DON’T MAKE A SCENE ZINE IS OUT !

Don’t Make a Scene: a field guide to putting on DIY gigs

Putting on DIY gigs is rewarding, fun and often important in bringing communities of musicians, artists, writers, photographers and audiences together in spaces removed from the mainstream and in places largely absent from tour itineraries.  However, without inspiration and information from others, it can seem daunting to try and get started.

Don’t Make a Scene responds to this need. A group of DIY promoters, musicians, label heads, tour managers, bookers, sound engineers and audience members from across the UK draw from their own experiences to offer advice and resources in the form of articles, interviews, illustrations and photographs. What results is a diverse, informative and easily digested how-to (and how-not-to) guide for the fledgling promoter.

The contributors to Don’t Make a Scene are largely drawn from people that the zine compilers Rob St. John and Bartholomew Owl (from Edinburgh band eagleowl) have worked with or been inspired by in their collaborative promoting and music making over the last decade.

Contributors include Chris Tipton (Upset the Rhythm, London: ‘Curate your event with imagination, honour and taste’), Sofia Hagberg (End of the Road / Sam and Sofia, Sheffield: ‘Advancing a show’), Emily Tracer Trails (Edinburgh and Glasgow: ‘A guide to not losing money on gigs’), Fielding Hope (Cry Parrot / Cafe Oto, Glasgow / London: ‘Applying for funding’), Andy Inglis (5000 / former manager of the Luminaire, London: ‘We’re good at taking things for free’), Matthew Young (Song, by Toad, Edinburgh: ‘Bridging the promoter-musician gap‘), Johnny Lynch (Lost Map, Isle of Eigg: ‘Some things I’ve learnt about putting on gigs’) and Andy Abbott (That Fucking Tank, Leeds: ‘DIY bother? Reasons to keep doing it’) and many more.

Don’t Make a Scene contains new visual art, illustration and photography by Lizzy Stewart, Tommy Perman, Sarah Tanat-Jones (Synaesthete / Kit Records), Craig Coulthard, Neil Cammock, Matt Pattinson and Cammy Watt (Enfant Bastard).

The zine features an interview with Marie Tippex (from booking agent Julie Tippex), and articles on DIY sound engineering by Tim Matthew (regular engineer for Lau); all-ages gigs by eagleowl’s Clarissa Cheong, setting up DJs and club nights by Malcolm Benzie (Papi Falso) and Lisa Brook (founder of Cafe Kino in Bristol and DJ Cupcake); and advice for prospective promoters from experienced touring musicians David Thomas Broughton, Mark Andrew Hamilton (Woodpigeon) and Dan Willson (Withered Hand).

Zine (84pp).  Released 24th November 2014.
First edition: 300 copies. £4.00
Website and pre-orders: http://www.dontmakeascene.co.uk
Don’t Make a Scene was riso printed by Footprint Workers Co-op in Leeds using soy inks on recycled paper.