Jack-Flash-Jr
With rugby alone, the rugby season now extends almost an entire year... certain venues are complaining about low turnouts on match days (live music or not) because people tend to stay home and drink or go to sports pubs rather than venues aimed at music. This may or may not be the case (we have such varied attendance sometimes it's hard to tell, but Stormers matches at 7pm tend to = quieter nights out) but I was wondering if anyone had experience or thoughts on this? I don't think it affects metal or alternative clubs as much but I could be wrong.
It seems people only have so much money/energy to spare and sport seems to be winning... or not?
Bob-Dubery
I was in the UK in 2010, with tickets for 3 gigs that I'd booked ahead of time. All bookings were on the basis that the show might be delayed depending on World Cup fixtures and viewing times. Not just for the benefit of the spectators, you understand, but because certain people wanted TV screens in their dressing room and no interruptions until the game was over.
A lot of pubs that wouldn't normally do so had TV screens - because they knew that if they didn't then business was going to drop. Even the CAMRA pubs where usually the clientèle are concerned with the specific gravity of Wagner's Olde Gargler and a game of shove-ha'penny. Once England got knocked out things got a bit better (from my selfish POV, I like eating in proper old-fashioned pubs like the Church Inn in Ludlow where pub rules say they can throw you out if you interfere with a dog).
But anyhoo... Maybe you need a projector hooked up to the PA system so that those who support both Stormers and the Hellfire Blues Club can satisfy both urges. Make it part of the fun. Have Singemonkey do drop kicks from the stage.
chris77
You probably have a point. Although there are a lot of other dogs fighting over that bone as well.
I actually plan my weekend visits to Bloem to coincide with matches I want to go see at the stadium. Never before have I done that for music - mostly because the bands who play bloem are unknown to me or crap. Or even worse, doing a nostalgia tour.
I am now at that point in my life where my time is precious to me and I want to spend as much of it with my wife and family as possible. Going to the ruggas, great. Going to a noisy, smoke filled ale house.... Not so much.
Squonk
Jack Flash Jr wrote
With rugby alone, the rugby season now extends almost an entire year... certain venues are complaining about low turnouts on match days (live music or not) because people tend to stay home and drink or go to sports pubs rather than venues aimed at music. This may or may not be the case (we have such varied attendance sometimes it's hard to tell, but Stormers matches at 7pm tend to = quieter nights out) but I was wondering if anyone had experience or thoughts on this? I don't think it affects metal or alternative clubs as much but I could be wrong.
It seems people only have so much money/energy to spare and sport seems to be winning... or not?
Does the non smoking rule cause people to stay at home?
Averatu
Squonk wrote
Jack Flash Jr wrote
With rugby alone, the rugby season now extends almost an entire year... certain venues are complaining about low turnouts on match days (live music or not) because people tend to stay home and drink or go to sports pubs rather than venues aimed at music. This may or may not be the case (we have such varied attendance sometimes it's hard to tell, but Stormers matches at 7pm tend to = quieter nights out) but I was wondering if anyone had experience or thoughts on this? I don't think it affects metal or alternative clubs as much but I could be wrong.
It seems people only have so much money/energy to spare and sport seems to be winning... or not?
Does the non smoking rule cause people to stay at home?
I hate arriving home in the small hours stinking like an ashtray. If you're gonna pollute your lungs, do it far away from me, I like my lungs the way they are.
How many times I've arrived on time for soundcheck as arranged with the venue, only to be told to wait an hour until the rugby is finished. Make up your mind, are you a music venue or a sports bar?
IceCreamMan
the amount of sport on tv is hurting live music , i have been to a pub before where the punters asked the band to stop playing cos they wanted to watch sport. publicans take note of that and and mebbe next time do not book the band.
REgarding the smoking thang , establishments in za are far to lenient on smoking laws but i understand why, they need the business, its economics.
majestikc
Maybe too many crappy bands are hurting live music, club owners seem to view bands as the enemy, for scaring away all the patrons, terrible live sound at ear damaging levels etc etc etc. I know many people who cringe at the thought of going to see live bands without knowing who they are first (obviously excluding the good ones), there must be a reason why the owner of Zeplins etc are looking at holding a comedy evening or a Jamaican night (at a GOTH/METAL club) and holding "sex nights" with topless shooter girls to attract customers.....................because the bands sure as hell aren't.
If it's a choice between showing some sport on a few big screens that will attract customers for what works out to free (at that moment) for the owner, versus paying a band to come in and scare everyone away then it's kind of a no brainer.
It might sound all "negative" and anti-proudly south african or whatever (the crabs in a bucket), but I'm more and more under the impression that it's the live bands hurting themselves, has nothing to do with the venues or lack thereof or sport or marathon Spin City sessions on T.V
epictring
Rugby and music ain't friends. That is all.
majestikc
Music and Noise ain't friends either.
