Re: [Harp-L] death of live music?

Will Vogtman <will_vogtman@xxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 30 Mar 2007 10:34:09 -0700 (PDT)

Some Nearly Random Thoughts . . . .

  I think (and hope) that we are just experiencing a down swing in the live music cycle.  

  I have a few guesses as to why.

  1.  Most bands play too loud.  People who go out to have a good time/date/meet people want to be able to have a conversation.

  2.  Most bands don't employ a harmonica player.  If every band had a harp player, there would be no problem.  :-P.

  3.  Most people want to hear an exact copy of a CD cut. " . . . Man, that guy is great!  He can play that Hendrix solo note for note . . . ."  To most people, improvisation is just playing any old thing because the musician does not know the "real" solo.

  4.  Most bands don't play what most people consider "dance music."  Dancing crowds want music that they recognize, can sing along with, and dance to.  If it's a great dance tune, but nobody knows it, far few people will dance to it.  "C'mon man, play something we know."

  5.  I-pods and MP3 files have all but eliminated genre specific fans.  In any random I-pod, one might find The Casualties, Little Walter, Johnny Cash, and the Irish Tenors in a given play-list.

  I'm not all that worried yet.  I am assuming that in another 4 or 5 years that the public will rediscover the artists that create live, original music.   Hell, I'm having problems in my own band.  No one wants to play any of my original material (and no, it doesn't suck).  Most of my band mates want to stick with cover tunes to maintain the familiarity factor.

  Preservation Hall has a sign up that says, "Requests $5/ Saints $10."  For me, that about sums it up.

  As harmonica players, we also have to step up our game.   When the general public hears the word "Harmonica," most of them think of annoying little kids honking and squeaking on them all over the place.   We have to beat this stereotype.   We also have to take measures so that we are not seen as playing an unnecessary or auxiliary instrument.  When we are absent from a regular gig, we need people to ask, "Hey, where is the harp player?"  In order to do that, we have to play at a level that is worthy of that question.
Roscoharp@xxxxxxx wrote:
  Hey list,

I've been polling musicians I know all over the country about an issue that 
is pretty important to those of us who love playing out in front of music 
fans. In my area of the country, (upper mid-west) long established live music 
clubs are switching to DJs, karaoke, comedy, etc. This trend seems to have 
really accelerated in the last couple years. College age fans who drive the music 
scene aren't very interested in what I'll call 'real' music. There are fewer 
places to play & many of the venues that are left are only interested in 
cover bands. Original bands are often grouped as multi-act shows where no one 
band makes much money. There are quite a few regional blues bands out there 
chasing a few low pay gigs. I'm not very in touch with the jazz scene, but it 
seems that only the big names are drawing. Very few clubs of any kind seem to 
have a built in crowd. 

I've seen a big turn around from even 3 or 4 years ago.
. 

Is the live music scene at the club level dying?
Are casual music fans dumbed down to the level of generic hip hop, 
programmed pop beats, & soul-less country?
Is it just my imagination?
What are y'all seeing?

Later,
Rosco

_may.be au.gust_ (http://www.maybeaugust.com/) website

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=1890315
55&s=143441&i=189032015

buy CDs, sample music:CD Baby: maybe august

_myspace - www.myspace.com/maybeaugust_ (http://www.myspace.com/maybeaugust) 

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

---------------------------------
Looking for earth-friendly autos? 
 Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center.  