Starving arts / live music gigs

[LiveMusic]

I don't know if there is a correlation or what is to be inferred. Especially since someone just posted that guitar sales rose 40% in the past year. Which is huge.

 

RE: the live music scene dying... the local paper today...

 

- The theatre is scaling back from 12 performances to seven. Artist fees will be cut in half.

 

Sold only 56% of its tickets, compared to 75% two years ago.

 

- Symphony ticket sales down 8%.

 

Free concertss up by 40% and 33%. Two shows.

 

Five core musicians layed off. Others took 9% pay cut. Core players also took 8% cut the year before.

 

- Opera season tickets up 9%, single ticket sales up 31%.

[ITGITC]

References please. Otherwise, your post makes no sense at all, Duke.

 

Tom

[LiveMusic]

Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

References please. Otherwise, your post makes no sense at all, Duke.

 

Tom

Well, I'll roll eyes right back at you. I said the local paper said these things this morning. Can't you just believe me?

[ryst]

[freelance]

Im not sure what you are driving at??? I doubt many would debate that the live music scene is not as active as it may have been (I've been gigging for almost 40 years and live music in not even close to the level it was when I started).

 

The statisics you quoted seemed geared more toward the classical genre, which can be more driven by government funding, grants, donations etc) vs. the more "street level club scene - but in either case, live music will likely never see the level of activity it saw in past dacades.

 

Perhaps an increase in guitar sales is an indication the newer generations are starting to appreciate music (over vido games, on line chats, etc. etc - which can only help the live music scene.

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by LiveMusic:

Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

References please. Otherwise, your post makes no sense at all, Duke.

 

Tom

Well, I'll roll eyes right back at you. I said the local paper said these things this morning. Can't you just believe me?

Aw shucks Duke, I was just MESSIN' wit ya!

 

I believe ya. And I found a press release on the NAMM site to back up some of your claims. I didn't tell you about it because I wanted to see if I could rile you up a bit!

 

But really, we've got conflicting stories here: the NAMM article says that sales of musical instruments have risen because of the interest in Baby-Boomers learning to play. But on the other hand, your article says that theaters are closing and orchestras are laying off core players.

 

And then, in a previous thread, we've discussed how live music is taking a beating because everyone is staying home watching DVDs and listening to MP3 tunes.

 

So, actually, what I was looking for was references about the 'pro' stories vs. the 'con' stories.

 

I think that things certainly are changing and that, as musicians, we need to take a step back and look at how best to fit into the changing scene. Should we play a different genre, make ring tones for cell phones, join the local orchestra or big band, or entertain folks at the neighborhood retirement village?

 

My point is that there are changes going on in all facets of our musical landscape. Pointing out these changes is a good start. Figuring out how to make the best of them, as musicians, is an even more-interesting topic.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

[LiveMusic]

I thought the stats I gave werw interesting, relative to what has been discussed about live music scene going down. There is no link, I just typed it up out of the paper.

 

If the trend continues, the symphony and the theatre they rebuilt will go broke.

 

And it's telling... it sais artist fees would be cut by one half.

 

As for baby boomers causing the 40% increase in guitar sales (if that's what the article said), maybe that's a very good sign. I guess it could stimulate interest in seeing live music. I was hoping it was young people buying the geetars.

[MattC]

From the viewpoint of someone who has, regretably, been out of the live music scene for some time (damn college getting in the way of things...), the COLLECTIVE level of entertainment gained from going out to see a live show has diminished. There is a perception that "local rock" (mostly rock, but the generalization permeates the aether) means "not as good as the rock we'd buy in a store.

I was quite fed up with the scene for some tim because whenever I went to a show, as a musician, roadie, soundman, or just concert goer, the majority of the audience was there to support their friends. It was easy to see who these friends were- they'd be the ones actually in front of the stage when their band was on and would then promptly head for the bar afterward.

 

The few bands I've known who've actually made it past the "friend scene" played music that could be enjoyed by the entire audience. This is, methinks, the key that has kept other live genres- hip hop and electronica- alive as a live performance.

 

We owe it to the entire music scene to entertain the audience when we play live.