"Why Music Venues are Totally Lost"

[Syyle]

http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/2012/02/why-music-venues-are-totally-lost-an-open-letter-from-a-professional-musician/

 

Not sure if this has been posted before, but I figured it could be a good read for some around here.

 

What do you take away from this?

[BlueStrat]

We've been discussing this very topic on the Backstage with the Band forum for about 10 years. But yeah, the guy is right. The only think he left out is the fact that if band play more than once every 4-6 weeks or so, they can't drag their crowd around for long because the same people aren't going to come out and support a band every weekend, every month, all year.

[Pitar]

I read the article and both parties make sense. A beauty shop hires beauticians based on their following (clientele). A beautician straight out of school will probably find it tough landing a job. Venues are treating musicians the same way. What can the musician do for the venue? I get that and though it has nothing to do with making music it does make sense from a commercial viability view-point. Kinda ruins the whole art-minded purpose of making music. But, the venue owner isn't buying that. In fact, he doesn't want to buy anything. He only wants to sell and he tries to do that smartly.

 

The band might attempt to persuade a venue owner that their product sells because it's good. He's heard that story before. He's also paid to find that out more than once ending up being scammed. Once bitten, twice shy. But, a new band isn't going to help him. No one knows them. An established band with a following will but they're usually difficult to book, being in demand. So, he gets the stuff that falls in between and tries to find one that has a respectable following and can play on the days he needs them. That may not be easy for every available band. In the end, he gets frustrated because he can't get a decent band with a following when he needs them. The whole logistics of it feeds on itself. So, he insists bands book the patrons to prove they are who they say they are. Love/hate relationships have no better example than this.

 

This is why I will always play an open mic. Barkeeps love it and the musician has a chance to air his inner child. If there's any commercial attention gathered from it so much the better for both.

[daddymack]

unfortunately, this won't get posted at the Bar Owners International Forum, where it would do the most good. I have had this same discussion with club operators in LA...they generally have become spoiled by the pay to play ethic, whci costs them nothing up front...yet 90% of these places are gone in a year's time. Because not having attracted a loyal resident population is what kills clubs, not having to pay good bands to entertain those patrons. By the same token, I've noticed that many of these places also have crappy service: lazy waitresses, unskilled bar tenders, etc...so the song remains the same.

[TimOBrien]

Step #1: When someone demands you play for free or pay, WALK AWAY.

 

if everyone does it, they'll stop. (of course getting everyone to do it is the problem)

it's similar to the early days of the industrial revolution when workers finally just stopped taking abuse.

 

Why are the musician's unions not stepping up about this and at least taking a public stance? Isn't that why they were formed?

[Orrin]

An unknown band has to get their steez somehow and a music venue which is trying to build up a reputation as a good music venue can't afford to have just any old band come in to play. Which is why those bands have to play at venues where they will be responsible for bringing their own crowd.

[beatpoet]

She then told me the gig paid $75 for a trio. Now $75 used to be bad money per person, let alone $75 for the whole band. It had to be a joke, right? No, she was serious.But it didn’t end there. She then informed us we had to bring 25 people minimum.

 

How about bring 25 people and still not get any pay? I've had that, or rather, turned down gigs like that.

[richardmac]

I think Chris is a smart guy - his CDBaby DIY Podcast is always entertaining. And I agree with the article, and agree with what BlueStrat added. There are bands that are able to build up a following, and maintain it over a period of years, but they do so by performing in a huge, huge area. Like maybe half the state of Florida or bigger. Because like BlueStrat said, no one will go out every other weekend to see the same band.

 

A good situation is a place that always does a ton of business on Friday and Saturday nights. They can hire an act based on what they think their crowd would like.

[BlueStrat]

 

Which is why those bands have to play at venues where they will be responsible for bringing their own crowd.

 

 

Which is also why original bands usually peter out and die after a few months. Either they play once every 5-6 weeks to get their crowd out or they don't draw. No band is going to draw their crowd 3 weekends a month.