Spit Take Saturday: Ryan Singer

October 20, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

Ryan-Singer-Comedy-Wonder-Town-e1350384475340 Welcome to the newest weekly feature on the Brown Paper Tickets Blog, Spit Take Saturday, courtesy of Brown Paper Tickets’ Comedy Doer Julie Seabaugh and her professional comedy criticism site The Spit Take. Julie’s goal with the site is to “elevate the public perception of stand-up comedy to that of a legitimate art form, and to enable comedy criticism be taken as seriously as that of theater, film, music, food, even video games. No ass-kissing. No bias. No mercy. Just honest, unfiltered, long-form reviews written by professional, knowledgeable comedy critics.”

Every week Julie will select an entry from the site to be included on our blog and hand-pick some related events happening that week that she feels all you comedy lovers out there will appreciate.

So, without further ado, let us introduce Spit Take Saturdays!
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Comedy >

Tuesday Tease Scene Report: Portland!

October 16, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

A couple weekends ago, I had the pleasure of hitting I-5 South for a visit to Seattle’s southern neighbour Portland, Oregon. My intention was to check out the burlesque scene, see a few shows, meet with a couple folks and enjoy the funky vibe of the Rose City. I’ve always loved Portland. It’s a beautiful city that has done a great job of keeping a down-home feel despite massive growth. The music culture’s great, the food culture is incredible and, as I found out on my trip, the burlesque scene is thriving.

I got to town on a beautiful, sunny Friday afternoon. After a wonderful feast of oysters and clams within the vintage, nautically-themed confines of Dan and Louis’ Oyster Bar and Spanish Coffees at Huber’s, my friends and I headed over the Crush Bar, a nondescript bar in the Belmont area of Southeast Portland.

I was anxious to check out their monthly burlesque revue Burlesque S’il Vous Plait which is produced and hosted by the incomparable Zora Phoenix. Zora had us all rolling in our seats with her incredible musical bits and off-color humor, reminding my friends and I of a raunchy, drag version of Vicki Lawrence. Portland burlesque fans know Zora well. She won Willamette Week‘s 2011 “Best of Portland” award and hosts two other monthly burlesque revues, the Phoenix Variety Revue and Burlescape. Zora was definitely the glue that held this show together, as she introduced performances by Brown Paper Ticket’s producer and performer Miss Kennedy, who did an amazing Frida Kahlo-inspired routine, Zora Von Pavonine, Stilletta Maraschino and, for me and my friends, the star of the show: Angelique DeVil.

Miss DeVil did a great “bee” routine which started with her in a nerdy bee outfit dancing to Blind Lemon and ended with her popping and locking to a hip-hop number. She pretty much stole the show for us with her quirky, high-energy, yet still incredibly sexy stage presence. We were sure to write down her name because this was one dancer we wanted to keep our eyes on. It was a great night and a perfect sampler of some of the great burlesque talent that is currently gracing stages in the Rose City.
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Arts >

Tuesday Tease: Mama Dixie and The Pink Box Burlesque

October 9, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

Burlesque and vaudeville are booming in the South! We recently started selling tickets for an incredible burlesque troupe with a serious vaudevillian streak out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They call themselves The Pink Box Burlesque and they’ve been keeping the South steamy for the last five years.

They’re unique in that they incorporate both men and women in the troupe and mix things up with contortionism, live music, hula-hooping, comedy and even live piercing. They really harken back to the grand old days of carnys, rubes and midways while adding their own decidedly modern and seriously Southern take on it.

Pink Box were also sponsors of the first ever Alabama Burlesque Festival which took place this past weekend. It’s great to see the Southern burly scene thrive and produce unique talent like The Pink Box.

I caught up with Pink Box’s main Madam, Mama Dixie and asked her about her troupe, the Southern burly scene, the rise of boylesque and more! Without further ado, I give you, The Pink Box Burlesque!
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Arts >

Non-Profits: What Would You Do With Your Own Radio Station?

July 30, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

Today, many of us get our news from neighborhood blogs that report the goings-on in our local communities. These blogs and their popularity are indicative of how hyper-local news is effective in binding and supporting neighborhoods. Another growing source of local information are low-powered FM radio stations, which are non-commercial stations that operate at low power, for low cost, to a hyper-local community area. The popularity of hyper-local engagement has even caught the attention of the FCC, who recently approved the granting of hundreds more low-powered FM radio station licenses to local non-profits.

This provides a unique opportunity for non-profits to use the airwaves as a tool for broadcasting to their local community, and for making a difference in the world. We encourage any of the non-profits that we work with to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.

Think about it — what would your non-profit be able to accomplish with your own community radio station?

