Wanna host a House Concert? Take a peek inside the Bat Cave

Move over Gotham City. There's a new Caped Crusader in town and he's made Shiloh, Illinois his home. Only this "Batman" is more likely to be found flipping burgers than bad guys, and his "trusty sidekick" is...his wife, Jill. Tom Melendez originally earned the moniker a few years back when he donned the Dark Knight's costume for a Halloween party. His "crime fighting" antics that night are the stuff of local legend, but the nickname stuck. So, when Tom and Jill started hosting parties in their renovated basement, it was only natural that the space be christened "The Bat Cave". Now, the Bat Cave is also earning accolades for being one of the busiest House Concert venues in the country.


"We bought this house about seven years ago," explains Tom. "A buddy had turned us on to Jimmy Buffett, and we had a boat that we would take out on the local lakes, but we didn't consider ourselves 'Parrot Heads'. Then, one day, Jill and I were out in front of our house cleaning our boat. Well, in all honesty, we were doing more talking and beer drinking than cleaning - I think it probably looked worse when we were done than better. But, in any case, we were ATTEMPTING to wash our boat, and we were listening to Jimmy Buffett while we were doing it. A neighbor saw us out there and - I guess because we had all the right stuff; beer, a boat, and Buffett - said 'You guys should join the Parrot Head Club!' So we did."


The closest Parrot Head Club was located in St. Louis, about fifteen minutes from Shiloh. The Melendezes started attending meetings and events and, as often happens, were introduced to the world of "Trop Rock" through other club members. "We started hearing all these other artists and thought, 'wow, this is pretty cool!', says Jill. "Next thing you know, we're buying new cds and listening to them on our boat. The first Trop Rock show we went to was at Table Rock Lake with Eric Stone and John Reno." And, as I often hear from people around the country I talk Trop Rock with, it was a trip to Key West and Meeting Of The Minds that turned them into full fledged Trop Rock fans. "MOTM changes you forever," adds Tom.


How did you guys get started hosting House Concerts?

Tom: "We went to see Paul Roush and Troy Allen at a St. Louis Parrot Head Club event. After it was over, we were talking to Troy and telling him about this big 4th of July party we throw at our house every year. We asked him, 'Why don't you come to our next one and play?' That 4th of July - 2010 - Troy came up from Texas. In addition to our usual group of friends, we invited the Parrot Head Club and anyone else who wanted to hear him play, and that was our first 'House Concert'!""

Jill: "Hearing the stories behind his songs was really cool. That November, we went to Meeting of The Minds and first heard about DJ Jeff Allen and BeachFront Radio. We started listening to it when we got back home and got introduced to a lot more artists there."

Tom: "We had a great time with Troy at the 4th of July party - he wound up hanging out with us for three days - but, Jill and I never really said to each other, 'Let's do another one!' But, then we were in Key West, meeting people like Hugo Duarte, and I thought - 'I'd really like to get some of these artists up to our area, so people who don't get to go to the events we do can see and hear them' Gee, if we could just find a place for them to play...".


So, how did it go from "Wish we had a place for them to play in our area"..to "We HAVE a place for them to play!"?

Tom: "Our house is on a lake and we have a big back yard. Plus, the basement - the 'Bat Cave' - is already set up for entertaining. Pretty much as soon as we started thinking about places for Trop Rock artists to play in the area, we thought of our place. We never really looked anywhere else. Honestly, it's partly selfish. Part of the reason for bringing the artists to our area is so that WE - Jill and I - get to hear them play. We love having people over and love seeing them have a good time, and the artists get their music and stories heard. Everybody wins this way."

Jill: "All of a sudden, we've become a venue!"


How many House Concerts have you hosted now?

Tom: "We've done six so far. We did three just this month. We didn't really plan on having so many in one month, it just worked out that way. "


Tell me a little about House Concerts at the Bat Cave, for others who might be interested in hosting their own...

