Legality of house shows, what do?

[AxAxSxS]

So there's a guy locally who puts on some awesome shows in his basement on a regular basis. He takes $5 suggested donations and all money goes to the bands. My own band has a show scheduled for this place. It's a pretty cool thing he does and I dont think he really makes any money from it.

So this just got posted on Failbook-

"The War On Free Art is heating up. Got a call from the manager at the tax and license division to let me know that they're monitoring my page, even this post, and that no more than 2 additional people will be admitted to the hearing. If I continue shows after the hearing, I will be arrested, $1,000 criminal fine, and $250 civil fine per show. I can't get licensed in a residential zone for a business... but I could become a church... Churches get around all those restrictions. And they don't pay taxes. Like property taxes. Good job City of Tacoma Tax and License Division, thanks for forcing me to find a loophole that will allow me to give you less money. I encourage others to find any way possible to not pay taxes.
Anyway, Coming soon: Ministry of Sound - Church of Hedonism! I am going to have to move some shows til it's all official. Anybody able to host any of the upcoming events? Preferably illegally in other people's basements. Damn the man! Save the Empire!"

Anybody run into this before? Will the church thing work? What are some other options?
To me this reeks of money grabby assholes in the gubment.

[01010111]

It doesn't sound like money grubbing bureaucrats to me. It sounds more like they're just trying to shut it down entirely. How is your city with sound laws?

The church thing might work, maybe. But it seems like it probably would be extremely difficult to pull off (tax exemption isn't something they just give away).

[Ancient Astronaught]

It doesn't sound like money grubbing bureaucrats to me. It sounds more like they're just trying to shut it down entirely. How is your city with sound laws?

The church thing might work, maybe. But it seems like it probably would be extremely difficult to pull off (tax exemption isn't something they just give away).

He's got a point, he should change the name to the Ministry of Liberal (not as in the political tie, but as in "copious amounts of") Sound, and he'll get tax exempt status in a heart beat! (sorry for the political humor saw the chance and took it...)

[AxAxSxS]

It doesn't sound like money grubbing bureaucrats to me. It sounds more like they're just trying to shut it down entirely. How is your city with sound laws?

The church thing might work, maybe. But it seems like it probably would be extremely difficult to pull off (tax exemption isn't something they just give away).

He's got a point, he should change the name to the Ministry of Liberal (not as in the political tie, but as in "copious amounts of") Sound, and he'll get tax exempt status in a heart beat! (sorry for the political humor saw the chance and took it...)

I also was thinking about the "shut it down" aspect. I don't think it's a noise thing as the bands play in the basement and it's really not that loud outside. Of course all it takes is one bad neighbor who doesn't like cars on their street at night and has some connections....

I'm wondering what it takes to be considered a church and how long that process takes. I know you become an ordained minister online in a heartbeat.

[futuresailors]

The problem is that there's money exchanged. Dude can host all he wants if it's free. I went to a similar venue a couple of times when I was in VT. Cops were called frequently for noise complaints, but since he didn't make the donation practice public, I don't think he ever had any problems in that department (it was basically "like it? throw some money in the cup").

[the_carl]

I can't get licensed in a residential zone for a business... Good job City of Tacoma Tax and License Division

Yes, that's kind of the point.

You don't think it's a dick move to run a music venue in a residential area, regardless of the exchange of money? I sure wouldn't want that guy as my neighbor. There's warehouses and stuff for this sort of thing...

[Jeff-7]

Call it the Church of Zuma, and that he and his fellow worshippers believe in a great celestial spacesquirrel who graces mere mortals with the ability to express her great wisdom through fuzz and the dopest of beats. To appease this righteous spacesquirrel you are to leave offerings of cold pizza, jäger bombs, and used condoms.


(Just sounds like the locals want to be dicks, possibly local clubs who've heard they might be losing business to these basement shows?)

[Twangasaurus]

Well I have no idea how it is in the US but in Australia (especially in Perth which is a bit of a nanny state) the police are wankers when it comes to this sort of thing. We used to have these shows where a band plays at one house and then everyone goes for a walk to another house for the next band. It was designed specifically so it wouldn't piss people off and still the cops tried to shut us down. Really became too much of a hassle so they stopped which was pretty sad, they were great fun.

[AxAxSxS]

Call it the Church of Zuma, and that he and his fellow worshippers believe in a great celestial spacesquirrel who graces mere mortals with the ability to express her great wisdom through fuzz and the dopest of beats. To appease this righteous spacesquirrel you are to leave offerings of cold pizza, jäger bombs, and used condoms.


(Just sounds like the locals want to be dicks, possibly local clubs who've heard they might be losing business to these basement shows?)

He actually started doing this after one of the local venues that hosted these bands got shut down. I'll update here as more info comes to light as to why they are suddenly being dicks about it.

[controlFreak]

Don't ask for permission. Ask for forgiveness.

Invite your neighbors, feed them and let them drink for free.

[the_carl]

Alright, since no one else seems to think it's an issue of common courtesy, what about the safety issue? Places where there are regularly large gatherings of people need to be inspected for compliance with fire codes and that sort of shit. What happens if you have a Station Nightclub kind of incident, except oh wait, it's in some random guy's basement so there's only one stairway out and no fire exits. Zoning laws exist for reasons other than pissing you off.

[ChetMagongalo]

I doubt the church thing will work. I'm sure there a lot of requirements you have to meet and it would probably be a waste of time and money. I'm not sure what the dude will have to do if he wants shows to continue

[D.o.S.]

Don't put that info on facebook, don't talk about money (at all ever, except in mostly-obscured crumpled handfuls away from prying eyes), don't bother trying to legitimize it through the tax code, and don't promote it as a venue--promote it as a party. Especially on facebook. If you have to use facebook.

[kbit]

Well I have no idea how it is in the US but in Australia (especially in Perth which is a bit of a nanny state) the police are wankers when it comes to this sort of thing. We used to have these shows where a band plays at one house and then everyone goes for a walk to another house for the next band. It was designed specifically so it wouldn't piss people off and still the cops tried to shut us down. Really became too much of a hassle so they stopped which was pretty sad, they were great fun.

Dude that sounds awesome. Like a bar crawl for bands.

[OddKnowledge]

I guess it depends on the laws where you are. Try to downplay the exchange of money. And for goodness sake, if there is alcohol please be discrete!! BYOB may work, but even that could be risky.

We had an awesome place around here get shut down recently (after having shows for years) after cops saw a bunch of people loitering outside. Cops went in to check it out and it was a wrap.