LIC Notes

45 comments

• link Friday, 05 August 2011 04:25 posted by Casey25Nannie

  Houses and cars are not very cheap and not everybody is able to buy it. Nevertheless, loan are created to help people in such kind of cases.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Monday, 12 July 2010 11:55 posted by Jefferson Thomas

  You know what? BUY a fucking PA, learn how to use it (I should be careful to NOT skip that step!) and go play where YOU want to. MAKE the scene. Stop waiting for the Chosen Ones Of Two One Two or the Hipness Gods of Wiliamsburg to decree that you are "cutting edge" enough to make no money while playing the only two chords they know and wearing black and saying "Isn't Andy Warhol SO cool?"
  
  You'll be surprised to find how many people out there have been waiting for someone to do just that.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Tuesday, 29 June 2010 16:08 posted by Andrea

  @ annoyed
  
  
  I wasn't talking about "making it in the music business". I was talking about developing a music scene. I can't think of any band in Astoria that would make me excited enough to get on a train to come see them. Again, too much energy is wasted trying to "build a community", when nobody is writing anything exciting. And if they are, there are no damn venues anyway.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Tuesday, 29 June 2010 13:09 posted by Gene "The Jammeister" Caprioglio

  I just wanted to congratulate Joe on his win. My band, Le Nozze di Carlo, was on the Queens show at WNYC with his band, and it was a real pleasure to meet and play with the other Queens bands. There was definitely a nice vibe in room that night and a lot of talent on the stage.
  
  I've been gigging in Queens longer than I care to admit. There are plenty of venues, and the owners usually don't care what you play as long as you draw an audience that drinks. The responsibility for filling a venue should be shared between the band and the venue, and both parties should make money if any is made. Sometimes when the stars align just right a scene coalesces around a group of performers and a venue. It is serendipitous.
  
  Good luck everybody, I hope to hear you someday at a bar down the block.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Monday, 28 June 2010 11:46 posted by annoyed veteran

  @ Andrea -
  you're soooo right!! because everyone knows that all you need to make it in the music business is to be talented, work hard and write yourself some good songs!
  
  [and in case you didn't catch it (the naivetee of your comment indicates this is likely) - that was sarcasm.]
  
  but good PAs never do hurt, you are right on that count.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Monday, 28 June 2010 10:09 posted by Andrea

  I think all of the musicians in this thread need to focus on writing good songs and playing well, as opposed to "building a scene." If a couple bands from Astoria "made it big" based on their own merit, it would do a lot more for this community than any fundraising or "community event". Oh yeah, and a handful of killer PA systems in Astoria wouldn't hurt either.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Sunday, 27 June 2010 17:58 posted by Niner

  Before I got the chance to come to LIC Notes to read this thread, I heard all about it from the musicians I play with here in Astoria. What struck me most is that it is obvious that we're all passionate about music making and that is beautiful. There is a sweet concert hall in Astoria. It was established by and named after Tony Bennett at the school that bears the name of one of the most famous talents EVER, Frank Sinatra. Let's show them what we're about and maybe out next festival will be there. Another thing that stood out most for me in this thread was Christian's mention of our music union (802 for those of you not in the know) and how the lack of financial support for musicians impacts not only our scene but our livelihoods. That being said, the desire for money resides on one side of a very fine line and what lies on the other side of that line is integrity. We all know how many of us, especially when in the process of playing and creating, would be relieved to accept completely that it's not about the money, we just love to play. Without beneficiaries or a union that works for all musicians, it's up to us to keep pushing and keep believing that by coming together we create more than a scene. In Astoria, through thick and thin, we've created long lasting and, may I say, loving relationships because we've touched each other in ways that only music can. We've shared what's deep within us and put it out there for each other to enjoy, sing along with, dance to, cry to, laugh to, eat & drink to, ignore, slam, rage to, hula hoop to, stomp to, hug to and above all, encourage. But even as far back as the early 18th cent., composers/musicians like Bach & Handel struggled to get paid what they thought they were worth all the while truly dedicating their lives to making music. They were constantly overworked but at their last days, they've left us with treasures too inspiring for words. So, when you realize that the boroughs are all part of this cycle of ageless musical life, it's gotta make you glad, no matter what stage you're on. In the meantime, anyone need a back-up singer? I accept cash or check. :p

