RTP-area local music and culture

["Glenn Boothe / Local 506" <gboothe2 AT earthlink.net>]

I always feel this obligation to address points made about posts I've
made.  I started a seperate thread (so I could feel some sort of
closure.)

>>>You gotta get 506 on Facebook. If the kids know they won't show up on 
>>>either Facebook, Flickr, Bloglines, or overheadinchapelhill.com, why the 
>>>hell even  go? Scene 2.0, with yellow fade.

Okay, you got me.  I'll be the first to admit that I could use a good
college-age intern...or even door person.   Someone hipper than I...


>>>1. My impression is that the average age of folks attending is older than 
>>>it used to be in the mid-90s.  This of course could be a entirely 
>>>self-selecting observation. 2. And to add, from talking with folks who 
>>>lived here and went to local music shows ten years ago -- I feel like 
>>>there is a lot less interconnectedness between musicians in local bands 
>>>and UNC students (esp recent grads) than there used to be.


For the most part, the average age is higher.  But again, that ties
into seeing people you know.  The average age at a Sweater Weather show
is 21.  And Sweater Weather are one of my favorite local bands; yet,
and this has happened multiple times, I have mentioned this fact to
people in their thirties and they roll their eyes (as if 20 year old
cannot be making good music.)  How soon we forget that Polvo, Archers,
Superchunk were all this age when they started.

But therein lies the problem, at the last Sweater Weather show (on a
weeknight during exams, mind you) - they drew over 100 people (which
is more than we get on some weekends.) However, because of the age of
the crowd, the bar did very little business.  So, as much as I love the
band, I could never give them a headlining gig on a weekend, that would
be bar suicide.

But ultimately, I think students today have too many entertainment
options, so live music isn't high on their list.

>>>> and maybe there are so many local bands that we accidentally go to a few 
>>>> shows where the band is good-but-not-great

Wow, Ross and I agree (or maybe you stole that from me,) but that's
one of the things I've said about getting the students more into live
music - they need to see a great show!  Not an okay show.  These same
kids go see Arcade Fire or Franz Ferdinand at the Cradle, so there
expectations are just as high for your average three band local bill.
And if you're blown away by a local band, you're more likely to
come back looking for more.

>>>I think I learned more  from the job I had in the service industry (like 
>>>Glenn said).

Funny, in my original reply to Ross, I had written this anecdote about
how, when I first started at 506, bartender John Dzubak sometimes
referred to bands by their places of employment (ie: "they'll bring
in the Peppers crowd" or OCSC or whatever.)  I thought that was so
weird, but he was absolutely right...and we still do that.

Okay, I'll stop and lurk silently for bit...glenn