RockScotland

Zico's, Kirk Road, Wishaw is a relatively new venue that's trying to create some local interest by putting on some live music.

So far the main type of thing has been B-list tribute acts with some older names from the past - but at least they're trying.

A couple of the better gigs from the last year were Cloven Hoof (sadly there were only 12 people there due to lack of advertising by the promoter) and Chris Glen's covers band, the Outfit.

Molly Hatchet are also playing sometime in the new year.

This is a venue that could work if the locals gave it some support.

fiona

fiona wrote:Molly Hatchet are also playing sometime in the new year.

Nope, that gig's been cancelled as well!

fiona wrote:This is a venue that could work if the locals gave it some support

How much time do the locals need to support the venue?

I was there last night to see No Dice - the place was empty!

A few old "faces" from the Heathery days were in Wetherspoons across the road but didn't bother to come over. A few people were also put off by the £5 entrance fee as well as it's usually free entry on a Saturday.

The band also started early as well. I got there at about 9:15 and they were just finishing the first set. They came back on and played for another three-quarters of an hour and when they finished the majority of punters were driven off by the DJ playing some sort of hardcore dance music at deafening volume.

Surely the management must realise that if people are coming in to hear a rock band they aren't going to be interested in some crap DJ?

The majority of the proper gigs have been cancelled and it's only a few low-level tribute acts that are coming up. This venue is going to go the same way as all the other local venues!

fiona wrote:This is a venue that could work if the locals gave it some support

None of the Lanarkshire venues have ever got the support from the locals over the last few years.

There's no "scene" as such, like years ago when everyone went to the Heathery every week no matter what band was playing. Nowadays people only go to gigs to see specific trendy bands - they don't care about being part of a like-minded crowd.

thistle_princess wrote:the majority of punters were driven off by the DJ playing some sort of hardcore dance music at deafening volume

This has been a problem at Zico's from day one! Let's not forget that they intended to be a trendy nightclub at the outset and the live band thing was just an attempt to get some people through the door.

It has always been a half-hearted attempt and the DJ's were always incompatible with the bands. Every other pub has noncey DJ's playing computer generated dance crap so no one's interested.

If the venue isn't going to shut soon the management will need to acknowledge the fact that they need to get a rock DJ in to support the rock bands!

rockchick

rockchick wrote:If the venue isn't going to shut soon the management will need to acknowledge the fact that they need to get a rock DJ in to support the rock bands!

Unfortunately, there's nobody at Zico's who knows anything about Rock Music!

The manager, Michael, is trying but he's getting advice from all the wrong people (especially the dodgy promoters they're using) and also having trouble getting any additional funding from the club owner.

Anyone I've spoken to always mentions the same two things:-

1. The venue needs to get a proper stage with stage lighting.
2. The venue needs to bring in a rock DJ to play rock music.

We all know that Zico's was advertised as an exotic nightclub and restaurant and was never meant to be a live music venue. The live music was just an attempt to try something different to get some people in the place as the original idea failed - especially the restuarant.

They have hired in a proper PA for a couple of gigs so why didn't they bother to hire in a lighting rig at the same time? Just flashing the poor lighting above the dance floor doesn't work.

It can't be too difficult to find a local rock DJ who knows classic rock - it's always a mistake to assume that an ordinary DJ (who's head's wasted with dance music) can just shove on some Bon Jovi or Whitesnake and that'll keep folk happy.

The only gig that worked for them was Nazareth and that's because they had a different stage in a better position and also because Nazareth brought a lighting rig with them.

It's OK saying that it's all about the music, but stage lighting is a necessity to both light and put focus on the band and also add atmosphere to the gig.

thistle_princess wrote:A few people were also put off by the £5 entrance fee as well as it's usually free entry on a Saturday.

The band also started early as well. I got there at about 9:15 and they were just finishing the first set.

While £5 isn't much nowadays it is a bit much to hear a club band playing covers and as far as I'm aware it was always free on a Saturday night before.

I was also caught out by the early start and was in Weatherspoons across the road because I assumed the band would be on about 10pm.

They need some consistency so that punters can get into a routine and know when everything is supposed to start.

However, as already mentioned in previous posts, Zico's seem to be making a half-hearted attempt at everything and they'll need to watch if crowds aren't going to dwindle any more.

There's quite a bit of local music business knowledge still around the Wishaw area and Zico's should be consulting some of these people!

Having said all that - the locals should really offer more support as well!

fergy

big_fergy wrote:Having said all that - the locals should really offer more support as well!

The locals should offer support and this has always been a problem in Lanarkshire when attempts have been made at live music venues.

However, as previous posters have mentioned, the venues need to make an effort as well and the old tried and tested formula was always - rock disco, band, rock disco.

That used to work and there's no point whatsoever having a dance music DJ following a rock band as unfortunately being a dance music DJ does not require a knowledge of music.

Consistency is important as well so that the punters can establish a routine and know where they should be at certain times etc.

Zico's don't even bother to update their website or gig guide either.

I've a feeling that it'll just go the same way as the rest - although I hope it doesn't!

jas

Zicos is a very odd idea IMO, A dance club in deepest Lanarkshire putting on rock bands to warm up the e popping teenagers!! Wishaw will never sustain a live music venue(the days of The Heathery are truly over) We were booked to play, then cancelled shortly after(like just about every other covers band that they booked) before they have even seen the bands they are cancelling them!!.. depriving themselves and Lanarkshire of at least giving it a go (For some reason they STILL put on No Dice who are finding themselves "rocking" out in front of 3 men and a dug!!) you'll never make a venue work if you only get in one regular band and piss off the great acts out there by booking and cancelling.
I done a PA for Alice Cooper tribute "Gallus Cooper" in front of a whopping 15 people due to no advertising at all.
They should stick to having their kylie and take that disco crap and forget about live REAL music!

mabozza wrote:(For some reason they STILL put on No Dice who are finding themselves "rocking" out in front of 3 men and a dug!!) you'll never make a venue work if you only get in one regular band and piss off the great acts out there by booking and cancelling.

