Open letter from bar owner to musicians

[ShoeManiac]

I finally got around to reading the blog from this bar owner. It's pretty spot on when it comes to cover bands playing bars. Is the tone harsh? At times yes, but it's also honest. But it can give a band leader insight into how to approach bar owners.

It boils down to approaching bar owners / bookers in a professional manner, and with a pitch that's ready to sell your product - your band. And the end goal should be that if your band and the bar work together, you BOTH make money.

I've worked the cover scene in the past, and I've seen what works and what doesn't. You want to play music that's going to get women in the door and dancing. Do that, and that brings the guys. The guys buy the drinks because the women are there.

I've worked with musicians who only wanted to play the music that THEY want to play, to hell with the consequences. But from a business standpoint, that isn't always a proven seller. You might have a high-minded concept, but if you're not bringing people in the door who are buying drinks, then where's the benefit for the venue? The venue has their own overhead AND they want to make a profit. Should they also become a charity outlet for a band that isn't bringing in paying customers?

Truth be told, I've BAILED on some startup cover band projects because some of the musicians involved weren't willing to compromise on making the material more accessible and dancefloor friendly. I looked at those opportunities as money making ventures, and not an exercise in personal expression. I'm afraid that there are too many musicians who have a tough time making that decision, when their choice in material hurts their potential to earn.

[SquierJazz72]

I think that times have changed.
The game has changed.

But what's changed, and how?

I'm not being trying to be funny or awkward with that question.
I want your honest opinions and thoughts.

[BigJohnAZ]

The letter is great. Required reading, IMO.

True story that shows that not all bar owners are a##holes. My brother's cover band played a few times at one of our hometown watering holes. The payment schedule was agreed upon and they played and had a great night with a lot of locals in attendance. This particular bar serves burgers and had a promotion that night for a certain shot. Long story short, my brother promoted the shots and food a few times during the evening and the bar served way more than expected. At the end of the night when the owner came to pay my brother, he threw in an extra $100 because the food and shot sales were way beyond their projection! Nice. And this is no BS, I was there when the owner paid my brother so I heard it from the owner's mouth. That was pretty cool of him.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by SquierJazz72

But what's changed, and how?

I'm not being trying to be funny or awkward with that question.
I want your honest opinions and thoughts.

Well, for one, thanks to tighter DUI laws, bars surely sell less alcohol than they did a couple of decades ago. In the Denver area, most people slow their intake and leave the bar much earlier than they used to.

Then, if the band isn't generating a party atmosphere and either actively or passively encouraging patrons to purchase the single most important product to the barkeep's financial livelihood, he has cause for alarm.

Even if you don't agree with being remotely considered an "alcohol peddler," how anyone who's ever worked in a bar can deny the legitimacy of the open letter is beyond me. The guy has to pay bills, he sells alcohol at a markup to achieve his financial goals, he depends on the assistance of his employees to move his product, and yes, you as a hired and paid entertainer are one of his employees.

[SquierJazz72]

I don't deny the overall legitimacy of the letter, just looking at some of it from different angles. I'm just saying that maybe there's more than one way for a band to serve an owner's ultimate goal, even if they don't want to be peddling the alcohol directly.

And you're right, more restrictive laws and enforcement, and even public perception of alcohol have made it a tougher sell.

[JohnMCA72]

The Art vs. Not-Art debate is fascinating!

I can't help wondering: If a photograph of a crucifix in a jar of urine is Art, what are the jar/urine/crucifix themselves? Are they also Art, or are they Not-Art?

Hopefully the answer to this riddle will help me help my temporary business partners sell more alcohol!

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by JohnMCA72

The Art vs. Not-Art debate is fascinating!

I can't help wondering: If a photograph of a crucifix in a jar of urine is Art, what are the jar/urine/crucifix themselves? Are they also Art, or are they Not-Art?

Hopefully the answer to this riddle will help me help my temporary business partners sell more alcohol!

I lulled.

[TRCat]

I told my wife about this thread - all 13 pages. Her reply was brilliant in its simplicity. I'll paraphrase...

"Honey, if a woman tells you exactly where her "sweet" spot is and how you should go about "addressing" her needs, are you really going to argue with her? I'm telling you, she's really not interested in your suggestions about discovering other spots and techniques. Maybe another time, but not right now! She knows what she wants, knows what she likes, and knows what works for her...and she telling you all this!?! So, do you wanna 'be' with her, or 'be' with yourself?"

If this doesn't break it down to the bass level, not sure anything else will.

[Slowgypsy]

Originally Posted by TRCat

I told my wife about this thread - all 13 pages. Her reply was brilliant in its simplicity. I'll paraphrase...

"Honey, if a woman tells you exactly where her "sweet" spot is and how you should go about "addressing" her needs, are you really going to argue with her? I'm telling you, she's really not interested in your suggestions about discovering other spots and techniques. Maybe another time, but not right now! She knows what she wants, knows what she likes, and knows what works for her...and she telling you all this!?! So, do you wanna 'be' with her, or 'be' with yourself?"

If this doesn't break it down to the bass level, not sure anything else will.

