raw hide? *snicker*

Hey Jenn,

(Please excuse the seemingly harsh response I have written. It is nothing personal at all. I worked with bigger and smaller venues than I am right now before I came to California and was also a media buyer, so I will try to communicate to you the venue's opinion).

The most important thing you need to remember is that the venue_owner/event_promoter relationship has nothing to do with being friends, and everything to do with business. Doing business in a major, metropolitian center is difficult - especially in one with one of the top 10 most grossly inflated costs of ownership in the country. As such, explicit communication is key, and as the old saying goes, "get it in WRITING."

It is reasonable to expect that the venue is: in working function (aka, "up to code,"); with all required facilities present; and staffed properly (UNLESS explicitly negotiated otherwise).

It is reasonable to expect that your event is promoted by the venue through: use of a web-based calender (IF the venue has an established practice of using a web-based calender for event announcements); newspaper advertisements (IF the venue has an established practice of taking-out a newspaper ad announcing ALL events, or, failing that, all events on the day of the week you are booked); radio advertisements (once again, if the venue has a regularly-rotated ad for ALL events or, failing that, all events on the day of the week you are booked); and any mass-media format such as email (IF AND ONLY IF they have an established practice of announcing events regularly and in a timely fashion OR they always announce events on the day of the week you are booked).

It is not reasonable to expect anything beyond the previous comments from a venue unless it is WRITTEN down somewhere. (IF you are renting/leasing the space. If you are working on the venue's behalf to develop an event, I can get all into that at another time).

Promotional support is a very critical thing in the media industry, as well as the entertainment industry. Promotional support is worth a lot of money. You are paying them a rental fee and/or a bar guarantee. You have given them money for the USE of their venue - period. Yes, your CHOICE in venue was partly due to the venue's reputation for promoting the event; however, other than their regular routine, they have no obligation to promote your event. That is the only thing understood unless promotional items have been explicitly negotiated. As such, promotional support needs to be explicity mentioned in all negotiations AND written contracts.

Think of it *this* way, if you cannot have your business plan together (including the promotional support requirements) BEFORE even approaching the venue to negotiate, no venue is going to take you seriously. If you are paying a venue $2000 and you can't even get basic web promotion into the agreement, you lack some serious foresight that is required to work in the entertainment industry.

Now, that being said, if the venue has a history of out-and-out REFUSING to promote the event, then you'd have a case in court. To prove that, you must show a history on the owner's (or manager's) side of either refusing explicitly to put your event on their web page, or even more damning, that they refused to include YOUR event in regularly-scheduled promotions. If you can prove a venue refused to promote through established methods of promotion, you would then have a very strong case for neglect of fiduciary responsibilities.

Regards,
--G.D.

p.s. SF is a tough place and I have no clue how *any* promoter manages to run a successful event at a bigger club in that city. Yes, there are tons and tons of smaller events, but if you run a weekly/monthly out of a big venue you damn-well better have your shit together because a goliath doesn't move unless its forced.

p.p.s. To all of my friends and associates running events out of big events - god bless you for having guts!

p.p.p.s. To all of my friends and associates running events out of smaller clubs, MUCH love your way, too! It's tough making *any*thing work in SF!