MusicPro Magazine

With businesses cutting back on every expense you can think of (not to mention laying off employees in droves), what does that mean for working musicians.

One of the interesting things that comes to mind is whether or not a venue, restaurant, pub, nightclub sees entertainment as an expense or an income generator. This may or may not be purely subjective but it lies in the perception of the business owner.

On the one hand, if entertainment is responsible for a good portion of the business that a club owner does by way of drinks (usually) and food, then entertainment is NOT an expense but a source of revenue generation. On the other hand, however, if the club or restaurant uses entertainment purely for aesthetic purposes (i.e. to add to the overall ambiance of the establishment), then entertainment could easily be regarded as an unnecessary expense.

Since it could go either way, depending on the venue, performers, etc., what can we do as performers that, along with the collaboration with club owners, to make a profitable scenario for all involved? One thing is for sure; club owners and musicians need each other to survive, so letting club owners fight the good fight alone is not a realistic solution in these trying economic times. Musicians shouldn’t bear an unrealistic financial burden either, like playing for the door. Playing for the door can work in some limited genres or if you are an established national or global act, sure. But I’m talking about local and regional musicians who supply entertainment for smaller venues. It’s a little bit different financial arrangement.

I’m not advocating a solution, but rather, I’m putting the question to you, working music professionals, to see if you have thought about this. What ideas do you have regarding this whole mess?