View by:

Secret Spaces: The Bus

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 – running time 07:55
In another spotlight on unusual music venues, XLR8R TV takes you on The Bus, a former Oakland Police command unit, now transformed into a mobile all ages performance space.

In another spotlight on unusual music venues, XLR8R TV introduces you to John Benson and his Bus. John transformed a former Oakland Police street command unit into a veggie-oil/solar powered mobile all ages performance space. Since he bought the Bus, he and his motley crew have put on over 120 shows around the country featuring bands from around the world and have no plans on stopping - despite constant vandalism. This episode includes footage from a Bus show featuring Finnish psych metal genius weirdos, Circle.

Be sure to check in on the XLR8RTV forums after you watch the video and visit us @ XLR8R.com!

Highlights
art galleries ( 2:16, 2:16 ) the band ( 1:59, 1:59 ) stainless steel ( 3:55, 3:55 ) dumpsters ( 5:38, 5:38 ) art galleries ( 2:16, 2:16 ) the band ( 1:59, 1:59 ) stainless steel ( 3:55, 3:55 ) dumpsters ( 5:38, 5:38 )

Automatically Generated Transcript(may not be 100% accurate) ( more )

" Coming up and the shows and a lot of the phantom planet stating that has news like this post apocalyptic. Then apple has been reluctant. Such an obvious thing if you come within. Having fun and something can be created then I think. Facilitate they saved the life make the big empty -- that happened. As opposed to the -- I think that that's. Then create and do things that are. Actually opposed. I'm done -- and in the --"

" My -- That a lot of touring with bands parents. I know that when you tour. One of the hardest things discipline if any to plan depends. One of the hardest things to do and other says. I've lived in this house since nine the fans had. Moved in here because there's bands that are played hero time that'd -- good place having -- a lot. -- shows house parties for touring bands so it's just a constant struggle her people. Who wanna put on shows and accomplish as soon. Thinking of being able to actually. Take the venue on tour as opposed to taking the band on tour. Because what we did that I was just and a one time joke where we're just show up in a town. On her way to Ohio and back in this very anybody want to play and lieutenant figured it out as we are going along very impromptu. Pulling up in front of art galleries and warehouses and stuff. And eventually we ended -- gaining little momentum and figure out how to do it. -- came from the Oakland police department originally it was used as a AC transit bus tour. Oakland and they retired and 86. They're going to turn it into a mobile police unit in there. Taking enter rounds they're framing it out basically to put the latest of police technology. Eighties a -- eighties. Into the us with sense. I think two weeks after I bought it we had -- much of oil. And -- versus the constant experiment the batteries and PDA and solar panels in the vegetable oil and all that canisters. Figure it out as we grow our. As of today we've had a 120 for shows us there's -- bands from Japan. Finland's Germany. Mexico. All over the country. Have apparently unaware. And Oakland."

" The straight here. Part of this veggie oil system. There's a big stainless steel tank because it's called -- underneath the bus you can carry a hundred pounds and dirty vegetable world."

" I wasn't doing it really necessary for the environmental reasons that a lot of people are interested in now. It was really because I was touring so much and then touring bands. Take all the door donations and give it to Chevron and Exxon and ends. Big don't have any money left and he. I read literally red in a book in the library pre pre Internet Rudolf -- invented. The diesel engine to run a variety -- sources. Including national. It has the -- Oddly enough to get -- miles to the gallon which is exactly what my fan gets. I don't know hollow physically that's possible because this thing weighs fourteen tons. And the engine in the fuel lines are double the size of my -- Through the magic of military technology -- to keep this thing nine miles and again our thanks to the dumpsters of America we've been able to. Go around. A lot of the shows have happened outside this area we like to pick people up and drive while the show's happening and and a good to be sure that a Laker parts -- where. The -- is exactly forty feet long bumper to bumper and that's legal size of -- class C driver's license so anybody within normal terms lessons can drive it ideally it'll just be this. Idiot proof box that people can show up and do a show performance and project your movie onto the side -- have a dinner. -- dispute like an open performance space. That can. Go from location location or travel while the performance going on so ideally there will be a lot of people that revealed that drive it maintain it and -- it. Posters have been freed donations through the bands or whatever. And it's kind of like a fake utopia really."

