RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

They get nothing from the club, from what I understand, but I'm sure 
that Glenn would not object to hat-passing or other forms of begging 
from the stage. Or slightly more organized merch-peddling. I'm so tired 
of going to see bands & enjoying them & then hearing "we, uh, have stuff 
for sale, come find us afterwards" and then they disappear into the night.

I would hate to see a trend develop where nobody gets paid to play at 
rockclubs, but I don't think that's what this is going to lead to. It 
will instead hopefully lead to clubs being maybe a couple of extra 
inches away from the brink of closure (a very real issue around here, 
y'all) *and* to people maybe bumping up "rockshow" on the list of things 
to do when they go out at night.

And considering the wealth of graphic design & music-recording talent 
around here, maybe it'll indirectly influence some bands to bust out the 
limited-edition seasonal CD-R EPs & t-shirts & whatnot. I'll buy just 
about anything from a band I like if it's under $10, and I'm 5x more 
likely to actually *have* $10 if I didn't pay $7 at the door.

Some of us were talking yesterday & it was generally agreed that a 
minimal cover--to borrow from Sp8, let's say $2--might also be a viable 
alternative. I suppose a particularly statistics-obsessed clubowner 
could & would track bands vs. cover vs. night-of-week vs. headcount vs. 
revenues at the bar vs what's on TV that night vs . . . .

You'd want to find a clubowner with a pre-existing rotisserie baseball 
fetish or something . . .

Ross

Bo Williams wrote:
> So does the band make a flat fee? Nothing? A % of the bar? Pass the
> hat? Any of the above are probably more than they used to make on a %
> of the door.
>
> Bo
>
>
> On 20 Dec 2004 10:58:53 -0800, local506 AT earthlink.net
> <local506 AT earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> > Wow Ross, I could not have said it better myself.   A cover charge is
> > just a hurdle for new bands to get fans and for bars to support new
> > acts.  There have been plenty nights during my first six months where
> > bands have blown me away - and left me thinking, if only more people
> > saw this band, they could be huge.  Even worse, the band usually walks
> > out with less than $20 bucks to boot.  Indeed, a lose-lose for all
> > involved.
> >
> > Likewise, there are a lot of great NC bands from outside the triangle
> > that I have tough time booking because:
> > a) I don't want them driving 2-3 hours only to play for a dozen people
> > b) They don't have enough pull to add them to a touring bill
> > So, hopefully, these shows will resolve some of that and expand upon
> > the amount of great local music we already have to choose from.
> >
> > Thanks for the plug...and hopefully these shows will prove mutually
> > beneficial for everyone...glenn
> >
> >
> > > > > I just said nice things about the Sames, and I dunno from the other
> >
> > two, so instead I'll say nice things about Local 506, who have rather
> > rashly adopted an idea that various of us have advocated at various
> > times over the years: free shows. The idea being that more people are
> > likely to take a chance on the fine young local rockers if they don't
> > have to pay anything to get in, *and* the drinkers who just wanna
> > drink will have no impediment either.
> >
> > More drinkers means a healthier club; more audience for the young
> > bands means a healthier music scene. If you believe in this equation
> > then please come out to these free shows at the 506, and PLEASE think
> > of this as your opportunity to direct your cover-charge money to the
> > target of your choice. Buy yourself an extra drink; tip the bartender
> > an extra buck; or buy a CD or t-shirt or whatever from the bands. Or
> > just stand in the back & leave the money in your pocket, but fall
> > swooningly in love with one of the bands, so much so that you'd be
> > more than willing to pay to see them next time. No matter what, we all
> > win.
> >
> > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
>
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
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