Tom: "We generally do shows on Friday or Saturdays, so most people don't have to worry about going to work the next day. But, it depends on when the artist is available. Our basement - the Bat Cave - holds about 30-35 people with the seating we set up, couches, etc. But, we prefer to do shows in the back yard, weather permitting. I will get the grill going after work and invite people to come over about 6. We provide burgers, hot dogs, that sort of thing and ask people to bring side dishes, chairs to sit on, and whatever they want to drink. Shows usually start around 7pm, go until about 10 or so. Then, we have a 'meet and greet' after the performance so people in the audience can talk to the artist, get their cds signed, pictures taken."


What about "production", sound and stage?

Tom: "The artists usually bring their own sound equipment. Outside, we have a small 'stage' - pretty much some plywood covered with old carpet - but it works. We even did one show on the boat dock, with the lake for a back ground. We'll string some lights up and that's it. Nadirah was another story!"


Tell me about that one.

Tom: "It was Paul Roush, then Nadirah Shakoor. We rented a big tent - like a circus tent - to hold all the people and got one of the Parrot Head Club members who has a sound company to bring a P.A. and lights. It was like a professional show! (laughs)."


You said you do your shows outside whenver possible. Have you ever had any problem with neighbors complaining about noise?

Jill: "Only once, and that was Nadirah's show. The cops came - they were very nice - asked us to shut it down by 10:00, which we did."

Tom: "Nadirah was on a Tuesday night, too. Like I said, our back yard is big, and behind us is a lake. Plus, we live on a cul de sac. So, there aren't alot of neighbors to bother. And we make sure to invite everyone around us - at least let them know we're going to be doing a show. And we finish early enough so it's usually not a big problem."


Do you have any rules for the audience?

Tom: "We generally let the artists tell us what they want. Each one is different. Some prefer quiet during the show, others don't mind a little talking. Some prefer to have the time during their break, if they take one, to themselves. Others don't mind talking to people between their 'sets'. We ask them, then I'll get up before the show and let the audience know what's up for that night."


How do you let people know about the shows?

Jill: "I'll put something on Facebook and ask people to RSVP.The rest are neighbors, and people that we meet through work. Tom is an accountant and he tells his customers, people we know will bring co-workers to introduce them to Trop Rock. So, it's mostly all friends and friends of friends."

Tom: "If it were up to me, I'd invite EVERYONE!"


How involved is the St. Louis Parrot Head Club?

Tom: "We keep the House Concerts separate - they're not officially a club function -although, most of the people who come to the shows are club members. We couldn't do it without them."


You've got anywhere from 35-65 people coming in to your home every couple of weeks - ever have any problems?

Tom: "We're sort of used to it - having hosted big parties for years. And the people who like this music aren't looking to cause trouble. Also, we have set it up so we don't have many people going through the main part of the house most of the time. If it's indoors, we have a separate entrance to the Bat Cave and a bathroom down there. If it's outdoors and a bigger event, we'll rent a couple of port a potties."

Jill: "The place can get messy. But, I'm lucky. We have some great friends who help us keep an eye on things during the event, then help clean up after."


You mentioned earlier that you provide some food, and had sound and lights for Nadirah. Now you say port-a-potties. So, there is some cost to you for hosting these?

Tom: "Some. Burgers, hot dogs. Some times we'll get a tent to put so the performer has something over his equipment, in case it rains. For Nadirah and Paul we did it up big... Overall, it's not really that much of an expense and we think it's worth it, to have people we like and admire coming to our house."


What do you charge?

Tom: "Generally, it's $15. We collect it at the door and every bit of that money goes directly to the artist. We don't take a dime. The peformers also sell their cds, t shirts, whatever they bring, and they get all that money, too."


So, what's next at the Bat Cave?

Tom: "We plan to keep doing these as long as we can."

Jill: "Although this month was a little hectic!"

Tom: (laughs) "Yeah, we may start spacing them out a little more. Ideally, one or two a month. But, we don't get to see these guys alot so it's a big deal for us when we can host them here. We're really excited about our next one. It's August 5th. John Patti is coming with Scott Bryant and some other guys. It will be John's first 'headlining event'. You should come, Fred!"


Thanks for the invitation! If I was independently wealthy, Georgia and I would do nothing but run around the country every week going to Parrot Head events and House Concerts. Unfortunately, there are those annoying bills. Maybe one day when this blog takes off...


