Is interest in live music declining?

[blue4]

If you're a rock cover band, yes it is declining.

If you play in bars, yes it's declining.

If you are into acoustic/folk/bluegrass/Americana and you're willing to play at festivals and non traditional venues, no it's expanding.

If you are into classical music or watching the symphony play more modern stuff like Rush or Metallica or watching them play the soundtrack to your favorite movie, there's been no better time to be alive. At least in my memory and in my neck of the woods.

 

[theinfamous]

If you're a rock cover band, yes it is declining.

If you play in bars, yes it's declining.

If you are into acoustic/folk/bluegrass/Americana and you're willing to play at festivals and non traditional venues, no it's expanding.

If you are into classical music or watching the symphony play more modern stuff like Rush or Metallica or watching them play the soundtrack to your favorite movie, there's been no better time to be alive. At least in my memory and in my neck of the woods.

Part of the reason symphonies are doing that is to attract new audiences. Their patrons are dying off.

The recession hit major orchestras pretty hard, and a lot of them came pretty close to shutting down. I know the MN orchestra had some pretty dicey months where they actually did shut down.

Cuts to funding for the arts at all levels is not helping either. We live in a world where a lot of art needs to be subsidized or it will go away.