More Continuing Education

News Flash: The economy has tanked. And the effects of this recession have now begun to severely impact the music entertainment business as we know it. Musicians who have had steady work for years, even decades, are finding large gaps in their schedules. Venues are closing permanently, and others are simply cutting or eliminating their entertainment budgets as a way to reduce costs.

Now, there is no denying that times are bad. But there is also no denying that this country and this industry has weathered tough times before. We can do it again -- we just need to be smart and proactive.

My opinion is that the most direct effect of a recession is to radically amplify existing problems in a business. Things like overspending and poor bookkeeping become drastically more obvious in bad times than in good -- this is true in every business and everyone needs to reign in spending and track every penny right now.

But in the music business, there is really one thing that catches up with us in the down times (and the good): FAILURE TO ADAPT. Here are some ideas that I think we should all be considering right now:

1. Be Flexible with $$$

We are ALL in a recession right now, and that includes venue owners. Regardless of what we were being paid two years ago in a venue, we need to adapt to this economy and realize that we might be getting paid less. But being paid less is better than not being paid at all.

I'm not saying we should be marketing ourselves for $100 a show...for most of us that would be running at a loss which no business can survive doing. I'm saying that playing for $25 or $50 less than in the past might be an appropriate way of keeping yourself working. It might not be as profitable, but remember -- everyone is in the same boat and trying to weather the same storm.

If we are stubborn and not flexible, we will have a hard time booking and will find ourselves scrambling for work.


2. No More Freebies as part of "the deal".

If venues are suffering, and they are taking a capital risk to hire us, it would just add insult to injury to demand or request freebies as part of the deal.

Of course, there are venues that will always offer to buy us dinner and a couple drinks now and then...that is cool, but instead of the lobster dinner, and Maker's Mark or Glenlivet, why not just have a draft beer or a soda that costs them virtually nothing. Yes, I would rather have that Glenlivet -- especially when someone else is buying -- but remember, it is coming out the pocket of the person who is already paying us. It is easy to end up tacking on another 10-15% of a performance rate via food and drink -- and trust me, venue owners remember that.


3. Concentrate on "Recession Resistant" venues

No venue is recession-proof. But there are venues that are more suited for weathering the bad economy than others. It should be easy to tell which of our current venues fall into this category...we need to concentrate on keeping that gig and booking as many into the future as we can.

But we also need to work on booking into more of these types of venues. This might mean traveling out of our normal geographic "comfort zone" to seek out new possible places to book. But again -- working for less profit beats not working at all.

There are many venues who simply can't afford to pay for music right now...lets not write them off forever, but don't waste time by trying to book into them. Getting the gig might pay our bills for the week, but it will do more damage than good in the the long run and will reduce our odds of being rehired in the future when times are better.


4. Break Routines

When times are good, it is easy to fall into routines. But when times get tough we often make the mistake of trying to fall back on those same routines. The problem is that rules of the game change constantly.

Now is the time to be learning 5-10 new songs a week and bolstering our repertoires. It is also a good time to evaluate how hard we are really TRYING to improve and adapt. Instead of just singing a song for the thousandth time, we should try to sing it better than we ever have. Maybe even practice! Record your shows and listen to them the next day.

We should evaluate and update our performances, stage presence, our interaction with the audience. Get out of the routine of just accepting that we're doing everything right, and start making sure that we're giving the best we can give.


5. Work Harder at the small things

One of the prime rules for any musician is to respect the venue, the clientele, and the staff. Especially the staff...they are the ones who's opinions will keep us employed. It is a small detail, but this just might be the single most important rule in this biz.

We need to get as many people to gigs as possible. Call them, email them, tell them that any support they can give -- even if they just come and don't spend any money in the venue -- would be greatly appreciated. There is perhaps no greater insurance for a regular gig than measurable "draw". If, at the end of the night the people who are there stayed to listen to us, then we have done our job and the venue will remember this.

Why is it so important to work harder and adapt during this downturn in the economy? Because venues have dozens if not hundreds of people constantly hounding them for gigs. If we don't make ourselves stand out, we will be passed over for someone who costs less.

I could go on and on...but hopefully I've gotten my point across. It is not time to panic, it is not time to act desperate. It is time to step back, evaluate what it is that we can do to weather this storm, and take proactive measures to do so.

This is not just about the music business...it is a concept that can be applied to any business. The irony of the recession/depression cycle is that while it might be devastating for some people, it is the start of OPPORTUNITY for those who stay focused and positive. Those people -- whether they are seasoned and smart, or ambitious and just starting out -- treat this as a market as one with no peak in sight...the only way to go is up, and the potential is virtually limitless.

The next few years could be the beginning of major growth, and with some smart business-sense we can be position to ride that wave into a prosperous future.


-J


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busy week

Busy week ahead!