Manfred-Klose
oh this is gonna be a fun thread.
about two months ago i played at one of the popular spots for the young generation to hang out at (me being young also:0 ), anyway i dont watch rugby, and the closest i get to sport is watching formula 1, now i dont have a problem with rugby, anyway i think it was the bulls v.s the stormers, or i think that is what they are called, about 2 months ago, there were 4 bands on, we were the first band, so that meant 9pm, thats cool. the place was packed with people, mostly coming to watch the rugby, but still people that would watch bands as well, so we played a set to a full house, and after the 2nd band people started getting bored and went back to home.
....its all about choosing the correct venues for your music, and also check the rugby schedules a month in advance if you are playing at a sports bar!!!!! sometimes it can be used to your advantage, sometimes not, its all about learning from gigging experience.
times are changeing and bands must learn to adapt.
Bob-Dubery
When I started going to see live music, a lot of it was in hotels who would reserve a room for the live music, and when you went in there you KNEW it was about the music. Or there were clubs that opened early evening, with the whole idea being to go and listen to a band.
These days, it seems, a lot of live music happens in pubs that are open for hours before the music starts or in restaurants where the patrons are there mostly to eat and socialise. Either way nobody is there just to pay attention to some band or other, and they'll need to have TVs if there's a big match on. Venues mostly aren't dedicated music venues.
But I think they can work: I went to see Tony Cox and Steve Newman at Olive's in Bedfordview and the venue was quite upfront about what was going to go on. They were going to serve early and you had to finish eating and get your drinks ordered before 8:30 or 9:00 or whatever it was because that was when the music was going to start and there was going to be no clatter of plates and no waiters walking around whilst the music was on. The place was packed and Cox and Newman got a great audience. Nobody complained. The venue made it clear from the time you called them to make a booking that this was how it was going to be.
vic
Jack Flash Jr wrote
With rugby alone, the rugby season now extends almost an entire year... certain venues are complaining about low turnouts on match days (live music or not) because people tend to stay home and drink or go to sports pubs rather than venues aimed at music. This may or may not be the case (we have such varied attendance sometimes it's hard to tell, but Stormers matches at 7pm tend to = quieter nights out) but I was wondering if anyone had experience or thoughts on this? I don't think it affects metal or alternative clubs as much but I could be wrong.
It seems people only have so much money/energy to spare and sport seems to be winning... or not?
Jack, to be honest I think it's not only sport that's damaging live music.....rugby and other big sport events definately have an affect as you say....BUT the "audience" at some venues also does not make playing live
and listening to the music a pleasant experience anymore......Stellenbosch has/had quite a few live venues and I use to frequent some of these, but not anymore. Why?.... 'cause of the noise and ill discipline of the "audience".... and many people I know simply avoid these venues for that reason. I have played many gigs in my time, but under much different circumstances than what pubs currently offer.....I love a live band set-up, but nowadays I,like so many others, much rather prefer to go somewhere more "quiet"...even if it means watching the Stormers at Gino's restaurant.....LOL !
vic
X-rated Bob wrote
When I started going to see live music, a lot of it was in hotels who would reserve a room for the live music, and when you went in there you KNEW it was about the music. Or there were clubs that opened early evening, with the whole idea being to go and listen to a band.
These days, it seems, a lot of live music happens in pubs that are open for hours before the music starts or in restaurants where the patrons are there mostly to eat and socialise. Either way nobody is there just to pay attention to some band or other, and they'll need to have TVs if there's a big match on. Venues mostly aren't dedicated music venues.
But I think they can work: I went to see Tony Cox and Steve Newman at Olive's in Bedfordview and the venue was quite upfront about what was going to go on. They were going to serve early and you had to finish eating and get your drinks ordered before 8:30 or 9:00 or whatever it was because that was when the music was going to start and there was going to be no clatter of plates and no waiters walking around whilst the music was on. The place was packed and Cox and Newman got a great audience. Nobody complained. The venue made it clear from the time you called them to make a booking that this was how it was going to be.
I think Bob has nailed it 100%.
Next to Andy's guitars in Denmark street there's this smallish jazz venue. Once the band has started there would be no noise because the people came to listen... but here the more serious music lover/listener simply avoids these noisy pubs....
Jack-Flash-Jr
Hmmm... it's complicated of course.... and there's different types of music (the louder the patrons the happier we are for example).
@Majestikc: you're going to see the wrong bands man ? we organised an event with 3 fantastic bands on Friday (and us ? )... but you do have to work to find them and programme for the venue it's true.
@epictring: at least two of the band members are rugby fans (maybe not supremo, but like to catch the matches), I don't think they're mutually exclusive by any means...
In addition to sport, maybe HD huge screen TVs at home (along with uncapped adsl movie "rental") are hurting music the way cinemas say it's hurting them as well...
ps I don't think live music is in a bad state (at least for us - we do get to gig 2 or 3 times a month afterall, some great some so so crowd wise), just could be better for all involved.
