About MoCo Rising

General Information

What is MoCo Rising?

MoCo Rising is all about good times in Montgomery County. We are not just an events listing website; we make the events happen, and we actively promote only those events worth attending. We don’t believe that people should have to go to DC in order to find happening parties. We strive to bring the local entertainment, local venues, and local residents together and enjoy life in MoCo.

How was the company conceived?

After cofounding the Rockville Zoo, Lee Bowes realized that Montgomery County was in need for something different on the entertainment scene. With input from various local bands, venues, and of course residents, the concept of MoCo Rising was put into action and launched in May of 2008.

Are MoCo Rising events only open to Montgomery County residents.

Never! MCR is not about being exclusive. We’re about making good times happen. And if people for other areas are up for the party, the more the merrier.

MoCo Rising Events Information

What kinds of events does MoCo Rising promote?

The list is long: Concerts, charity benefits, pub crawls/tours, stand-up, social sporting, dance parties, music festivals, scavenger hunts…anything fun. But we don’t shamelessly put on events that are doomed to fail. We care about our image, and so we’ll make sure that the event is worthwhile for everyone involved.

Does MoCo Rising do events outside of Montgomery County?

Yes. Although we’re doing our best, some things just can’t be done in MoCo. There is no beach in Bethesda, and Rockville does not have a NFL team. But anything we do outside of the county will have some sort of transportation arrangement for you fair citizens of Montgomery.

I want to work with MoCo Rising to produce or promote an event. How do I do that?

Great! Send an email to goodtimes@mocorising.com or call 1-877-MOCO RISING. We’ll discuss the event and see if it fits with MCR’s style.

Happy Hour Information

Who conducts the reviews?

Reviews are written by individuals that MCR feels can objectively assess the establishment. Each reviewer orders at least two different drinks and one food item in order to get a sense of service, quality, and value.

How are the bars selected?

MCR strives to assess every establishment with a full service bar regardless of location. Until we reach that point, bar selection is basically random, but is effected by reviewer location and availability.

What relationship does the bar have with MoCo Rising?

None, MCR are completely independent. The bars have no prior knowledge of when MCR shows up to do the review, nor do they know who the reviewers are. The reviewers do not have any personal ties (employee, family member, etc) to the bar. If there is an establishment that MCR conducts other events at, reviews are done before that contact is established. In fact, doing the reviews helps us find spots that we think are great for other events.

How are the ratings determined?

MCR has a complicated algorithm (though not nearly as complicated as Google’s page ranking formula) to assign ratings to each bar. Seventeen different variables that we consider are crucial to a good happy hour are used.

What do the ratings mean?

MCR understands that ratings are subjective, and everyone has different tastes. That is why we give the “pros and cons” rundown. Regardless, the ratings do have usefulness when considering overall likelihood of a good time. Here’s what that ratings can confidently say:

	Excellent:   A bar with this rating means it embodies all that a happy hour should: good drink and/or food deals, great service and atmosphere, and plenty of drink choices to appeal to a large crowd…among many more qualities. It is very unlikely that you will come out of the bar unhappy. Very few bars will achieve this level.
	Good:   A happy hour with this rating is still a damn good happy hour, so don’t think you should only look at “Excellent.” It might have been deficient in few areas of our rating model, but these may be things some people don’t care about. So in some cases, a “Good” is no different than an “Excellent.”
	Decent:   A decent happy hour means that the bar probably does a couple things very well, but also lacks a few qualities. These are the places where you’ll find love-hate debates among different people. Read the review and decide whether it’s a place you want to give a shot.
	Mediocre:   The rating usually hits places that generally have nothing going for them, but one or two good aspects lift the rating from the bottom of the barrel. Use in case of alcohol emergency.
	Disappointing:   These places still get points because they do serve alcohol after all. But that’s about all they have going for them. You’re likely to leave the joint doubting you’ll ever go back in.

How can you rate a place with only one review?

Granted, a sample size of 1 review is not big. But there are two ways to review something: votes from a “jury” or opinion from a “judge.” Many sites rely on public ratings, but in order for this to work, you NEED dozens of reviews in order to come up with something accurate. Alas, many times there are only a couple reviews. So how do you know if the raters were having a bad day or got pissed off at one aspect and it tainted their opinions? What if the bar owner wrote his/her own praise? We’re taking the “judge” approach. With standard, objective rating points, and a broad range of experiences across the county, we feel our one review will offer plenty of accurate information. So what if we happen to get a server who’s having a rare bad day? Our opinion is: if it can happen to us, it will happen to you.

I want to help write reviews for MoCo Rising. How do I do that?

Send an email to happyhour@mocorising.com. Tell us what area you live/work and would be able to conduct reviews. Also, tell us something about what you think makes a great happy hour. We’ll then send you information on guidelines for doing the reviews and what compensation we offer. Just keep in mind we don’t cover parts of bar tabs for just anyone, so if your grammar and ability to work and drink at the same time sucks, forget it.

I noticed outdated information or an inaccuracy in one of your reviews.

Thank you! It’s hard to keep up, so we appreciate input. Send an email to happyhour@mocorising.com and let us know what is inaccurate. We’ll follow up and make the correction if necessary.

I am a venue owner/manager, and have a problem with your review on my place.

We’ll be happy to listen to your concern. Send an email to happyhour@mocorising.com and let us know what you disagree with. If you prefer a phone conversation, let us know when/how to reach you. Keep in mind, we’re not likely to change or review if it’s a matter of opinion, or agree to re-review at your request. We’ll do our best to justify our assessment.

MoCo Music Information

How do you pick the bands to promote?

We look for music that shows promise in being able to entertain a decent crowd. They don’t have to be popular, but they have to have talent that appeals to the people that enjoy MCR events.

What relationship do the bands have with MoCo Rising?

That all depends on what the bands want. Some contacts are minimal, some are extensive. MCR just strives to enable local music to gain more exposure and let their talent be known.

I have a band and want to be featured on your site. How do I do that?

Send an email to goodtimes@mocorising.com and tell us your name (or band name) and a list of upcoming shows that we can see you at. If you don’t have any upcoming shows, tell us and we’ll point you to some open mic nights.

I am interested in booking a band featured on your site. How do I do that?

Contact us at goodtimes@mocorising.com or 1-877-MOCO RISING.

Website Information

What is your web advertising policy?

MCR is not in business of making money on web advertising. However, we do place some ads on our site to help cover the cost of site maintenance. As part of our devotion to serving the MoCo area, we only run ads from businesses operating in MoCo and/or ads that are very complimentary to the lifestyle we enjoy. We are comfortable endorsing the products and services advertised on our site. If you’re interesting in promoting your business on our site, send us an email at webmaster@mocorising.com or call 1-877-MOCO RISING.

I noticed an error on your website.

Thanks for telling us! Send an email to webmaster@mocorising.com and let us know what you noticed.