The Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Square, London N16 8JH | Bookings 020 7254 4097 | Enquiries 020 7993 3643 | Email Info at Vortex

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Suggestions, comments, praise
or complaints

 

The Vortex website receives over 10,000 visits a month, which is all fine and dandy, but it would be useful to get some feedback – suggestions, comments, praise or complaints – from these visitors; after all, the club presents itself as a 'listening venue' and is keen to practise what it preaches.

To help identify areas towards which such comment might usefully be directed, here's a short summary of the topics aired at a recent meeting of musicians who play regularly at the club.

Those present were: Christine Tobin (a Vortex director), Phil Robson, Martin Speake, Liam Noble, Barry Green, Alex Bonney, Hugh Metcalfe, Julian Siegel, Harvey Brough, Clara Sanabras, Jeff Williams and Pete Whittaker.

Comments and apologies were received from Billy Jenkins and Robert Mitchell; the meeting was also attended by most of the Vortex's other directors (Davis Mossman, Oliver Weindling and Derek Drescher) as well as by club manager Will Gresford.

Booking policy

At present it's assumed that the club attracts, in the main, only people who make a special visit to listen to specific acts, i.e. no 'walk-ups' (people who either just fancy going to the Vortex whatever's on there, or who are passing and enter on impulse).

It's also assumed that Mondays and Tuesdays in particular are less attractive days for working folk, so weekday bookings operate on a door-money basis (the size of the musicians' fees thus depending on how many listeners they attract) while weekend bookings operate on a flat fee (exposing the club, occasionally, to a financial loss).

The opening of the square, and of the café, Ochre Works, underneath the club, should go some way towards attracting passing trade, but any ideas on/suggestions concerning this topic would be most welcome.

Piano

Procuring a world-class instrument from Steinway has been considered a priority, both because it attracts pianists such as John Taylor, Uri Caine, Django Bates, Sylvie Courvoisier etc. to the club, and also because it provides a tangible object, its worth clearly discernible to audiences, for fundraising.

The club needs to raise £50,000 to buy this instrument, and has applied to the Arts Council for assistance in this effort. Some musicians wondered whether this amount of money might be more usefully spent elsewhere; it would be useful to know what audiences thought about this.

Grants

In order to qualify for public funding (something the Vortex has never managed to do), a large number of hoops have to be gone through, chief among them slightly nebulous concerns such as serving/representing the local community, implementing equal opportunities policies etc. This is another area where audience feedback could be extremely helpful.

Air conditioning

Many people find the club grows uncomfortably hot during sell-out performances. The air conditioning is too noisy to be operated during the music, but it was suggested that it might be switched on well before gigs so that the club is distinctly chilly before the start of proceedings, thus lowering the mean subsequent temperature.

Sound quality

The PA has been improved, and baffles purchased to deal with the echo that occasionally can be heard from the back wall and ceiling; the blinds (particularly those behind the drummer) can also be drawn to prevent same. Again, listeners' experiences and thoughts on this matter would be welcome.

Access

When the club is full, the disposition of the tables makes moving about within the seating area difficult, resulting in people being unwilling to visit the bar during the sets because of the disruption caused. It was suggested that a waiting service, similar to that operating in several small New York clubs, whereby waiting staff discreetly offer themselves as carriers of drinks during the music, might solve this problem. Feedback on this, too, would be welcome.

Background music

At present, this is played before and after gigs, as well as during the break between sets. Musicians' own preference was to keep the music off during the interval, and to wait five minutes before putting it on after the gig. It would be good to know if it enhances audience pleasure to be hearing music from others during the break, and if so, what kind of music is preferred.

 

 

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