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Author Topic: clubs, bands, the economy  (Read 13169 times)

David Parker

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clubs, bands, the economy
« on: April 17, 2011, 08:27:11 AM »

A new club opened up, big place, really nice, having bands in. One of my bands is to play there next Friday night. Just heard from the booking agent that the club is already wanting to stop having bands because the club can't afford it. A month ago another scheduled gig got cancelled due to that club stopping having bands, can't afford it. Is this a sign of the times? I know folks have to really tighten their belts when the price of gas goes up, because a lot of the folks around here drive a long way to work. Gas prices going up hold people hostage, they can't get to work without buying gas. Then they have to make cuts in other areas, like entertainment. Also, the extra gas it takes to get to the club. Are any of you seeing this where you live?
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Luke Landis

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2011, 09:54:45 AM »

A new club opened up, big place, really nice, having bands in. One of my bands is to play there next Friday night. Just heard from the booking agent that the club is already wanting to stop having bands because the club can't afford it. A month ago another scheduled gig got cancelled due to that club stopping having bands, can't afford it. Is this a sign of the times? I know folks have to really tighten their belts when the price of gas goes up, because a lot of the folks around here drive a long way to work. Gas prices going up hold people hostage, they can't get to work without buying gas. Then they have to make cuts in other areas, like entertainment. Also, the extra gas it takes to get to the club. Are any of you seeing this where you live?

David, I can say this, I did not have a show last night so I wanted to make some rounds. One place I work all the time and is packed most of the time, dropped the $5 cover they used to have. Then I went to a sports bar that has been having bands again, and they now have a $5 cover. I did not pay it as I intended to only stay 30min. I guess my point is yea, the economy is rough as times, and clubs need to adapt. The place that dropped the cover will continue to be "the" place, and the sports bar will drive away regulars that never had to pay $5 before. I mostly work with 2 bands that actually make $ and can pay me what I ask (still not worth it).

The market in Ft Wayne had maybe 10 great bands of all varieties that draw OK, and make good money for the bars, and OK for themselves. I would like to step up to the next level, and could if I wanted to travel, but I do not.

I saw an add on CL for a $90 sound man. He would travel say 50 miles for an extra $10. Now you get what you pay for, but as a the owner of a big local shop says, it's a race to the bottom.

I still have fun, and do as good a job as I can, but I do not work for any old band anymore. I'm seeing more of the dark side of the bottom dweller market and it get OLD fast.
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David Parker

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2011, 10:01:23 AM »

A new club opened up, big place, really nice, having bands in. One of my bands is to play there next Friday night. Just heard from the booking agent that the club is already wanting to stop having bands because the club can't afford it. A month ago another scheduled gig got cancelled due to that club stopping having bands, can't afford it. Is this a sign of the times? I know folks have to really tighten their belts when the price of gas goes up, because a lot of the folks around here drive a long way to work. Gas prices going up hold people hostage, they can't get to work without buying gas. Then they have to make cuts in other areas, like entertainment. Also, the extra gas it takes to get to the club. Are any of you seeing this where you live?

David, I can say this, I did not have a show last night so I wanted to make some rounds. One place I work all the time and is packed most of the time, dropped the $5 cover they used to have. Then I went to a sports bar that has been having bands again, and they now have a $5 cover. I did not pay it as I intended to only stay 30min. I guess my point is yea, the economy is rough as times, and clubs need to adapt. The place that dropped the cover will continue to be "the" place, and the sports bar will drive away regulars that never had to pay $5 before. I mostly work with 2 bands that actually make $ and can pay me what I ask (still not worth it).

The market in Ft Wayne had maybe 10 great bands of all varieties that draw OK, and make good money for the bars, and OK for themselves. I would like to step up to the next level, and could if I wanted to travel, but I do not.

I saw an add on CL for a $90 sound man. He would travel say 50 miles for an extra $10. Now you get what you pay for, but as a the owner of a big local shop says, it's a race to the bottom.

I still have fun, and do as good a job as I can, but I do not work for any old band anymore. I'm seeing more of the dark side of the bottom dweller market and it get OLD fast.

I saw one of the clubs we used to play shut down due to cover charge, $7. You could go 5 miles down the same road and see the same bands for free, no cover. I'm not really in business anymore, more of a hobby. I work two bands, and they pay me $150-$250 depending on what they ge t(roughly 20-25%). I'm not getting rich, but it's enough to make it worth doing. I certainly couldn't justify my LS9-16 on what I'm making now. I wouldn't do the $150 nights if there weren't $250 nights, and if I didn't like the guys in the band. The guy charging $90 couldn't possibly be making money. I'm in the Houston area, lots of clubs, lots of bands.
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Charlie Zureki

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2011, 10:18:37 AM »

A new club opened up, big place, really nice, having bands in. One of my bands is to play there next Friday night. Just heard from the booking agent that the club is already wanting to stop having bands because the club can't afford it. A month ago another scheduled gig got cancelled due to that club stopping having bands, can't afford it. Is this a sign of the times? I know folks have to really tighten their belts when the price of gas goes up, because a lot of the folks around here drive a long way to work. Gas prices going up hold people hostage, they can't get to work without buying gas. Then they have to make cuts in other areas, like entertainment. Also, the extra gas it takes to get to the club. Are any of you seeing this where you live?

