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Q.
What is the Hoy Hoy Digest? How do I subscribe?
A.
See
http://www.littlefeat.net/hoyhoy.html for explanations. We keep
up with current Feat related developments via this daily digest. It
helps keep the fans in touch with each other and the band.
Q. What
projects do the fans get involved in to support Little Feat?
A.
There are usually several activities going on at one time.
Information on these can be found at
www.littlefeat.net.
Examples of projects and activities:
·
Little Feat Street Team members visit record/CD stores and
check on Feat recording inventory, then submit details for follow up
by Hot Tomato records.
·
Various
fundraising activities for worthy causes, supported by the
band, such as
ALS;
traumatic brain injury; hurricane Katrina relief; books, school
supplies and musical instruments for Jamaican school children.
·
Many fans are involved in trading Little Feat live show
recordings.
·
We compile, produce and distribute approved Live Little
Feat Samplers as free introductions to Feat
music.
Q.
I am
outside the designated regions, but I would like to volunteer as a
POC, or help with Little Feat’s Grassroots activities in general.
What should I do?
A. Little Feat
occasionally tours outside the
U.S.
You can email POC Coordinator Steve Epstein at
steve.epstein@poccentral.com, or simply go to the Region Map at
poccentral.com, click on the region of your choice and email the
regional coordinator – any of these can help you out.
Q. How can I get Little Feat tour posters
to put up to promote shows and the band’s music?
A. Contact the POC Coordinator or the regional coordinator
for your area. Posters when available are sent out by
management.
Q. What needs to be done in advance of Feat
shows?
A. Find out about the venue, what it is like inside, where a
good place to put the merchandise table and fan signup materials
might be.
Get posters from
management(check with the POC Coordinator about this) – arrange a FeatFan
pre-show gathering
(if possible)
– post info. on parking, tickets, directions, hotels
restaurants/bars – monitor and encourage local promotion, exposure
for Little Feat’s music and shows.
Find out
about current grassroots
projects, and
participate.
Q. I have contacts with people in media, at
radio stations and newspapers whom I’d like to get to interview the
band members or publicize the show.
A. This is great. It is best to coordinate any media events
or publicity through
management.
Q. What about taping Feat shows?
A. Little Feat’s taping policy is stated at
http://www.featbase.net/policy.htm.
Chris Cafiero (cjcafiero@comcast.net) would like to know who, other
than the band’s sound man, has taped the Feat
shows.
This
will assist the band in plans for future Hot Tomato releases. Taping
is important because there are many people who find out how great
Little Feat’s music is through trades of show tapes, swapping other
bands’ shows for Feat shows, etc.
Q. How do I “help” Denny/the tour manager?
A. Be available. Give him and the band some room. The band
and crew have a job to do. We are volunteers who may be asked to
assist in various ways, or may not be needed much at all. Denny will
let you know how he needs your help. You will not need to pester
him, just be available and keep in touch with him.
Q. Will I have to buy a ticket to the show
if I am going to be POC or assist the POC?
A. YES, absolutely! You should never assume that because you
are a POC or POC assistant, you will automatically receive a free
ticket to the show. Besides, you might actually want a seat at some
point during the show.
Q. Who gets backstage passes?
A. Denny is in charge of passes and the guest list. IF HE
WANTS THE POC
AND
SOME HELPERS TO HAVE PASSES, HE WILL PROVIDE THEM. Do not expect that you are going to get
passes at every show. Sometimes the band and crew will have friends,
family and special guests who will be given priority in receiving
passes. Sometimes there are few or no passes, depending on the
venue, security and space concerns.
Q. Who gets access to the band members?
A. Denny, friends and family of the band, venue personnel,
promoters, etc. The members of Little Feat try to make themselves
accessible to their fans at the shows, but sometimes they may be
road weary, feeling under the weather, or need some privacy – keep
that in mind. They often arrange autograph signing sessions – that
is a good time for your friends to drop by to say hello to the band
members and speak with them briefly. Do not presume upon the
hospitality of the band. If you have been invited to visit by a band
or crew member, whether backstage, on the bus, or at their hotel, be
prepared to move on when they need to prep for a performance or need
to tend to some business matter. They have a tight schedule.
BUS PROTOCOL
– All non crew and band visitors MUST be cleared with Denny/the tour
manager before going on the tour bus. Even if YOU are invited onto
the bus, please do not expect to bring along anyone else, unless you
get clearance from Denny. There is not much room, and the bus is the
band’s private space. At many shows the bus is the only place the
band has to prepare or dress for the show.
Q. What are the most important things to
do at a Feat show?
A. Help promote Little Feat’s current releases. Find out
about and help with any special tour campaign programs. Get people
to sign up on the email list or contest entry forms. Tell people
about Little Feat’s website, online community and fan organization.