No Dice are playing for free and getting to keep the door money rather than being paid!

Possibly more bands could play under a similar arrangement and then they (i.e. the bands) might realise just how much advertising and promotion needs to be done to get people through the doors. People will no longer go to see a band they don't know!

Too many wee bands think that all they have to do is turn up and that they then deserve to be paid and don't ever consider the logistics of gigging. Running a venue is a business and the bands have a responsibility as well - a band has to attract a crowd to make them attractive to a venue so that the venue can make some money.

It doesn't matter how good you are or what type of music that you play - just like there's no relation between success and musical ability. The only thing that's important is that the band will make some money for the venue and/or promoter by attracting a crowd. A lot of bands have let Zico's down as well by bumming up their following!

mabozza wrote:Wishaw will never sustain a live music venue(the days of The Heathery are truly over)

The Heathery is always mentioned in similar posts but back in the late 70's - early 80's people went to the Heathery every Saturday night anyway and paid to get in without even considering what band was playing - it was part of a routine and the people going were into rock music but, again as previous posters have said, it was a tried and tested formula - rock disco, band, rock disco.

As also already mentioned in previous posts, that's one of the major mistakes that Zico's are making - especially on a Saturday night when a rock covers band like No Dice are playing, as there's nothing to hold anybody's interest before the band comes on and most people will drink in Wetherspoons (drink is over 50% cheaper as well) across the road until it's time for the band to come on, come over to see the band and then leave immediately the band finish as they're driven off by the DJ playing dance music.

It's not a difficult formula - rock disco, band, rock disco. Zico's need to decide what they want to do and either be a live music club or a trendy nightclub.

The young neds going out and about in Wishaw were always happy enough with the Stag and the Crown back in the day if they wanted the old Lanarkshire favourite of a bevvy, a barney and a bird!

The Nazareth gig demonstrated that Zico's can be filled under the right circumstances and the management at Zico's really need to invest a bit of time and money and bring in a rock DJ and a local promoter with the specialist knowledge to make the place work as a live venue.

As a more immediate measure Zico's should look at getting rid of the clumsy website and look at getting the actual gig infornation into a more readily accessible format.

crazy_train

crazy_train wrote:
No Dice are playing for free and getting to keep the door money rather than being paid!

Possibly more bands could play under a similar arrangement and then they (i.e. the bands) might realise just how much advertising and promotion needs to be done to get people through the doors. People will no longer go to see a band they don't know!

Maybe out in Wishy folk won't go see a band they don't know, but, elsewhere that does'nt seem to be the case.. My current band's first gig was last march in Rockers in front of about 15 folk the next was 3/4 full (quite a rarity in Rockers these days) same story after our first gig at Fannys in Kilmarnock ..we just done our 2nd gig there last friday and the owner was saying it's been the busiest night in ages.Folk will go see a band they don't know...just takes a bit of time spreading the word a bit.
Never been a great fan of door charging gigs (speaking as a cover band member) i don't like the idea of having folk pay a fiver or more to see a band do covers..Believe me, the pubs can very easily afford to pay a band out of the bar as most venues do... result being busier venues=more bar takings=more exposure for the band. I have been playing Rockers in Glasgow since day one.. it used to be absolutely heaving in there 99% of the time, and since they started charging a £5 on the door the place is much much quieter.
I hadnt even discussed payment with the guy at Zico's before getting cancelled because(also a few other bands i know well got the same story) they were "stopping doing bands apart from the odd tribute act" then we all see some bands being kept going there,THATS what pisses bands off..not even getting the chance to break into a new venue
Agree with you in general about Zicos though

Zicos contacted Maiden Scotland about playing there, I wasn't chasing the gig. I went down to have a look at the venue and was instantly sceptical, I asked to speak to the manager and was left sitting around for 30 minutes, so I left.

Despite my misgivings they booked the band through email and payment would be as mentioned on a post above from door split.

As the standard 8 weeks before gig time approached I must have emailed 3 or 4 times and had no reply. I had never seen our gig listed or advertised anywhere. I received a phone call a week before the gig saying it was cancelled and that i never confirmed it....how can you cancel a gig i never confirmed?

Its a similar story I have heard from a few bands, its just not set up for rock gigs and I dont believe we would have pulled a decent crowd in the area. Maybe doing the occasional well promoted rocknight with us and say Gallus Cooper would be a success but Im afraid you cant blame the public for this one, Zicos dont have a clue!

Agent Smith wrote:I must have emailed 3 or 4 times and had no reply. I had never seen our gig listed or advertised anywhere. I received a phone call a week before the gig saying it was cancelled and that i never confirmed it....how can you cancel a gig i never confirmed?

Yes, i actually was talking to a couple of other bands that i knew had gigs booked there,after we were told they were stopping bands altogether,they e-mailed several times without reply also, and were only "informed" that Zicos was'nt doing bands within a few days of their gig. We done the sound for Gallus Cooper in there and that is when i spoke to the manager and arranged our date, we were even going to do a double header with Gallus at no extra cost to them and they still cancelled. Badly run shambles IMO.