Frequently Asked Questions (about Black Sheep)

How do I get people to come to my shows?
Promote, promote, promote! We do some fliering as Black Sheep, but it’s not nearly enough. To get people to come to shows, they need to know about it. We all know that facebook and the internet is a useful tool for creating events and promoting shows.  We will always try to keep everyone updated on upcoming shows through our website and facebook page.  If you are in a band and are trying to get more people to come out to your shows, it may be a good idea to print out hand fliers and pass them out at any one of our other shows.  There are also plenty of local businesses around town that allow anyone to put up fliers in windows or bulletin boards.  We have compiled a list of these businesses in our forum.  Word of mouth is also a great method of getting people to come out to shows.

Can I drink or smoke at Black Sheep?
While smoking is allowed outside, absolutely no alcohol is allowed at Black Sheep, ever. Zero tolerance. We are an all-ages venue, meaning we are safe for any age.

Is it safe to come to shows?
Black Sheep is very safe. We do everything in our power to ensure that everyone has a good time, and that no one gets hurt. We take this very seriously.

Are there good places to park at Black Sheep?
There are some pretty solid places to park around Black Sheep. Besides our main lot on the side of our building, there are three well light areas for your choosing. First is street parking on South Grand. Second is the big lot behind Popeye’s Barbeque. The third is the public lot next to the old Walleye Stop on South Grand.

Will you put my band on a show?
We have an email for any bands interested in playing shows.  blacksheepcafe.217@gmail.com.  We would prefer you not message us on facebook or myspace, etc.  It is a lot easier keeping things organized via email.  We also can not promise that we will find a show for your band to play right away.  Black Sheep does not have an official booking committee, we operate as a collective of people who put on shows.  Based on what kind of band you are, we might pass the word along to other bands or people who book shows that you are looking to play.  Another thing you can do is find bands you would like to play with on our website (current bands) and trying to get a hold of them to help you set up a show!

Do bands get paid at shows?
If you are a local band, the best way to ensure that you get a cut of the door would be to promote your show hard and draw a good amount of people to see your band.  If more people make it out to a show, that means there is more money to go around. Usually touring bands are top priority on getting paid.  Black Sheep also has running costs and rent that needs to be covered. Again, Black Sheep operates as a collective of people who put on shows.  It is the responsibility of the person who set the show up to collect door money and pay the bands.

Do you guys do a merch split?
Merch is one of the main ways bands can make money these days. It is not fair for a venue to encroach onto that territory. 100% of any money made by a band (outside of the door) stays with the band.

Do you guys have a PA?
We absolutely do. Off stage, we are running a 12 channel board Peavey board powered by a Sunn power amp. On stage, we have a 16 channel snake with enough mics and stands to please any size band. As for speakers, we have 4 Peavey mains hung above the stage.

Do bands have to pay to get on shows?
Never, ever.  We also never make bands sell tickets prior to shows.

Do you guys book any genre?
While The Black Sheep was founded on strong punk, hardcore, and metal roots, we host shows of all different genres.  We have had shows featuring a wide range of genres including jazz, ska, rap, metal, rock, noise, indie, pop, etc.  Black Sheep has always operated as a collective of people booking shows.  Each person booking shows has always had a different taste in music and may be more inclined to book shows of certain genres, but our venue as a whole has never excluded any certain type of music.

I can’t go to the show tonight because I don’t have any money.
If you don’t have enough money to pay to get into a show, we encourage you to come out anyway and talk to Kevin.  We could easily work something out, and we would rather you come hang out at Black Sheep then stay at home with no money.

What can I do to get more involved?
Even the fact that you are checking our website and staying informed means a lot to us.  If you want to know what else you can do to get involved, come out to a show sometime or check out our get involved page!  We also host bi-weekly meetings to talk about what we can do to improve our space and generate new ideas.  Anyone is invited to our meetings.  If you do not have time to donate to Black Sheep, we always have a donation jar set up in the main room to help support our cause.

Have any questions that you would like to see answered or featured in this section?  Email them to blacksheepspringfield@gmail.com!