Re: Shrinking audiences?

[MaxwellSt <MaxwellSt...>]

In a message dated 12/13/2003 4:51:35 PM Central Standard Time, 
seth(dot)rogovoy (at) verizon(dot)net writes:
Have the professional performing musicians on this list noticed a definite
drop at the box office since last spring?
There is a critical drop in the number of touring offers that big, unwieldy 
bands like ours are receiving.  One hopes it is temporary, but who knows?  

I have a feeling that this is the case across the board, but that bandleaders 
are shy to admit it because it gives comfort to their competitors and leads 
to the question of whether they are still as hot a band as they used to be.  
Having a lot of confidence that our band has never sounded better, I am 
confident when I say: It's the economy, stupid.

I spoke the other day to a member of a wedding band who said that wedding 
band leaders are also quietly discussing what their options are.  They are 
confronted not only by a failing economy, but also by the onslaught of DJs, 
some of 
whom hire jobbing musicians as sidemen and put themselves out as DJ-band 
combos at a competitive price.  That's hard to challenge, especially when the 
vast 
market for non-Orthodox simchas has been weaned on the synthesized junk that 
comprises today's popular music (OK, I'm showing my age--45, to be exact!  But 
having a 5-year-old keeps me young...ish...).

So, there's my 2 cents.  The calendar is lighter than before 9/11, the 
clients are more likely to hire the cheap competition, and so on.  Klezmer 
recording 
sales have also dropped off a lot in the same time period (and I am not just 
referring to mine--I am referring to conversations with distributors about the 
general market).  A free ride on the wave of the novelty of klezmer is no 
longer available, but I trust that good music will continue to carry on!
And we certainly plan to--at least another 20 years....

Shavua tov and good luck to good musicians!  What do the rest of you think?
Lori