Bickett Gallery on a Friday night

Nice article. I felt like I was there.

you should have been at bickett that night to support KIVA (since it was a benefit) and not to bitch and moan about your unfulfilled expectations.
ps: and we did not bring the cheese and crackers. they were already on the bar when we got there.

I think because it says “Bickett Gallery” on the sign, I was never surprised by the artwork on the walls or the lack of food service. The sale of alcohol was added later as a way to add income and it worked well with the introduction of live music to the space but it never seemed like a rock club – and I liked that. It didn’t make it seem like a house, it made it seem like a performance space. It was an art gallery, and my 2nd favorite gallery in Raleigh at that; it will be missed.
Although I disagree with the writer, I’m glad she wrote it. I like the subject, the writing and I’d like to see more like this on Raleighing.

ummmm, Rhonda?
A couple of questions for you:
1. Have you ever been to a gallery?
I’m only asking because the “stuff on the walls”? That was art. By an artist. I don’t love everything I see in galleries that I visit. But I do find something to appreciate about it.
2. Have you ever been to a rock show?
The bands NEVER start on time. The email I got about this particular show said “Doors at 9. Music at 10.” The music started at 10:30. That’s pretty good by me.
You seem pretty picky. Maybe you should just stay home and drink your Guinness next time. Leave the art and music to those of us who can appreciate it.
Have a great day!

help me rhonda, help me be positive. while we all think bickett could be better (maybe someone will get the chance soon), seems like you had a lot of funny expectations rolling into a neighborhood bar, let alone one that’s closing and isn’t trying to impress you with what little money’s left in the till… i for one thouroughly enjoyed the bands, 2 very different but equally interesting and talented.
and since when did families dislike music?

Did I say families dislike music? No. I said it felt like a family gathering at someone’s house, where you stumble in, univited. Which was odd since Bickett is supposedly a club open to the public.
Answers:
1. Well yes; I have been in an art gallery. And they had art on the walls. Not weird stuff.
2. Ahhh yes. Bands do not start on time——- in Raleigh. Please do not expect this to be the case elsewhere. I mean, don’t venture outside of Raleigh, like to Local 506, to see the opening act at 8 and think you can hang out somewhere in CH Hill for an hour, then walk in at 9. Just telling you so you won’t miss that opening act, which will start on time, at 8. Unless there is something wrong with the sound and they are trying to get it right.
Wait–the Lincoln–it’s in Raleigh, right?
Now, as for Kings–which I miss dearly-King had a tradition of bands not starting` on time; this was part of Kings charm. That was cool cause Kings is the kind of place where you want to hang out and shoot pool and have fun while the band gets it together and gets in the mood and pays no attention to the time– cause Kings was like a —- bar. You know. A club? Not an art gallery/wanna be club.
Finally, no, I don’t expect Bickett to impress me at all. But I do not like to see the Independent and the Bickett’s owner blame the city of Raleigh and its people for Bickett’s own failure to make their business work. They never had a clear identity and they tried to run a nightclub in a very quiet residential part of Raleigh. tAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MISTAKES. Kings–God Love them (take off your hat here and hold it over your heart and weep and pray they find another place) Kings ran their business like the pros they are. They are allowed to blame the city of Raleigh because duh– it was the city of Raleigh demolishing their building!! Their club was thriving due to Kings owners’ clear vision and hard work. Do you hear the owners of Kings whining? No we hear Bickett Gallery whining. Some businesses just fail due to their own mistakes. So–sorry Matt and Physics of Meaning and all your friends and family–didn’t mean to dis you, just wanted to point out Bickett Gallery failed because of–well the reasons I said in my post. Thanks for reading. but read carefully

Great article and response Rhonda. I mostly agree (I wouldn’t say Bickett is whining, though some people may be). In the past I could sit through 2 opening bands waiting for the main event, but 10 years later, I don’t have the patience or the time, unless I’m prepped for something special that night. I may miss some great music this way but most of the time, it’s the same old wannabe indyrock that’s been done oh so many times and so long ago. Seems amazing and embarrassing to me that Durham has such a better (more friendly, original, diverse, interesting) ‘scene’ that we do.

Indeed, the guys at Kings have worked very hard over the years. The people at Bickett have not. We are in agreement there.
But, this isn’t about Bickett Gallery, Rhonda. Bickett failed. period. But you’re stepping a bit outside of your understanding in order to defend your silly ranting. By reading carefully, here’s what i have found.
1. You are shy and a little insecure around people you don’t know.
2. You are an elitist.
3. To bring Chapel Hill into this as some kind of Holy Grail is laughable. Perhaps you have never lived anywhere or visited any another regions around the world. Venues are the same…they are always late starting.
4. You are part of the problem instead of part of the solution. If you want more places like Kings get off your ass and start up a club. Or help one thats starting up. Or buy places like Bickett a pool table so you have something to do while all these strangers pay you no mind and talk among themselves cause they know each other and make you nervous and…and… nobody backs Rhonda into a corner.

