Your best bet is to find a venue where the owner’s revenue stream isn’t dependent on your numbers.
Let’s be honest, any bar or club needs to make money from you bringing in people to pay money for drinks and what not. If they don’t see it happening, they’ll dump you. I remember around 2001 when a handful of venues dropped what were successful event promoters because they felt the direction of the club wasn’t ideal.
Basically they got a packed room full of youth in slobby clothes, high on E (Molly), who bought maybe 1 bottle of water and continually refilled in the bathroom sinks all night. Thus the venue made little money on alcohol sales. The venue owners more wanted stylishly-dressed “pretty people” who bought alcohol…especially bottles.
On a similar note, I recall one promoter who packed his club full of pretty young girls (many underage with fake IDs), and due to the lacking in numbers of men in the club, alcohol sales were bad. Most of those women expected men to buy them drinks, but there weren’t enough in the club to make that happen.
So back to you. I think your idea to rent a space is fine, provided it’s one that won’t get you into trouble. Maybe think like David Mancuso and find a loft in a factory district you can rent. Something where there’s less residents who will complain. It sounds like you want to throw raves really.
Take a chance and do it. 🙂
.
