benevolentcreative

Do you know show etiquette? We sat down with Brian Hospital, a founder of MkeUltra, and asked him the three things folks can do to be respectful during performances.

Part 2: @brianjhospital of @mke_ultra

1. Stay for the whole night! Most venues use the “Touring Band Sandwich” model: a bill featuring local talent, followed by a touring band, and ending with another local group. “We do the sandwich because that touring band? It might be their first time in Milwaukee. It’s a DIY tour. They’re booking themselves. They hopefully have friends here and bands. The locals are the bands that are responsible for the draw.”

2. Be present, enjoy the show, and use your phone for recording only.

3. Stand up and gather in close to the performers (if you’re able). While there are couches, they are intended for folks who need to sit. Of course, some events here are different. A film screening is a perfectly fine situation to take a seat. But if a band is out there ripping, get the crowd in!

Brian repeatedly expressed the venue’s genuine gratitude for its patrons. “We were worried about people getting in fights, breaking stuff, throwing up in the bathroom—all that stuff that you expect. I mean, it’s a knock-on-wood scenario that just straight up doesn’t happen.”

What’s perhaps the most shocking discovery is that most Milwaukee venues aren’t competing; they’re collaborating. Brian mentioned @cactusclubmke, @xrayarcade, @falconbowlmke, @lastrites_mke, and @sabbaticmke (just to name a few!) not as rival venues, but as collaborators who have been tremendously supportive since day one. “We’re all part of this ecosystem. It’s tough to be a touring band, to be a musician, to be a venue, and it’s only getting tougher. It’s as much cooperation as possible, which is one of the things that makes it a delightful and rewarding milieu to inhabit.”

View upcoming events: mke-ultra.com.

Benevolent Creative is a marketing firm that uses our page to highlight the positive, impactful nature of creative work, featuring skilled artists, artisans, musicians, changemakers, and thought leaders in the arts.

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