With the advent of all the talent/idol shows more canned music and the continuing monopoly of big business on the music scene in North America in the past 10 years a person, a musician can't help wondering what has happened to the real music scene? The grassroots from the ground up from playing open mics to bar gigs and everything in between music scene. There is not the demand for live bands anymore that there was 20, 10, 5 years ago. There is a musical evolution happening and I understand that. Tastes change and new and interesting styles emerge and evolve. I fully support new genres and enjoy seeing and hearing new expressions. But when I see so few musicians available in my area and even a drought in a city like Vancouver it is a cause for deep concern for me as a practising musician. It used to be that almost every pub or bar had a band (or DJ) to be fair on the weekends. Thursday, Friday and Saturday booked soild. I know seasoned players with 30 years experience who don't work every weekend but they try hard to which means playing in 3-4 different bands somewhat like myself. I don't play every weekend and I sometimes fill in for those established guys when they are busy playing other gigs.
I feel as if sometimes Idol and Talent discourage musicians form getting out and playing in public as they may not be that amazing singer or player they are seeing and hearing today. We all see what happens to the ones who are not at the acceptable level. There is a standard and there well should be who wants to listen to out of key and off the rails? But doesn't anyone play just because they love to anymore? Do we all have to have stars in our eyes and expect to become rich and famous and if we can't well lets just not try??
I'll admit playing and practising is hard work setting up and tearing down and all the bs that goes with it rarely evens out for the money I make. But I don't do it for the money I do it because I love to play and I love top perform for people as much as I love to play at home by myself in front of my computer.
I feel as if sometimes Idol and Talent discourage musicians form getting out and playing in public as they may not be that amazing singer or player they are seeing and hearing today. We all see what happens to the ones who are not at the acceptable level. There is a standard and there well should be who wants to listen to out of key and off the rails? But doesn't anyone play just because they love to anymore? Do we all have to have stars in our eyes and expect to become rich and famous and if we can't well lets just not try??
I'll admit playing and practising is hard work setting up and tearing down and all the bs that goes with it rarely evens out for the money I make. But I don't do it for the money I do it because I love to play and I love top perform for people as much as I love to play at home by myself in front of my computer.