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About On Trust Events: You May Be Wondering....
What's different about an OT gig?
Good question. Quite simply, not that much! The only real difference is that there is no fixed ticket price. In all other regards it's a regular gig: you come in, find a seat, I play a bunch of songs - there's an interval - I play some more songs and the evening draws to a close, hopefully with everyone glad to have been there.
So it's free then?
It can be.
????
Ticketed gigs are all well and good and certainly have, and will continue to have, their place. Artists who seek to earn their living from making music (of whom I am one); venues; promoters and the like all need to create revenue somehow in order to be able to continue to keep music live. Charging people a fixed price is the obvious and traditional way of achieving that. This is the case from £100's to attend a stadium event, all the way down to something in the region of £10 to see someone like myself. (I have, to date, managed to dodge the stadium-tour bullet with unwavering success!) Now, a £10 ticket to some is as unaffordable as a £100 ticket is to others. OT addresses this by taking ticket price out of the equation altogether and offering the gig on a pay-as-you-feel basis.
How does this work in practice?
Initially, On Trust Events will be run within County Durham, although I am in no way averse to playing them elsewhere in the UK in the future.* The gigs will be held in community venues and often in conjunction with a local council, community group or similar, and open to anyone who may wish to come along. As already mentioned, to all intents and purposes, they will be regular gigs such as you could buy a ticket to see me play elsewhere. However, I wanted to remove the potential financial obstacle and therefore enable some who may wish to attend such an evening but who might otherwise not be able to... such events invariably being ticketed affairs. So, whoever you are, whatever your circumstances, all you would do is let us know you'd like to come; you come along, hopefully enjoy the evening, and on leaving, you'll be able to drop in to a suitable receptacle an amount suited to what you feel the evening was worth, and crucially, what you can afford to pay.
Anything you may feel able and willing to give will be greatly appreciated. As I say, this is how I earn a crust. As I also mentioned though, it really does come down to what each individual feels comfortable paying. If you genuinely cannot afford to pay much at all, please don't.
Anything you may feel able and willing to give will be greatly appreciated. As I say, this is how I earn a crust. As I also mentioned though, it really does come down to what each individual feels comfortable paying. If you genuinely cannot afford to pay much at all, please don't.
How does OT differ from other 'pay as you feel' events then?
You will probably have come across events based on a similar system before; and of course the 'whip-round' concept is not altogether different in some ways. Whilst OT makes no bold claim to be unique, what does perhaps mark it out as a little different is the central aim at its heart - and the fundamental reason for removing the ticket price: OT exists to actively draw together people from any and every background, connected solely by a common desire to attend a live music event. Simply put, if you don't fancy going to a Steve Pledger gig, that's fine. (Believe me... I get it!) But if you do, let's see if we can create a way whereby money is not the thing that prevents someone from doing so. In fact, let's also put these events on in locations where everyone would feel comfortable attending - community centres and such - and promote as we would any other gig, but also with the support and involvement of a group or a council who are actively engaged in working alongside those who might usually be excluded from such things due to price. The desire to get out and experience live music surely isn't linked to ones ability to afford to do so. And nor is the benefit which experiencing live music can bring any less deserved.
It might be pointed out that there are free live music events which, theoretically, anyone could choose to attend. This is true. In fact, you will find that I play a number of such events myself. You can find free live music in many places on many occasions. Speaking personally, if you come along to a free-entry event I'm playing - and you're more than welcome to - you'll often find me in a busy pub playing a variety of covers songs. The truth is, I enjoy this aspect of what I do and, as things stand, I couldn't afford to stop playing these gigs even if I didn't. However, what you won't find is much at all in the way of original material; a quiet environment in which to listen and to interact with a performance in anything like the way one can at a 'proper gig'. For the sort of evening that OT will present, you would otherwise definitely be looking at a ticketed event. Please feel free to take a look at the About Steve page for more information on the kind of material I write and perform at my regular gigs rather than at a 'pub gig'. And you may find that it's not your thing and that you wouldn't fancy coming along anyway. In which case, my genuine thanks for reading this far and for checking out what OT is all about. If you know someone whom you think may be interested in what's going on, please do feel free to tell them. However, if you think you would maybe like to come along to a gig and check things out, you'd be so very welcome. And I tell you what, even if you can afford to pop in some poppy but you feel, when all's said and done, it wasn't worth it, that's fine. The bottom-line is this: if you fancy coming down to an OT/SP gig and checking out what I do, please do. Once you're there, there is no financial commitment ton you for giving it a go. The only thing I ask is that if you do enjoy the evening - and if you can afford to - please show your appreciation on the way out by contributing. If you enjoyed it and are unable to afford to put much - maybe anything - in, please know that your being there was just as appreciated as any in attendance and I hope to see you again.