Now that's art

[ChrisB2]

Originally Posted by TRCat

If this doesn't break it down to the bass level, not sure anything else will.

So... you're saying that the Bass is the best way to get to the "sweet spot"...?

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by ChrisB2

So... you're saying that the Bass is the best way to get to the "sweet spot"...?

I guess that would be confirming what we assumed all along, huh?

[Bufalo]

It's just a matter of practice - the frontman of my band asks the bartenders their names (or at least "what they want to be called," as the two are not always the same) and asks what the drink specials are before every gig we play. And then he proceeds to remind patrons to buy The Special from The Bartender often as we play. Bartenders never have complaints afterwards, and we typically are booking our next night at that bar as we're tearing down our gear. And yeah, we get paid crap, though we're typically able to convince the bar to pay us a bit more crap than other bands, but we are getting paid, and we play whenever we want to.

Play music people (read: chicks) like, look like a band, don't treat the bar staff and owner like the enemy, help them make sales, play all the gigs you want.


If your aspiration is to make (f)ART? That's a completely different conversation - something that the experienced guys in here have made clear already.

[TRichardsbass]

If you are in a wedding band or orchestra, are you making art? Just had to say it.

Wedding bands are paid. To be entertainment. To play what the couple want to hear so their guests and they have a good time. So what do you play, "Shout" or "el Becko" by Jeff Beck? How about "Riders on the Storm"?

Same thing, only you aren't shilling booze. You are not there to be the center of attention. That is the bride and groom. You are not there for your "artistic integrity." You are there to get them dancing and remind them when it's time to cut the cake.

I won't argue that lots of things are upside down down under but no one I know forms a cover band to display their artistic guitar virtuosity. Pretty much all of us do it for $$$$$, booze and babes, not necessarily in that order. So to refuse to do a little advertising for the bar is disingenuous.

The club owner laid it out great. Choose to ignore it at your own risk.

[Ric5]

Open letter to Bar owners from me

Dude ...

I don't get up in the morning to help you sell alcohol to people with drinking problems. I have no interest in helping you put more drunk drivers out on the streets to kill and cripple innocent people. If you have no interset in paying a fair wage to my band then see ya ... I'm outta here!

PS ... your bathroom is really filthy

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Open letter to Bar owners from me

Dude ...

I don't get up in the morning to help you sell alcohol to people with drinking problems. I have no interest in helping you put more drunk drivers out on the streets to kill and cripple innocent people. If you have no interset in paying a fair wage to my band then see ya ... I'm outta here!

PS ... your bathroom is really filthy

QUOTE OF THE DAY!!!

[MarkMgibson]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Open letter to Bar owners from me

Dude ...

I don't get up in the morning to help you sell alcohol to people with drinking problems. I have no interest in helping you put more drunk drivers out on the streets to kill and cripple innocent people. If you have no interset in paying a fair wage to my band then see ya ... I'm outta here!

PS ... your bathroom is really filthy

LOL

[Slowgypsy]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

If you are in a wedding band or orchestra, are you making art? Just had to say it.

Wedding bands are paid. To be entertainment. To play what the couple want to hear so their guests and they have a good time. So what do you play, "Shout" or "el Becko" by Jeff Beck? How about "Riders on the Storm"?

Same thing, only you aren't shilling booze. You are not there to be the center of attention. That is the bride and groom. You are not there for your "artistic integrity." You are there to get them dancing and remind them when it's time to cut the cake.

I won't argue that lots of things are upside down down under but no one I know forms a cover band to display their artistic guitar virtuosity. Pretty much all of us do it for $$$$$, booze and babes, not necessarily in that order. So to refuse to do a little advertising for the bar is disingenuous.

The club owner laid it out great. Choose to ignore it at your own risk.

Tom, I've enjoyed everything you've posted. Thanks for staying the course and keeping it real.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by TRCat

I told my wife about this thread - all 13 pages. Her reply was brilliant in its simplicity. I'll paraphrase...

"Honey, if a woman tells you exactly where her "sweet" spot is and how you should go about "addressing" her needs, are you really going to argue with her? I'm telling you, she's really not interested in your suggestions about discovering other spots and techniques. Maybe another time, but not right now! She knows what she wants, knows what she likes, and knows what works for her...and she telling you all this!?! So, do you wanna 'be' with her, or 'be' with yourself?"

If this doesn't break it down to the bass level, not sure anything else will.

Right.

It's hilarious how some people are using this as an opportunity to rail against the evils of alcohol.

[nortonrider]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Open letter to Bar owners from me

Dude ...

I don't get up in the morning to help you sell alcohol to people with drinking problems. I have no interest in helping you put more drunk drivers out on the streets to kill and cripple innocent people. If you have no interset in paying a fair wage to my band then see ya ... I'm outta here!

PS ... your bathroom is really filthy

Yeah! That's tellin' them.
Stay hard Bro!

[REMBO]

one thing that people are missing:
in order for people to spend money in bars....they need a job with great pay!!
lots of bands are trying! as are the club owners...but, in truth, in a great economy....people will spend their money on fun nights out!
a lot of people are hurting right now....