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I play guitar in a classic rock band. Over 15 years now, I get the feeling that live bands/ music seems to be diminishing as a major entertainment. Even when were out playing, were regarded as backround music. instead of a main focus. I just wonder if theres a shift of taste, especially with the advent of, all the show you could ever want, in the palm of your hand, AKA Cell phones. Maybe it me

Really depends on a number of factors:
1) Where you are playing.
2) Who your audience is.
2) What you are playing.

"Classic rock" - most of those who listen to it have been doing so for many years. Chances are that if they go out somewhere where this music is being played, its either to dance, or as background music while they drink/eat.
The bands that are getting people to come to venues and pay attention to their tunes are not playing classic rock (except for the 'revival' bands regrouping or still playing the same tunes after 20+ years). Different type of venue, different audience, different music ... (see 1, 2, 3 above)

live bands especially a lot of the locals all over seem to get overlooked and "taken for granted" so to speak. i feel like the radio and mainstream music could have something to do with modern day rock bands being overlooked. i cant imagine what it does to local classic rock acts. i definitely agree with GuitarMikeB depends on your audience, where you are and what you are playing more then anything.

Jasper541 wrote:I play guitar in a classic rock band. Over 15 years now, I get the feeling that live bands/ music seems to be diminishing as a major entertainment. Even when were out playing, were regarded as backround music. instead of a main focus. I just wonder if theres a shift of taste, especially with the advent of, all the show you could ever want, in the palm of your hand, AKA Cell phones. Maybe it me

It doesn't depend on any "factors".

The live music scene has been diminishing for twenty years. There is nothing special about it now. Everybody's a musician these days, even if they're a talentless hack with delusions of grandeur.

Play the gig, have some fun and take the money and run.

Listen to Cmt get on the new country train Jason Aldean Blake, that's the stuff that's money that's why the radio plays it I know you classic rockers don't want to hear that but you are musicians first and if that's what pays the bills do it new country is nothing but classic rock reground anyway. Just saying that's were you loose the live appeal the music is dated its been played so much people take it for granted

No, CMT is not classic rock reground at all, it's pop music with an occasional fiddle or steel guitar - and cowboy hats on the guys, boots on the girls.

90 dB wrote: The live music scene has been diminishing for twenty years.

THAT

i'd say AT LEAST 20 yrs. fewer and fewer places even bother w live music. and you have at least as many musicians vying for gigs. that's why venues can get away w paying the same money (or less) than they did 20 yrs ago.

it's not the music. there's always been good musicians and bad musicians. and there's always been bands playing this kind of music or that. seems today most people need that quick fix (as per entertainment) and just don't have the attention span they used to.

GuitarMikeB wrote:No, CMT is not classic rock reground at all, it's pop music with an occasional fiddle or steel guitar - and cowboy hats on the guys, boots on the girls.

and THAT.

it has zero to do w classic rock. it's nothing more than bad 80's pop music minus any groove that's played on top of the beat. that dumbed down $hit is so whitebread it sounds like they've all gotta stick up their fanny.

i've said this before.....take away the vocalist laying on the twang and sangin' about " i'm a sittin' here on my tailgate w my cutie in her cutoffs down at the swimmin' hole 'n' sippin' on some Beam" and it's just the same old tired and dated '80's pop music. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Tbird504564 wrote:Listen to Cmt get on the new country train Jason Aldean Blake, that's the stuff that's money that's why the radio plays it

last i checked there are still plenty of radio stations playing rock. and many that specialize in Classic Rock. obviously they're making money and there IS an audience for it. if they weren't making a buck they wouldn't do it.

Tbird504564 wrote:new country is nothing but classic rock reground anyway. Just saying that's were you loose the live appeal the music is dated its been played so much people take it for granted

"dated"??? sorry, but using bad 80's pop music as the foundation to sing the same tired cliches about the joys of simple country living, how "my momma raised us up right", or "we like the simple things like sitting on the porch w a six pack" doesn't exactly qualify as breaking any new ground. those same cliches you hear over and over are hardly cutting edge.......but yet there's always an audience that keeps lapping that swill up and buy into this week's version of the same song.

the big area of change i see is less cowboy hats as they've been replaced by ball caps. yee-ha! way to keep it moving forward and current y'all!

I have been seeing sort of the opposite lately. People in our area seem to be OD'd on prefabbed, auto-tuned, overproduced, MP3ed, entertainment and are starving for real live music by real musicians hanging it out there. A live music revival is happening locally and we are enjoying being a small part of it. I don't see this in the bar scene but street fairs, company parties, reunions, car shows, local auditorium shows all seem to be opening up for us.

We just strive to be well rehearsed, but keeping it real, spontaneous, and improvisational is generating a very positive response and fresh dates that pay well. Counting our blessings.

Cajundaddy wrote:I have been seeing sort of the opposite lately. People in our area seem to be OD'd on prefabbed, auto-tuned, overproduced, MP3ed, entertainment and are starving for real live music by real musicians hanging it out there. A live music revival is happening locally and we are enjoying being a small part of it. I don't see this in the bar scene but street fairs, company parties, reunions, car shows, local auditorium shows all seem to be opening up for us.

We just strive to be well rehearsed, but keeping it real, spontaneous, and improvisational is generating a very positive response and fresh dates that pay well. Counting our blessings.

Nice.

Cucomonga here i come! say.....you don't already have a vibist in your band d'ya????

We can always make room for vibes.

Good Vibes-rations!

Planetguy wrote:

Cajundaddy wrote:I have been seeing sort of the opposite lately. People in our area seem to be OD'd on prefabbed, auto-tuned, overproduced, MP3ed, entertainment and are starving for real live music by real musicians hanging it out there. A live music revival is happening locally and we are enjoying being a small part of it. I don't see this in the bar scene but street fairs, company parties, reunions, car shows, local auditorium shows all seem to be opening up for us.

We just strive to be well rehearsed, but keeping it real, spontaneous, and improvisational is generating a very positive response and fresh dates that pay well. Counting our blessings.

Nice.

Cucomonga here i come! say.....you don't already have a vibist in your band d'ya????

When I first moved to SoCal, I didn't believe that Cucamonga was a real place. I thought it was from some old cartoon ( "Mr. Foghorn Leghorn, Cucamonga, Calif.") A friend actually drove me there to prove it existed.

It exists.

90 dB wrote:When I first moved to SoCal, I didn't believe that Cucamonga was a real place. I thought it was from some old cartoon ( "Mr. Foghorn Leghorn, Cucamonga, Calif.") A friend actually drove me there to prove it existed.

It exists.

yep, that was exactly where i first heard about Cucamonga too. and i too was surprised to later learn such a place existed! amazing how much stuff (including being exposed to great classical music) we gleaned from those great old Warner bros cartoons.

along similar lines....i threw my back out real good when i was a young man in my early 20's. saw the doc and i did a sideways double take when he said i "threw my sacroiliac out". i thought he was goofing on me as that was something i always heard as a bit w The Three Stooges!

who knew there was such a thing??!?!?

One thing that I did confirm though. Mr. Foghorn Leghorn does not live in Cucamonga.

I think he moved to Riverside.

I LOVE live music. However, my preference is to hear originals. Sadly, most venues around here are only hiring cover bands. Also, live music has been severely undervalued, as there is always someone willing to do it cheaper, or free. Many venues are stuck in the mindset that they only want music the crowds are familiar with, which means covers, and if it's the same old music, a jukebox is cheaper than a band.