Here’s the story of the community radio station WSLR 96.5 LPFM in Sarasota, Florida. This short documentary gives you a sense of the people, passion and vision that creates community radio and the valuable contributions that stations like WSLR give to their communities. Think how great it would be to have a station like WSLR in your town or city, promoting your causes to your very own hyper-local community! This is your opportunity to make that happen.

Foodie Friday: Sunset Supper in the Market and a Cantaloupe Cooler recipe

July 27, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

Working as a chef for fifteen years, I can remember working all summer long in a hot kitchen. Barely seeing the sunlight while my friends and family were out enjoying the Pacific Northwest’s all too brief summer. So naturally any time we got a chance to work an outside catering event we would jump at the chance. One such event I had the privilege of working was the Sunset Supper in the Pike Place Market, a great event that supports a great cause.

Well it just so happens Brown Paper Tickets is selling tickets for this years installment which takes place on Friday, August 17. Sunset Supper in the Market has all of the important elements of a great summer event: food, libations, contests, music, and dancing. On top of all of that the proceeds support the work of the Pike Market Medical Clinic, Senior Center, Child Care & Preschool and Food Bank – vital services utilized by thousands of Seattle’s low-income and elderly residents.

If you aren’t able to attend this event or are not in the area don’t be sad; there are tons of great events happening this summer all over the place. Here are a few that caught my eye:

Sunday, July 29 I Carts and a Cold One – Eugene, Oregon

Friday, August 3 I 3rd Annual Paella in the Park – Traverse City, Michigan

Friday, August 3 I Summer Fruit Desserts 2.0 – Now We’re Cookin’ – Evanston, Illinois

Saturday, August 4 I Endless Summer – Portland, Oregon

Wednesday, August 8 I Summer BBQ Series – Carlsbad, California

Sunday, August 12 I Farm Table Dinners @ Green Dirt Farm – Weston, Missouri

Friday, August 17 I Sunset Supper at the Market – Seattle, Washington

Now don’t think for one minute I forgot you hard-working kitchen types or those of you that are putting on your own events. I have included a recipe for one of my favorite things to drink in the heat or really, anytime for that matter. Remember, a recipe is just a guideline so feel free to make it yours by adding a few of your favorite berries, substituting sweeteners, or adding your favorite liquor or sparkling wine. There is an infinite number of combinations to try. I hope you enjoy!
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Food & Drink >

5 tips for hosting a low-cost community arts event

June 6, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

Situation: You’ve been asked to plan a community arts event. It needs to be hugely successful, but you have little-to-no budget. Impossible? We don’t think so!

Solution: By networking with fellow members in the arts community, presenting your event to neighboring venues and businesses, and building a team of partners eager to support your cause, you are bound to succeed! Utilize these 5 simple tips to help get your community arts event, or any community event, off the ground (and running)!

1. Choose a location that will benefit from increased traffic flow. If it’s a place that’s near and dear to your heart, even better.
A venue with power, running water and restrooms is best as you won’t need to rent the infrastructure separately. If you can establish why your event will be beneficial to the venue, it’s possible that you can co-present with them and may not even need to rent the space. Never hurts to ask!

2. Pool your resources.
Clearly define your cause and share with others. You will be surprised at how easily you can pull together a team of local volunteers who are willing to help in the planning process. This may be one other person, or several people who have different areas of interest and skill sets. Establish a common vision of what the event will be so that everyone is on the same page.
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Arts >

How to use Facebook Ads to target your audience

May 11, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

You’re organizing an event that is special and unique. How do you find ticket buyers that are just as passionate about this project as you are? An affordable and easy option for strategic event promotion is Facebook Ads. With over 500 million active users, Facebook is a hub of potential customers cleanly labeled by age, location, and interests. By targeting your audience online, you could fill the house weeks before your event.

Here are a few things you may find useful when setting up your advertising campaign.

Keywords are always key

The listed interests, likes and hobbies of each Facebook user make it easy for you to find people who will be drawn to your event. By associating your ad with industry-specific keywords, you are actively extending your targeted reach. For example, a cabaret variety show might target keywords such as burlesque, circus, or magic. Even better, Facebook allows you to add as many words or “tags” as you want.
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Event Tips >

Hey Seattle! Come by and say hi next Tuesday!

May 10, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

We have some exciting new things happening here at our local office in Fremont and we wan to invite you to stop by and see what’s going on.

We’re hosting a Meet & Greet at our Tree House offices on Tuesday May 15th from 5 – 7pm. It’s free to attend and all you have to do is RSVP here!

Meet Event Tech, Michelle Sunnyday, from our Client Services department. She will be launching our new One on One Tutorial program and she can answer all your event questions, as well as offer assistance with using Brown Paper Tickets’ account tools.

