April 4th, 2009 8:30 - K Mart 8:45 - Kirby Lake 12:00 - PlayFaire Park
Most of what's getting done this year is being done by Tammy Mach, who is forming a Promotion Company called, appropriately enough, "MachOne Promotions". She's put together a great site at MySpace.com/MusiciansTrashoff , and we could always use more friends, so please stop by and check it out!
We'd sure appreciate it if you can help pass the word along - we're trying to make this the biggest one yet!
Here's a Cool New Thing...We have a sponsor!
Arriba! Salsa is helping this year with the cost of promotions, and they're providing samples and giveaways at the "After Trash" party. Thank you Arriba! Salsa!
BackYard Productions is cooking again for the fourth year, and of course, we couldn't do the party at all without PlayFaire Park!
Below is some info about previous years...
Another year "In the bag"
First and Foremost - To those of you who woke up early, and came out to support our efforts Thank you VERY much! To the Abilene Reporter~News and KTXS, who sent crews out to Kirby Lake Thank you VERY VERY much!! To my friends at Cumulus, and KTAB who sent crews out to K-Mart, and supported the cause Thank you VERY VERY much also! To Tammy Mach, who created the Trash-Off MySpace page, and helped keep it all together through surgery and all my other handicaps. THANK YOU!! To those musicians who were out of town, or otherwise obligated, but still supported, and helped spread the word, Thank you tons. also! This is an important event, and your help and energy are greatly appreciated!
MASSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE!! Victor Cristales - Abilene Reporter~News, Carrie Schmitt and Brian Kemp - KTXS TV Thank you for coming out!
We blew the doors off last year's total number of participants (possibly because it wasn't a**-bitin' cold this year), and from what I saw, we were BY FAR the biggest group at the K-Mart parking lot registration site. We didn't quite match the huge turnout of the first year, but we still managed to gather an impressive number of volunteers, and built up another HUGE mountain of trash...
Before... ...and After
Mount TrashGone, and some of the volunteers that made it happen...
In case you hadn't noticed... The charming young lady in front is Brenda Kay, of the Shy Tucker Band. She helped spread the word, was there at eight AM, put in a SERIOUS morning's work, and added to the good times and bad jokes. For those of you who were in town, and possibly thought about helping, but had a gig Friday and just couldn't make it out of bed, you got your butt kicked by a Girl!! Just thought I'd point that out. See you next year!
Here's the original post, so you can get the idea about what's coming in '09...
Abilene Musician Trash-off "April 5th - The day we make a difference."
For the third year in a row, we're asking everyone in Abilene's music community to come out and volunteer for a few hours. We're taking part in a massive, city-wide effort to pick up litter where we live, and to demonstrate the number of people that care about music. There's more than you think.
How it works: We meet at the KMart parking lot at 8:00 AM. on Saturday, April 5th. (I know, it's early, and we all have gigs on Friday. It's only one day a year, and you can take a nap later.) We'll have a big photo op, where everyone takes a picture in front of the "Keep Abilene Beautiful" sign. Every band, group, or soloist can stand in front of the group and have a photo for their website. (This may take a few minutes, because everyone gets to be in everyone else's "group".) We tell the organizers where we'll be, so they can send out a truck for the trash. (We've been going to Kirby Lake.) The city provides trash bags and plastic gloves. We wobble out to where we can do the most good, and do the most good. Around noon, we take another group picture around the giant mountain of trash we've gathered, for posting on websites, submiting to news media, and printing for our grandchildren. Then we head back to KMart, where we have hand sanitizers and free Pizza waiting for us. Then we head to PlayFaire park, for the "After-Trash" party. Live music, a Grillin' Fire (you bring the meat, we'll have the coals ready), and good times had by all.
Who's involved: Everybody we - and especially you - can reach. We're honestly trying to get EVERY musician - Country, Metal, Folk, Bluegrass, The Abilene Philharmonic, Jazz, Barbershop Quartets, EVERYONE - to invite ALL of their fans out to participate.
We're also looking for : Every venue that hires musicians. Every media outlet that promotes musicians. Every event that has music, (Erinshire, Abilene State Park, Celebrate Abilene!). Every store that sells CD's for musicians or sells products that musicians can use. Anyone that is even remotely connected to our Music Scene.
Why YOU should get involved: It's a chance for us to give something back to the community that supports us. If you don't think our community supports us, get a gig in Austin.
It's a chance to show our community what kind of Music Scene we have here. Most people don't know that we have a HUGE number of VERY talented musicians in Abilene (that includes most of the musicians). Abilene, like all cities in Texas, is competing for tourist dollars, and we have a team of professionals dedicated to bringing conventions and meetings here. If we can give them a picture of the INCREDIBLE variety of entertainment we have here (especially by demonstrating that we care about our city), they will bring in THOUSANDS of out-of-town visitors to buy our CD's, fill up our tip jars, and offer us paying gigs in their towns.
Look at the list above. Imagine the networking opportunities! Find a gig. Find a new act for your club. Find a musician for your band.
Publicity. If we can get a big enough crowd, we become a news story for our local media outlets, and if it's REALLY big, maybe some State and National press. Let's not forget... There will actually be a lot less litter on the ground, and we might inspire some litterbugs to find a trash can!
Free pizza! Always a plus.
Cool Party PlayFaire park is going to be hoppin' in the afternoon, and it's a very cool music venue.
HOW you can get involved: Leave a comment on our MySpace Page with your intention to be there. (It's not a contract - just a declaration of support.) HELP SPREAD THE WORD! Copy this and send it to everyone on your email list, and anyone else that might help.
Or, just click here, and send them this link! Contact other bands, musicians, and venues. If everybody hears about it from three people, it'll be that much better! Send out your own press release! This is a big event, and your involvement is news! Tell your boss. Give everyone at your workplace a chance to be a part of this. (That might remind them to come out to see you play!) Do all of the above now, and then do it again in the last week of March. Come out, have fun, and do some good! (If you're not in Abilene, this is a nation-wide event that started on Earth Day in 1976, and I'll bet your city does it too. Check with your Chamber of Commerce.)
Hope to see y'all there!
Tony
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