, our performers often incorporate loops, synth patterns, sequencing, groove boxes, laptops, and strange homebrewed mystery gadgets into their compositions. As long as your live presentation consists of mostly YOU actually playing something, as opposed to simply clicking the start button on an entirely pre-programmed performance, just about anything goes. So if you want your drum tracks to accompany your electric lute compositions, go for it!
Remember that the audience would love to hear you spread your wings. Improvisation, spontaneous deviations from your original plan, and not playing it safe are all strongly encouraged and appreciated. So let loose. Push your limits. Embrace both the happy accidents and the unplanned moments of brilliance-- and have fun!
Q: SOUNDS GOOD TO ME! BUT WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Contact Ken (above), who'll be happy to help you out with the details.