Another one bites the dust

[butchblack]

A bit of a rant after a miserable week.

I found out yesterday that another local club that offered live music is closing in a couple weeks. Jakes was a place that always had good bands and the Monday jam was one, if not the, best jam in Eastern Ma. This is the third or fourth club to close in the past year that I know of, probably a number of clubs closed that I never heard of. Places to play that aren't "showcase" rip offs or other pay to play or no pay are getting fewer and fewer. I just find it depressing. Mass has done nothing to promote live music and my guess is that most towns would like to see it go. It makes me wonder why I still try to get a band together.

Rant over

[mgauge]

+1.. Its a sad state of affairs.

[bobwhite]

There are a few major problems with clubs--parking and traffic hassles in the area; harm to neighboring property; loud bands whose set spills over into surrounding property; and since most clubs have liquor licenses, people sometimes get lit and this contributes to all of the above getting worse, plus a greater incidence of DUIs, drug use, etc.

How to deal with this?

The best way is for cities and towns to have all clubs located in a club district so the problems associated with clubs do not spill over into sites with other uses. This is a big plus. But, if that is not possible, we have the following:

Clubs need to be well insulated so music does not spill out. Outdoor clubs in this regard are the worst if they have loud(er) music. Not a problem if your are in a club district, but isolated clubs mixed in with other property uses need to be careful about this--it is something that can be controlled.

Next, clubs need to police their patrons well, and patrons need to police themselves. No homeowner wants to wake up with thirty beer cans and tons of butts lying all over their lawn, or in their atrium, fountain, or even in the parking lot at the strip center, etc.

Finally, we as musicians need to encourage people to behave themselves, especially when they leave the site. If we want places to play, we need to exercise some control over our own behavior and try to encourage the same in the fans.

No one wants a bad neighbor, and clubs have often been bad neighbors. Drugs, drunkeness, DUIs, loud sounds, very late hours, are simply not popular with most surrounding property owners/users.

[Lowest End]

Originally Posted by bobwhite

There are a few major problems with clubs--parking and traffic hassles in the area;

This has always been my biggest pet peeve about playing in Boston. There simply is no place to park and few clubs/bars ever set aside anything for musicians or PA crew. Sure, if you get there early or get lucky you might find a spot in front, but otherwise you have to block traffic to load/unload and then drive around for 35 minutes looking for a spot - which will be a long walk away.


Lowell lost a bunch of places in the last few years too. Some have started booking bands again, but what was once a fantastic place for bands to play is now empty.

[Hoover]

Remind me again, where was Jakes?

[butchblack]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Remind me again, where was Jakes?

Moody St
Waltham Ma.

[duff beer]

I drove by a local bar that has had bands for as long as I remember (30+ years) last week and saw the sign say "Band Wars this weekend". Then I looked closer and saw that it really said "Rockband Wars this weekend"...