Conference napalm::guitar

Well up here if you want to make money as a weekend musician you play country
everything else  is real slow...

dbii

    I ran into an old steel playing buddy at an audition a few weeks ago
    and it sounds like there is at least as much work as there was seven
    years ago when I quit the C&W circuit here in MA.  A number of
    "upscale" clubs have opened to make up for some of the dives which have
    gone under.  The money doesn't sound to be any better, though...
    
    							Brian

    Grunge and Metal is raging in the Springs (but consider that)...
    

  <---  So's Country.  Cowboy's, Rodeo, at least 2 major C+W FM radio stations.

  Been here 18 months and am actually starting to like the stuff!  :-)

  -- Sam

>    Grunge and Metal is raging in the Springs (but consider that)...
    
    I didn't think *anything* was *ragin* in the Springs...
    
    gh

    Here in the springs we have both kinds of music.
    

    Like I said, consider the area.  :-)
    
    jc

In the Boston/New England area, things are very tough for live music right
now. Country music is probably the only place I can think of that bands
can make decent money can get steady gigs - there seems to be a slew of
new country music clubs opening up, and live music seems to be a staple
in all of them.

Originals bands have never had much luck making money in this area, unless
you have a pretty big name/following.

Cover bands are being hard squeezed by the economy right now. Many clubs
are veering away from live music and going with DJ's and/or Karaoke. And the
clubs that are hiring bands aren't paying as much as they used to - it tends 
to be more in the $250-$300 range than the $400-$500 range like it once was, 
and the club onwers are playing hardball - if you don't want to play for $250,
they can find someone else who will! 

Even though this might be a temporary, it's still making it very tough for new 
bands out there. See No Evil has been together for almost 2� years now, and
we still have to scramble for gigs sometimes, and are having a tough time
moving up to the next level of money (we seem pretty stuck for now in the 
$300/night category - which actually is better than a lot of bands out there).
At least 4 clubs that we play have stopped having bands for the summer, and
at least two of them may not even start up again....

alan

    
    There's plenty of things *ragin'* in the Springs... Unfortunately,
    none of them concern music ...
    
    /Billy_K
    

    Most clubs around here pay $300-500/night depending on your draw.
    $300 is pretty minimum until you get a reputation, then you can start
    play the clubs against each other until you get the $$$!!
    
    jc

    RE:8
    What you said is what I thought.

    I guess the best thing is to just get together with people who want
    to jam. However, its hard to justify putting  money into equipment
    beyond a guitar and amp. 

    Also, I would imagine key boards are making life more difficult for 
    drummers and base players. Heck, my brothers band, Java Jive, doesn't
    have  guitarist or drummers. Just three guys with brass and 
    key boards. 

    Jim

    RE -1:
    Drummers have been making things difficult for musicians for decades
    ;-)
    
    Paul
    

    Re: .11
    
    >I guess the best thing is to just get together with people who want
    >to jam. However, its hard to justify putting  money into equipment
    >beyond a guitar and amp. 
    
    Well, I looked at it this way: while my last band was raking in the big
    money, I went out and stocked up on some gear that was useful in that
    band but also could be used in future projects, a small PA, a junk drum
    kit for my practice room, etc.  
    
    I've been in plenty of bands where lack of equipment *and* lack of
    money led to lack of gigs.  Remember the Boy Scouts motto: be prepared! 
    
    							Brian
    

 >     Here in the springs we have both kinds of music.

 Country AND Western ?

> Country AND Western ?
    
    Well, what other kinds are there?
    
    Jay_who_hates_c_and_w

    How are acoustic-based soloists/bands doing lately in the Boston/NE
    area? Does every club on this circuit have to have a name that ends in
    Coffeehouse? Any idea about pay?

    I run sound for The Listening Place Coffeehouse, & there are a ton of
    little acoustic places to play these days. There's also been a big
    surge in the number of artists, so it's competitive. Solo recording artists
    will get anywhere from $100 to $800 per show depending mostly on how
    hot they are at the moment. Opening acts range from $30 to $100.
    
    The acoustic scene nowadays seems to resemble the garage band rock
    scene of years gone by, i.e. lots of little places to play & build a
    following & some chops. Rock seems much tougher these days unless
    you're already signed to a major label.
    
    Only one warning about acoustic music... some of these guys can play !
    
    Paul    

    Re: .16, .17
    
    The NE acoustic scene audiences want to hear *your* songs not covers of
    JT and Dan Fogelbarf (although there are fern bar gigs around if that's
    whacha wanna do).  There are even artists who have relocated to Boston
    from other parts of the country in order to get in on the action.  
    
    There is some work for folks doing traditional material, and once in a
    while bluegrass bands or country blues scholars can con their way into
    a coffeehouse, but the big deal is singer/songwriters. There is
    *excellent* radio support which can really help your career. All of the
    big names on the NE circuit get regular airplay.  Also lots of open
    mikes which is zero money but someplace to get started...try looking
    for rock and roll open mikes sometime!  There is even a good amount of
    recording activity going on in the area.  There is no stigma attached
    to self-released recordings.
    
    For non-singers, there is some market for solo instrumentalists but
    *serious* chops are required.
    
    The money aint bad vs. band work if you're solo.  A $30 gig doing a six
    song opener for a headliner is good money compared to a five-piece band
    playing four sets for $150 and shlepping their own PA around to boot. 
    Low overhead = bigger profits, eh?
    
    							Brian