TUE: Hosting the Granary Open Mic, 9PM
WED: Carrabassett Inn, 7PM
THU: Gritty McDuff's L/A, 8PM
FRI: The Granary w/The Dead Sexies
SAT: Montsweag Roadhouse, 6PM

Continuing education on the music PROFESSION

I recently had the displeasure of speaking with a very rude business owner who called to try to book me to play music in his venue.

Apparently several of his regular customers had requested me specifically, having heard me play in other venues. He had already picked out a bunch of dates, and several of them worked in my calendar. Things were looking great...

He then told me that the pay for the gig was $100. When I explained that the going rate generally starts at twice that, he became defensive and offered to throw in a few drinks. At this point, I thanked him and politely declined the gig. His exact response was to laugh at me and say, "Are you serious?".

He seemed awestruck and offended that I had turned down his offer, so I tried to explain that a business needs to turn a profit, and at $100 I would be losing money. It was not that I didn't want the gig...it was that as a professional I couldn't play gigs that cost me money. He laughed sarcastically and his ignorance became further apparent when he ranted, bitched, and moaned for awhile about how HE would be losing money if he hired ME before abruptly hanging up.

Now, you might think I would be angry at this guy. However, I believe his excellence at demonstrating his ignorance helped me realize what the music profession is up against, especially in these tough economic times.

There are several factors, but I have tried to break down the problem into two major categories:

1. There is a difference between a "musician" and a professional musician.

A professional musician runs a legitimate business, plays 5+ shows per week, and makes his living doing it. He creates a product and a "brand" through his music selection, the sound of his guitar, the quality of his audio equipment, and the quality of his performance. His product needs to command the price that allows him to remain profitable and to stay in business. The professional musician also is always aware that he has been hired to entertain, and in the case of bar/club gigs to generate income for the venue. This means he must constantly improve and adapt to ever-changing audiences, musical preferences, and economic challenges.

A regular "musician" is someone who might play solely for the love of playing, does not need the money, and might charge little or nothing to play in a venue. He might play once a week, perhaps only a couple times a month.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a regular musician. They play for all the right reasons, and in many ways they are a more "pure" form of musician. However, there is also nothing wrong with the professional who chooses to use his talent as a career.

The problem is that the general public seems to lump both types of musician into one. Many people believe that the regular musician who plays for free is a much wiser investment than the professional who might charge $200 to $500 per performance. Yet, I can attest from personal experience that the venues that make the most money are those that consistently hire and properly compensate professional entertainers. The reason is simple...the professional has the experience, the equipment, and the NEED to keep that audience entertained and in the venue. The regular musician is more likely to have a smaller repertoire, inferior equipment and sound quality, and to sound less polished overall...generally the last thing on their mind is whether or not the venue is making money.

Another great example of this concept is the high-pressure situation of a wedding performance. A bride wants her wedding day to be perfect, and music is often a big part of the ceremony and reception. The solution is to hire a professional...someone who has played weddings, has the equipment to sound right, knows how things work and is ready to adjust to keep the ceremony moving smoothly. It will cost you more, but this is why you hire a professional to play your wedding...because they are professionals. Getting it right is their only option, and they will deliver.

And finally...hiring musicians is just like buying cars, computers, or guitars. The old addage applies: you get what you pay for.

2. It COSTS money to play music!

First...we drive. We drive a lot. Usually at least 500 miles a week. The size and amount of equipment we must carry dictates that we drive large cars or SUVs and we rarely get over 20mpg. This translates to at least $60 per week in fuel costs. But what about tires, oil changes, depreciation, insurance, wear & tear...etc.?

Even the IRS now acknowledges the cost of operating a vehicle for business at $0.585 per mile. Sadly this is WAY too low...but since it is an "official" number it is what we must use to calculate travel costs. So, if you're not great at math, that means for every gig I play that is 50 miles away, my travel cost is $58.50. For 100 miles away, my cost for travel is $117. But wait there is more!

A professional uses professional equipment. The big costs are instruments and sound equipment, as well as home office equipment. This initial investment is generally in the $5000 to $10000 range. But things break and wear out so there is a constant fluctuation in microphones, mixers, speakers, cables, stands and even instruments. As a rule of thumb I figure this cost at $200 per month...the built in overhead of the business. For calculating this cost I factor in $10 to each show ($2000 per year).

The day to day things that really add up are guitar strings (a new set at LEAST every 3 shows usually), picks, batteries (several 9V's each week), etc. For me, these items account for an average of about $7 per show ($1400 per year).

And what about food? Generally at least one meal is required during a trip...often two and sometimes all three meals are on the road. I factor in a cost of $4 per show ($800 per year) for meals...based on my actual numbers, this may still be too low.

