The death of the band

[BigRedX]

For the sort of music I like there are plenty of gigs to go to. Most of the time I'm too busy playing myself to attend many simply as a punter - the last time I did that was to see Auger a couple of months ago, and that was only because my band was unable to take up the offer to support them because our synth player was on holiday.

However in the next month an a half I will be going to see the following:

17th October: IST IST at The Rescue Rooms, Nottingham.
2nd November: Machiner and Westenra at The Brewery daytime, Whitby followed in the evening by Social Youth Cult at the Crafty Cove, Whitby.
2nd December: Vision Video at The Bodega, Nottingham (although I'm still hoping to get opening support with my band for this).

[Drew Stephenson]

Yep, plenty of good gigs on round here. In the last month I've seen Tom McRae, Kathryn Williams and Withered Hand, Mary Spender. And I'm off to see Public Service Broadcasting at the weekend.
Only one 'band' though...

[James Perrett]

And I'm off to see Public Service Broadcasting at the weekend.

Featuring one of our forum members

[Drew Stephenson]

And I'm off to see Public Service Broadcasting at the weekend.

Featuring one of our forum members

Indeed. I wasn't going to bring that up though!

[Sam Spoons]

BBC You & Yours today, 'Do you go to gigs?' broadly covers this subject.

[amanise]

I notice from news feeds that Clapton and Al Di Meola have both declared the music industry dead in unrelated media interviews recently. Both saying that (broadly) things ain't what they used to be when they started out.

Ne pas de merde Sherlock(s).

But it does hearten the soul to hear of a thriving grass roots music scene in the North and the South. There's probably one in the Midlands too. Just like the good old days!

[Drew Stephenson]

I'm not sure I'd say it was thriving up here, there are still plenty of good acts playing but it's not good for new bands or acts starting out.

[Martin Walker]

But it does hearten the soul to hear of a thriving grass roots music scene in the North and the South. There's probably one in the Midlands too. Just like the good old days!

Well whenever I stay in Redditch I also visit loads of high quality gigs, both locally and in Stratford, Birmingham, Kings Norton...

[Crate]

I've been to more gigs in the last few years that I have ever been to before. One particular venue in Leamington Spa (in my general area) called the Temperance has been a huge reason for that. I thought this seemed like a good time to give these type of venues credit (and I am nothing to do with it!)

https://www.temperance.bar

[Arpangel]

I notice from news feeds that Clapton and Al Di Meola have both declared the music industry dead in unrelated media interviews recently. Both saying that (broadly) things ain't what they used to be when they started out.

Ne pas de merde Sherlock(s).

But it does hearten the soul to hear of a thriving grass roots music scene in the North and the South. There's probably one in the Midlands too. Just like the good old days!

There's one in Kent, but I'm having a hard job these days, holding my end up, I need some help.

[Sam Spoons]

I'd love to help but the commute is a bit of an issue

[OneWorld]

I suppose to some extent the democratization of music has made it a victim of its own success - there are so many way to listen to music that nowadays there's not so much a need to go out and see a live band. Back in the day we could only access music by way of the radio, which by definition played a restricted range, up and coming bands just starting out didn't get exposure unless they had friends that had friends at the BBC. Or we had vinyl, or we had live music, where the bands cut their teeth.

Nowadays though we have all that and more, with all manner of music available, music from all around the world delivered to a cell phone or whatever, on demand, that reduces the demand for live music, except of course where an artist is exceptionally popular, that situation is monetized to within an inch of its life, where we end up paying £100+ for a ticket. I have to admit I am less likely to go and see a band these days but I can spend half a day watching music videos on YouTube and I am musically satiated, I don't feel the urge to go see a band - I always enjoy it when I do though and give all support I can as I admire anyone that gets on stage and has a go.

A friend of mine in the games graphics industry, he would design the artwork by hand so to speak, and came up with fabulous results, but now with the various software available, almost anyone can achieve convincing results that the requirement for my friend's work has diminished that now he is reduced to almost working for almost nothing.

On the subject of live music, did anyone see the programme John Martyn at Reading University that was screened by the BBC. That man Martyn, he was exceptional and given that the concert was filmed 40 years ago, the music hadn't dated at all. I don't think we'll see the likes of him any day soon, and watching it reminded me of why I used to be obsessed with live music and would go out several times a week to watch and listen to live music, from Bedroom Boy starting out with his tunes and guitar to a top established artist, and each of them entertained me to my complete delight.

[Arpangel]

I'd love to help but the commute is a bit of an issue

There is, no one here, that I know of, at all, zilch.
I'd love to collaborate with someone, but I'm destined to be solo.

OneWorld, no matter how many ways there are to listen to music, a live band is still the ultimate experience for me, it’s the only way to really get to what a band is about.
I'm finding that I'm so desperate to go to a gig now, I’ll go to anything! even though its not music I particularly like.

[BigRedX]

I'd like to ask, who else on this forum is gigging regularly? Are you seeing all this doom and gloom? Because I'm not. My last gig, on a Thursday night, was well enough attended to cover the costs. The headline act have reportedly made an overall profit from the tour. My next gig is already sold out, although we are supporting a well known act from the US who hasn't played the UK for 5 years.

