House show permits or anything?

[TheWretchedAbyss]

Hey all, not sure where this topic fits but whatever. anywho im looking at having a show in my house with about 4-5 bands, in my basement (my band is one of them https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Wretched-Abyss/125053400943068) and were all deathmetal, from about 7 to around 11-12 ideally. Now what im wondering is should i contact the city hall....? Ive never hosted a show in my house before and i feel like just having everyone show up and set up and then have 80 people come over is asking for a little visit by the you know who (the police) so enlighten me on what you do if you were preparing to have a house show, in about month or so in late may too in that mattersm thanks!!

 

[Kwirk]

Let all of your neighbors know, ask them if it's okay, etc. I would probably do it earlier in the day as well.

 

[Nats]

Don't let cops know cause they'll be in the area just waiting to pounce like a jungle cat. Definitely let all your neighbors know. My old neighbors from when I was growing up would have house parties, some times they'd let neighbors know, sometimes they would be random get togethers that got out of hand. The only time cops were called was when neighbors weren't warned. If they're nice to let us know ahead of time, then we cut them some slack even if someone gets murdered in our backyard. It's when they don't let you know that you get jealous they didn't invite you cause you're a few years younger that you call the cops pretending to be the disgruntled old couple across the street because fuck them.

But yea, let everyone know, try to make it a tad earlier and have fun.

 

[The Hiryuu]

Don't make a Facebook event for it, and if you do, make it invite-only and be smart about who you invite. Don't post flyers with the address, only give it out through actual correspondence (e-mails or direct messages.)

Just little tips from an area with a bunch of basement shows and a problem with undercover cops trying to bust them.

 

[Konfyouzd]

Let all of your neighbors know, ask them if it's okay, etc. I would probably do it earlier in the day as well.

Don't take my laughing wrong. This is actually good advice. It just so happens that I have a neighbor who lives on the left side of me and when I practice drums in the middle of the day while everyone else is at work (I can telework some days), he's the ONLY person home and always bitches and asks me to do it in the evenings when EVERYONE ELSE is home and will be pissed. We even talked about it and came up with times that would be convenient for the both of us and he still bitches whenever it suits him whether he knows it's coming or not, so beware of those kinds of neighbors.

/Off Topic

I agree with the quoted post. I just thought it was really funny that as reasonable as the post is, it actually doesn't work sometimes.

 

[berzerkergang]

Lots of great advice above.

Check with the neighbors, in my past experiences with it, I would bring the neighbors a case of beer or something for their patience.

I am not sure how it works in your area but where I live the noise laws all start at 9 or 10pm. When we used to practice in the basement there was nothing anyone could do about it before then, cops cant do anything about it until then unless its excessive. That said, I would suggest that you do it early, have it done by like 10 and then party it up with the people that show up after.

For a space saving suggestion, get bands to share cabs and a kit, just have everyone bring their heads/effects and drummers bring cymbals/snare/pedals. Guess it depends on the size of your basement.

Like mentioned above, dont get stupid about the invites. I would also hire responsible trustworth security as well. Find a couple dudes you know no one would fuck with and pay em to watch your house/stuff and toss anyone that is being a douche.

Permits arent possible for a basement show. Even thinking about that gives me a headache. I tried to get permits for an outdoor show once... it nearly drove me insane haha

 

[MikeK]

Almost any house show in my city gets broken up by cops within the first hour. The city will not issue permits for a residential house show, due to how close all other homes are. Most cities also have a noise ordinance of 10:30 or 11pm.

 

[DLG]

here's some inspiration

 

[ArrowHead]

Don't make a Facebook event for it, and if you do, make it invite-only and be smart about who you invite. Don't post flyers with the address, only give it out through actual correspondence (e-mails or direct messages.)

Just little tips from an area with a bunch of basement shows and a problem with undercover cops trying to bust them.

This, 110%. Trust this guy, he's forgotten more about basement shows than most of us will ever know.

 

[robotsatemygma]

Yea just let your neighbors know it's gonna get rowdy. We played tons of basement shows in Minneapolis and some your way in River Falls, and just by letting them know, nothing cop wise ever happened. And these parties got pretty effing epic.

 

[TheWretchedAbyss]

Some really good avice. Im not worried about ethier of my neighbors one has parties all the time and i used to live with the people next door haha, i was more worried about cops and wondering if there was some way to nulify them or something like that. Thanks alot tho. Im just going to go ahead and throw a rager fuck it, its going on the 24th and my lease is up on the 25th!!! party on!

 

[ArrowHead]

The way to nullify cops is to do as we said and talk to your neighbors. Cops don't just patrol neighborhoods for parties, they need to be called with a complaint.

Sounds like your neighbors will be cool. To ensure it, you should go talk to em and just let them know when it's happening. People are more tolerant if they know what's going on. The right thing to do is give them a heads up. It just takes one guy calling the cops and your party is over.

 

[craigny]

Yeah and have some people there to help "control" the crowd....its cool to cut loose but make it known that all out douchery will get you tossed....takes one asshat to do something really stupid to let the whole thing get way outta hand...yeah try to wrap it eariler the better

 

[ArrowHead]

Almost forgot:

What Craig said is right, but further also CONTAIN the crowd. Quickest way to get the cops called is to have 40 kids wandering the neighborhood smoking and drinking while bands are switching up. This happened at the one house show I played in the city. Sadly I'm pretty sure I was one of the assholes wandering the neighborhood smoking dope that got the cops called.