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Sunday, 27 June 2010 00:48 posted by little embers

  and I, apparently, write before I think, forgive any typos and errors kind readers. I meant "Its full potential"... etc.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Saturday, 26 June 2010 22:21 posted by L.E.

  hm, I feel for you Joe. Sometimes, we speak before we think. It happens to us all, at some point, and the next thing you know, you're under the gun. In fact, I think L.E. might have said something similar when interviewed for Ins & outs magazine two years back, in regards to Queens needing better venues to reach it's full artistic potential. But, two years later, I don't think we would make this statement. What's the difference? Mainly, it is that we have gotten out and "scene" what is happening here, and more importantly, have become much more a part of it. There is definitely a scene here, and it is expanding in reach and depth. I've lived in Queens for 12 years. I'm a witness to the fact that things are changing for artists here; it's exciting. But, these things take time. Also, as far as venues, Brooklyn did not become the mecca it is for musicians and artists because of one or two venues. There are places to play all over Brooklyn, and the hungry artists I've known in the past, play them all. They make the "scene" by what they bring to these venues, whether they are little, barely known bars, or bigger venues like Warsaw. Christian, I will say that the Jazz world vs. other genres are definitely vastly different when it comes to getting paid. I have made the most money via tips! When we play a great set, the money follows, and then everyone makes money, and I get to pay my well deserving band without going broke. I guess we just need to become a little more "buzz worthy," before we can demand money, and before the type of venues that work that way will take a chance on our borough. I don't know many venues in Brooklyn that work that way either. There are a lot of covers out there now and the bands don't always keep all of that cover, unfortunately. At this point, I prefer to play for tips, then I know the money I make is coming from folks who really appreciated what was happening. You have to prove yourself before you can demand money from venues. You have to draw, otherwise how do they stay in business? Again, I'm not speaking for the Jazz world, I don't know much about how that works...
  
  Anyway, Let's Go Queens! We love you all. For now, we'll just keep trying to put the integrity of the music first, may the rest follow...

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Saturday, 26 June 2010 21:52 posted by aram

  There is a scene in Queens. It's building. Is it as great as Brooklyn? No. Not yet. You just can't compare what you'll see at zebulon or barbes on any given night with what's going on in Queens. But I think that over the next couple of years, Queens will be on par with Brooklyn.
  
  Regarding getting paid, a lot of "musicians" seem to gripe about this. I ask, what monetary value are you bringing to the club by playing there? Do you think that by bringing a few friends down to hear your group play warrants a bar paying you a couple of hundred dollars? Or even fifty dollars?
  
  It's business. If you can bring people into a club, then sure, you should get paid. But if even your friends won't drop more than a couple of dollars in a bucket, how can you expect a bar owner to shell out money?
  
  It's interesting, but the people who aren't "musicians' and are just doing it for the sake of playing and having fun eventually end up developing more of a fan base and audience than the musicians whose first question is "How much does it pay?"
  
  And then they can start saying "Wait a minute, I packed this place. I warrant a cut." But until you get to that point, I say stop complaining and keep playing.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 21:37 posted by Michelle

  To Justin who said 'big fish in a small pond. To get people to come to Astoria, you have to be GOOD' :
  Astoria has the annual Musical Saw Festival (http://www.musicalsawfestival.org), which attracts musicians from all over the WORLD and audience from all over the tri-state area.
  However - I agree with some others who said that Astoria lacks good performance venues. Brooklyn has BAM. We need a good concert hall here, in order to get a higher quality scene going. But how are we to get such a venue to be built in Astoria?

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 16:12 posted by Justin

  Speaking as a Queens Native and a musician, I have to agree with Joe. Astoria is way too much of a comfortable and middle class area to generate any kind of "scene". There are plenty of cover bands, and singer-songwriters and college rock types that play around that area, but it simply doesn't have the vibe that Brooklyn does. There ARE a ton of great bars, great people and awesome cheap apartments. It's great place to live. But I have to disagree with the protest of the Astoria musicians present. It's not enough to be big fish in a small pond. To get people to come to Astoria, you have to be GOOD.
  
