Thursday, March 23, 2006
Live Music Matters.
Its excruciatingly, it's heartbreaking when an institution like New York University callously shuts down a musical institution like the famed Bottom Line. An article in April's Paste Magazine reminded me. I tend to shut my mind off to such unpleasantness after I've been whacked in the head with it once. NYU is famed for it's devotion to the arts yet foreclosed on The Bottom Line in 2004 to open a new lecture hall. The story goes on to discuss the shutting down of other Manhattan music halls where I saw legendary rock bands. Don't make me recall them. It hurts too much.As I approach the last month of the busy tourist season here in south west Florida, I know I'll be coming face to face with venue owners who just can't afford live music in the off season. Some won't be able to afford to stay open nights. My most lucrative steady work will cut their prices back just to keep enough people coming in to pay staff. My favorite spot will be breakfast, lunch and out until the fall. Those of us who want to stay busy will be moving around three counties looking for hungry little upstarts who won't put out much and show small tips. Mmmm, I like the way THAT sounds. You know it's gonna wind up in a lyric. 'Cause it sounds pretty sexy but it's desperate. What could be more alluring than desperate and sexy? And while small tips are discouraging, I've always been partial to their obvious rhyme. Small tips are vindicated by kind words.
I don't expect to have as many gigs in the off season, which is fine because I need to get some recording done. But it's important to hone your songs in live performance. I'll keep busy but it's just as time consuming to look for work as it is to do the work.
That all brings me to something like this:
I spend too much of my day looking for the night
I worry too much about getting it right
I don't really need wild dance halls, tattooed hips
I'm just as happy with hungry joints and small tips
Speak to me kindly , nod your head, purse your lips
And I'm perfectly happy with your small tips
I have days when my ambitions run dangerously high
I make them think musicians are the strangest guys
But when I strap it on and turn up the sound
I know everything I need has been found
Speak to me kindly , nod your head, purse your lips
And I'm perfectly happy with your small tips
I'll work on that some more. Haven't been that spontaneous in a long time in this space.
Just two gigs this weekend and I hit the road looking and booking on Monday. Have a fun weekend, everybody.
posted by Bud @ 8:25 PM
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