kings is to apples as bicket is to oranges.
except i like oranges. either way- the two venues shant be compared. they’re too different from one another. and yes, as the post above, kings did it right, bicket did not. however, rhonda and the agreed, you can’t blame the patrons/ musicans/ artists/ that one night for the entire state of bicket or your sour time. if you saw bewildered faces come it, you could have pointed the bar out and had a drink and chat with them. that’s what people do at galleries and shows right? and when bands have a group of friends and family that come to see them and support them, they shouldn’t be penalized for it. however, if i went to a show by myself, that was late starting and out of my favorite brew- i can see how everything would start to have a negative light. i probably would’ve left too. but i would’ve left before i was consumed by my bad experience. you just seemed to be looking for things to complain about and when you couldn’t find anymore, you reminded yourself of the things you found fault with earlier. trust me, if you want to bitch about bicket, let’s get together and do that, i’ve got some stories that would fuel your fire and mine. but i’ve got to stick up for the local music and artists and their friends. i hope you get to see physics of meaning at some point. they’re really good.
Little hand says it’s time to rock and roll.

oops, I didn’t mean to imply skipping the show altogether if there’s 2 or more opening bands, just arrive late to miss them, cuz everyone knows shows start late most of the time…everywhere.
also, regarding points 1-4 above:
1. Bored, by yourself and uncomfortable seem more accurate than shy and insecure.
2. Calling someone an elitist based on these comments is just, well, elitist.
3. Rhonda didn’t bring Chapel Hill in as a Holy Grail at all, by using those words, if anything, you did. She simply explained experience(s) at 506 where things started at the time that was advertised.
4. This comment is just plain negative and not helpful.
and to add my two cents, and some fuel to the brewing flame that you sparked, Kings is/was way over glorified. Though there have been good shows there over the years and they did work hard, I’m sick of the too cool for school attitude i.e. dirty young wannabe drunks drinking from plastic cups whilst listening to bad metal. How’s that for elitist?
I agree they shouldn’t be compared. With all the recent posts clearly there’s interest and demand for venues, quirks and all, we *should* get organized (off our asses) instead of just telling Rhonda to.

chapel hill is a holy grail? wow. Matt you are reading in some of your own assumptions into what I wrote. I used as an example of the most recent show I attended, Deerhunter at local 506 a few night ago. I can give you more examples if you want. From all over the country. Which city would you like? Which club or venue? Let’s start with Raleigh since this is where I live. THe Lincoln is run like most rock music venues everywehre, the guys in charge at the Lincoln expect the bands to be professionals and start at the scheduled time. Unless there is some problem. Then the guys in charge try to solve the problem. If the problem is that the band is being a pain and a prima dona (which was the case with Cake a couple of years ago at the Halloween outdoor concert the Lincoln folk put on)–the Lincoln people get a bit mad. I’ve seen it.
To say ALL rock bands never start on time, is not only wrong, it’s accepting a status quo helplessly. Your attitude is “they all do it, it can’t be helped, that’s the way it is because that’s the way it is. No. You don’t have to accept the way anything is.
Anyway, let me say again, this is not about you, not about me, not about King’s and not about rock bands starting on time or not. It is about the owner of Bickett, at least according to the quotes in the INdependent (which could be entirely wrong since that paper is loaded with inaccuracies and even plagarism) the owner of Bickett according to that article, blamed the city and the residents of Raleigh for a failure in business that could have been her mistake. That is the only point I was making. But it is interesting to see all the people who are posting–their wrong assumptions reveals more about themselves than about rock or Raleigh or Bickett or anything I said.

Just to clarify one point above. It is not the City demolishing King’s building, it is the building’s private owner.

rhonda, thank you for your wisdom and insight. You are an inspiration to me. Your words are like sunshine . They warm my body. But can also be blinding. And it can be dangerous to look straight into your words. There is magic inside of you. I see that now. Magic which makes lesser minds attack you. We do not know what we do, Rhonda. We blog only for ourselves and not for the greater good, like you, Rhonda. We have shaded ourselves from your sunshine. But you persist because you are moved by truth. Truth. just say it to yourself. Truth. Its beautiful. Thank you, Rhonda. Thank you. I feel new. I am warmed in your sun.
ps: I think I’m falling in love with you.

I would agree that it is basically accepted everywhere that all bands go on later than scheduled. Just the way it is.

Thank you Beth for making that point more clear. As I understand it (from comments made by the owners of Kings) the person who actually owns the building sold it to companies involoved with constructing the new civic center–they wanted to buy the Kings building solely to demolish it; supposedly more space is needed in order to access construction sites involved with the building of the new civic enter. Who knows what will become of the reamaining bombed out lot once all civic center and associated buildings–parking garages etc are done. If any of this is wrong, please let me and the other interested Raleighings know. Factual info about Raleigh in all its current chaos is needed by us all. Thanks!
PS watch this week’s Monkeytime on channel 10 in Raleigh (tonight at 11 PM) to see an excellent segment Todd and Dusty taped at the many construction sites in downtown Raleigh–presently there are about 10 separate hi-rise condo/office/retail buildings going up all at the same time. This is why our city looks a bit like Atlanta after the civil war. An interesting debate has begun on whether this is a good thing or bad thing. Maybe we should start a separate thread here on pros and cons of the demolishing/rebuilding of Raleigh?