  Oh yeah, and have a great publicist:)

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 16:01 posted by Alex

  I didn't mean to offend anyone. And when I said "Brooklyn" I did not mean Williamsburg specifically. I just stated that there seems to be a lot of talent breeding in Brooklyn, not just because of the number of people who gravitate to the borough, but also because of the variety and abundance of the musical venues. The music venues are also able to accommodate national acts, which is a huge factor if you want to get people from BK and Manhattan and the Bronx and Jersey and Staten Island to come to your neighborhood. I don't want to turn this into a whole BK vs QNS thing...although I know most Astorians love to proclaim their hood "just as cool" or "cooler" than Brooklyn.
  
  @Embarrassed
  
  Are you a musician from Astoria? Are you in Thunderbang and using this opportunity to not only act offended but promote your own mediocre band? You have just proved my point.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:54 posted by Jamie "I'm Gonna Lose My Job Today" Stellini

  @bernadette - please don't misunderstand me - i totally think you should get paid - and get paid a lot.
  i'm just saying the NY music scene is kind of shitty for relative-unkowns when it comes to getting paid to play original music.
  but hey - at least we're not in LA. over there - you have to PAY THEM to play. so, i guess, it could be worse...

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:49 posted by Bernadette Claffey

  Oh, and @Alex, just from my point of view, I find the pretentiousness of WBurg boring.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:33 posted by Dom-I-Have-A-Gravatar-And-You-Don't

  @Non-gravatar peeps: get a gravatar http://en.gravatar.com/

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:27 posted by Bernadette Claffey

  I'm sorry @Jamie, but I have to agree with @Christian. Those of us who do nothing but play music and have dedicated our time to it, rather than holding "real jobs' as society would put it, are suffering financially.
  
  I gave up my corporate thing a long time ago because I was unhappy and chose to pursue my musical interests and creative endeavors. My band works hard and we deserve to be compensated for it.
  
  Too many times I've played for "heads at the door" and have been screwed over. I love your idealism, but I have to eat, too.
  
  That's not to say that I won't play for causes/events that I believe in, but it's a give and take world.
  
  Thank you though for your sentiments. I really appreciate it.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:20 posted by Embarassed by How Many Times I've Posted to This Thread and Therefore Wish to become Anonymous

  @alex -
  not sure what your'e doing here, are you trying to antagonize us, or were you just simply not aware that you very effectively offended about 90% of the commenters on this thread? we all have bands in astoria! lol.
  
  btw - putting the word "buzz-worthy" in quotes, doesn't make it ok.
  (and yeah - i know i just did it too)
  hahaha
  
  p.s. just saw grizzly bear at the wburg waterfront last week and you know what? i'd take a sweaty back-room shillelagh Thunderbang! show over that pretentious crap any day of the week.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:17 posted by Sarah Louria

  I was so excited to hear that it was a Queens resident won the battle of the boroughs...and an Astoria resident to boot! However I am disappointed that the interview completely reinforced a stereotype that I am happy to say is increasingly changing. I have always been a lover of live music- even enjoy cover music, if done well.
  
  When I first moved to Queens, gulp, 15 years ago- I thankfully met a few people that shared my love of live music. We would mainly attend live music over in Woodside. I lot of them played cover songs...but then, as their confidence grew, some of the bands would sing a few originals that would become recognizable to the groupies among us.
  
  Astoria and LIC has increasing become a prominent place for music (especially, over the past five years). Although I agree the venues could be better, the original music coming from the bands is amazing and diverse.
  
  I do agree that if you aren't in the know or seek it out, you may have to run into the Astoria music scene by accident! But, I think if it continues to grow as it has been that Queens could become known as the music borough...or at the very least a serious contender!

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:06 posted by Alex

  I have to agree with Joe about the whole community vs scene thing. I think it's great that there is a lot of motivation by committed individuals in Astoria to put on live shows in their own neighborhood. But the neighborhood lacks any stand-out music venue. Period. And you need more than one to create any kind of "scene". And honestly, there are not any "buzz-worthy" bands who reside in that area.
  
