"stage"?

[Killed_by_Death]

A local band invited me to their gig at a newish venue, so I popped in there to check the place out first.
I usually do, if I've never been there before.

Nice enough, good food, lots of pool tables & a tiny little spot in front of the doorway for the band to perform

It's a good thing the bands will be playing seriously Heavy Metal, because there is NO dance-floor. The pool players might get their pool-cues into the band's instruments for some edge shots

I wanted to take a photo of the space, but there were folks standing in it & the place was acrid with smoke.

The bathroom door is held shut by what we would colloquially call an outhouse latch, and there's a classy little sign on the door warning that if more than ONE person is in there at a time they'll all be banned!

What I'm trying to figure out is where people are supposed to watch the band from, because there's only a couple of tables in the room & they're dedicated to folks who are playing pool.

 

[catcauphonic]

They'll possibly move the tables out when a band is there that they anticipate will bring more bodies than seats (hopefully there will be!) and I see places just covering their pool table(s) on band nights

 

[catcauphonic]

I miss smokey dive bars. Of course I'm a smoker (somewhat of a joker, and definitely a midnight toker )

 

[QweziRider]

...a classy little sign on the door warning that if more than ONE person is in there at a time they'll all be banned!

The best part of all of it!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The place brought back some memories, I wanted to get really drunk & throw up in a corner.
I should probably confirm my suspicions & drive out there on the night of the gig, or maybe I'll just check out their FB-Live feed, which will likely be broadcast in portrait (vertical).

 

[richntiff]

Wherever that place is - pretty sure I’ve been there. That’s where some of the best music is made.

 

[Danny O Danny]

 

[bolophonic]

I love playing a crazy gig in a weird space with no room for anything. Bonus points if there is no stage. I like playing on the floor in the middle of the crowd.

 

[Lizooki]

My oldest daughter was a cook at a place that had live music.
We ate lunch there one day when she was working and I asked where they put the band since there was no stage.
"They move that table".
I laughed and vowed to never go there to see live music!

 

[bolophonic]

One of my all-time favorite gigs was when my old band played a sold-out Oktoberfest celebration in a covered patio during a monsoon. When we arrived, there was a three-piece oompah band playing in a corner and when the were finished, we had to squeeze a 16 member brass funk ensemble into the same area. We basically just oozed into the spaces between the tables and the beer lines and by the time we were ready, there were members of the crowd blended in between us and the horns were scattered around everywhere and it was totally insane, but everyone had a blast.

A few years before that, I was in a metal band that played in a grimy bike shop that was packed to the gills with about 50 people and there was a kid standing nose to nose with me, playing air guitar the entire time. I have never felt like more of a rock star.

 

[fhm555]

They'll possibly move the tables out when a band is there that they anticipate will bring more bodies than seats (hopefully there will be!) and I see places just covering their pool table(s) on band nights

We used to play an all night place pretty regular. It was not so big and had a few pool tables that dominated the center of the place. When it was time to play, the owner would break out some big stout plywood covers that he held down with straps to cover the pool tables. Then a big plastic tablecloth and they became community tables, and on more than a few occasions an elevated dance floor.
We'd start at eleven and play two hour sets with a half hour break until the place was empty or the owner said it's time to go home.

 

[Nashrakh]

I'd rather have no stage at all than one that is too small. Set me up in a corner and move a table, but don't cram me onto a stage which can barely hold two people. Biggest pet peeve of mine and yet it happens all too much. If you can't even use the tiny stages as a drum riser you know you're screwed.

 

[buldog5151bass]

At least these places are trying to have live music. Some times the tiny place become popular, especially since they can profit from smaller draws. Bands just need to adjust - smaller footprint for them. I'll Take a tiny place that is packed with a small appreciative crowd over playing to the bartender at a larger place.

 

[ThreeFingers]

Brick's? Its an interesting venue to play. Not a lot of room to move around. But can be fun when you pack it in. Typically the pool tables double as merch tables during the show.

 

[dbase]

View attachment 3707743

Sad .....

 

[LBS-bass]

At least these places are trying to have live music. Some times the tiny place become popular, especially since they can profit from smaller draws. Bands just need to adjust - smaller footprint for them. I'll Take a tiny place that is packed with a small appreciative crowd over playing to the bartender at a larger place.

I know this is kind of an old thread, but, yeah. We complain that live music is dying and then we complain about the places that are trying to keep it alive.

Even back in the day when I was making good money playing music, not every room that was paying me could afford to have a dedicated area of floor space set aside for a stage. Restaurants in particular make their profit based on how many meals they can serve during rush times per square foot of rented area. Stage space is wasted space for most hours of the day in a place like that. They're going to put tables there. Putting tables on a raised platform is a potential liability as it's a fall hazard. Guess what's going to happen? Either no music or no raised platform.

Sure, I would love to have a nice stage to play on in every room. Sometimes I get that. Most of the places I play now are like that. But I'm grateful to be playing in any room that's going to hand me a few dollars at the end of the night for my efforts. To me, a real luxury is having enough room that I don't have to play with my neck vertical. Been there and done that a few times . Enjoy it while it lasts, because it's disappearing fast.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

People who are grateful for a few dollars are what keeps gig-pay so low.
I guess the draw of playing for an audience is just too great for many.

the pool tables double as merch tables

That would explain where they went.

I checked out the videos the bands posted & the pool tables definitely got moved.

 

[LBS-bass]

People who are grateful for a few dollars are what keeps gig-pay so low.
I guess the draw of playing for an audience is just too great for many.

LOL, this depends on what you call "a few dollars." I use the term a bit loosely. I don't play for gas money anymore, if that's the implication.

But yes, I agree with you that we have devalued what we provide by being too eager to provide it. There's a lot more to that, though, which probably belongs in another thread.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I miss smokey dive bars. Of course I'm a smoker (somewhat of a joker, and definitely a midnight toker )

As a former smoker and midnight toker, I miss the smokey dive bars too. Mostly because in the days of the late 80's when I started playing as a drummer, the bar was not only full of smoke, it was full of people! Nowadays the crowds are far less but hey, the air is clear. Total BS move to ban it in all bars. Owner should make the rules for their own establishment, go to the one that appeals to you, simple.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Just a couple of blocks from this venue is another with a big stage in a basement. They're one of few places that get away with charging a cover.
I won't pay a cover to watch local bands, however.