And with that dream still in my head, we'll leave the Bat Cave and the home of Tom and Jill Melendez. If you are interested in hosting your own House Concerts, you can look them up on Facebook or contact the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance, a group that was formed largely to host House Concerts - specifically in the Atlanta area - and help spread the word about them around the country, at atlantatra@yahoo.com.




http://stlphc.org/

http://www.beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm

http://www.nadirahshakoor.com/fr_home.cfm

http://www.paulroush.com/

http://www.johnpatti.com/

http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp

DJ Jeff Allen: Trop Rock Tastemaker

According to Mapquest, it’s approximately 2700 miles from Western Pennsylvania to the coast of California. So, how did a one-time restaurant manager turned dj make the trip and wind up one of the most respected  voices in Trop Rock - and one half of the most successful Trop Rock internet radio network in the world? I posed that question and more to Jeff Allen, aka “DJ Jeff”, over the course of a couple of bi-coastal phone calls.

As a fellow dj, I know how I got into it - I wanted to be the guy throwing the party (and it paid pretty well). How did you get into dj’ing?

“I was living in York, Pennsylvania  in the early 80’s – had been working in the restaurant business since high school. I figured that’s what I was going to do for the rest of my life. On my nights off, I’d go to watch a buddy spin records at a local dance club. Whenever my friend would go off to talk to women – which, lucky for me, was pretty often – he’d let me step in and take over the turntables. I really liked it, became a student. I started out going to other clubs to listen and learn from other dj’s. Before long, I was spinning at clubs around the area. Pretty soon I also had a mobile dj business going, playing weddings and other events down as far as Maryland. It wound up being an almost thirty year career”

When did you first hearing Trop Rock?

“In 1998 I helped start the Amish Parrot Head Club in Pennsylvania. So, I was very familiar with Jimmy Buffett, and Dennis McCaughey and Tropical Soul were in the area (and still are). Before long, I started hearing from club members about these other artists, people I had never heard of before.  I’d be dj’ing at a club party and they would request songs … One of the first “Trop Rock” artists I remember hearing was Jim Morris, when a guy gave me some cds for a wedding. The first person I remember seeing live was Scott Kirby – when he came to play an event in our area, then, later, John Frinzi and Peter Mayer.”

How did the Amish Beach Party come about?

“I was always interested in radio, learned a lot from listening to the dj’s but  –  although I did some radio sales – I had never been on the air. Then, around 2000, Radio Margaritaville’s Program Director Steve Huntington started inviting listeners to submit their own home made shows to run each week on the station. Back then, the technology wasn’t there for me to do it live from my house, so I would record these one hour CDs and send them to Steve. I needed a name, so I took part of our name from the Parrot Head Club and came up with the Amish Beach Party. That lasted about three years, until Radio Margaritaville started airing on Sirius and they put a stop to guest dj’s. About that same time, I had some health issues that forced me out of the restaurant business. So, I was looking for something else to do. I got serious about the Amish Beach Party – which, thanks to improved technology, I could now do as a live show - found a home at Radio Jimmy Dreamz on the Live 365 Network. I was there for almost 5 years.”

How did you get from Amish Beach Party on Live 365, to starting your own network and hosting shows yourself?

“I learned a lot doing my show on Radio Jimmydreamz, and the technology had gotten better and better. So, I started thinking I could ‘go bigger’, start my own internet radio network for Parrot Heads. I had a passion for it and felt there was a niche for a professionally run, well marketed radio station focused on Trop Rock. In March of 2009, I was approached by Bill and Trace from Meet The Phlockers about working with them to put something together. I really owe them a lot, because they helped me – gave me the platform - to step out. The result of that partnership was Sandbar Radio, with me as the Program Director and Amish Beach Party as one of the anchor shows. The next logical step for me, then, was to start my very own network, which I did in early 2010.  I put together a business plan, found some investors and, that’s how we got to where we are now, BeachFront Radio (http://www.beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm). And it really just came out of trying to create a job for myself seven years earlier ”

That’s not EXACTLY where you are now, because BeachFront Radio – like the Amish Beach Party - began its life in Pennsylvania. But, you’re now broadcasting from the Channel Islands in California. That’s not just another exit down I-81. How did you get from the right coast to the left?

