General Music Chat

In the words of Batman " A man's got to go his own way"

Setting your sights to play in the local honky tonks ( we don't have local clubs here) is lowballing. In MO and OK we have casinos and music shows and entertainment parks and complexes that employ literally thousands of musicians full-time and pay well. At these places you don't have the drunks to put up with, and definetly not as many fat woman in tight jeans as you do in the honky tonks. In the casinos your more a sideshow not the main event. There usually is thousands of people in these places while the bands perform, but the draw is the gambling. These casinos have incredible stages most with a green room behind or to the side of the stage, and a free sound man, and usually a bar at or near the stage. While the big bar is usually located more centrally on the gaming floor. The casinos due care about talent, euipment (personal equipment e.g. guitars, drums and pianos, etc, you use there pa and sound man, your sound man can sit with him though), sound, personality and looks to name a few. I don't know how many musicians are employed in Branson, but it's alot. The drawback to playing in Branson for me was having to play the same show day after day note for note at both matinee and evening shows. Don't show up drunk and start wailing cause you won't be working there long. At least that was my experience there twenty-five years ago. There's my "for what its worth", probably not two cents.

I work a lot of the casinos pretty regularly here in PHX.......they do pay better and it is a much better audience. But it's not what it used to be. Even the casinos are hurting in this economy.

My main bitch with the casinos is the drink price and rules. (silly...I know). Many of them do not allow you consume alcohol before the gig. One casino I work has written in the contract..."NO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION 8 HOURS BEFORE THE SHOW TIME"....and another one is two hours. Believe it or not....they check and will breathalize you if they suspect anything. Of course they do this the last set....and/or the last night of a multi-night run. This way they get the band before they forfeit your pay. (that's in the contract too.)

If they do allow you to consume alcohol.....it's at full price - and the drinks are expensive -even if it's a coke. At the end of a night.....it's not uncommon to have a $25 bill.

When you start doing the math.....add the bar bill, subtract a generous tip jar (casinos don't allow it) and the extra time it takes to get in, the dress code and stuff you need to do to play their gig the way they and the agency want it.....I'd almost rather do a decent club gig. Especially if it's a one-nighter.

It really boils down to what you love more. Making money or making music. There have always been, and will always be, people on both sides of that fence. The original post was passed off as just "venting," but what are you "venting" about? You're really just voicing your intolerance for those who love and appreciate music as an artistic and creative expression rather than simply a tool for making money, like a hammer.

Personally, I can't think of an artist who made it to the top because of their keen accounting prowess and savvy business sense? (unless you count rappers . . . and I generally don't count them when discussing music).

I'm not sure what the ultimate point of insulting (or "venting") is supposed to accomplish. Nashville is a perfect example of what happens when the money over music whores take control. There's a ton of $$$ to be made there. Few would argue the that there's not much music being produced these days - but as long as your willing to check your creativity at the door and follow the proven market established formulae, you can pump out as much commercial radio ready pap as you want and fill your wallets with the rewards.

For those of us who appreciate the artistic creative side of music and the thousands of intangible non-materialistic rewards that it brings, why not just ignore us? Who are we hurting? Speaking for myself I know I'm not threatened by the greedy money sucking whores who advertise themselves as "hired guns." I just ignore those ads - they're a waste of my time. As far as I'm concerned all those guys can get together, form cheesy uninteresting non-entertaining bands, and continue to dominate the craigslist "musician community." Water seeks it's own level.

Thanks for letting me "vent." I'm feeling much better now

If it weren't for my guitar, I'd prolly be dead by now... It is the best thing for when you're feeling your worst....it's definitely an escape... My personal Prozac if you will Going through pretty rough times right now in all aspects of my life but once I put that axe in my hand or go to rehearsals or gigs, everything is OK!

Hey Gytaryst, thanks for posting here, your first one. I agree with what you said. Don't be a stranger, visit us again...

I fully understand your take on how playing by yourself has that sense of self appreciation, but then I get this feeling of the tree falling in the forest syndrome, where If no one heard me- did my tree really make a sound?

Gytaryst, you couldn't have hit the nail more square.
I've not found a match here in my area on BM. But I have found alot of insite.
I've been in my basement for the past three years shaking out the rust from 30 years of not playing, then decided it was time to hook up and get out in the open. After not having much luck here at BM. I threw out a line at CraigsList. I got several responses in the first couple of days but nothing that ever clicked until the third day. I'm now hooked up with a great little project called 'Jam for Vets'. Associated with the American Legion and the Wounded Warriors Project. It is charity work but so far, one of the most rewarding experiences in my musical history. There was enough raw material (musicians) to create 4 or 5 bands plus several established bands taking part. Everyone is in it for the love of music and to help the Vets.
It's like striking 'Gold'... I couldn't be more pleased!