[cntry666]

Originally Posted by Agitator

Here's the thing: To demand money for a gig, you have to give the bar owner something of value. And based on my experience, "music" (especially original music) ain't it. The bar already has a jukebox, or a CD player, or an Ipod, or a radio. If people want to hear music, they can hear music.

What provides value to the bar owner is warm bodies, in his bar, drinking his liquor. So until you can guarantee that your band will provide more of those than any of the dozen other bands who are trying to get booked (or, for that matter, more people than would be there anyway just to drink) you are going to be playing "on spec", at least in my neck of the woods. Based on my experience, the interest in new original music in Boston is at an all-time low and cover bands/tribute bands are more popular than ever.

And this phenomenon doesn't seem to be restricted to New England, either. Look at the huge explosion of tribute bands over the last ten years or so, some of whom are playing relatively huge gigs (Dark Star Orchestra, Australian Pink Floyd, et al).

If any of you actually live somewhere that an unknown band playing original music can demand guaranteed payment for their very first gig, please let us all know where that place is.

Atlanta is all original; Mastadon, Big Boi, Deerhunter, Black Lips, Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, Zac Brown..... Original bands are in demand but you have pack a room or sell enough booze to see money. That's the bottom line.