Psychology on Cover Charges, why?

[zon6c-f]

When I was playing clubs it
disturbed me when I learned that no matter what our sets were, instruments used, quality of PA or hours rehearsed ...all amounted to nothing more than we were just a lure for alcohol sales

Psychology of Music is that we could play dance tunes .. wear out crowd and at break time bar did well Or we could play tearjerkers or torch songs and dance floor would empty and bar would fill up

 

[Richland123]

One thing I notice is that in venues that charge a cover, people are more likely to stay longer as if they want to get their money's worth. If they stay longer, they also buy more food and drinks, which the venue owners like. When people don't pay a cover charge, they don't feel they invested any money in their entertainment for the evening and seem to leave earlier no matter how good the band is.

 

[JRA]

The psychological term for this is "loss aversion."

The psychological term for this is "loss aversion."

at the five and dime psychology store!

Funny little parallel in human behavior: Friends of mine took note that when they put a piece of furniture out by the curb with a sign that read "FREE!", they got no takers. So they changed tactics, and put a new sign that read "FOR SALE: $50".
That night, the furniture was promptly stolen!

always funny...always expected!

I believe the psychology boils down to the transient feeling of "value".

covers it all in this thread!

 

[twinjet]

A large town consists of 100,000 max... That's a big old city. Yeah I wouldn't have experience but seems to me venues in your area must be cheating musicians or maybe running a club is super expensive. :/

I call it a town because I know other players here think 300,000 as a village to their 3 mil LA or 8 mil London.