forgot to add that since Kings is being demolished in the name of the new civic center (out of the way you useless old building you waste of space you ugly dirty and real piece of Raleigh wehre people play pool and drink and hear punk bands and have fun, clear out in the name of wholesome progress) since Kings building is coming down for the civic center, ultimately it is the city’s orders, although carried out indirectly–that is why I simplified saying the city of Raleigh is demolishing it. No, there are too many middle men in enterprises such as this, and you can bet they are all making money in the chain that goes from the wrecking ball all the way up to the city commisioners who said let’s build a new civic center. even though we already had one. It was a good one too. At least I didn’t see anything wrong with it.

one final word to Matt and Mitch: it is accepted EVERYWHERE that ALL rock bands do not go on stage on time? Use qualifiers. Say– most places many bands often do not go on at the scheduled time. And now it is my turn to ask just where have you been to hear rock outside of Raleigh, because that has not been my experience outside of Raleigh. It seems to be a sad status quo here that audiences grumble about but figure they can’t change it. I believe musicians and bands keep the tradition going because they think it builds excitement. Wrong. From out here in the audience (observing and talking to others, I am NOT talking about me here) it builds yawns, wishes for coffee, discussions of maybe going somewhere else if the cover charge wasn’t much or nonexistent. I think bands do this also in hopes that more people will come in, and that often does happen, and I understand playing to a sparse crowd or empty room is horrible. However, bands (in Raleigh, that I’ve seen) still do this annoying Let’s Make Them Wait when the show is sold out in advance. I think often it is due to getting the sound right, or getting nerves calmed (I’ve seen plenty of bottles and other calming devices go around backstage and/or outside). Now, ask yourself, does this really have to be the way it is and nothing can be done about it? Or— Why is it this way? That’s a better question. I’m serious. I’d like to know. Musicians? speak up and defend the practice, tell us why, if it is indeed a practice in Raleigh.

Last comment just to clarify an assumption nearly all the people posting to this thread has made, which kind of amuses me, cause I never said anywhere we need more music venues or more clubs. Now, the Independent article certainly said that–in fact they are sensationalizing this into some hot issue which really to me is not an issue at all. It doesn’t even make sense. Bickett had trouble getting enough people coming to shows; several clubs have this trouble, and some have closed due to not enough people coming out to hear music (and one repeatedly closes and opens –Martin St) So why is there this huge problem of needing more clubs? I just don’t understand your logic. This is civic center logic. Not enough people use the civic center so let’s buld another one. Huh?????
I could care less if Raleigh has more clubs. It just doesn’t seem to be an issue to me, and I never anywhere in my bickett article or in subsequent posts stated or implied that. I care more about having to wait through mediocre music I don’t want to hear to get to the band I paid to hear that was supposed to go on at 10 or midnight but doesn’t go on until at least an hour later. And that is what I said in my article. I’m amazed at how people read their own things in. But keep reading, and thanks!

oops I forgot to point out there is already a thread going about the building of so many downtown condos and hi rises–it is the one that centers on Dorthea Dix, in the March archives I believe, but people are still posting there. Look it up and get involved in a REAL Raleigh issue. Thanks

go ahead, girl. you tell ‘em. matt and all these other jackasses need a good smack in the mouth. I’m with you, rhonda. Keep it up!

you may not want to smack matt in the mouth, he’s got some awfully sharp teeth….

i’d like to clarify that the city is not tearing down kings, and its not coming down for the convention center. it is coming down for a wake county project- parking deck wrapped with offices and retail. the deck is being built to support the wake county courthouse expansion, NOT the convention center.

bickett gets a free pass simply because of that exquisite deyarmond edison residency show (technically the 2nd one — the one released on cd). that was one of the best shows i’ve ever seen – epsecially of local talent.

From the day it opened I liked the idea of Bickett. To Molly and Gang’s credit it stayed open much longer than I thought – I gave it one year tops. Running a Gallery, Bar, Music venue is hard under the best circumstances and Bickett clearly didn’t have that.
Marketing was the problem for Bickett. By marketing I include identity and service to its customer base; their primary challenge. A gallery needs easy access, street traffic, a deep connection to the art world (state wide or national), and a willingness and time to network with those who buy (a full time job at least).
A bar/music venue needs a location where the patrons can hear a good sound system (great would be better but good seems to work), have room for enough patrons to pay the musicians to buy drinks and some food to keep the drinks flowing (salty/spicy peanuts would do) and an some identity with the music that fills the room (you probably shouldn’t mix techno house and folk). Marketing and managing such a place is a full time job (Ask those King’s boys).
Expecting one venue poorly placed in a residential neighborhood to succeed at both – Art Gallery and bar – is a tall order. I’d say it was a good try but I would advise that next time a solid business plan would be a great idea. April and George seems to be headed in a better direction but they are still working through their own identity problem.
Just my humble opinion.