Assist Denny as needed in various ways, sometimes in selling Feat
merchandise – merchandise sales are VERY important to the band’s
success on tour. Hand out flyers if they are available. Keep the
fans and band members happy – HAVE A GOOD TIME!
Q. What are some things NOT to do?
A. DO NOT publicize details of the band’s itinerary or
lodging location – use discretion regarding to whom you give this
info.
DO NOT arrive at the venue before Denny and the band
have gotten there – this can create big problems for you and venue
security.
DO NOT create problems that will make the Feat’s
Grassroots Team or the band look bad.
Q. How do I get in touch with Denny?
A. Provide him with phone numbers, via your RC – so he can
call you.
Q. Are we allowed to attend soundcheck?
A. Denny will communicate with the POC about when to show up
at the venue. This often includes having some grassroots helpers
arrive at soundcheck, but not always. This can be a good time to get
merchandise and fan signup materials set up, and to find out what
Denny will need and expect from you. However, sometimes there is
only a line check, i.e. no full band soundcheck. Denny will let the
POC know when to show up. DO NOT ARRIVE AT THE VENUE
TOO EARLY, without clearance from Denny and the
venue.
Q. Who gets to help sell merchandise?
A. Whomever Denny clears or asks to do this. Merchandise
sales are very important. Several FeatFans all over the US and world
have assisted him before; he knows on whom he can rely. There will
be chances for newer helpers to learn the ropes from experienced
POCs and merchandise assistants. Selling involves money – some are
good at handling the money and sales, some are not so good, some
aren’t comfortable doing it. Often the venue will have sales
personnel handle the merchandise.
One opportunity to give a big assist might be
for you to help explain to potential Feat CD purchasers what music
is on which CDs that are for sale at the shows, or suggest Feat CDs
for the show attendees to buy in the stores. We FeatFans are
extremely familiar with all of the band’s releases – put that
knowledge to good use.
Q. What is an RC (Regional Coordinator)?
A. The Regional Coordinators (RC for short) handle POC
recruitment and grassroots activities in specified geographic
regions. We do this because the Feat Fans who participate in the
grassroots organization are the eyes and ears of the band across the
globe, and the RCs facilitate communication at the local level by
staying in touch with the fans in their areas.
The
United
States is divided by states into 11 distinct regions:
1.
NORTHWEST:
Washington,
Oregon, Idaho, Montana, (and Alaska)
2.
PACIFIC:
California, Nevada, Arizona, (and Hawaii)
3.
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico
4.
UPPER MIDWEST:
N.
Dakota, S. Dakota,
Minnesota,
Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska
5.
LOWER MIDWEST:
Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Illinois
6.
SOUTH:
Texas,
Louisiana, Mississippi
7.
SOUTHEAST:
Alabama,
Florida, Georgia, S. Carolina, N. Carolina, Tennessee
8.
EASTERN MIDWEST:
Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio
9.
MID NORTHEST:
Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey
10.
LOWER NORTHEAST:
DC,
Maryland,
Delaware, Virginia, W. Virginia
11.
UPPER NORTHEAST:
Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island
These can be viewed at
www.poccentral.com ‘s region map page. The globe at the bottom
of that page links to the page for shows outside the
US and
outside the contiguous 48
US
states. While there are no assigned RCs for the areas outside the
US, we typically are able to enlist the aid of many fine Feat Fans
from all over the world via the internet.
Responsibilities of RCs include:
·
Finding POCs for all shows in the RC’s region;
·
Getting phone numbers and other contact information from
the POCs to give to the POC Coordinator;
·
Making sure POCs review the POC Checklist, the FAQ and are
informed of current special Grassroots Campaigns;
·
Sending the POCs any current forms or campaign notices;
·
Getting pertinent itinerary and contact information to the
POCs
Pre Show – find out:
·
Were posters delivered to the venue by the POC? Were they
used?
·
Have meet and greet postings and related announcements
been made?
·
What media advertising was seen or heard?
·
Is there ticket sales information available?
During Show - if the RC is present, assist in
merchandise sales and marketing, and find out if current Grassroots
Campaigns are being promoted. Advise the POC if needed.
Post Show follow up – find out from the POC:
·
Did someone get the set list or write it down for posting
and for
Featbase?
·
Was the show well attended?
·
What were the results of special Grassroots Campaign
efforts?
·
What happened regarding fan sign ups and merchandise
sales?
·
Were there any unusual problems or shining moments?
Offering ideas to the grassroots team for
improvement;
Acknowledging any fans who have contributed especially well to the
grassroots efforts;
Participating in grassroots discussions and planning;
Working with and assisting the POC Coordinator and National
Director;
Assisting other RCs as needed in the above tasks. |
