Ya know, I am pretty disgusted at the way a lot of bands and venues are pricing the admission to get into shows in this day and age. I look at all the show flyers and sometimes when I go to actual shows myself, I see venues pricing gigs at around $10 – $15. This is one thing I really hate about the music scene is the pricing for shows. I think $10 or a little more is a bit too high. In my opinion, “local gigs” don’t need to be priced that high. A price like that should be good enough to go see some crappy indie band at some craphole club. I miss the days when local music shows used to cost like $3 – $5 dollars to get in. The reason the pricing of shows are going up is because there is so much talent around this area and a lot of people are going to shows. As long as the scene is thriving, they’ll raise the price.
Money. *sigh*
That’s all this scene seem to care about these days. It seems that it’s okay to play music for the money the way this scene is going. Why do you think Pay to Play gigs are on the rise in the Capital area? Pay to play is all over this area now which is why it’s almost pointless to be gigging these days.
I was never about the money when it comes to music. I’m willing to play shows where I don’t get paid at all and I don’t care how much I get paid. I’m one of those who feel that if you play music for money, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. I think musicians are a bit greedy when it comes to money and stuff.
Free shows are slowly fading away, I notice as well. I was always willing to play free gigs. Most of my gigs from the past were free shows. I only got paid from very few of them.
Music is not a day job for me. I don’t need extra income for that. I don’t want to make money out of my art. Something I’m proud of.
If I were to ever get back to playing live again, I would make sure I would play a free gig somewhere.
This is part of the reason why I don’t go out too much to see bands at local gigs ’cause I feel that the admission pricing these days are pretty ridiculous. $10 is too much to see some local band at some craphole bar — seriously, think about it for a few minutes.
Kev
K'Brocking 
Another thing I wanted to add is that going to see a local band for $10 is way more than going to the movies. Going to the movies would cost about $7 – $9… going to see a live band would be even more. What’s wrong with America?
Kev
I think that’s too high also, but comparing it to the movies? At least with a local show you’re giving the money to the acts and showing support, whereas the movies your just feeding some corporate machine.
Sorry, I disagree with that. When you go to the movies and spend about $7 – $9, you’re not spending it to some corporate machine at all.
You’re actually willing to spend your money to Hollywood who give all this entertainment for you just like you’re spending money to bands who entertain you. Why do you think all the actors and directors are very rich? Because we’re paying to go to the movies to get them paid. We’re the ones helping these movie people keep working and living their lives.
In reality, going to the movies is more cheaper than anything else.
Live concert prices are ridiculously high.
Kev
So… you’re willing to make Hollywood actors and directors richer than doctors and teachers for the sake of some movie. But you’re not willing to help a local musician pay their bills and support their family when they work their ass off to provide you with real live entertainment? $10 is cheap to most people. Its called inflation… Sure, you used to be able to see a local show for 3-5 bucks. You also used to be able to get a gallon of gas for 1.50.
Prices go up. Most working people don’t mind spending an hour’s worth of their money for a fun night out.
All that is your opinion and entitled to it, I’ll write a response to that, a little later.
Kev
So… you’re willing to make Hollywood actors and directors richer than doctors and teachers for the sake of some movie. But you’re not willing to help a local musician pay their bills and support their family when they work their ass off to provide you with real live entertainment?
What’s wrong with a free show? Seeing a local band should cost very cheap or nothing at all. It don’t even need to need to be $7 or $8. I’m certainly not alone on willing to play music for nothing. There are a lot of others out there that aren’t in it for the money either and they don’t mind getting no pay for gigs… they just want to play. It’s just as simple as that.
Local music shouldn’t really be about taking money from people’s pockets. It should be about providing entertainment for them. It’s a good thing to do not having your fans to pay anything at all just to see you play.
These are just local gigs. It’s not like you’re rock stars or anything.
Kev
And most local shows are 8 bucks or less. And that’s to see 2 or 3 bands. I just don’t see the point of your rant.
The point of my rants with musicians and money, I’m trying to get ’em all to understand that music shouldn’t be about the money. It should be about the love and passion for it. Music don’t always have to be about the money and that’s the point I’m trying to get through your thick head.
Kev
Musicians becoming all defensive about it and giving me a nasty attitude just proves my point that musicians are real greedy people. Screw ’em all, seriously.
Kev
It’s not about making money. If a band is lucky, they might make fifty bucks from that show, all of which basically covers fast and some food for the night for each member of the band.
Bands make more than that… depending on how big and established they are. They usually aren’t realistic on how much money they make off of shows, though. When they say they don’t make a lot, I know it’s a lie.
Kev
Musicians are crazy and delusional. A lot of them living in different fantasy worlds. So you play in a big and popular band now, you have to think you’re better and bigger than me? You think you can be a “know-it-all” now that you got yourself out in the scene in a big way? You have to have a nasty attitude ’cause you have a lot of fans and going somewhere with your music? You’re not bigger and better than me, so get over yourself, dude.
Musicians have different feelings when it comes to playing music. Not all of them are in it for the money, some are. They’re all different. Some just play for the passion of it, not caring to get paid. It’s a choice whether you want to play music for the money or not ’cause you don’t have to. This certain musician that I speak of sees music as a “job” and it doesn’t have to be.
These are just my opinions and thoughts. I have every right to it and screw you if you don’t like it.
Closing the comments in this topic, that’s all that needs to be said.
Kev