Wanna Play A Show at 5BAR?
Our audience probably wants to catch your music.
So how does it work?
Booking a Show:
If you want to play here, please contact us wit the following info:
Name of band, artist
How many performing groups you’d like to have on the night. It’s always best to combine 2-3 bands together, so there is more of a draw and audience for all artists
Timeline, start end, exact times and date. Of course this can change, but start with an idea in mind. 3 possible backup dates as well, unless you’re touring through
Links to your music or art, not just a pic of the band
Short description or bio
Marketing Your Show:
Please promote your art. We like when you create flyers, use these media files to tag onto the posts
Tag us when you create content for the show tag us with these: #5BAR, @5BAR.co on Instagram, www.Facebook.com/5BARbeloit
Check in online when you get here. Leave us a public review with your band playing. Share the love all around
Age Restrictions:
Yes, we are a 21+ only venue at this time. Yes you may perform if under 21, contact us ahed of time to make arrangements
Capacity: 120
We hold 120 inside, about 30 on the smoking patio (plastic cups only). The back stage area holds 80 max standing, and its cozy at that time. With couches and easy flow it holds 50
Check In / Load In / Out:
Pull your vehicle to the back parking lot. As you look at the front of the building, it will be the left (east) side of the building
Check in with the bartender and let them know your band name and all that good stuff. WE host a lot of events each month, so be kind to us and let us know what we need to know, don’t assume too much, or we may get out of sync
Load in through the back gate, and back door. We are building a small storage off the stage, behind a glass door, you may store dead cases or stuff there. Keep all your clutter off the glitter dance floor, don’t be messy or cluttered, invite people into the show
Doors - we cannot stress this enough - do not prop open the doors, either to outside or the inside door to the hallway. Especially if the temperature outside is much different than inside, our very old building gets hot/cold fast. We had 1 band that repeatedly propped open the doors and unfortunately we had to ask them to stop playing that night. Do not alter our building in any way, even by propping doors open. This is a safe space, and we like to keep the front and back 2 different vibes for our guests. Without our guests there is no show, keep that in mind, you’re here to perform TO people, so make it good
PA / Sound System / Setup:
We are happy to provide you the use of our expensive equipment, so treat it with respect. If you break something, its broken for the next band, the audience and it ruins a good vibe. Please, just use your common sense and zoom out
We have 4 mics, 6 inputs. Bring cords and guitar stands you need
At this time, with our limited staff, soundcheck is only 5 minutes total. So setup, be ready, then ask us to come and soundcheck ya. If you want to bring your own person to run the sound, more power to ya
Merchandise:
Setup the merch, sell all the shirts, we want that for you and the audience. Best place is behind the second bartop, the black one
If you need to run a merch sale through our point of sale we will collect a 10% fee, because our credit card machine charges us rates and we need to cover that cost
Unless specified, you must load up your merch within 30 minutes of your finished show to make space and time for the next event that night
Drinking or Eating on Stage:
Totally fine, just don’t spill
Seriously, don’t put a drink on your amp, right? Vibrations and libations aren’t great for your gear
Payment:
Performers receive 2 drink coins per person. This is a $10 drink per player, so if you have a 5-piece band that is a $100 value we want to offer. It’s our little tip to the band and shows our mutual appreciation, we have tea and mocktails as well. We do cater to many first time or seldom performers, many jazz artists who want a stage to play on and love to just jam. We love that and are here for it. Let us know.
We are creating a space and a scene for our guests and artists to come perform. All 3 of us (band/bar/guests) are helping each other.
Little story: as a former touring musician (here is a song I wrote, recorded, and was on the album cover for) I totally want to make this the best possible show I can for you, for our guests, and even for myself. We can only do so much and need each other to all pitch in and help in all the ways we can. I want to pay artists loads, buckets, piles of cash moneys, but we simply aren’t there yet. We’re just a baby bar still. I toured through the Great Recession 2008-2010 when I was a barista still, we’d start tours already in the hole from filling a band-van gas tank. I’ve played a show that started in Texas, when I lived in Seattle and had to drive more than an entire day, through my 23rd birthday, just to start a tour. Then we didn’t get paid by the club, loads of touring stories if you wanna catch them
Guaranty / fee: to pay music rights, keep the back room heated, repair cords and speakers, pay rent and cleaning, security at the door, and all the other expenses is quite a tab. We are reinvesting it into the next band and the next show. In your message include what your guaranty or fee is. We are happy to to make anything possible, art is complicated and that makes it beautiful.
Music Selection Restrictions (Boring Lawyer Stuff):
Our music license is through Pandora for business “Mood.”
Our live music is through ASCAP and BMI, oh it’s costly but we make it happen.
As an artist it is your responsibility to adhere to these license rules. Which means only playing music under their contracts. We don’t like these rules either and believe these agencies are thwarting art and expression, but they have loads of lawyers and the USA being in love with big business and ‘corporate America’ instead of innovation and art, it isssssss what it issssss.