Is the bar scene turning audiences away?

[tikipirate]

I believe the most 'successful' gigs are when the band draws a group of regular followers, so one knows that friends/acquaintances will be in the audience and posted up at the bar to BS with.

Good case in point is the band 'Round Midnite. They are a good band that does a great job with standards, but an added reason for their success is that wherever they play the usual suspects are in the audience and it's going to be a great time.

Odin's Court is a really good metal band that mixes up standards and newer music, but for some reason hasn't had the crowd momentum lately.

The best play sets I have heard for a party atmosphere mix up some old rock (Zep/Aerosmith) with newer rock (Godsmack) and throw in newish harder pop (Blink-182/Offspring) and the horrible Romantics song 'What I like about you'. To a serious musician this may sound boring, but it is what the vast majority of 25-45 year olds want in a fun bar setting...the 25-45 year olds who bring money into the bar.

A Pink Floyd tribute band would do well around the college types. I'm also wondering if a Little Feat tribute band (or a band that mixes up Little Feat/Grateful Dead/southern rock would be able to cross over between places like Monk's and Toot's.

Harbor Sounds used to be a great venue, with the stage, indoor bar, and outdoor bar separated enough so one could compromise between pure concert or chatting with friends. The folks running it now as Captain Georges need to realize the potential and get their bar management straight because the bar is a disaster.

Brewski's in Loveville is another great venue that is really underutilized. Adequate stage area and plenty of dance floor with the bar separated out of the line of fire.

Finally... All bands are too loud. I am half-deaf from years of concerts, jet engines and gunfire, and even I can't take it. When you see the audience inserting foam earplugs (as I saw last night) you can be safe turning it down a notch.

 

[tomchamp]

Oh!

And Transfusion drew a somewhat older crowd!

 

[HollowSoul]

It was fun talking to you the other night...and I'm glad I met you! :

The pleasure was all mine
I'll tell wayne you said hi,
And maybe one of these day's i'll get to hear your nephew play :guitar:

 

[tomchamp]

The pleasure was all mine
I'll tell wayne you said hi,
And maybe one of these day's i'll get to hear your nephew play :guitar:

I'll see what I can do about getting you tickets. He even tells his mom..someday you gonna have to pay to see me play...not that he would charge her! But he has attitude and the drive! Now he just needs the luck to get that hook up!

 

[vraiblonde]

He clicked on my lil rocker dude on my siggy and said that he really couldn'y "get into" my type of music...and i respect that.

You touch on something Larry and I talk about a lot. He likes your music and thinks you're very talented. I think you're very talented, but I'm not crazy about your music (because it's just not my thing, although I think you do it better than most).

Where I'm going with this is that there are different types of music and venues that people enjoy. If every club features some young loud Limp Bizket wannabes, that limits the audience because it spreads them out. But if you've got one bar that has the Limp Bizkets, one that has country and a big dance floor, and another that has fossil rock for us old timers , then it brings out more people and everyone gets an audience.

I think there are too many bands that do the same thing, give or take a smidgen of talent here and there. Diversity is the key. My Dad told me a long time ago, if everyone is doing something, you do something else.

Does that make sense?

 

[HollowSoul]

You touch on something Larry and I talk about a lot. He likes your music and thinks you're very talented. I think you're very talented, but I'm not crazy about your music (because it's just not my thing, although I think you do it better than most).

Where I'm going with this is that there are different types of music and venues that people enjoy. If every club features some young loud Limp Bizket wannabes, that limits the audience because it spreads them out. But if you've got one bar that has the Limp Bizkets, one that has country and a big dance floor, and another that has fossil rock for us old timers , then it brings out more people and everyone gets an audience.

I think there are too many bands that do the same thing, give or take a smidgen of talent here and there. Diversity is the key. My Dad told me a long time ago, if everyone is doing something, you do something else.

Does that make sense?

It makes perfect sense, (thanx for the compliment BTW)
There is a plethra of "music" sites that you can search by location.
www.myspace.com
www.soundclick.com
www.purevolume.com
are just a few, the majority of the 3 listed have bands that classify themselves as punk/screamo/indie (ramones style for those that don't know)
A crowd that is into that type of genre is slowly starting to come around again. (those that love the 80's will have to wait your turn)

 

[jazz lady]

The few years ago I went to Monks, only had one drink and left. I had to cup my hand and yell into my sister ear to be heard and talking to more then one person at a time was totally out of the question. I have not been back.

