u/Huw2k8

Looking to put on a free punk show in a park near me, we can bring the gear anywhere but the big issue is power. How do people normally do this stuff? Hiring a generator, or are there affordable ones.

Any DIY punks who know this shit please share 😄

Cheers guys!

I thought about it and when I started there were little bits of information out there but it wasn't clear. Here's some things I've picked up (some may be obvious, others not so much... but if I missed some good stuff share it below)

• Call the crowd closer - Sounds obvious but not everyone does it. I remember my first gig ever I was super focused on remembering the lyrics and didn't think to call the crowd in till I saw a video of the show later. Now if I can't see a bunch of people in front of me it's the first thing I do 'Come closer you fucks we don't bite!'
• Little mistakes get eaten by the soup - So many times I'll see an awesome band put on a rager of a show then when I congratulate band mates they look miserable and get hung up on some little thing they did wrong. The response is always STFU, there are rarely ever perfect shows but in general little slip ups get eaten by the soup and chaos of the show. If the energy is there you win.
• It's you against the world - Not literally, but it does feel that way sometimes when you're shredding your shit in a random place. It's a weirdly beautiful feeling when you and your squad lock in and face whoever is out there.
• Befriend sound engineers - Ironically with the exception of if they're having a bad day, sound engineers are almost always 'sound' people (that's UK slang for good for anyone scratching their head). Sound engineers are often either in bands, have been in bands, or are hella active in the scene. Also sidenote if you piss them off they can make you sound like ass... so keep that in mind.
• Get to know the other bands - Sometimes we lock in so much we don't smell the roses, but having the pleasure to share a stage with another group is often an awesome way to make a new group of friends. I feel like since gigging I now have 100s of cool friends who play music, if there's anything I can do for those legends I'm there, and they do the same for us... that lovely thread of humanity is the scene!
• Wipe your microphone - Never considered this, just plucked the mic out, got busy with it and then tossed it back in the bag and did the million other things you gotta do post show... now my mic is rusty. Don't be like me
• Help your band mates set up and pack down - We lock in sometimes in our own lanes, but if you're a vocalist with a 3 sec set up, go help the drummer set up their 2 dozen symbol stands.
• Don't take any venues/bands/or even bandmates for granted - Since we played, several of the venues we've played in have shut down, and some of the bands and their members are no longer among us. Every moment we had in those places and with those people were special, but for some reason I never thought they'd have an expiry. Just be aware especially as you play more places and more people... it ain't forever folks. Soak that shit up
• Reach out to venues in your city and put on shows - Turns out, it can be super easy to put on a show. And once you know the deal and the rates you can do it more often.
• You can book your own tours - try and get a gig or two in nearby cities and then once you're familiar with the venues you can book your own tours through these cities
• Bring a spare shirt - I usually stage dive and by the end of a show I am Sweat:The Man. A buddy of mine in a hardcore band gave me this tip and damn, what a tip. Having a spare shirt means I can wipe my sweat with the OG shirt then chuck something fresh on.
• Bring a plastic carrier bag - You can dump your sweaty shit in here and stop it stinking up your gig bag
• You can bring your own cans on stage - You're on stage, no ones gonna tell you nothing... buy a few pints at the venue though especially if it's a small one.
• An empty show/no crowd gig is the best free band prac you'll ever have - We play the same in front of 10 and 1000. But I usually laugh more when it's only a handful of people. One of the highest energy gigs I ever had was one where it was just 3 bands playing to eachother. It was a hilarious night and I think my first words were 'I wanna see all 5 of you MOVE!'
• Local Photographers are legends - Many of them will take the best pictures you'll ever get in your life for free and do it for the vibes, make sure you credit their main social media accounts any time you use the pics and buy them a pint if you can. These people are one of the backbones of a good music scene
• Enjoy the ride - What else are we here for...

What did I miss?

Hey guys

I applied for 3 records in March 2025 and still haven't had a reply, it says on their website they reply within a few weeks. No reply to any emails either. Has guiness gone ghost?

Previous record attempts were responded to with no issues.

Anyone else having this issue?