KVR Audio

herodotus · Post by **herodotus** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:19 pm

thecontrolcentre wrote:
herodotus wrote:I just went out all of the time, going to major venues on a weekly basis, taking what I could get when I could get it.
There's the problem right there ... the best stuff (imho) tends to happens in smaller venues. The kind of clubs where your feet stick to the floor a bit.

I should clarify. There are literally hundreds of small clubs that host shows around here. When I say 'major' I mean 'not a dive that seats less than 50 or a ballroom that mostly hosts cover bands'.

The 7th street entry is one such 'major venue', as is the Turf Club. Both hold between 300 and 500 people. Neither have floors that are exactly clean. Unfortunately, no one really hosts a new band night anymore, which takes some of the random fun out of it.

I simply don't go to see arena shows, and I never really have since I was in high school.

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:55 pm

7th Street Entry used to be THE place to go for new bands! What happened?

Also, I thought 1st Ave was supposed to close it's doors about 20 years ago.

I saw my first concert ever there.

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:03 pm

Out here the last jazz jam closed up 10 years ago. The hosts were great and close to my age. It is a 250 seat bar and you could hear a pin drop on a sunday night. Rarely if ever would they even get jammers to come in even though they advertised the hell out of it. The house band is doing well with rich folks house gigs.

The last blues jam closed up six years ago. The place was always packed for jam night and the jammers were all 30+ types who settled down and are happy with there day jobs but still want to show off their skills. Many are very talented but will never form a band because it would interfer with the home life, kids, job and weekends a the beach. Now the place is a sports bar. Not because they weren't making money simply because the new owner wanted a sports bar.

The closest thing we have anywhere in the area is karaoke night these days. And it's truely sad.

I stopped driving all over bfe looking for the next big thing or the talented but unappreciated. I'd rather watch youtube.

robogone · Post by **robogone** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:53 am

Seems like that's the case everywhere. When I was growing up there were always venues for new bands, and it wasn't hard to find an open mic night. And most of them were so popular that the door charge was always low as they knew that they'd make their money on bar sales.

Where I am now there's a few guys playing solo (mostly southern rock/classic rock covers), folk or bluegrass duos or trios in coffee houses and a couple of places that only get big, well established bands playing there. I just can't think of anywhere I would go to see something new and original, or see a performance that really amazes me.

debra1rlo · Post by **debra1rlo** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 3:52 am

we have "pay to play" out here. 'nuff said.

trimph1 · Post by **trimph1** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 4:05 am

I think both Audrey and I went through the gammut of clubs here...back in the mid to late 1970's London ON had a few clubs that featured free jazz or punk..which we went to a fair bit. We had The Blue Boot/Cedar Lounge, or The Cultural Center/Embassy Hotel. We had the Firehall for blues, Talbot Hotel for the hard rock guys, and Fryfogel's for everything else practically. Then it went into a dry spell were everything went either into the Embassy Hotel or Talbot Hotel with a smattering of very small coffee houses like Smale's Pace...now we have things like The Music Hall, Aeolian Hall, or Barking Frog...quite a few clubs around here still have open mike sessions though..and, sometimes, surprise me with some good music...

robogone · Post by **robogone** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 4:09 am

debra1rlo wrote:we have "pay to play" out here. 'nuff said.

That is so, so wrong.

But here I would willing pay to leave some venues I've been at when the band has started playing...

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 4:12 am

debra1rlo wrote:we have "pay to play" out here. 'nuff said.

Indeed we do.

And if you do "pay to play", getting just a handful of friends to come see you play is like pulling teeth.

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 5:36 am

Two buddies of mine, Joey Mazolla (of Sponge) and Kenny Olson (of Kid Rock) Did the whole lets go to California so we can get a record contract. They did the pay to play thing and spent every non giggin waking hour pressing the flesh and pounding the pavement trying to work up crowds so they could get a return on the pay to play bs. Had crowds and they still starved. Their biggest problem was keeping a band together. As soon as a label type would show up someone would want to rock the boat.

Finally they had enough of SoCal and moved back to Michigan. Joey joined up with Loudhouse which fell apart due to the label jacking them around. It was rebranded Sponge. Sony came in and said your going to look this certain act this certain way and play your songs in this certain way. Tada Greg Brady turns into Johnny Bravo. Same thing with Kenny, Goes to Cali comes back with label contacts and joins Kid Rock.
Not that I would have gotten famous but I'm glad I didn't go to California. I would have never survived pay to play.

Re Coffee shops. We had four three closed due to lack of business the fourth is hanging by a thread and none of them ever featured live entertainment.

Of the local rock bars. It's great classic rock if you are into that thing but honestly the same bands for the last 20 years playing the same exact songs practically in the same order gets real old for me.

It used to be one could see a wide variety of music with the community free concerts. Usually sponsored by the supermarket and the car dealership. They have a wide variety of music by both seasoned professionals and extremely talented young people. That's changed. Now it's just the double a cover bands and an occasional afternoon matinee folk performer during the farmers market who gets no attention no matter how well they play save me. As I'll give a fair listening to anyone who's stage I cross.

Chuck E. Jesus · Post by **Chuck E. Jesus** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 12:01 pm

i just sit on my porch and play crappy 60's and 70's songs on the acoustic...if i went out, who would chase the kids off the lawn?

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 6:04 pm

If I did that I'd be charged with inciting a riot.

robogone · Post by **robogone** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 6:28 pm

Chuck E. Jesus wrote:i just sit on my porch and play crappy 60's and 70's songs on the acoustic...if i went out, who would chase the kids off the lawn?

I could sit there and play banjo while you're gone - that would keep the kids away from the lawn...

Chuck E. Jesus · Post by **Chuck E. Jesus** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:50 pm

robojam wrote:
Chuck E. Jesus wrote:i just sit on my porch and play crappy 60's and 70's songs on the acoustic...if i went out, who would chase the kids off the lawn?
I could sit there and play banjo while you're gone - that would keep the kids away from the lawn...

but it would attract the adults...

farlukar · Post by **farlukar** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:05 pm

skrillex-banjo

robogone · Post by **robogone** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 9:13 pm

Chuck E. Jesus wrote:
robojam wrote:
Chuck E. Jesus wrote:i just sit on my porch and play crappy 60's and 70's songs on the acoustic...if i went out, who would chase the kids off the lawn?
I could sit there and play banjo while you're gone - that would keep the kids away from the lawn...
but it would attract the adults...

Maybe not such a good idea then. I don't really want to hear one of them tell me I have a "purdy face..."

Get off my lawn!