Recession means more karaoke, fewer live bands

That music you hear is more likely coming from someone’s car or home stereo than your nearest bar or night club.

With the economy still on shaky ground, live music in local night spots is in a tailspin, local musicians and club owners say, and it probably won’t get better until at least next spring.

“Fewer people are coming out to shows, and they are leaving earlier (and spending less),” said Dale Myers, co-owner of the Thirsty Parrot, a downtown club.

Myers stopped booking national acts in August, and has no plans to resume until spring.

Not only are clubs cutting back on booking live acts, they’re also cutting payment to bands that do get booked. Downtown clubs typically pay a band with drawing power between $600 and $700 for a Friday or Saturday night show, but some venues have cut their fees by 20 percent.

Johnny Nolan, owner of Southside Johnny’s, a downtown bar and restaurant, said his business is down 5 percent. Turnout is still good at the club’s blues jam on Wednesdays, he said, and business remains steady on Friday and Saturday evenings. But attendance has dropped on other nights, and Nolan has been forced to slash his rate for Thursday night bands from $600 to about $400.

Stargazers Theatre, east of downtown, sometimes asks bands to waive their normal fee and take a percentage of door sales.

“It used to be (the band) dictated the price,” said Stargazers co-owner John Hooton. “Now they have an asking price but are willing to negotiate.”

The economic climate has made it hard for new bands with little or no following because club owners aren’t willing to take a chance on booking them, local musicians say. But even well-known acts are feeling the pinch.

Jake Loggins, a blues singer and guitarist whose band has a large regional following, said bookings have dropped dramatically in recent months. At shows, moreover, Loggins is seeing the same faces.

“It’s either diehard music lovers or diehard partiers coming out,” Loggins said.

For years, Jeff Stinson has gigged regularly as an Elvis impersonator with his band Graceland. But his club gigs have dropped 30 percent compared to last year.

“It’s a tough time for bands,” Stinson said. “Owners are finding it cheaper to offer a karaoke night rather than book a band. Some bars are doing poker nights instead.”

Nolan doesn’t expect the club scene to improve till next year. “It won’t happen until the hammers start pounding and homes are being built again,” he said.

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