Cut N Pasted ...

Kaliopi
23
September 11, 2004 - 03:18 PM
Re: Bellies at Hookahdome

Maybe put a taller stage in the center and make the dome bigger. Or extend openings to the outer spaces available. All art should be made available for everyone to see. I understand the vibe, but I really feel like I was kept out :( Oh well, maybe next year.
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Soren
6
September 11, 2004 - 04:12 PM new
Re: Bellies at Hookahdome

Taller stage - hmm... I have to think about that one. It might take away from the feeling of togetherness in there. And of course the large beautiful Indo Heriz carpet in the center wouldn't fit.

Someone mentioned adding a window. We've talked about this too, the idea being many folks in line just want to know what's going on, not necessarily interested in staying in there if only they knew. Problem with the window is inside the dome would feel like folks are watching you - less private.

Some have suggested video feed for the same approach, but I'll be caught dead when there's cameras in the dome.

Bigger dome? Don't say that! :) We really really don't want to re-build the dome. We just finished building this one a couple months ago! Anyway, this would probably work, though it'd make everything more difficult for us to set up, etc. and we have to re-do the carpeting, covering, etc. and bigger might mean less cozy. It's not out of the question though.

One big main idea is to have a no sleeping rule. Unconscious people aren't good dome energy anyway, most think. This is our leading approach. Sleeping people take up more room and bring down the energy. We'll have to present a list of rules as people enter then. This should go far.

Anyway, there's some thoughts, thanks for the input!

I know the line sucks and we're really sorry you got the feeling you did from it. We will definitely improve things for next year.

Soren

Continued from other thread (at bottom):

Some happy medium between keeping the current dome feel, to accomodate a line, yet in a place where not so many more casual passers by will come to step into line to "What's going on in there?"

Maybe off on the 2:00 or 10:00 streets or 3:00 or 9:00 plazas.

Considering places like Pinky's or Pink Mammoth or Deep End, where large crowds locate out and in and around their street corners, perhaps you could locate more within the city?

September 11, 2004 - 03:10 PM new
Re: We want to know, what you're thinking. Tell us what's on your mind.

Recommendation: PLEASE don't locate on the Esplanade again next year: This as you know will cut down on the long lines. I made it in (was it Tues or Wed night) and saw some great dancing--great lighting, atmosphere, music, dancing--didn't smoke.

Each successive night I found either a long line, members only allowed, closed, or nonperformances--which is ok, but I really dug your place A LOT!

Thanks!
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Soren
6
September 11, 2004 - 04:25 PM new
Re: We want to know, what you're thinking. Tell us what's on your mind.

We can't really be off-Esplanade, though you're right that it would make the line go away. We can draw crowds of many hundreds out front, where an off-Esplanade spot couldn't accomodate. Plus we do a lot of fire art which they frown upon off-Esplanade.

But, we all mostly agree the line has to go. There is a very active discussion on how we're going to do this.

I'll make a post addressing the damn line, and copy in some of the circulating ideas.

Thanks for the input!

Yeah, sadly the line kept me out too. I didn't really know what was going on inside, despite the fun I had outside. I'm not sure what you'd do to change that though, given that it seems like the inside was a nice easy-going place, a fragile environ out on the playa.

I'm always hip to bigger domes, but having built a few myself, I can understand your not wanting to make a bigger one so soon. ;) Plus, steel prices are through the roof now.

Maybe if there was more going on outside too? Maybe there could be an extended shade structure coming off the front of the dome that was very open, but with a stage for some performances, that way stuff could be going on both places. You could even open up the front of the dome occasionally to 'connect' the two locations, and then during bad weather, or when stuff wasn't going on at the outdoor stage, you could close the dome back up a bit.

I dunno, just some ramblin' ideas. You could also just do nothing, and live with the fact that you are popular, and that if you changed yourself too much to accomodate the popularity, you would lose some of your original spirit (sound like another org you can think of? *sly wink*).

peace,
sam

what needs to happen is people need something to do wile in line.....the fire dancing was good for night but then it also means that we do two shows at once????? so a chill spot like a "weighting room'? bus or army tent... a little stageing area...then instead of having a line at the dome they will stand in front of the tent??? or the bus??? huge shade area????

letting more people in the dome or making it bigger is much more work for all of us......no sleeping in the dome for sure.......

peace...

The size of the dome was good. A bigger dome might be a less cozy space. It would have a different feel, anyhow. The limits on people in the dome were good. It felt just about right.

The line wasn't that bad (30-45 minutes) considering what was at the end of it.

More than one hookahdome might shrink the line. There are obvious resource, logistic and management issues. Maybe semi structured line activities? Similar to bigger/more domes but with fewer resource issues.

The dome is good. Queues are an inevitable result. If people don't think the dome is fun enough to wait a bit for then they won't line up. I see it as self regulating.

More Cut-N-Pasted from elsewhere:


Soren
8
September 10, 2004 - 12:53 PM
Re: Bellies at Hookahdome

Over-packed Hookahdome is bad - stuffy, hot, crowded, less room for performance, difficult/stressful to serve guests and tend hookahs.

Lines are bad - annoying wait, Disney stigma, VIP stigma, spawns nefarious behavior (scams to sneak in), quells front-of-camp energy.

So on the playa we did a little of both during the week, and thankfully the result was overwhelmingly good, not bad :) But of course our logical minds are busy concocting ways to get as close as possible to the best of both worlds for next year. If anyone has ideas to contribute, please post them up on the Hookahdome tribe we have created for this purpose!

Thanks,

Soren

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I'd like to thank everyone who worked on the Hookahdome. Damned fine, if you ask me. If there was a line, I moved on. It's not like there's nothing else to do. I'd come back at 5am and walk right in. Don't worry about the line. If people are silly enough to stand in a line for an hour at BM, let 'em. Have 'em fill out a really long complaint form on easily combustible paper while they wait, if ya know what I mean. Wink wink.

I have no complaints at all. Just a suggestion. Perhaps a slightly better sound system.