ZZ Top has some Competition

[ArcherSPS]

I remember when State Theater got good acts and now
@MSUTHEDAWGHOUSE

Get Ready!!! Party Down South is making a stop in StarkVegas at The DawgHouse Friday night, April 10! CMT will be here too! $20 Admission!!

 

[57stratdawg]

Jesus Christ. Oxford kicks our *** so bad with regards to music.

 

[DerHntr]

Embarrassing

 

[ArcherSPS]

 

[Digging dog]

^^^^^ looks like the old "Landing Crowd". ***

 

[Augustus McCrae]

Redneck Jersey shore is precisely how I described it to someone yesterday.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

There are people who actually like Fla/Ga Line and that other horrific bro country. Those people should not be allowed to vote

 

[Dash Riprock.sixpack]

I resemble that remark

 

[Hammer Down]

I like FL/GA Line but I know nothing about these reality shows. Sounds like all of you self-loving elitists watch the shows more the common folk like me.

 

[Hammer Down]

The Landing rocked, bro. MSU students were done a disservice when it ceased to exist.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Sounds pretty much like it picked up where state theatre left off to me. One of my last years in Starkville the Jersey Shore cast was there.

 

[WayboDawg]

View attachment 1899

 

[FreeDawg]

I watch the show and like it. It's pretty much the redneck jersey shore and every episode is a train wreck. As far as the State Theatre, it's a college bar. They're gonna do gimmick stuff like this. Every SEC town has had these types of deals since MTV's The Real World casts would do the bar circuit. As far as music, I don't see how the state Theatre having had acts like Moe or Big Krit correlate to them having a reality TV cast. It is what it is and isn't some grand indictment of a "scene". If you really are passionate about "good music" [gasp at how subjective that is] go make it happen. Contact a band/act, get a venue, do the promotional legwork, etc... Before you say it isn't that easy I can assure you it is. My brother brought bands he likes to Starkville when he was in college.

 

[esplanade91]

There's a big difference in "Bars used to have the cast of Real World" and this bar hosting the cast of a show no one watches or likes. MTV and specifically The Real World used to be cool until the mid-2000's when they consciously decided to move their demo from college to high school.

This isn't cool in any capacity, even if you like the show. Just schedule Young Buffalo from down the street and sell tickets for $15. Instant money and credibility.

I saw Young Buffalo (based in Oxford) at basically someone's house (the Garden Center) and it was packed. $5. Starkville loves grassroots. Sell to your audience.

 

[FreeDawg]

I have no problem with anything you just said. I'm just saying I'm not going to say Doghouse sucks or "it's sad how far they've fell!1!1!!" because I don't care for what act they booked. I don't care for Rick Ross or Phish. I wouldnt pay money to see them. Should someone in Starkville happen to book them Id be happy because some folks would have a good time even though it's not my thing.

I know for fact Rick Welch works hard to get quality shows people will actually go to and Dave Hood consistently has good music at his place.

 

[ArcherSPS]

Rick and Dave do bust their ***. I don't care for Rick Ross either, all I'm asking, as are many other, is for the best venue in town to diversify what they have. We have 22,000 students that literally have no music venue to go to. Rick does a great job bringing them, but Rick's isn't your typical music venue like the Lyric is. You should be happy if someone booked an act like Phish bc they would bring a ton of money into the city. They always sell out.

 

[Palmettodog]

I'd hit it

 

[esplanade91]

A music venue could make a lot of money in Stark. We used to drive to Oxford for shows all the time, and based on the folks we'd talk to there they had driven from Starkville also.

The problem is that it's probably not a consistent money flow like bar & grill type venues. Food has a ridiculous markup which is a huge sell for owners, and if you decided to only do nights & music you'd probably have to pocket 1/2 your profits from successful big time concerts for months (specifically summer months) when your biggest attraction is a local DJ.

Big risk, big reward. It would take a guy making money other places to take a shot.

 

[Palos verdes]

I remember when State Theater got good acts and now
@MSUTHEDAWGHOUSE

Get Ready!!! Party Down South is making a stop in StarkVegas at The DawgHouse Friday night, April 10! CMT will be here too! $20 Admission!!

