It's good to have options, especially when it comes to how you take in your local music. If you're one of the many tired of the same old, same old, a place called The Spot on North Market Street in Wilmington is calling you.
Located above the Urban Bike Project, The Spot is home to a cool collective of local artists and musicians, who put on shows at the intimate venue on weekends, asking for nothing but donations to their cause at the door.
Sean McGonegal, one of the many names behind the volunteer establishment, sat down with us to chat about how things first got off the ground at The Spot about two years ago, and have since developed into a community of musicians just looking to jam.
Who originally started The Spot?
My band Sexon Horses used some of the same space for practice each week, sharing it with Green Recycle Delaware. When they split, the Urban Bike Project, located downstairs, was looking for another tenant to help out with the lease and take over the upstairs portion, so that's how I got started here.
And when did you guys put on your first show?
The first show we had here was about two years ago, but it was just a few bands. About 50 or 60 people showed up though, and we thought, hey, we need to do this again. It didn't really start turning into an every-weekend type thing until about a year ago.
And it's always free, right?
Yeah, that's always been our goal since the beginning. There is never admission and it's open to all ages. There's a bucket at the door where people can contribute. If they are willing to donate to our cause, we'll love 'em forever. If not, that's cool, too. Our main focus is to get people out and to have them experience local music and art, which we hang on the wall.
Do you serve alcohol or food?
No, but you're welcome to bring in whatever you want with you. People show up with a six-pack, check out some bands, and then wander out back to hang out, talk to musicians, smoke a cigarette, whatever. It's an atmosphere like you won't find at the places in Trolley Square.
You mentioned donations. Are you guys a non-profit?
We're still working on incorporating and getting our status, so at the moment people can contribute, rather than donate, I guess. We can't offer tax credits yet, but we're working on it. But what people do give goes toward general upkeep, paint, supplies, even toilet paper and towels for the bathroom.
If we wanted to volunteer our time or were interested in performing, how would we do that?
Just head to myspace.com/brandywinevillagecollective, which is the name of our group of artists here. You'll be put in touch with me or one of the other guys here and it goes from there.