" Please fabric in the windows of the so. Every window in the us has been broken concerns we've. Padded its right now. Good different windshields. Full of holes from people that Iraq. And I think at some sort of like. Primitive reptilian brain response when they see something so big and god and faith. Through rock it didn't change and it happens Hoffman's. If anybody. Awareness of your windows yeah. Or something that might fit in front of us and replace them. I'm sure it'll completely happened and I was like. Be at peace with hate and."

" Coming up and the shows and a lot of the phantom planet stating that has news like this post apocalyptic. Then apple has been reluctant. Such an obvious thing if you come within. Having fun and something can be created then I think. Facilitate they saved the life make the big empty -- that happened. As opposed to the -- I think that that's. Then create and do things that are. Actually opposed. I'm done -- and in the --"

" My -- That a lot of touring with bands parents. I know that when you tour. One of the hardest things discipline if any to plan depends. One of the hardest things to do and other says. I've lived in this house since nine the fans had. Moved in here because there's bands that are played hero time that'd -- good place having -- a lot. -- shows house parties for touring bands so it's just a constant struggle her people. Who wanna put on shows and accomplish as soon. Thinking of being able to actually. Take the venue on tour as opposed to taking the band on tour. Because what we did that I was just and a one time joke where we're just show up in a town. On her way to Ohio and back in this very anybody want to play and lieutenant figured it out as we are going along very impromptu. Pulling up in front of art galleries and warehouses and stuff. And eventually we ended -- gaining little momentum and figure out how to do it. -- came from the Oakland police department originally it was used as a AC transit bus tour. Oakland and they retired and 86. They're going to turn it into a mobile police unit in there. Taking enter rounds they're framing it out basically to put the latest of police technology. Eighties a -- eighties. Into the us with sense. I think two weeks after I bought it we had -- much of oil. And -- versus the constant experiment the batteries and PDA and solar panels in the vegetable oil and all that canisters. Figure it out as we grow our. As of today we've had a 120 for shows us there's -- bands from Japan. Finland's Germany. Mexico. All over the country. Have apparently unaware. And Oakland."

" The straight here. Part of this veggie oil system. There's a big stainless steel tank because it's called -- underneath the bus you can carry a hundred pounds and dirty vegetable world."

" I wasn't doing it really necessary for the environmental reasons that a lot of people are interested in now. It was really because I was touring so much and then touring bands. Take all the door donations and give it to Chevron and Exxon and ends. Big don't have any money left and he. I read literally red in a book in the library pre pre Internet Rudolf -- invented. The diesel engine to run a variety -- sources. Including national. It has the -- Oddly enough to get -- miles to the gallon which is exactly what my fan gets. I don't know hollow physically that's possible because this thing weighs fourteen tons. And the engine in the fuel lines are double the size of my -- Through the magic of military technology -- to keep this thing nine miles and again our thanks to the dumpsters of America we've been able to. Go around. A lot of the shows have happened outside this area we like to pick people up and drive while the show's happening and and a good to be sure that a Laker parts -- where. The -- is exactly forty feet long bumper to bumper and that's legal size of -- class C driver's license so anybody within normal terms lessons can drive it ideally it'll just be this. Idiot proof box that people can show up and do a show performance and project your movie onto the side -- have a dinner. -- dispute like an open performance space. That can. Go from location location or travel while the performance going on so ideally there will be a lot of people that revealed that drive it maintain it and -- it. Posters have been freed donations through the bands or whatever. And it's kind of like a fake utopia really."

" Please fabric in the windows of the so. Every window in the us has been broken concerns we've. Padded its right now. Good different windshields. Full of holes from people that Iraq. And I think at some sort of like. Primitive reptilian brain response when they see something so big and god and faith. Through rock it didn't change and it happens Hoffman's. If anybody. Awareness of your windows yeah. Or something that might fit in front of us and replace them. I'm sure it'll completely happened and I was like. Be at peace with hate and."

chuckles

Started discussion: January 8, 2008 @ 10:01am GMT

Episode 41: Secret Spaces: The Bus [Discussion]

In another spotlight on unusual music venues, XLR8R TV takes you on The Bus, a former Oakland Police command unit, now transformed into a mobile all ages performance space.


Nobody has commented on this episode yet. Be the first!