Re: [Harp-L] RE: $10 Cover

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have to agree with you Steve. I have already said that I considered the charge? to be an 'Appreciation donation'. And certainly (in this case) justified if for no other reason, the AMOUNT of talent. So now I will change horses in mid stream and be devil's advocate for a minute and ALSO back Mr. Robert Hale and  also, on my own, say that a cover charge is a way for a club to get away with NOT paying entertainment a fair rate of exchange while at the same time making money on the food and beverage end, and THEN expecting the help to make up the difference of low pay in tips. 

When you don't have the time to negotiate, and you want to have a venue that stays within the confines of reasonable distances, this is what you have to settle for. I don't believe this was such a case, but I constantly see clubs, restaurants, and such nickle dimeing. The say they have to tighten their belt to stay in business, Maybe so, maybe so. But I have known clubs where the help works for JUST tips.  Meanwhile the owners aren't exactly living in a mobile home.  :)

smokey-joe 


On Aug 16, 2012, at 1:33 PM, Steve Marchena wrote:

> Also missed the start of this thread. Maybe the issue is, they already paid to get into SPAH, and this event was on the schedule, without any notification of an extra charge? 
> 
> In that case, SPAH should pay (or refund) everyone's cover charge.
> 
> If that is not the case, the problem is that most people today expect all music to be FREE. Until that changes, we are screwed.
> 
> On Aug 16, 2012, at 12:42 PM, "mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> Agree
>> 
>> Mike Wilbur 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Aug 16, 2012, at 12:35 PM, "Steve Power" <stevepower@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>>> I missed the original post from this thread but from what I can gather I guess there was some complaint about being charged a $10 cover for the Blues Blow Out?  "Hmm",seriously?
>>> 
>>> For a start, I'd pay $10 to see Rob Roy Parnell with a band without any additional harp talent to sweeten the pot. Way more importantly, one of the big reasons live music is struggling on the bar/club level is bar owners refusal to pay a guarantee and the general publics reluctance to pay a cover.  When musicians themselves are reluctant to pay a cover that is very sad indeed.  In fact, I think there is a question that should be asked of ourselves. When was the last time you went out and supported live music on a local level yourself  i.e. paid a cover for a local band or even dropped money in their tip jar? And when I say "money" I mean more than a dollar or two. If we won't support each other how the hell can we expect anyone else too?
>>> 
>> 
>