I have this idea in my head that if you help a touring band out in your hometown, that the gesture will be reciprocated in said band's hometown. It's getting hard to count how many touring bands I've booked and promoted here in Burque and then gotten shit on when we need a hand.

Case in point:
Sunday, July 20th there was an all ages show going down at The Cell Theater, which is at the bottom of my list of places to play, but every all ages venue in town was either already booked or does not book on Sundays. The out of town band I booked asked specifically for an all ages show because they could draw a bunch of kids who had been begging them to play in Albuquerque. So the show is booked, the flyers are made and dispersed, even on Flyer On The Wall in the Alibi. In return, said band confirms a show for us in their hometown.

Then, DAY OF SHOW, I get a call from the dude that owns the Cell saying they have to cancel because a toilet is clogged and someone broke in two nights ago and the staff is afraid to work that night. So I scramble to find a place for this touring band to play. Luckily, Dead Men's Den has a show going on and they're able to add 2 of the bands from the Cell's bill. We make phone calls, put up signs at the Cell, send out emails, let people know that the show has been moved to DMD.

Well, the bill at DMD already had 3 touring bands, so that's a total of 4 touring bands and 2 locals on one bill. The 2 locals agreed that all of the door money would go to the touring bands. The turn out was okay at most. It was one of those where people come just to see one band and then leave, which to me is dumb because it was $8, and for me, I want to get at least 3 bands worth out of that. I digress.

The promoter for the DMD show (super cool guy that I met in college a few years back) said he can get each touring band $50. I tell this to the band I booked and I get a far less than enthusiastic "oh". I realize $50 isn't much, especially when it costs well over $100 to fill up a van, but $50 is something right? And sell some merch for God's sake!!

Anyways, long story short, the band leaves before getting paid. The dude that owns DMD told me at the end of the night that it's too bad they left because he was going to pay for half a tank out of his pocket. Oh well. And this is what gets me: I get home and check messages and emails. We are taken off the show that the band I booked promised us in their hometown. What the hell? THEY left early and didn't get paid. The VENUE cancelled the original show, which was out of my control. I even offered them my place to sleep, shower, do laundry, eat....and they boot us off that show. ARGH!! I'm DONE helping touring bands ESPECIALLY from California!

</rant>

Oh yeah, and for you gamer types, check out Dead Men's Den on Monte Vista, next to the Aux Dog. These guys are the coolest vatos ever. They're doing more all ages local shows too.

Yes the guys from DMD are cool. They rent that space from Aux Dog (I'm on the board there) and they are always very friendly and willing to turn down gaming volume if there is a production goin on at Aux Dog. I've also seen em' wheelin' kegs in there on the weekends... my kind o place.

Speaking of....

There's actually been some chat about a dual all ages Aux Dog / DMD show.

yeah, that's shady.