Would you cater to a specific audience...

[TRichardsbass]

Here's one for you all, just want to see the reactions and opinions.

If you lived in an area that was musically rich but had a built in audience no one tapped into because of their lifestyle, would you tap it?

I and a few other musicians are going to do that this fall. In my area there is a huge lesbian and gay population. While it is a stereotype, and I'm not trying to lump everyone in, this community prefers and listens to certain artists who have become heroes in the gay community. Like the Indigo Girls, for example. They packed the Stone Pony earlier this year.

Well, I'm putting together a show specifically for this crowd, and we are going to book at the obviously gay clubs. I'm comfortable with my manhood, so doing this is no big deal. But one of the guys who has signed up with us is wondering if people will think he is gay and it is bothering him (although not enough to pass up the $$$$$$).

So, would like to know, would you do something like this? What would be your reservations?

[TRichardsbass]

Oh, just read my post. The show will be a band I'm putting together and WE will be performing. Just to clarify.

[pointbass]

I know the area, Tom, and I'd think you would be very successful going after that market. The gay lifestyle stereotypes would mean little to me and I personally wouldn't have any concerns about getting tagged with a mistaken label (honestly, I'm too butt ugly to be gay ).

My wife is a very established art doll designer and has a large gay clientel. She does specifically target that market with a series of pieces and has enjoyed the relationship with the community (she is an original doll designer, all one-of-a-kind work).

Go where the cash is ....

[KillianRussell]

Although I would have no problem filling a live music niche in gay scene, there not one true single niche. National acts like The Indigo girls and Lucinda Williams draw well in the lesbian community. However, club music is king in the gay male community. Of all the gay clubs (predominately male) on Bourbon Street the DJ has them falling in love twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.Good luck,nonetheless, I will gladly sit in on vocals with my gender bending, Jimmy, Jimmy 867-5309

The market is again fragmented by a Queercore genre (gay punk) and Transgendered (out- hop) rap scene

[Muttleybass]

Sure, if it meant work. I played in a band for years with a lesbian singer. She was awesome. Like the sister I never wanted. Still great friends to this day. She's asked my band to play her wedding this year. Now I can cross "Play a lesbian wedding" off my bucket list.

Seriously, dude, when she was with the band, she got us some great gigs. They're just people, fer cryin' out loud.

[Waffles and Scotch]

I guess it would depend on the $$. Would I have a problem playing for the gay community? No. Would I feel at least a little uncomfortable (since I've had basically no exposure to that community), yes. Seeing 2 guys hook up would definitely be an issue for me, but if the $$ was there to allow me to live comfortably and continue pursuing "my" music (not the music specifically catered to them), I'd do it.

[KillianRussell]

Every Labor Day one hundred thousand gays descend upon New Orleans for Southern Decadence, many of the city's house bands are given the weekend off as the clubs opt to cater to the gay community's love of house music.

[Ripley]

I'd think the club owners would appreciate somebody saying, "Hey, we want to entertain your customer base at your club."

[zachoff]

If I liked the music I played... Yup.
If I didn't like the music I played... Nope.

[Papa Dangerous]

(Bass x Sonuus B2M) + gay community = PARRRRRR TAYYYYY unc unc unc unc unc unc

[Febs]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

So, would like to know, would you do something like this? What would be your reservations?

I would have no reservations whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Muttleybass

She's asked my band to play her wedding this year. Now I can cross "Play a lesbian wedding" off my bucket list.

One of the most enjoyable weddings gigs I've ever played was a lesbian wedding.

[bassbully]

If it was a good band and good hang sure! I know who and what I am and most Gay people get the vibe if your in thier club or not.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

So, would like to know, would you do something like this? What would be your reservations?

My reservations would be simply that I don't really dig the popular contemporary music of that scene. If it were, say, old school cabaret jazz with a drag queen fronting the band I would do it quite happily though.

[pklima]

I used to be in a band with a guy who also DJed at a gay bar. Your typical open-minded progressive college student who never had a problem with people thinking he's gay (and they did pretty regularly). He still found dealing with the people and the culture difficult for at least the first couple of weeks.

My main reservation about taking a gig like that would be... it would probably be full of people with progressive views. Would I be expected to pretend to hate McDonald's, Christianity, absolute monarchy and country music for the evening? I exaggerate, but... I've played in an indie-pop band before and found it pretty tiresome after a while for that very reason.

[dvh]

Originally Posted by zachoff

If I liked the music I played... Yup.
If I didn't like the music I played... Nope.

+ 1000

What exactly do you mean by creating a show specifically for that community? All the songs have to be by a gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender? How much different is your set list going to be from it's current incarnation?

Just remember, most thinking people can smell something disingenuous. Then your reluctant band member will have two stigmas to worry about....

[groooooove]

if it makes money for you and the club owners, theres nothing wrong with that..

[Joe Nerve]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, I would have a few reservations. Not sure what the benefit of targeting only this community would be, especially if none of you are gay? As someone already mentioned, it seems a bit disengenuous. Why wouldn't you just simply add 20 songs that you would think would work well with this crowd to your regular band setlist, and book all clubs? A straight band going out of their way to be a gay band seems like it might possibly turn people a bit off on both sides of the fence.

A few other concerns too... as I'm certain you already know, the success of a cover band has as much or more to do with how that band relates to the audience, as to how talented they are and the music they play. It'll be a little challenging pulling off what you want to do with a bunch of straight guys, especially if one of them is a bit homophobic. It could also work in your favor, but your front person has to be one comfortable and charming kind of dude.

That being said, if it were my idea and I felt strongly enough about it, I'd give it everything I've got. Could be a HUGE success, and could fall hard on it's face. Will be a great learning experience either way.

One last note... I don't know what gay bars are like nowadays, but I got talked into going to a pretty wild one about 20 years ago in the city, and I swore that was never going to happen again. Entertaininig, but a bit much for me to handle at that young age... and there was no freaking way I was going to bathroom. As badly as I had to go. Lesbian bars are different. Most of my girl friends are lesbians. I've played a handful of them also, without incident.

[teleharmonium]

I would not cater to a specific audience in the music itself. I do original music, and I don't depend on music for income, so doing that would require a fundamental shift in motivation for me.

If there was a specific audience that happened to like the music I was already making, playing for them and seeking out those bookings would be perfectly fine with me. I would have no problem playing a gay bar. The bottom line for me is that I do music that I like. If I can do it in public and some people enjoy it, great, I think it helps the music to play out and I do enjoy it, but I'm not changing it for the audience. They can take the music as it is or leave it.

I'm middle aged and I play weird stuff in the midwest, there is no plausible rationale involving real money for me to sell out even if I was willing.

[pklima]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Unless I'm misunderstanding, I would have a few reservations. Not sure what the benefit of targeting only this community would be, especially if none of you are gay? As someone already mentioned, it seems a bit disengenuous.

But aren't we all a bit disingenuous in one way or another and faking sincerity in at least 90% of our gigs anyway?

[dvh]

Originally Posted by pklima

But aren't we all a bit disingenuous in one way or another and faking sincerity in at least 90% of our gigs anyway?

How so? I never feel that way. If I did I'd look for something else....