And while the type of music I play has it's roots in the late 70s/early 80s the audiences are by no means made up solely of people in their 50s and 60s trying to re-live their youth.

Ease of recording and distribution of those recordings may have flooded the market, but IME live music is still alive and certainly at grass-roots level often the only way to hear much of a band's output is to see them perform live.

Between now and the end of the year I have more than 10 gigs that I'll be attending either as a performer or a punter, and I'm sure there will be more added to that list over the next few weeks.

[Arpangel]

I'm not gigging, at all, I regard myself as a studio artist, my albums are my stage, but I would like to gig, I miss it.
When I was in London, I had a band, we gigged often, and I also gigged at least once a week, solo.
In the process we met many interesting musicians, and this is what I miss, making contact with others who are into similar things as myself.

[Drew Stephenson]

I've not gigged since before lockdown. I'd like to but a) the band has gone the way of all bands, and b) I'm struggling with a bit of a confidence crisis at the moment.
Still going to gigs though.

[Arpangel]

I'm struggling with a bit of a confidence crisis at the moment.

At the moment!!!??? it's there all the time for me, in fact, it's just part of the creative landscape here, part of the territory!

[Drew Stephenson]

At the moment!!!??? it's there all the time for me, in fact, it's just part of the creative landscape here, part of the territory!

Embrace your demons!

[Arpangel]

At the moment!!!??? it's there all the time for me, in fact, it's just part of the creative landscape here, part of the territory!

Embrace your demons!

I have no choice!

[alexis]

... b) I'm struggling with a bit of a confidence crisis at the moment.
...

Sir, reading that has just caused my own confidence crisis to explode bigger than Pangea, or Elon Musk's ego! And right now, that's the last thing I need, 30 hrs or so from my first public screeching (I mean singing) with open mic night, and some in-band singing in about 30 minutes.

You write, you sing, you play, you record, all at a professional level. Oh, and you teach!

I understand we are all subject to some of that sometimes, but if it helps - you da man, don't sweat it!

[Drew Stephenson]

That's very kind of you to say, wrong, but very kind!

Don't let my demons become yours, do your thing and you'll be fine.

[alexis]

That's very kind of you to say, wrong, but very kind!

Don't let my demons become yours, do your thing and you'll be fine.

But really ...!

[OneWorld]

I'd love to help but the commute is a bit of an issue

.............OneWorld, no matter how many ways there are to listen to music, a live band is still the ultimate experience for me.................

If you read it through I am writing in general terms, as the topic in this thread makes a general point "Is the band dead" not an individual, and furthermore, read through my text and I don't think you'll find me belittling live music, what I aspire to do is identify the reasons behind the paucity of live music, in general.

We don't inhabit a binary world, yes there will always be the exception to the rule in whatever aspect of life, but now swallow doesn't make a summer and certainly hereabouts, we have lost several live music venues - but people are still listening to music. And on the occasion where live music is put on, it is well attended and enjoyed, however, go up the road to the net pub where they have a DJ playing the pops, and the place is stuffed the gunnels. It occurs to me that many 'pub bands' haven't moved with the times, I went to see one band the other week and they were playing the same stuff they were playing 10 years ago, maudlin 'epics' that went on too long and was played too loud

[Arpangel]

I'd love to help but the commute is a bit of an issue

.............OneWorld, no matter how many ways there are to listen to music, a live band is still the ultimate experience for me.................

If you read it through I am writing in general terms, as the topic in this thread makes a general point "Is the band dead" not an individual, and furthermore, read through my text and I don't think you'll find me belittling live music, what I aspire to do is identify the reasons behind the paucity of live music, in general.

We don't inhabit a binary world, yes there will always be the exception to the rule in whatever aspect of life, but now swallow doesn't make a summer and certainly hereabouts, we have lost several live music venues - but people are still listening to music. And on the occasion where live music is put on, it is well attended and enjoyed, however, go up the road to the net pub where they have a DJ playing the pops, and the place is stuffed the gunnels. It occurs to me that many 'pub bands' haven't moved with the times, I went to see one band the other week and they were playing the same stuff they were playing 10 years ago, maudlin 'epics' that went on too long and was played too loud

OneWorld, I'm coming from my perspective, just my enjoyment of seeing a live band, it’s my favourite way of listening to music.
I didn’t think you were belittling anything, it never occurred to me!
I don't know why there is a paucity in live music, maybe it’s not economically viable for a lot of venues now.
An example, our local pub, used to have bands on "every night" it was a great place to go with friends, or if I was at a loose end.
The landlord was a music fanatic, and that’s all he cared about, the music, and his support for local bands, also bands used to come from afar to play there too.
Then, he retired, since then there's been no interest in music from the new tenants, they built a new kitchen and now it’s a gastropub, that's the focus.
Theres no money in music for them, bottom line. Saying that, when the music guy had it, it was rammed out every night, so he must have been selling a lot of booze, but maybe theres more profit in food these days?

[OneWorld]

................but maybe theres more profit in food these days?

"If Music be the Food of Love" play on