Conference Centre nixed all-ages rapper concert

[All Ages Music Concerts]

A great venue would be at the VIEX centre (beban centre) in a big barn where the city would not have to worry about damage to their premises.

I know of ppl that have rented a part of the Beban Hall and had to make sure everything was scrubbed clean in order to get their damage deposit back. Very high expectations so that the City would make more money on the security deposit.

When renting a hall it should be left in a good condition but the City of Nanaimo has a much more higher requirement. Somewhat unusal level from other venues that rent out a hall.

[queen of the waterfront]

At some point the City of Nanimo is going to have to wake up and smell the roses.
My son is a Hip Hop Rap artist. The two other members of his group have moved to the mainland because there is little opportunity for the group to perform. I suppose he wil go too.

I have worked in Nanaimo's music scene for 25 years.I started running coffee houses at the Scout Hut,then at the Oxy and later on Gabriola.
I got fired from the Palace one night for not using a drum machine and singing Neil Young! The place was packed! For $33.00 a night you had to toe the Palace line. It was country or rock or get out of Dodge!
Renting halls in Nanaimo is very expensive.Even renting the Lions Pavilion is not cheap and that space was donated to the City.
I admire Jerry Hong for keeping the music alive in this town.
Tom Lozza does the same at The Red Martini Grill. Paul Manhas has also kept live music alive in Nanaimo.

As for the Conference Centre,lol. Just check out a City council meeting for what the sound is like! I cant imagine Dianna Krall singing there!

One day someone will realise that the music business is recession proof. Big acts bring big money. The young people must be encouraged to play music and have an audience.

[All Ages Music Concerts]

http://www2.canada.com/harbourcityst...3-44e38cf1eced

More info on the cancellation of the Flo Rida Show in Nanaimo.

[Blue]

I'm not sure the conference center is the right place for that kind of event either. I can understand the concerns the city may have regarding damage, security, etc.

I attended a hip hop show a few years ago at Beban and the sound was ok, not great, but not bad. The place got trashed near the end of the evening though, and a bunch of cars were vandalized in the parking lot. It was really only a few kids that got out of hand, but there wasn't really any enforcement/security. The security did stop a few fights from happening at the end of the show, but didn't call the cops, just kicked the rowdy people out, which I would suspect led to the car damage.

The conference center could be concerned about those sorts of issues and decided the risk is not worth the return.
I've also heard that for certain events the conference center is asking for a very detailed and expensive event insurance policy/bond which makes it costs prohibitive.

[All Ages Music Concerts]

Live music concerts do carry high risk of damage/liabilty suits. That is why there should be proper security ppl (in numbers) according to the type of concert and hall capacity. Crowd control is another factor. When entering a concert there should be body/bag checks, a security watched fenced area that the ppl can go to while the concert is still in running, invite the police to pop in and see how the event is going (helps to put the fear to some when they see them). At the end of the night all your security ppl help to get everyone out of the hall and patrols the parking area, to also help clear it out. Once outside, if there are no controls the drinking begins. When an event is on there should be a patrol/patrols in the parking lot anyways

These much added cost amoungst the other cost of putting on a concert but security if #1 on the list as far I am concerned.

[Tenspot]

And the announcement today is that the albatross, I mean the conference centre lost $850,000 this year. Congratulations to the "YES" committee, idiots all, including those that voted yes for that stupidity.

[neecy2k]

why am I not surprised at that announcement?

[Nostradama]

And the announcement today is that the albatross, I mean the conference centre lost $850,000 this year. Congratulations to the "YES" committee, idiots all including those that voted yes for that stupidity.

The cancellation of the conference that was covered in the same news story is going to cost the merchants of Nanaimo a lot of money, too. All because one hotel refused to drop its convention rates and the people arranging the conference need 400 rooms at convention rates. That hotel would have been booked solid, which I doubt has ever happened, or perhaps rarely, in its history. About as short-sighted as I can imagine, but it's their choice. Commercial Street and the waterfront and the restaurants and shops would have been jammed solid at conference lunch breaks, before the morning sessions, and possibly in the evenings. Certainly the bars would have been packed in the evenings.

If there had been a hotel built adjacent to the conference centre, that money would have been spent in Nanaimo, not in some other city.

But . . . you get what you vote for. One of the most beautifully orchestrated pieces of brain washing I've ever seen, getting that referendum passed.

[All Ages Music Concerts]

Well if they want to set standards high before they can deliver, what does any business expect in return??

The squeeze can only get tighter and then you choke yourself. HA