  Protest all you want, but I feel that most of the musicians in Astoria boost other Astorian musicians because of neighborhood pride, not because the music is particularly noteworthy. Not to say that the individuals themselves aren't capable musicians, but Queens generally lags behind Brooklyn in terms of the amount of interesting music it puts out.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 14:04 posted by Jamie Stellini

  @christian -
  i should probably start by pointing out that the jazz scene and indie rock scene are two very different animals. trust me - we're in no direct competition.
  in the jazz scene getting paid is pretty common (relatively). i dated a really talented jazz saxophonist and venues flew him all over the world to get him on stage - and he showed up, played, got his money, and came home. to the apartment he owned.
  in the original rock music scene - you have to build a strong brand and hustle and sell stuff, and promote and bring heads and then you get paid.
  there is only one person playing 'original' music who can demand to get paid in the way you're referring to. her name is Madonna. (remember that 360 deal she signed w/ Livenation?). or maybe celine dion when she had that vegas gig. everyone else, (from me all the way on up to Lady Gaga), brings heads and gets a cut of the door. some are more successful at it than others - but that's the business model and it's not going to change much for original music.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 13:50 posted by TJ Moss

  It's true Mr. Snow. Until we have LEGIT music venues we'll never be considered a LEGIT music scene by the other boroughs. It all comes down to money. Somebody's gonna have to take a chance and build a club. But there are plenty of great bands with loyal followings who would much rather spend a Friday night in Astoria. That much I know.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 13:34 posted by Christian Coleman

  As long as you're playing for free you're screwing the rest of us that do this for a living. Back when there was a union that cared about musicians other than the broadway folks you would get black balled in a second for playing without a card and doing it for free. Leave the free gigs to karaoke bars.
  Venue owners that know they can get somebody to play for nothing will always sacrafice the quality just to be able to say they have live music. My neighborhood has some of the heaviest players in jazz. How incredible would our scene be if they got payed? They would actually play here. There's a reason you don't see these guys. When you're talking about having a scene it's about having great music by great
  musicians. It's not gonna happen for no dough.
  
  STOP PLAYING FOR FREE.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 13:22 posted by Jamie Stellini

  being paid - though an awesome idea - really has nothing to do with whether or not there's a scene.
  i've never ever 'gotten paid' - even in one of those 'real' music scenes (LES, Wburg, whatever)
  in my experience, getting paid means paying yourself - as in - bringing heads, getting a cut of the door, selling cds and selling merch.
  
  that's the way it is in NY for original music. 'real scene' or no.
  
  that being said, @Bern - if it were up to me, you'd be the richest woman in show biz.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 13:00 posted by Christian colem

  @ Bernadette: Cheers, but I think the word talent shouldn't even be whispered out of our mouths. Venue owners need to realize that there's years of hard work that goes into what we're offering.
  You can take any quartet and see there are at least 75 years combined of study.
  The word talent just makes it seem like this is something that fell in our lap, not something we've all dedicated our loves to.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 12:45 posted by Bernadette Claffey

  Amen @Christian! I've been banging that drum for quite a while now and have been snickered at by some who think I'm all about money. Nothing could be further from the truth. However, my band is eight members strong. Some members have families and mortgages and let's face it, we're no spring chickens. Humping our equipment to these venues is a job in itself and we bring a fair amount of hard drinking fans to these shows. Somehow, $225 for all this work doesn't cut the mustard with me. Not when you consider that the bands are responsible for the promotional materials as well, the bar owners don't advertise at all.
  
  I just want to be compensated fairly for my services. Talent is a commodity in this world. I've had to turn down a close friend of the band about playing his bar because he refuses to go above $200, saying that he loses money on these gigs. I find that hard to swallow.
  
  @Jamie, thanks for the correction. Big Doy moment. lol

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 12:22 posted by Jamie Stellini

  @Joe - thanks for responding and trying to be clearer about what you were trying to say. but, i think i speak for all of us when i say: you're sort of missing the point.
  
  we are a very tight community - but we're more than that - we play shows and support each other in our neighborhood. we promote shows, bring our friends, build fan-bases, and schlep out PAs and play more shows. we talk to the owner of that scary irish bar down the street and say, 'hey, can we play here?' and that's how we bring rockandroll to our neighborhood. THAT's a scene. we don't just 'live' here. we play here, we rock here, we work here. we're a community AND a scene.
  
