Re: Sit-Ins (sessions)/MORE

[amdur@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Brett Amdur)]

> 

> From John:
> The informal playing sessions are a great blessing for people who 
> don't need to make a living with their music.  Unfortunately, 
> the commercial element--pub/bar owners--know how many people out 
> there would like to play in any--ANY--venue and these business 
> owners get to provide free entertainment for the booze-buying public. 
> This happens while a lot of highly trained musicians are scurrying 
> for a dwindling number of paying jobs.  These open mic nights should 
> not undercut the opportunities for the pros.
> 
>  
> 
	There's certainly some logic to this, but it seems kind of 
inconsistenet with good ol' American free market theory.  If people are
willing to go to a bar where the quality of music isn't as good as it
would be if the band were paid, why should the bar owner pay the band?  Is
the bar owner supposed to serve as some kind of vanguard for good harp? Of
course, if more people were concerned about the quality of the music they
were hearing, there would be fewer open mike nights because they wouldn't
be financially viable.  The fact that there are so many, however, might show
that many in the listening public aren't very concerned about the same things
as professional musicians.

	I don't mean to sound so harsh, but it seems to me that 
bar owners shouldn't be faulted for making an honest buck, even if its at 
the expense of professional musicians.