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Wednesday, May 9, 2012
El Corazon
but there's more "the club is the way it is" acceptance balancing the hate than anything resembling love) to see what I mean.Longstanding reputation aside, I want to make clear that my most recent El Corazon experience was extremely positive. I was impressed by how well the show was handled, how professionally the sound crew adapted to and handled trouble, and there were no problems with the people working the door or security. It was a hardcore punk show, too, and I was distinctly impressed that El Corazon had taken measures to overturn its reputation.
The reputation was well earned. The last time we played El Corazon was the worst we've ever been treated by a venue (door, sound, stage... the whole staff treated the bands and the audience like shit... though the club's owners were not on site, or even in town, at the time), the sound off the stage has a spotty reputation, and a lot of Seattlites celebrated when the gang members got fired from the club's security staff.
Currently, these issues seem to have been handled. The main stage and stage area is fairly large, and this is a club that often serves up mosh pit-friendly music (though I've seen everything from German electonica act Haujobb to space surf Man... Or Astro Man? there). There is a large floor in front of the stage and a raised second level if you want to drink your beer without getting hit.
The sound seems to depend on the band. Though the stage area is basically a rectangular concrete box, and some bands sound washed out in the space, NoMeansNo sounds better at El Corazon than in any other venue in this city... I have no idea why. My recent visits to the club have sounded pretty good, but I don't know if they have new people running sound, new gear, if there's been acoustic treatment.
From the stage, this is a mic'd cabs and drums kind of place. The space is large and cavernous enough to require the club's formidable sound system, and the large stage, with lots of space between members, necessitates a strong monitor mix. The large stage allows for bands to backline, which is normal at a venue this size, which cuts down on setup time, but an opening band can end up pushed pretty far forward if they're supporting a headliner with an elaborate stage setup.
Drink tickets (or booker-supplied-beers, or the like) seem dependent on who's putting on the show, and some shows are All Ages/Bar with ID, which also plays a role. Several large booking companies set up shows at El Corazon, so a lot of the particulars shift depending on who's in charge on any given night. I imagine the band's cut of the door and guarantees are similarly linked to the booker, but I haven't played here often enough to be specific.
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