Are Local Bands Getting Worse?

[Marc Morfei]

That's probably the fundamental reason for all of this. I think you nailed the core of the problem here.
The question we should now be discussing is how to reverse this trend.

I think the truthful answer is that it's probably not going to change. Several trends are all connected: low volume, low pay, smaller combos. People here often mention brew pubs and wineries as one growing segment of venues that have live music. That is definitely the case around here. But those places (restaurants too) mainly want small acoustic combos. One guy with a guitar. A duo. Maybe a jazz-type trio. Usually not full bands with 50 watt amps. The music is for ambiance, part of a social experience, it's a bonus rather than the focus.

There are other venues where you buy tickets specifically to see a band, and that is the main attraction. Obviously that is a totally different thing. I mention it only because these two different types of things seem to frequently get confused with each other on these threads.

 

[teletail]

Good deal, Teletail. Nailing down those 3-part harmonies really makes a nice difference. Have you found that you eventually reach a point where the 3 guys (gals) involved can almost automatically zone in on the part that's right for them? It's a beautiful thing!

We’re not there yet. The lead singer and I can sing together without thinking, but the third singer just has to rehearse to get it.

 

[VonBonfire]

I’ve been there more often than any other major city that isn’t nyc, providence, or Philly, and there are number of people who live there that i talk to on a regular basis.

I think i understand how music works in that town about as well as anyone who doesn’t live in that part of the country does. I’ve been greeted by name by bartenders, bouncers, and djs.

You can believe what you want to believe about there being few to no cover bands around here, but you are just wrong. You visit your own scene when you come here so, tunnel vision. Understandable, but a skewed perspective.

 

[gitlvr]

I haven't read this entire thread, just the "front page". I don't go to bars or clubs anymore, but I live above an RV campground that has live bands every weekend. Whoever is booking the place knows what they are doing, because they are booking some killer bands; everything from 50s music to pop, country and rock.
The band last weekend was doing Van Halen and Ozzy, and killing it.

 

[loopfinding]

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[loopfinding]

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[cyclopean]

You can believe what you want to believe about there being few to no cover bands around here, but you are just wrong. You visit your own scene when you come here so, tunnel vision. Understandable, but a skewed perspective.

It’s more that you’re trying to tell me that there isn’t abundant original music in austin, which i know for a fact to be the case.

 

[VonBonfire]

It’s more that you’re trying to tell me that there isn’t abundant original music in austin, which i know for a fact to be the case.

I never said that there wasn't. You seemed to imply that there was few cover bands and that you knew the scene because you come here every year and have friends here. Regardless, it ain't worth an 8 page thread review. There is a lot of everything music related here. I do both covers and originals so there is that. We don't have anything to argue about.

 

[getbent]

This, right here. Really frustrating. My town has a lot of potential for good music. A few good places to play, and wake people up. Yet everyone I've auditioned with, wants to go the safe route and play for wine and cheese cork-sniffers and tourists. Too many horrible acoustic duets, "entertainers", or bands happy to play the farmers market scene or Dad band role. There's nothing remotely interesting about it anymore, and players I've auditioned with seem to just go through the motion of "good enough". Zero dynamics or originality. I'm about an hour outside of PDX and the scene obviously is completely different, but being outside of PDX means you're not in the circle of networking.

Making it worse, is I have a group of guys I play with in town, and we have created some really amazing work (and very naturally, I might add, which is a rare thing). Yet in true band fashion, it's like herding cats to get any commitment or consistent work ethic so we CAN play out, which has me pulling my hair out. I'm in the wrong town. I miss SF/Bay Area.

My daughter LOVES a band from Hood River called Flor... she says they go to hood river from Bend to see them...

 

[oregomike]

My daughter LOVES a band from Hood River called Flor... she says they go to hood river from Bend to see them...

Whoa. And they have a Wiki and everything. Never heard anything locally, but will keep an eye out. Maybe they need a drummer, haha.

 

[getbent]

Whoa. And they have a Wiki and everything. Never heard anything locally, but will keep an eye out. Maybe they need a drummer, haha.

she says they are really great. now she is young but I trust her.

 

[oregomike]

she says they are really great. now she is young but I trust her.

I see why they haven't been playing in Hood River. They're filling places like The Wonder Ballroom in PDX. Good for them. A bit too much young pop for me but, wonder if my daughter knows them. Seems like her jam.

 

[msalama]

how to reverse this trend

Is it reversable though?

 

[cyclopean]

I never said that there wasn't. You seemed to imply that there was few cover bands and that you knew the scene because you come here every year and have friends here. Regardless, it ain't worth an 8 page thread review. There is a lot of everything music related here. I do both covers and originals so there is that. We don't have anything to argue about.

I think we may have been talking past each other.

Are the hex dispensers still together?

 

[cyclopean]

I never said that there wasn't. You seemed to imply that there was few cover bands and that you knew the scene because you come here every year and have friends here. Regardless, it ain't worth an 8 page thread review. There is a lot of everything music related here. I do both covers and originals so there is that. We don't have anything to argue about.

I will say that every time I’ve been in town and checked out show listings I’ve never really noticed much in the way of cover bands playing out.

Also i’d love to hear a new impalers record.

 

[gimmeatele]

Come on guys, look at from the other side, at least in a fading genre of playing live, people are still getting up and giving it a go, we all had to learn from experience

 

[Skyhook]

Is it reversable though?

It's said that "things at rest tend to stay at rest".
So... maybe-probably, but it's not gonna happen until somebody or something makes it reverse.

 

[msalama]

Hmmm... true, but maybe the trend is actually reversing already? I now see lots of teenagers wearing Queen, Nirvana and other "retro" band T-shirts again, and if that's not an ironic statement of some kind, then what else can it be but a sign of rekindled interest?

 

[msalama]

And how about Fender reporting of their having sold more guitars than ever during the last two years? The Zombie Apocalypse affected that too, of course, but is/was there something else going on as well? And IIRC the largest new client group were teenage girls, which is a very welcome development in and of itself IMO!

 

[2HBStrat]

Hmmm... true, but maybe the trend is actually reversing already? I now see lots of teenagers wearing Queen, Nirvana and other "retro" band T-shirts again, and if that's not an ironic statement of some kind, then what else can it be but a sign of rekindled interest?

It's probably more of a fashion statement than anything.