Wow! That's a steep agenda.

Whether bands once made a living playing music is debatable, but elders who brag about the good old days attribute big crowds and success to three things: technology (they weren't competing with DJ's), lax drunk driving laws, and low drinking ages. One guy told me that his band used to draw 1 to 2,000 people on Monday nights.

If I charged $150 per musician, my band would cost $450 to $750 every gig. Is there a club anywhere around here that would pay that? Can you draw enough that they could make bar receipts sufficient to pay that? Would your fans pay $5 to $10 at the door to see just your act?

I have watched many times as folks entering a club (often the one I'm playing in) scoff at the meager door charge (say $2), and leave.

The concept seems plausible, though, if we start off simply charging club owners and/or fans something for every performance.

Worcester's a miserly place. People don't like to pay for much. Businesses fail because of $1 parking. It's bizarre.

We could all join the local musicians union and force clubs to pay union scale. Either we'd start making a living, or they'd all plug in the jukeboxes.

But here's another way to think about this--it's very context-specific. Our band--Hat On, Drinking Wine--formed in October of last year. We play all original music. We practiced for six months, and then wanted to get some shows playing out to let songs develop in a venue outside of my basement.

Could you imagine us going to a club owner and saying--"We want to play our first gig ever here, original music, and we want $450 to do it." That's just not plausible. So we started playing at our local coffee shop, for free. We played the Hotel Vernon for $5 cover. We played a couple of festivals--one we got paid for, one we didn't. But all of that was fine, and really the only way we could have gotten started. I'd be perfectly willing to ask for money now; but for our first few shows it would have been a different story.

I understand your point and agree with it, but it doesn't take into account these kinds of situations.

Since being in Nashville last February I have a healthy respect for the hat. I've seen some of the most incredible musicians playing for the hat down there which speaks to Gabe's point of supply and demand and, unless you've gained some sort of following, an original band is going to have a hard time making that kind of money - your return is in the long run theoretically. If you have a good following and/or are a cover band then yes, you should be aggressive in getting the pay you deserve.

I thought you guys just played for the love of the music? Or because you love to see me at your shows? What's all this money talk?

Double negative Matt, ask Linnea, she'll school ya.

despite really appreciating your optimism, i got a chuckle out of this.

this makes no sense. the market sets the price.

one of the reasons is because there is a discernable difference between people who are "in a band" and those that are musicians. not that either is good or bad.

money is a large dividing factor in this industry.

when specifically talking about money, there is a clear difference between musicians that will act as an employee of the bar and recognize they are providing a service and those that want to feel cool, feel young or engage in some form of artisitc expression or whatever the hell else people are motivated to play music for.

with that said, put yourself in a bar owners shoes.

i think nisa might have it backwards. you're not a "professional musician" just because you'd like to be paid enough to support yourself. you're a professional musician when you actually do reach that point. it might not happen overnight, and it might not happen at all. blaming all other musicians for the fact that it's not is kind of weak. there are countless incredibly talented, hardworking musicians, even in worcester, that never achieve financial success. but most of them keep playing at some level and find a way to make it work for themselves.

I really don't know of any musicians that make a living playing in bars.  Maybe a few bucks here and there - especially if you're a cover band.  Most musicians I know (professional ones, that is) play in orchestras, pit bands, or teach.  When I was in college I saw so many phenomenal musicians that I'm still in awe of, but I was so disheartened when they said that they had to play in Broadway shows to pay the bills.  But I suppose that playing somebody else's music in general and making money, is still better than the alternative (i.e. - working for a bank!). 

rare is the worcester venue that can even meet our tour rider, what with trouser's epic gak habit and my taste for fine silken undergarments.

Don't forget the writers! I'm still waiting for a couple bands to "make it big" so I can get some payment for the band bios I wrote for them.

Nisa said: "If we stop playing in these cheesy clubs because they won't pay us (and they would if they had to), eventually people (the market) would demand it. It is happening in other cities, why not Worcester?"

Because there will always be new bands willing to do it for nothing.  You forget that there is value alone in playing in front of people who wouldn't otherwise hear you, so you might forgo any pay in lieu of potential fans.  I would rather play a club with 200+ people for free than get paid $200 to play to the bartender and bouncers (and the two or three regulars who just ignore you anyways).  

You're right though, if all the local bands decided to stop playing the Tammany/Ralph's/Lucky Dog because they weren't getting paid, they would be forced to pay the bands if they wanted to continue showcasing local/original music.  They would probably go out of business first, or (if they were savvy) just change over to having cover bands every night that they KNOW can please a crowd.  Besides, how many of the local Worcester bands in this scene come to VB?  In my last four bands, I was the only one to visit ANY local bulletin board.  If you're sincere and dedicated to this message of yours, you will need to branch out to get the message to the local musians.  I would suggest a full-page advertisement in both the T&G and the WoMag! 

Okay Nisa, as well as being in a band I also book shows too. You want me to pay you... let's see how many people are in your band? Let's just say, oh, $800. What's my return on investment on that $800? Do you really believe that your band's mere presence is going to not only make me break even on the $800 but also allow me to recoup any additional advertising costs I may incur or any miscellaneous costs and still turn a profit?

I don't even know what the name of your band is so you have already alluded one of the biggest consumers of live music in this city, and you hope to draw 100 people into a club at $10 a head?

Don't get me wrong Nisa, your heart is in the right place and I agree that good bands are way way way underpaid and underappreciated but if this is how you plan to make money you are heading in the wrong direction.

If you want to get together over coffee and pick each other's brain over how to go about how to go about generating real money in Worcester with live original music I would love too, but this is not the right direction and you better spend your time writing, practicing your songs until you can't get them wrong, networking, touring, and promoting.

Local bands going on "strike" will just mean that more people will leave our city every Friday and Saturday night on the Pike and 146 to go see music elsewhere. We don't live in Helena. We live in one of the best areas in the country for selection of live original music. There is a glut which makes it undervalued.

Supply and demand is internationally accepted and works for just about everything. I am not joshing.