I've only been there to shoot darts on Wednesday night, but it is VERY loud and obnoxious. I can only imagine how bad it is on the weekends.

Is anyone here old enough to remember Country Tavren, Village Barn, Black Eyed Susan ect. ? It was a bar with many owners and names. Located where the new Foodlion in Calloway is. It was a large building, which brings up my next point. A regular bar in front, with pool tables in the middle room and a large hall in the back where the bands played. Sure it had its share of dirtbags
and drama and drugs, but the place was big enough that you only had to be apart of what you wanted to. The bands played real rock music. Not this DANCE CRAP, TECHNO or SCREAMMING ?MUSIC?. And you could even have a conversation in the dance hall! Go figure!
Oh the days of my youth!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember it VERY well. I loved going there just BECAUSE you would actually TALK to people in the front and dance your booty off in the back.

I used to go to Town Creek Marina, Captain Tom's Oarhouse, Harbor Lights, Solomons Pier, Lemar Lanes (PRC at one time and now Cadillac Jack's), The Wharf and others I can't remember now. I found I gravitated to the bars where I could actually hold a conversation and not be deaf by the time the evening was over.

If I wanted loud and obnoxious, I would go to a place like Club Rio - a disco that used to be on Great Mills Road.

 

[fttrsbeerwench]

I'm only 30 and I've outgrown the loud, abrasive meat markets down here in SOMD. I will go to Abell's or Rondevous or ABC depending on who's open and how I feel. I like much smaller more mature crowds.. I don't even hang out with anyone my own age anymore. You can usually find me with a guy in his 40's or 50'd playing darts or shooting pool.
I have always "followed" local music, I know lots of guys who play in bands. From bluegrass to heavy metal, I'd go see anyone I liked. I am there to hear the band and see my friends.
I don't dig fighting, or getting shot at. I used to go to Monk's before it got ugly in there. I used to love going to The Green Door. :beerpong: but I guess, in my old age, I can't handle as much as I used to.

 

[gumbo]

I am really curious to know, from everyone, why do you not go to a bar or night club to see live bands perform? What is the exact turn-off for you in your decision to not go see a live band in a local Southern Maryland bar?

Here is the biggest draw back locally .
Southern Maryland needs to create revenue for local scum bag Lawyers and something to do for the court system and people to fill thier bunks at the jail.

It's called the DWI racket.

Who wants to go see a band and not drink a couple of beers

Three beers , three hours ,, Cuff cuff your in the pokie , there goes your DL, your insurance triples, And $5,000 dollars goes to a scum bag that sits in a differant bar with the judge..

 

[wwwsmmonet]

lighten up young'un... somdmusician is "A" screenname...

 

[wwwsmmonet]

Didn't the Rondevous run under a different name years ago?

Yep it used to Benetts Bar as far back as I can remember, my cousin and I used to go in there and wear the pool table out all day, and that was back in the mid 70's.

 

[drumrob]

Hey Hollowsoul,
I went to your website the otherday and listened to some of your music files. Who is you're drummer? And what is the name of your band? I assume it's Hollowsoul? Does your band play around here?

 

[HollowSoul]

Hey Hollowsoul,
I went to your website the otherday and listened to some of your music files. Who is you're drummer? And what is the name of your band? I assume it's Hollowsoul? Does your band play around here?

The drums are from my Digitech GNX4 guitar effects processor.
I am the only member of the band (no-one else locally is into my style of music) so basiclly i'm a solo artist

 

[Uncle Charlie]

Would you take your wife or mother there????

I think part of the problem is we have no genuine good places to go to anymore. I used to go to Pennies, Leonardtown Wharf, Charlie's Villa, Cadillac Jacks, Abell's Wharf and a host of others. Most of the Firehouses held dances, seemed like every month one of them was hosting a dance. The crowds used to be very diverse in age. The biggest thing was, even if there was a fight or some little skirmish, everyone still felt safe because the owners took care of it immediately and sent the trouble makers packing. Today, you have to worry about being shot. We don't have places like that anymore, and people want something a little better.