“That would be Captain Cali! Carol, aka Captain Cali, is the other half of Beachfront Radio. She was my friend and business partner first. But, before long, it became more than just a working relationship. Anybody who has ever tried a long distance romance knows how difficult THAT can be. Imagine trying to do it – and trying to run a business at the same time – from completely opposite ends of the country!  So, in January of this year I decided to move out to be with Carol. The nice thing about internet radio is that, as long as you have computer, you can do it anywhere! So, now the ‘Amish’ Beach Party comes to you from California.”

You were telling me a funny story about how the BeachFront Radio “Dance Party” show came out of your move to California…

“Yeah! I had just moved out there with Captain Cali and we were working in one room, turning it into a studio for BeachFront Radio. We were broadcasting, but it was pretty late on a Friday night, so we figured there were probably not as many people listening as there would be during the week. I started throwing in some different songs – some dance tunes - really just for ‘music to hang pictures by’. It didn’t take long before we started seeing a response and people seemed to love it!”

When you said you “saw a response” what do you mean?

“You’re a long time radio dj, so you know that – before Facebook and Twitter - when you would play music over the air you didn’t get to SEE people responding, unlike in a dance club or a mobile gig, where people get out on the dance floor (or don’t). But, technology has changed all that. Now we can get an almost immediate response - It has become very interactive. People can request things and tell us when they hear something they like. We have a VERY active audience that is constantly giving us feedback. That night, we were blown away by the number of posts saying they were really enjoying what we were playing. Our focus will always be on Trop Rock but, because of that night we’re going to keep it up – doing a ‘Friday night dance party’ at least once a month!”

In addition to being a well known dj and world wide radio show host, you’re also one of the most vocal and well respected supporters of Trop Rock music. Where do you see the genre going?

I’m amazed at what is going on in Trop Rock. When I first got involved  - outside of Jimmy, there weren’t that many artists doing that type of material. Now there are HUNDREDS of acts. On one end you have people like Kenny Chesney and Jack Johnson reaching a huge audience. Right under them is a long list of artists, people that we play on BeachFront Radio but that just haven’t had that big radio hit to cross them over. The quality is improving and there’s more and more good material. You have guys who have been around a while, who are writing hits for the groups of tomorrow and you have a younger generation that’s just starting out that has some real commercial potential. It’s ever evolving. I’m very excited about the future. But, it would never have happened without Parrot Head Clubs.”

Here’s a question that always seems to stir up debate: Jimmy is obviously the king. But, eventually, he’s going to stop touring (or ticket prices are going to get so high that most people won’t be able to afford to go). Who do you see as stepping into his shoes when that happens?

”I don’t know. There are some great live acts out there, like Howard Livingston & Mile Marker 24. Look at the Grateful Dead when they stopped touring. The fans didn’t go away, they just went to see bands like Phish. When Jimmy stops touring, someone will step up – I’m not sure who it is yet…”

One of the great things about BeachFront Radio is that it travels – people can see you live. You and Captain Cali are on the road a lot, broadcasting from events all over the country.

“I love that. BeachFront on the road…we’re out at least once a month. First and foremost, it’s great catching up with the Beach Bums, as we call our regular listeners to BeachFront radio. And, secondly, getting to work with all the great Trop Rock artists out there.”

What are some of your favorite events to attend?

That’s hard, there are so many great events and so many great host clubs. The Parrothead Rendezvous in Panama City, FL is a favorite for personal reasons – that’s where I first met Captain Cali. Meeting of the Minds because of its history. We did a Halloween party in Ft. Meyers before MOTM that was a blast – people have asked us to do it again his year. … And this will be my first time going to Fins To The West. I’m very excited about that.”

What’s next for Beachfront Radio?

“We’re having a blast with our two shows – The Amish Beach Party and Pyrates Behaving Badly on Tuesday night, hosted by Cheeto Gyrl and Capt Cali. We’ve got some new shows in development to launch in 2011 – can’t give away too much info! We also want to keep growing the audience and finding new converts to Trop Rock. In person or in your head, Trop Rock puts you in a good mood. It’s just happy music.”  

http://www.beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm