yod wrote:Was hanging out with Paper Dog in El Paso at a place called "Erin's Kitchen". Didn't see any food service, but they were packed anyway. It's a Wed-Sun Kareoke bar!?
Isn't is a damn shame that there aren't as many live venues as there are Kareoke bars? Do you know why?
It seems that people would rather sing, than go watch someone else sing these days.
Why do you think that is?
Is it too expensive to go hear a live band? Guitars and drums too loud to talk with your date? Too much of a risk for paying to hear bad music? Too many losers hanging out in rock bars? Is everyone trying to be American Idol?
The future of kareoke bars is dim if no one makes new music worth singing, eh???
Good Question Ted.
BTW Erins' Pub (not Kitchen) . Benny (Owner of Erin's) claims to serve food, (if you count frozen taquitos and a microwave as a kitchen).
re Karaoke:
My opinion, I think Karaoke is an outlet for the majority population of people, who can appreciate ballads, and love songs, and who have no real skill or experience as bonafide musicians. Sort of a surrogate substitute of performance opportunity.. They have enough courage to stand up and give their favorite songs a good ol college try. And they really do have fun with it.
(Its one of the venues that doesn't crucify you for singing badly) I think its a wholesome outlet for many of the young and old non-professionals, and it does seem to bring a lot of joy.
There are some folks, who uses karaoke to practice singing and performance techniques. To that end we see contests every so often, with real cash prizes.
I my self can't really get into karaoke... I did sing "Last dance with Mary Jane" once... Did it, pretending to be Mick Jagger singing it...and I got lots of applause... (Most likely for my goofy comedy) .
I really don't think karaoke does a pass interference with live acts. Here's why:
1) We are in an era, where most audiences are now less concerned with meaningful performance, and more concerned with immediate rush & thrill. In fact, I suspect that such audiences increasingly feel disconnected to live acts during routine stress-relieving nights of partying. Live musicians are viewed somewhat as a 'tool' of amusement in such circumstances, and probably not taken so seriously. Its really all about the hi decibel and the dog and pony show now... Karaoke doesn't compete with that..thus has no real bearing
2) Cell Phones, IPods, Androids... FAR FETCHED..BUT....This will sound wacky but it is food for thought. Most live acts are pretty loud, and by design, they work hard to get your attention... I would submit that Live acts are competing with
communication channels. As such acts command full attention, some of our unsophisticated and immature audience members feel uneasy about "missing that text or phone call from the chick they asked to meet up with them..." It could boil down to desperate, lonely people, feeling locked out of social opportunities (gettin laid) from the distraction of focus on a live act.
3) Most bars don't let you smoke anymore, depending on what state you live in. I have avoided live shows, not becuase I wanted to avoid the acts...but because I could not smoke...Therefore I went to other bars, venues etc where i could smoke.. Keeping in mind, I come from the era where a feller could fire up his ciggies, guzzle his pitcher and watch Dallas kick everybody's Ass in the NFL..Then Celebrate with good honky-tonk bands that played. Those days are gone in a certain way.
SO really Ted, What I'm saying here is that the decrease of audience membership has mostly to do with Professional Sports going Free Agent around the 80's