  if you shadowed me on any random weekend - you would simply have to retract your statement - in context or out of it. there is a scene - it's small, but growing - and it's getting bigger every day.
  
  i feel like i've been where you are right now (lived in astoria for 12 years, btw) moaning in my little world about how "there's all this great talent out here - and we all have to schlep out to manhattan to play!" but that's simply not true anymore, and i would really be appreciative if you took the time to recognize that.
  
  that all being said, congratulations! i checked out the video and you sound awesome - very talented. if you're interested in ever playing in astoria - you should check out www.astoriamusicandarts.org - but don't get discouraged if you don't get a prompt response - we're a little overwhelmed right now in the booking department - so much talent, so many shows - so little time...
  ;-)

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 12:13 posted by Christian Coleman

  Maybe Joe is tired of not getting paid. I love my 'hood, the musicians here and the venues but at some point we all have to put our foot down and stop playing for pence. Fact is most of the places us musicians can play in our neighborhood don't pay crap.
  If Bach had to be a carpenter to pay the bills who knows what the world would look like today. I'm with Joe. I wish I didn't have to go to Brooklyn and the island to make money doing this but I do.
  Untill venues start paying us right the queens scene is going to always suffer and as soon as all of the musicians here recognize that and stop playing for tips it will flourish in to a scene that deserves mentioning. But in the mean time we're just going to be considered a bunch of hobbyists just playing to pay our bar tab that night.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 12:06 posted by JOE THOMPSON

  Let me start by saying how floored I am by the passion all of you have for Queens. It is really special that you would all come to her defense. As the winner of the 2010 Battle of the Boroughs it means the world to me that I did so representing New York City’s largest and most diverse borough. The comments I made in regards to the Queens music scene were in no way meant to be derogatory. I am very sorry if they were taken out of context. To clarify, I stated that there wasn’t a scene, per se, but more of a community. And I think many of you can agree with me. Some of the best artist I have met in this town live in Queens County. Sure there are great places to play. LIC Bar is one my favorite venues in New York and I believe Gus Rodriguez has busted his hump to make it a place where people want to take in all the talent that New York has to offer. LIC Notes has really made it a point to pull this community together. I have lived in Astoria for almost 8 years and have met so many great people. I believe Queens has an incredible music community and it has informed all that I put into my artistry.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 11:49 posted by daniel lee

  I can see how Joe may have initially felt that way, having gone years myself being ignorant of fantastic music that was happening just blocks away from me, and only recently checking it out.
  
  but yeah, if I were him, I would get my facts straight before I make such a statement in a public place. (i.e. saying/assuming there's "no scene" before actually going to investigate...)

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 11:39 posted by Jamie Stellini

  @ Bernadette - i agree 100% with everything you just said. except for the part about AMN! being on july 26th.
  hahaha
  it's Saturday 7/24

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 11:37 posted by Bernadette Claffey

  What to say? What to say?
  
  Apparently this guy is a victim of borough envy. Having been a recovering borough envier, all I can do is shake my head.
  
  Dear Joe, clearly you live in a very lonely part of town where noone pays attention to you. Perhaps you should work on that by making a frigging effort to get to know your home town and the thriving community of musicians that has always been here. Consider this an invitation to the Astoria Music Now! Festival on July 26th or to the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden to attend a Mainline Gypsy show. We'll be happy to introduce you to the cavalcade of musicians and fans who make the scene what it is.
  
  Having said that, I agree with Gus. Musicians and fans make the scene, not the venues.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 11:03 posted by Jamie Stellini

  I want to start a column on astoriamusicandarts.org called "Dear Joe Thompson" i want to update it daily and use it to just fill him in on the stuff he's been missing out on.
  Example:
  Dear Joe Thompson,
  Caught Dirty Wings at the Quays last nite and they were phenominal. Rocked my pants off till way too late - but i survived. Off to help Illimanjaro set up at the Brewhouse for their show tonite. Can't wait to see them and the Missing Teens - they always bring it. Psyched to have a break on Sunday, but then Monday we're doing make music new york all day long on 2 outdoor stages w/ 15 astoria bands. Kind of relieved there's no music scene in Astoria. This 'no-scene' is really kicking my ass - imagine if we actually had one? lol
  xo
  Jamie

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:53 posted by Scott Epstein

  Joe, I love ya..but you need to get off your 5'3" high horse, and check out the talent in your neighborhood(Astoria).

