While this isnt a major music industry issue, its something that needs to be said to up and coming bands and most of all club owners, bookers and promoters.As I was browsing the web for local venues for my new band to play and I came across a pretty cool looking place in town. I clicked on its booking page link and it had a list of "Ground Rules" for playing there. Rules are fine, I'm ok with rules. Most are common sense but some of this places conditions rubbed me the wrong way. After being in a sought after band in this scene for a number of years, working out way up the ladder and paying our dues one thing always pissed us off and really, made no sense. The "you must draw 50 people on a weeknight" rule. Its an understandable rule considering the venue would like to have paying customers and its in a bands best interest to have a crowd to play to. But where I have issue is expecting opening acts to have a following. Ideally, especially in venues with a larger capacity, the shows should be built around a headlining act that can guarantee a good draw, followed by opening and support acts with respectively smaller drawing power. In this situation it gives the lesser-known acts a chance to play to a crowd that is comprised of people other than their girlfriends and coworkers.
With opening acts that can draw 50+ people, 30+ people will go home after seeing the band they came to see. It sucks but its inevitable. I would also like to point out that if a local band gets to the point they can draw 50 people on a weeknight its safe to say that this band is able to draw well enough on a weekend and wouldnt need to play a weeknight gig.
With that being said, my band probably can't draw 50 people. Especially on a weeknight. But it would be rad to have the chance to open for a band that can pack the house and maybe make some new fans in the process.
Another one of thier "ground rules" was "EACH BAND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HEAVY PROMOTION. We mean posters, flyers, mailing lists, etc. Do not think that just because you are booked here you’re going to have an awesome show." Rightly so. Any band should take the initiative to promote themselves and its naive to think otherwise. But its also in the venue's interest to advertise thier business. Its understandable to hope, and encourage the bands to promote the show but to put all responsibility on, yes I'm saying it, musicians - is also being naive. Not to mention lazy.
They also encourage bands to make friends with other bands and develop a repor with similar sounding bands. Now, this isnt entirely a bad thing. Its always good to have a good working relationship with other bands but what tends to happen is you get bookers putting together a show of 4-5 bands that although, meet the 50 people criteria, they all happen to be friends and have share the same 50 fans. You end up with an excited promoter hoping the math will work out in their favor.
I'm sure there are more outlandish requirments from clubs. And there are eager young bands that will work hard to meet them. This only betters the band. As for the club, they will continue to exclusively book local bands, never get a National headliner and eventually turn into a strip club or porno theater.
long live rock n roll.
