The Minstrel

From: The Minstrel <mike.agranoff@folkproject.org>

Date: Fri, Jul 7, 2017 at 10:22 AM

Subject: Minstrel Booking Report - July 2017

To: FPboard <fullboard@folkproject.org>

The Minstrel followed a similar path in June to that which it has taken for most of the year: doing moderately well as a whole, but being pulled down by one poorly attended show. That will be evident from an examination of the Minstrel PL graph attached. For the month, we averaged 66 paid (87 total) attendees for regular shows, and 54 paid (73 total) including the Open Stage. Over the past 12 months, we averaged 86 paid (110 total) attendees for regular shows and 67 paid (87 total) including open stages. Financially, we lost $35 for June, are $862 in the black year to date, and and $1,325 in the black for the past 12 months.

I received, signed, and returned our 2017-18 contract with the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship with no change in rent. They have no idea when parking lot construction will begin.

I am going to try a scheme to increase attendance for performers who I think are worthy of a headline act, but who do not have the name recognition to draw enough attendees to make their show financially successful. I will book them as an opener in front of a high draw act, followed by a headline slot further down the road. I've tried this before without too much success. When I've tried that before, even though the opener has gotten a hugely enthusiastic reception, by the time his headline slot comes around 6 months or more later, the memory has faded, and the attendance is lackluster. So I'm going to add one more twist. At the end of the opener's set, the emcee will give the following pitch to the audience: "You liked this performer? Would you come to see him as a headliner? Well on his mailing list is a check-off box that says, 'I'll come back to see his headline show on such-and-such a date.' If we get 25 checked boxes, I'll book him on that date." I dunno. It may work. It may not. We'll find out. We'll start with Butch Ross opening for Tom Chapin on July 21. The tentative date for Butch's return as a headliner is February 23.

As you remember from last month, Frank Vignola had to cancel his show on June 2 due to injuries suffered in an ATV accident. I inquired as to his recovery, and he told me he would be taking a full year off to recuperate.

We've had ongoing technical difficulties withConcert Window, which prevented us from broadcasting shows up until the June 30 show with Happy Traum. That one went out with some issues in the sound quality. I will investigate further to try to solve them. Bill Hall and I have written a procedural manual on the broadcast procedures to aid in training our Sound volunteers to run the broadcast. I've also started on a procedural manual on how to run the MUF sound board.

New bookings since last month:

• August 18: Gerry & Olga opening for Robinson & Rohe.

• September 1: Julie Gold ("From a Distance"), with guitar wiz Jacob Johnson opening.

• January 5: Split bill with Pat Wictor (of Brother Sun) and Reggie Harris (of Kim & Reggie Harris)

Highlights upcoming in July:

• July 21: The aforementioned Tom Chapin

• July 28: The Birthday Show.

Mike Agranoff

Program Chair

The Minstrel Acoustic Concert Series

Morristown, NJ. USA

www.Minstrel.FolkProject.org