There are a lot of people I know who would like to go out for a drink or two and maybe a dance, me included. But we are not into the "bar" scene anymore. I want a place where I can get a drink, maybe something to eat (which helps with the drinking problem/dwi,etc.) and relax without fear of a problem. A safe place. I want a place where I can breath without choking on the smoke and I want a place where I can take my Mother(77 years old and likes a drink now and than), my wife and/ or my girlfriend and have them feel comfortable too. The music needs to be diverse, reaching out to a wide age audience, and not overwhelmingly loud. That is how many of the old bands were, "back in the day." They played some old stuff, country, new stuff, and their own stuff. Most had a following, but most appealed to a wide range of ages.

So, if a NICE environment is provided, safe, clean and not appearing to be a "bar", some good food, reasonable drink prices and music that appeals to a diverse group was played, I think you would have a winner. A place where you are comfortable showing up in blue jeans or a suit and tie. A place that serves more than beer and booze. How about some frozen drinks and GOOD wine. Set it up so I can dance, or not, where I can play pool, or not and definitley set it up so I can have a normal conversation and you'll have my business.

I know LOTS of people who drive to Washington and / or Baltimore to get just this sort of thing and it is a shame. Not sying things are much safer up there, but they do tend to keep the riff-raff out with a cover charge and there enforcement of "attitude" indicators. I.E., certain shirts not allowed, no "cocked sideways" hats, no pants around your knees, etc. Secrets in Ocean City has a good sign psoted out front and bouncers tha enforce this stuff and they rarely have problems there.

 

[nomoney]

I am really curious to know, from everyone, why do you not go to a bar or night club to see live bands perform? What is the exact turn-off for you in your decision to not go see a live band in a local Southern Maryland bar?

I personally do not like going to bars on live music night because its so dayum loud. You end up just sitting at a table screaming at the people you come with trying to have a convo; and laughing at the band's bar hag that walks around with their little books to sign and crap.

 

[SamSpade]

I can think of probably a few reasons why *I* don't go.

#1 reason - I have no idea they're there. Advertising. I have no way of knowing about it, short of walking up to the door and asking "who's that?".

2. Bars means smoking. I don't care much for it, most of the time, and my wife's ashthma cannot take it at all.

3. Lotta bands around here just plain suck. Sorry. Not paying to hear something I wouldn't listen to for FREE.

4. Ok, I'm old. Even older than Vrai, and that's saying something. Although not as old as Ken King, but I think there are some MOUNTAIN ranges younger than he is. I don't care for noisy venues surrounded by drunken fools. I guess if that's who you want to play for, I'm probably the wrong guy to ask.

5. Size of the bar - most of the local bars are too damned small to hold that big a crowd. You're better off ANYWHERE else, down here. Heck, have it at the damned firehouse.

 

[Agee]

So, if a NICE environment is provided, safe, clean and not appearing to be a "bar", some good food, reasonable drink prices and music that appeals to a diverse group was played, I think you would have a winner. A place where you are comfortable showing up in blue jeans or a suit and tie. A place that serves more than beer and booze. How about some frozen drinks and GOOD wine. Set it up so I can dance, or not, where I can play pool, or not and definitley set it up so I can have a normal conversation and you'll have my business.

I have heard this on more than one occasion from friends (35 to 50 ish age group). I can get into to most music at any venue. But refuse to hang-out with a bunch of punks, that are ready to fight if looked at cross eyed.

I think the type of place you speak of would do well in this area. In fact my friends have been on me about opening just that type of place.

 

[drumrob]

The drums are from my Digitech GNX4 guitar effects processor.
I am the only member of the band (no-one else locally is into my style of music) so basiclly i'm a solo artist

Have you been any bands in the area? I don't recall hearing the name Hollowsoul, just curious. Rob

 

[vraiblonde]

Have you been any bands in the area? I don't recall hearing the name Hollowsoul, just curious. Rob

You're kidding???? You've never heard of HollowSoul???

You must be new to the east coast.

 

[Goofing_Off]

You're kidding???? You've never heard of HollowSoul???

You must be new to the east coast.

I've never heard of them, either, and I've lived here all of my life.