It might be pointed out that there are free live music events which, theoretically, anyone could choose to attend. This is true. In fact, you will find that I play a number of such events myself. You can find free live music in many places on many occasions. Speaking personally, if you come along to a free-entry event I'm playing - and you're more than welcome to - you'll often find me in a busy pub playing a variety of covers songs. The truth is, I enjoy this aspect of what I do and, as things stand, I couldn't afford to stop playing these gigs even if I didn't. However, what you won't find is much at all in the way of original material; a quiet environment in which to listen and to interact with a performance in anything like the way one can at a 'proper gig'. For the sort of evening that OT will present, you would otherwise definitely be looking at a ticketed event. Please feel free to take a look at the About Steve page for more information on the kind of material I write and perform at my regular gigs rather than at a 'pub gig'. And you may find that it's not your thing and that you wouldn't fancy coming along anyway. In which case, my genuine thanks for reading this far and for checking out what OT is all about. If you know someone whom you think may be interested in what's going on, please do feel free to tell them. However, if you think you would maybe like to come along to a gig and check things out, you'd be so very welcome. And I tell you what, even if you can afford to pop in some poppy but you feel, when all's said and done, it wasn't worth it, that's fine. The bottom-line is this: if you fancy coming down to an OT/SP gig and checking out what I do, please do. Once you're there, there is no financial commitment ton you for giving it a go. The only thing I ask is that if you do enjoy the evening - and if you can afford to - please show your appreciation on the way out by contributing. If you enjoyed it and are unable to afford to put much - maybe anything - in, please know that your being there was just as appreciated as any in attendance and I hope to see you again.
That's a lot of information and my head is beginning to hurt. Please may I go now?
Of course you may! You've been under no obligation to stay until now... though I'm thrilled that you did! I'll just say a couple of things in closing which may be of help:
- If you have any questions at all about OT - whether you're interested in coming to a gig; hosting a gig; spreading the word about it - please do get in touch via the Contact Page. You can also contact me by email at [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you.
- As I type this (February 2019) this really is just the start of what I'm hoping will become a significant part of what I do, alongside the other gigs and events I play, a number of which will still be run in the usual fashion. The Gig Listing page - along with the website as a whole - will therefore be evolving over the weeks ahead. Please keep an eye out for OT/SP gigs being added. You can also follow OT on Twitter and Facebook.
- * If you run a community group; are a councilor or are similarly involved in working alongside people for whom access to such events is difficult and would be interested in discussing arranging an OT in your area, please do get in touch. Though initially being launched just in County Durham, I am very interested in the potential for taking the model further afield in the not too distant future. Therefore, I'd be very happy to chat about such a possibility any time.
- The idea for OT began to form when I was considering how best to put on a gig for myself in such a way as to exclude nobody from being able to attend based purely on affordability. As things stand, it exists as one element of what I'm seeking to do with my music; it's a means of, hopefully, enabling me to continue to develop and expand my gigging opportunities (something which as a full-time musician I am forever in need of doing) but in a way which also allows greater access to the shows for potential audiences regardless of financial circumstance. For the time being at least, it's something that I'm looking to keep on this basis. How things may progress, only time will tell. For now though, it's not something I'm looking to expand beyond what I trust will prove to be a positive and sustainable means of continuing to play live to anyone who'd like to come along and listen.
- Thank you for your interest and for reading aaaaallllll the way to the bottom! (If you skipped all the stuff in the middle - and you know who you are - please consider this gratitude null and void!) In all seriousness though, many thanks indeed for checking out OT, and any in way in which you may feel able to help spread the word would be just wonderful. Naturally you'll be welcome at any gig, and a follow on Twitter and/or Facebook along with any mention of us that you're happy to make to anyone you think might be interested will be greatly appreciated. Thank you! SP
Press/media:
For a press kit or further information about OT or Steve Pledger, please get in touch either via the Contact Page or email [email protected].
For a press kit or further information about OT or Steve Pledger, please get in touch either via the Contact Page or email [email protected].
Photo credits: Home page & elsewhere: Adam Jenkins. About Steve page: Neil King, FATEA Magazine. Gigs page: Graham Grundy, Down By The River, photo Steve on Home page: SP