    Hmm...I suppose that the New Club owners never really put much thought or effort into writing a business plan.   Any veteran business person knows that it takes a time period to decide whether their intention of providing entertainment will show a worthy profit. It takes marketing, proper employees and entertaining-entertainers to provide a draw to the door.

    Underfunded businesses are very common with inexperienced business people...while the "economy" is a factor, it is easy to blame gasoline prices for the lack of customers.

  Hammer
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David Parker

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2011, 10:25:00 AM »

A new club opened up, big place, really nice, having bands in. One of my bands is to play there next Friday night. Just heard from the booking agent that the club is already wanting to stop having bands because the club can't afford it. A month ago another scheduled gig got cancelled due to that club stopping having bands, can't afford it. Is this a sign of the times? I know folks have to really tighten their belts when the price of gas goes up, because a lot of the folks around here drive a long way to work. Gas prices going up hold people hostage, they can't get to work without buying gas. Then they have to make cuts in other areas, like entertainment. Also, the extra gas it takes to get to the club. Are any of you seeing this where you live?

    Hmm...I suppose that the New Club owners never really put much thought or effort into writing a business plan.   Any veteran business person knows that it takes a time period to decide whether their intention of providing entertainment will show a worthy profit. It takes marketing, proper employees and entertaining-entertainers to provide a draw to the door.

    Underfunded businesses are very common with inexperienced business people...while the "economy" is a factor, it is easy to blame gasoline prices for the lack of customers.

  Hammer

the new club that is already wanting to cut out bands, started out with some lousy bands, not in tune with the clientele. They just started using a booking agent that does well in the area, knows what works. Hopefully they'll give him a chance to get it going. Certainly, if the new clients came out to see a lousy band, it will take time to get them to try that club again. But it's more than just the one club having problems. The price of gas would have to affect turnout.
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Charlie Zureki

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2011, 10:33:28 AM »


    Hmm...I suppose that the New Club owners never really put much thought or effort into writing a business plan.   Any veteran business person knows that it takes a time period to decide whether their intention of providing entertainment will show a worthy profit. It takes marketing, proper employees and entertaining-entertainers to provide a draw to the door.

    Underfunded businesses are very common with inexperienced business people...while the "economy" is a factor, it is easy to blame gasoline prices for the lack of customers.

  Hammer

the new club that is already wanting to cut out bands, started out with some lousy bands, not in tune with the clientele. They just started using a booking agent that does well in the area, knows what works. Hopefully they'll give him a chance to get it going. Certainly, if the new clients came out to see a lousy band, it will take time to get them to try that club again. But it's more than just the one club having problems. The price of gas would have to affect turnout.

    Hello,

     Your response seems to verify that poor club management has been the biggest problem....lack of knowledge and planning.


   If the "economy" is part of the blame, then, it's more than just the increase in gasoline cost...it's the overall cost of everything.
 
     Hammer
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David Parker

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2011, 01:55:26 PM »


    Hmm...I suppose that the New Club owners never really put much thought or effort into writing a business plan.   Any veteran business person knows that it takes a time period to decide whether their intention of providing entertainment will show a worthy profit. It takes marketing, proper employees and entertaining-entertainers to provide a draw to the door.

    Underfunded businesses are very common with inexperienced business people...while the "economy" is a factor, it is easy to blame gasoline prices for the lack of customers.

  Hammer

the new club that is already wanting to cut out bands, started out with some lousy bands, not in tune with the clientele. They just started using a booking agent that does well in the area, knows what works. Hopefully they'll give him a chance to get it going. Certainly, if the new clients came out to see a lousy band, it will take time to get them to try that club again. But it's more than just the one club having problems. The price of gas would have to affect turnout.

    Hello,

     Your response seems to verify that poor club management has been the biggest problem....lack of knowledge and planning.


   If the "economy" is part of the blame, then, it's more than just the increase in gasoline cost...it's the overall cost of everything.
 
     Hammer

It's disappointing when you're all set to start working a new club and the week before your first date there you hear that they are not having bands anymore. Or a club you play regularly goes out of business.
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RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2011, 03:29:12 PM »

It's disappointing when you're all set to start working a new club and the week before your first date there you hear that they are not having bands anymore. Or a club you play regularly goes out of business.

There is one really good way to avoid these problems...Get out of club land!
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John Livings

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2011, 08:41:37 PM »

I am in Los Angeles, I do some work for DJ/VJs, The few I do set-ups for are expanding.

Think Coachella, Thats who I see at the clubs we set up in (Of course not 90,000 people :)).

http://www.youtube.com/coachella

Regards,  John
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Mark Gensman

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Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2011, 03:04:46 AM »

There are multiple reasons why clubs don't have live music any more.

Hiring a DJ costs way less. Having Karoake costs way less. The bands around here are paid less now than we made in the 70's and most smaller bars have three piece groups that will play for practically nothing.

But the bar business is getting very expensive. Insurance rates are going up by leaps and bounds, noise ordinances, underage drinking, etc. all add to the cost.

And finally, there are more bands than gigs and so many bands are willing to play for nothing that it drives down the money for better bands.

I tell every band that asks to get out of the bar band gigs. Too much work, not enough money.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: clubs, bands, the economy
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2011, 03:04:46 AM »


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