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:47 posted by silbin

  I believe there's a statement to be made on the lack of venues front, but a scene is not made up of venues, it's made up of unified musicians and fans ultimately and I think that there has been a lot of sweat and hard work devoted to trying to build a base of musicians and fans in the hood in the last few years so that we can finally make way for a real bonafide music venue or two.
  
  I think our progression is correct: build a scene first, then buy a house for it.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:32 posted by Jamie Stellini

  @Dom - lol

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:27 posted by Dom

  ...wait there's a Great Adventure down the street?

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:25 posted by Jamie Stellini

  oh my - that's so sad.
  and snow is absolutely right - we totally need a music venue Astoria - there's no question about that.
  
  But, I read the whole interview and his assessment of what's going on in Queens is just way way off. I attend or am a part of putting together, on average, at least 5 events a month where live, original music is the central focus - in Astoria. And yes, the places range from shady in atmosphere to crappy sound to a mix of both... so we're limited, but, we're (Astorians) are still making it happen on the regular.
  
  and we're not just talking about the beer garden and waltz astoria (i can't even BELIEVE we're having this conversation and waltz astoria is a part of it - clue #1 that this guy has little to offer in terms of expertise on the matter).
  
  check out the events at shillelagh tavern, the quays, the brewhouse or HGS and you'll get bands with real talent, real fans of those bands and massive good times - and like i said - these events happen at least 1x/week. you just have to keep your eyes and your ears open.
  
  Thunderbang! is at HGS on Saturday. somebody needs to send this guy an invite. I think his mind'll get blown - because if he goes, he will find one of the best emerging bands in astoria, truly unique music, real rock-n-roll and a roomful of fans dancing and sweating. And at the end of the day, to me, that's just another Saturday nite in Astoria.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:14 posted by dom

  But there's a difference between not having anywhere to play and not actually thinking there's a "scene" at all. The guy's asked to represent the borough, including it's artists, and then he says there's nothing he's actually there to represent? Does he think he's just representing himself?

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:12 posted by Piano Warrior

  maybe he just can't see through all the garbage that fills the streets in this town...

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:12 posted by mazda

  Hey I am kinda pissed. Engage brain then speak.
  
  To diss the borough that you live in that gives you a prize just shows a complete lack of media savvy. Perhaps Joe doesn't think he is any good and only won because we're all crap and so is our scene?
  
  Seriously, Gus and I have put on some amazing events recently at The Secret which I'm sure that Joe must of heard about. The Johnny Cash, Bill Withers and LIC Jazz events were life affirming. Just last month I hosted a huge PS1 style event featuring Daptone/Brooklyn based artists - The Budos Band.
  
  C'mon Joe put your Metrocard away and explain yourself?

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:12 posted by Piano Warrior

  maybe he just can't see through all the garbage that fills the streets in this town...

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 10:05 posted by silbin

  Joe lives in Astoria believe it or not...

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 09:57 posted by Jamie Stellini

  I don't know this Joe Thompson. Does he live in Kew Gardens? Jamaica Estates? where in queens is his 'scene-less music scene'?
  
  somebody should buy this guy a map and teach him how to use craigslist. it sounds like a move to Astoria may be in order (or Woodside for that matter, or of course, LIC)
  
  I'm not at all mad at Mr. Thompson - just kind of sad for him. His situation is rather analgous to someone living in New Jersey who schleps out to Missouri to get to a 6-flags.
  DUDE
  Great Adventure is right down the street.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• link Friday, 25 June 2010 09:46 posted by Mathew Snow

  I feel that this is a question of exposure. If Joe isn't directly (or even casually )connected to Astoria Music & Arts, Why Leave Astoria?! and more recently, LICnotes, then he has a very limited visibility into the scene. There are a ton of great talents in Queens, but the performance spaces these talents play are weak either atmospherically or sonically. I think we've all done a fantastic job with what we have to work with, but I think ultimately it's going to take a few good destinations (as in real venues) to create the kind kind of buzz that is going to grab the other boroughs' attention.
  
  I'm accepting donations toward a down payment on a building to house a state of the art music venue.

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it