[Dixielandjazz] "old folks spend no money"

[Richard Stevens]

Hi Steve,
I have been talking to some of our younger jazz musicians in Australia about
the age issue. Many have expressed their concern about always playing for an
"old folks" audience. I have been telling them to find the old "rich" folks!
Our Jazz club car park with a full house last Saturday was full of high end
motor vehicles and the "Budget Bar" took almost $2,500. The music was not to
shabby either with jazz legend Bob Barnard on trumpet and 20 something Y.O.
Jason Downes on reeds. A lot of "old folks" spent the extra to be bussed to
the show so they could have a good night without the drink- drive concern. 

regards,
Richard Stevens
www.thejazzfactory.net   

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Steve barbone
Sent: Monday, 10 April 2006 6:44 AM
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Venues that can't support the band.

BudTuba at aol.com wrote (polite snip)
 

> Most restaurants are happy with the number of meals they serve without
> entertainment.  A band in today's world has to justify its addition to the
> patina. . . .
> We get $100 and free meals for 8 guys and a  vocalist and we pass the
> hat for another $80-100 bucks..  We bring in  about 40 people who would
not
> otherwise be there (and on some cold winter's  nights even that attendance
not
> met).  If we asked for scale (what is  it now --$65 for 3 hrs?) that would
be
> $520 not including a leader's bonus of 1  extra.  Those 40 people would
have
> to 
> spend $13 each to hear the  show.  Won't happen.  So we could reduce the
band
> to 4 pc (or 3--2)  but that ain't dixieland anymore.
> 
> One of the two restaurant owners (who loves our band) responded when I
> suggested we get $200 said:  "Actually, I'm losing money when you guys
come
> in.  
> Your patrons are happy to order a meal and coffee and sit there for  the
rest
> of the night sipping water.  When I flick on the sports'  stations I get
> people spilling out the door and running up $20 bar bills."

Hi Bud:

I sympathize, but when the people we bring in don't spend any money, then we
need to figure out how to bring people in that do spend money.

15 years ago I worked a few joints like that. Old folks who spent no money.
That's why I targeted younger people. I found, like Wiggins suggested, new
venues and new (read young) audiences that will support the band.

If the people who supposedly "love" Dixieland can't spend a few bucks to
hear it, we are all in deep do do if we continue to play upon playing free
where these people congregate.

Cheers,
Steve 





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