Sometimes there is lodging, sometimes there are special expenses (costumes for Halloween shows, special wardrobe requests for wedding gigs, lighting rentals, additional sound equipment rentals, and so on). Add another $2 per show ($400 per year) to cover these special expenses.

So far, the cost of playing that gig 100 miles away is up to $140. And believe it or not, there are MORE costs to running a business. Things like printer paper and cartridges, office supplies web site fees, professional organization dues, tax preparation fees, and on, and on, and on!

And did I mention that this is all before taxes...and that self-employed persons actually pay TWICE the rate for FICA that everyone else does?!

Maybe you can understand why I didn't take that $100 gig. Maybe not.

The fact is that this is a real business with real expenses, real overhead, and a real need to turn a profit. So the next time you are inclined to hire a professional musician, please don't act shocked when it costs you at least as much to hire them as it costs them to perform!


-j



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New Venues

I am very happy to announce my winter schedule, including two NEW venues!

Of course, I have my regular weekly gigs: Tuesday are Open Mic at The Granary...10 years and counting! Wednesdays I'm at The Carrabassett Inn playing with local guest musicians. And every Saturday from 3pm to 5pm I will be back at Gepettos for my 10th year of music there.

The rest of the winter will be spent at The Carrabassett Inn, Northern Outdoors, Gritty McDuffs, Saddleback and other great venues. Check the calendar for details!

My new venues for the winter are The Montsweag Roadhouse in Woolwich where I will be performing November 1, January 9, and March 6...their website is:

http://www.montsweagroadhouse.com/website/

And the one I'm most excited about -- The Phoenix House & Well at Sunday River where I am scheduled November 28, December 5, December 13, and February 6. This place is AWESOME and I expect it to rapidly become one of my favorite venues...check out their website at:

http://www.phoenixhouseandwell.com/

See you in the mountains!

Roller Coaster

I've been predicting it for years, and the tough times have certainly trickled down to the music business. I was sad to learn last month that one of my regular venues was closing for good...The Boiler Room in Wilton was open since 2000 and was one of my first regular gigs. It was also the last "local" venue in the Farmington area for me other than hosting Tuesday open mic at The Granary.

If you don't think that going out to support local music is important, just consider that 6 years ago there was weekly live music at 5 venues in the Farmington area (Granary, Dugout, Field Goals/T-Bones, Front Street, Boiler Room). I used to play regularly at three of those venues. Now, two are closed, The Granary has stopped regular entertainment except Tuesdays, and Front Street only has bands occasionally. Yet, over and over I hear people complain that there is no "scene".

Yes, there are many reasons for the demise of the music scene in this area, but none more important than the severe decline in people coming out to see bands. I don't care if the economy is crappy...most of the shows are FREE, and just being there is the key.

Take a look back to my May 2007 post in this blog...that is almost 18 months ago, back before the economy was to "blame" -- and this problem was already affecting the scene enough for me to blog about it. I hate to be right in this case, but I believe I was right then and I worry that I'm right now. The profession of live entertainment is suffering a slow death at the hands of technology. People are too plugged in listening to music to go out and hear it live.

So, I again urge all of you music fans to start getting out and supporting live music before it becomes extinct.

winter's coming

another CRAZY summer has all but passed, and I'm already looking ahead to the coming winter.

But before winter, I've got some down time in September (phew!) and a busy fall as we head toward another crazy winter.

Once the snow flies, I'm very happy to announce that I will be back at Gepettos for my 10th year of playing music, starting December 20th at 3:30pm. 10 years...wow!

I also have a few midweek gigs at Saddleback, and my usual weekly Wednesday nights at The Carrabassett Inn.

I'll also be moving to Thursdays once a month at Gritty McDuff's in L/A, as well as playing my regular shows at Northern Outdoors, and The Boiler Room, and hosting the open mic night at The Granary on Tuesdays (my 10th year there as well!).

-J

howdy!

Wow, it has been a LONG time since I posted here. Things are going great, still playing every Monday at The Carrabassett Inn, hosting Tuesday Night Live at The Granary in Farmington on Tuesdays, hosting the Mountain Music Showcase at The Carrabassett Inn on Wednesdays and on Fridays and Saturdays making the rounds of the other great venues in which I play.

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of playing at Andy and Kristy Bishop's wedding...thanks for inviting me guys, it was a beautiful ceremony and a perfect day!

I'm at the Boiler Room in Wilton every other Friday all summer. Hopefully I'll get set up on the deck some evening when it is nice out and the black flies have died down!

This coming Saturday (May 31), I'm at The Carrabassett Inn with my band The Dead Sexies. Always a good time, so be sure to come out for a rare Spring sexies show. We're also planning a HUGE show for June 28 at the Inn...multiple bands, outdoor shows starting in the early afternoon and going all night. It is going to kick ass.

Thanks for the continued support, everyone!

-J