Photo by Kensie Wallner

New All Ages Venue Gaining Momentum

By Brady Bredell
Contributing Writer

Whenever a new music venue pops up in Fargo, locals definitely take notice. What makes The New Direction different from others is its all ages format which caters to the needs of punk, metal, hardcore & hard rock enthusiasts.

At HPR, we were compelled to find out more about this one-of-a-kind venue that gives local bands the opprotunity to get some much needed exposure. So…we decided to interview two of the owners.

HIGH PLAINS READER: The New Direction serves as a beacon of hope for all ages venues in F/M. What made you want to start this venue?

RUSTY STEELE: All of us at The New Direction have been playing in bands since we were little and touring nationally and internationally any given chance. What we wanted to create was a fair place to play for all levels of musicians and not have to worry about huge money cost. When we learned that local venues were charging kids $400-$500 for an all ages show, we knew that finding a space was crucial to underground music in Fargo Moorhead. Venues that expect a younger crowd with younger bands to pay such a ridiculous fee are essentially stealing from the touring artist and using local support to pay themselves. Being in a touring band, traveling 6-10 hours a day and playing a show where the venue makes most of the money and leaves the bands a small portion of the door is a crock, especially considering a full size van takes $100-$130 to fill a tank that will get them roughly 6 hours down the road, if your band has a trailer expect to pay more. So at The New Direction we try to feed the bands when possible, we try to house the bands when possible and last, we openly communicate with the traveling bands and make sure they feel they were treated fairly and not short changed…. even if there is a smaller crowd, we try to be fair to the band and get them a respectable payout.

HPR: You bring in many national bands on a regular basis – in addition to the local bands you support, how do you go about selecting the bands/artists?

RS: Being that we are all in traveling bands, our network is constantly expanding. The Internet is a good tool for bands and artist to see what is going on around the country. Promoters and Venues that are respectable to bands quickly spread like wildfire through the touring circuit and that is pretty much it. We rarely seek out bands to play, usually they contact us, but if we notice something good with a booking agent we can usually make a request or bid on the band.

HPR: Many would refer to The New Direction as a Co-op. Is that an accurate description?

CHUCK WANG: Yes, I would very much consider it a “Co-Op”. There are four of us that technically “own” The New Direction, but we have many other volunteered people that are always helping us out and make the place what is it. We all work together to make everything happen. We all have certain duties that we have collectively decided to do, but that does not limit us to being able to help each other out! We are also a non-profit venue. All of the money made goes to paying our bills and paying the bands/groups that come through. We are not making any sort of personal profit off of the venue itself.

HPR: Who does your booking?

CW: We all do “In-House” booking at The New Direction. Most of the shows booked are booked and set up by us, but we do have many other local promoters and local bands that book through us as well. If you email us, I’m usually the one you will talk to if you would like to book at show or event at The New Direction. I also keep track of our calendar/schedule. Like I said before, we all have certain duties!

HPR: What makes The New Direction unique from other area venues?

CW: We are the only DIY all ages venue in the Fargo/Moorhead area. We try to make the place as comfortable as possible for bands when they come through. We take care of the bands that come through and make sure they get what they need, food, couches, TV, video games etc. It’s something that everyone can enjoy when you are on tour for months at a time. Hospitality and comfort is key for our space.

HPR: The atmosphere at The New Direction has a feel similar to that of CBGB’s or an underground punk club. Was that the intention when you decided to open?

CW: I guess you can say that. The majority of the shows we book are punk, hardcore, & metal. We all play in bands similar to those genres and it’s something we all grew up with. We definitely do not want to be biased on what types of shows are booked and we are open to anything, but I do think our personal tastes and styles reflect the general look and atmosphere of the place. Afterall, we are just a bunch of punk and metal kids that started a venue!

HPR: Besides concerts, what else does The New Direction offer?

CW: We often have art shows, movie shows and various other things that you normally see at a coffee shop or a small events center. We have done private events such as photo shoots, video shoots and meetings as well. Our main source of income is concerts, being we are first and foremost an all ages music venue, but we do not stride away from any other type of events.

HPR: Operating any business is a difficult task. What is the biggest challenge you face as an all ages venue?

CW: Figuring out the legal issues was one of the first things we ran into even before starting the venue. It wasn’t our biggest issue but it was definitely something that needed to be in place before anything. Obviously small things like being organized, communication between partners etc. These are all things you will run into when you first start a business, and it’s going well! I think our biggest challenge is basically getting people to realize that there is a place you can go for all ages music, and that almost every week there is something going on down here. I always here people say “there is nothing to do in Fargo/Moorhead”, BUT THERE IS! Come out to a show, we always have something going on.

HPR: What are your plans for the future at The New Direction?

RS: I think that will develop over time. We do not profit from this venue and any remaining balance at the end of the month is considered in the growth of The New Direction, like painting and upgrading the sound system. Recently Chelsey Dahlstrom established 6 art studio spaces in the back of our building for local artist. I think ideally we would like to be open to the public on a regular basis, have free wi-fi, coffee and food. We would also consider building lofts to sleep up to two traveling bands. Anyone in the community that is willing to donate time or money to further this idea along would be greatly appreciated. While we have “four” owners, this is community space and open for use to anyone.

HPR: Where can concert goers get tickets and/or information relating to your concert schedule?

RS: You can get tickets for select shows at MOTHER’S Music, both locations. 431 Main Ave. Moorhead, MN • 1621 University Drive S. Fargo, ND. The full calendar and more info can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/thenewdirection. Email for booking info: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow them on Twitter for updates as well! The New Direction is owned by: Chuck Wang, Rusty Steele, Jack Stenerson & Jed Felix.

Questions or comments: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

[Editor’s Note: In the interest of full disclosure it should be noted that Brady Bredell is the owner of MOTHER’S Music]