Also check out our Tree House workshop space. It’s available for use for no fee and can hold up to 50 attendees. Just come talk to us about using the space.

This will also be a great opportunity to network with other producers in the community and to share your tips and ideas on event production. Or talk to some of the other Brown Paper Tickets team members who will be on hand to talk about anything you need, from ticketing to event promotions services.

If you are new to Brown Paper Tickets, this is a great opportunity to get acquainted with our system and how you can use it for your own events. If you are a current Brown Paper Tickets user, this is an excellent chance to learn about some of the advanced features you may have missed as well as learn some tips on how to package your events to maximize ticket sales.

RSVP today to reserve your spot, then drop in any time between 5 and 7pm. Enjoy some free refreshments and great conversations! We’ll see you there!

News >

Powerful combination: How to mix music and philanthropy

April 27, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

You can make a positive impact on the world through your events. We were lucky enough at SXSW to ask three music industry insiders how emerging musicians can create change. Their insights apply not only to bands and solo artists growing their careers, but to all of us that hold or organize events. You have a stage. Here’s how to use it for good:

Size doesn’t matter.

Of your audience, that is. As long as you have one fan, you have one person you can impact. Mike Martinovich, manager for My Morning Jacket and Flight of the Concords had this to say, “It doesn’t matter if you’re playing pubs, or an arena, you can make a difference. Collect emails. Collect a donation at the door. Tweet. The earlier musicians do it, the sooner it becomes institutionalized within themselves and their fans.”

Erin Potts, Executive Director at Air Traffic Control Education Fund agreed. “Musicians have historically been important allies in social justice… music helps people feel personally connected to issues. Musicians have incredible reach. Even small, beginning artists have email or social media lists larger than most non-profits.”

Respect your authority!

As an entertainer, you hold the great ability to reach and influence others on a very personal level. Andy Bernstein of HeadCount (which promotes such established groups as Pearl Jam, Phish, Death Cab for Cutie, and Dave Matthew’s Band) explains, “Social currency is everything. Musicians have the power to bring issues to the forefront with their social currency.”

Tip: You can watch Andy tell exactly how he helps artists make an impact in this video.

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Event Tips >

Next Weekend! The 1st Annual New York Boylesque Festival

April 20, 2012
By Brown Paper Tickets

Boylesque is on the rise! But, it’s anything but new.

The history of male burlesque dates back to the late 1800s when Henry Dixey performed his comedic ‘Adonis’ act over 1000 times, establishing himself as a bonafide Victorian sex-symbol. Another pioneer from this same time period was Eugene Sandow, a Prussian bodybuilder who performed nude with a fig leaf, personifying the classical Greek and Roman physique. It remained largely underground throughout most of the 20th Century until female impersonator Kenny Kerr used the term for his 1977 show “This is Boy-Lesque” which debuted at the Silver Slipper’s Gaiety Theater in Las Vegas. Kerr’s show differed from other Las Vegas female-impersonation revues in that it combined classic impersonation with Vegas-style dancing, singing and comedy. The show would go on to become one of the most popular shows in Las Vegas history bringing boylesque into the limelight once again.

Boylesque today acts as the male counterpart to the neo-burlesque movement. It serves as a way for males to express themselves and their sexuality in a way that goes beyond go-go dancing or performing in drag shows. Boylesque shows feature choreographed skits that can be highly sexual but also, sometimes, verge on the quirky and comedic. It allows the performers to develop unique stage personas and to perfect the art of the tease: making eye contact with the audiences and creating a connection that will keep them entertained throughout a 3 to 4 minute routine. Essentially, stripping with a story.

Next weekend, infamous radio personality, nightlife promoter, creator of the social network Dlist.com and the man who many within the gay media call “The Gay Hugh Hefner,” Daniel Nardicio will be presenting the 1^st Annual New York Boylesque Festival in collaboration with Jen Gapay, producer of the New York Burlesque Festival. The festival will feature over thirty amazing performers from all over the world including the Original King of Boylesque and the 2006 Mr. Exotic World Winner, Tigger! (NYC), the 2010 Mr. Exotic World Winner, The Evil Hate Monkey (NYC), Mat Fraser (London), Dew Lily (Toronto) Boylesque troupes Boylesque TO (Toronto) and Mod Carousel (Seattle) and much, much more. The whole shebang kicks off on Friday, April 27^th with its Teaser Party at the historic Tammany Hall and continues on Saturday with the Main Event at the Chelsea hot spot Rebel. Tickets are going fast so be sure to pick yours up right over here.

This is a momentous occasion for the boylesque community and its a great opportunity for lovers of burlesque to see the range of talent and creativity that exists within this rapidly growing international scene.

Arts >

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