Hey local musicians!
To paraphrase a popular old adage –– “You don’t defecate
where you eat!” It’s a pretty simple
notion. It’s clear cut, to
the point and it certainly makes sense to me.
Yuck! Yet here you all are,
watching the local club scene you claim to be a part of and which many of
you count on to pay your rent, wither away with each passing week.
What’s it going to
take to get you see the big picture here and realize that the only way to
succeed is for all involved to share the same unified goal of making the
music scene thrive. All need
to share a team ethic and a collective view.
Think of how unions
have affected industry and businesses. Think of how lobby groups have
enabled special interest groups like motorcyclist to keep their freedom of
choice to ride sans helmets. Then
apply that same notion –– strength in numbers –– to the local
music scene. Bingo! Getting back to the
old adage I cited at the start of this column, I’ve got to ask the
growing number of self-loving musicians out there –– “Why do you leaving such a steaming pile of dung in your wake when you
know you will be coming back again and again to eat from this same
spot?” I’m talking of course, about the various local clubs who are struggling hard to keep their doors open and thus keep you – the bands –– working. Why are so many
musicians helping kill off the local music scene, when it has enough
“natural enemies” –– tougher liquor laws, a tightening economy, a
myriad of other entertainment options vying for the same limited consumer
dollar, etc. –– making our continued survival questionable enough? Yeah... I’m talking
to you! The still sweating
guy with the guitar slung over his back as he’s walking out the club
door while a live band is trying their best to kick some ass on the stage
from which you just stepped off.
Yeah, I’m talking to
you, the decked out rock chick who just put the microphone back on the
stand after warbling your way through an Alanis song. I’m talking to all
of the players out there who are not giving 110% support to the clubs and
the other bands that comprise the N.W. Indiana/Chicagoland music scene.
I’m talking about
the bands so into themselves and their own little project that they lose
sight of the fact that they are a part of a much bigger entity that makes
it possible for all of us to have a platform to continue to do what we
love to do –– music. I am tired of bands
sending out emails telling their fans exactly when they are scheduled to
take the stage at a multi-band show, instead of just saying something like
–– “We’re
part of this cool show with a lot of great local bands, so please come and
join us and support local music!”
I am tired of seeing these same bands show up just before they are to take the stage at such a show and then pack up and leave the club before the band that is following them has ever struck the first chord. Hello!!!!
Is anyone out there seeing what’s happening? We like to call
ourselves a “music community,” but in truth such a description is
laughable any more. There
is no community feeling, no community values and no community work ethic
evident any longer among those band who play the local club scene. I understand that we
can’t all be in clubs every night and that many of us have families and
jobs and other things that demand our time.
But would it be asking that much to show a little courtesy to the
club owners who book you and the bands you share a bill with to show up a
little earlier and stick around a little while after your respective set? Think about that extra
drink you have after the show and multiply that by everyone in your band
and then the members of the band who played before you and the members of
the band who are playing after you and will stick around and likewise have
a drink or three. That added
revenue helps the club keep the doors open. Think about how you
feel when you see people walking out when you are only one or two songs
into your set? Think about
how cool it would be to see other local bands watching you play and
rooting you on. It has to start
somewhere... why not be the one to start it.
Stick around and give props to other bands and encourage other
bands you know to do the same.
Let’s see a new
attitude emerge in the clubs who are still willing to feature live music.
Let’s see the bands start showing support
for each other. Let’s
survive! I used to think this
was mostly a rock ‘n’ roll problem, but I’ve realized that such is
not the case. It is affecting all the whole spectrum of local music.
The least affected being the blues – where there is still a
strong, visible bond
flourishing between local players. Last month at Front
Porch Music and was saddened to see that even the acoustic/folk scene,
which used to be renown for its sense of community, was likewise suffering
from the “all
about me” syndrome. With the exception of
two older local pickers, the performers left immediately after their three
song sets. They expected us
to give them our attention and respect while they played, yet gave none to
those who were to follow them onto the stage. What I’m really
talking most about in this column is simply exercising an old-fashioned
value that I expect all of our parents taught us –– common
courtesy. It’s not hard,
it’s not asking much, and it can have such a dramatic impact in the long
run. Please, just think about it...
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One Guy's Opinion
