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

["James Sterett" <jsterett@xxxxxxxxx>]

live music, for music's sake, seems to be on the decline here where I live in NY (about 50 miles NW of NYC).  There's a fantastic place here called Bodles Opera House (http://www.bodles.com/).  One of, if not the only place in the area to find high quality, internationally known musicians of all kinds... folk, blues, bluegrass, pop, jazz, swing, rock, etc.  They've got a bar and food and the friendliest people you ever want to meet, but are always struggling just to stay in business with the music being their primary attraction.  Maybe it's the admission price, which varies per artist, but it's not overboard and the intimate setting is not something you'll find too many places.  Compare that to the family restaurant/bar down the street who has cover bands every weekend, no cover charge, and that place is always jumpin.  And people are dancin because they just can't enough Mustang Sally and sing into their bottles of bud because they too are wasting away again in Margaritaville.

That comparison having been made... it makes me think it could be the commitment people are not willing to make.  If you're willing to pay a cover, you're making a choice, a commitment.  Maybe in this fast-paced, ever-changing, on-demand world, a lot of people are just not willing to go that far.   Jeez, what if something better comes along and I miss it?!

Jim.

>>> <Roscoharp@xxxxxxx> 3/30/2007 12:40 PM >>>
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

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