Who the hell would go to that when ZZ Top is playing at the Hump that night. I realize they're unknown to kids today, but at least it's a real concert.

 

[FreeDawg]

The only thing I disagree with there is food being the huge markup. Food is a very tight profit margin compared to alcohol. Alcohol is the massive markup. An 8 dollar bottle of beam pays for itself in 2 drinks with 20ish more to pour. That said, you're right about a music venue in Starkville having to have a consistent cash flow in between these shows, especially the summer.

The big music act scene is hard to do. The bars w/good music setups in Jackson, like Hal & Mals, barely even do big shoes anymore. The only place in the metro I can think of that is consistently doing it is duling hall. If I put myself in a bar owner shoes I get it. I can get a local guy or Dj for cheap, do my normal $5 cover and make my money of the booze with little overheard. As you said, it will take someone with money from the jump.

 

[esplanade91]

Alcohol obviously pays for itself, but there are dozens of bars in Starkville all within walking distance of each other all competing for the same crowd while offering the same product for the same price (minus "4-for-1 Wednesdays" and those things). I just figured alcohol markups were a given here.

A burger and fries, for example, might cost 60% of the price it's sold at and labor is lower than that of a bartender. It's just a super easy model, even though it doesn't take a genius to realize that the Americano food market in Vegas is beyond saturated. Still doesn't stop people from opening burger joints each year.

As it stands State Theater (calling that forever) CAN'T make money without cutting corners. I think it was Patdog who mentioned the rent they pay for that hole in the wall. It's ridiculous. The Lyric probably owns their building, and that's the difference.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

I like FL/GA Line.

I often agree with you, but you really never should have uttered those words.

That said, at least I have HEARD of those Fla/Ga fellas. I'm out of touch, I know. So GET OFF MY LAWN!*

 

[FreeDawg]

I'm really not trying to be a dick, just want to point this out to illustrate the bigger point. Check this out

People often open a restaurant thinking that all it takes for success is excellent cooking. They may ignore basic business principles to become part of the 60 percent who fail within three years or less.

Full-service restaurants at all levels spent about 32 percent of each dollar on the cost of food and beverages, 33 percent on salaries and wages, and from 5 percent to 6 percent on restaurant occupancy costs. Profit margins, however, varied according to the cost of the average check per person. Those with checks under $15 showed a profit of 3 percent. Those with checks from $15 to $24.99 boasted the highest profit margin at 3.5 percent. Finally, those with checks of $25 and over had the lowest profits, at 1.8 percent.

I think those numbers are a tad low but that's likely because owner's who are drawing a salary from their own place is included in that figure. The food margins just pile on to what you described as the bar scene is Starkville being ultra competitive and chasing the same cheap, college buck. All these things together is why your bar owners will have such a tough time to book consistent, quality shows.

I know the rent of that building is talked about at length about how it's so expensive, etc... but even if someone bought that space they would likely be paying a mortgage unless we're talking about someone who could just drop 7 figures. Trust me, I'm pro Starkville 100% and wish there was a way to make this happen, its just going to take someone with brains and the bucks to pull it off. To me it doesn't look like Dog House is trying to be that awesome music spot. More of a cool college town sports bar with occasional "special" draws.

 

[esplanade91]

Absolutely. And my margins were cost of product vs. cost on menu. I wasn't factoring in wages, which is usually a small business's biggest cost.

I can't remember the exact figure the owner was asking for State Theater, but is was higher than anything you'd pay on a mortgage. The outright asking price was something you'd pay in a much bigger town and came with a list of very expensive things that needed to be maintenanced.

I think we're all obviously pro-Starkville. I just wish I was in a position to go and do something about all this stuff I didn't like. Seems like more and more folks who have no affiliation with the Bulldogs are coming in trying to fit square pegs into a round hole.

 

[FreeDawg]

Agreed 100%. I'm in the same camp

 

[amcdan2000]

Please no. I would rather be associated with the hamster eaters.

 

[PBRME]

You know more than me then. I thought FL/GA line was geographical smack about the cast of party down south.