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August 21, 2006
No points for originality
I spent a good chunk of my Friday night at Cafe Nine in New Haven to see Boston's Muck and the Mires, a group that won a recent battle of the bands competition on Little Steven's Underground Garage.
I figured that the exalted status of Little Steven and his satellite radio program would help pull in a few dozen people and the room would be filled with others just looking for a night of straightforward rock 'n' roll or to see local bands Groovski and The Vultures.
The cover charge was just $5, so it should have been a hopping night at "The Musicians Living Room," as the club bills itself. Not really.
The music was great, the beers were cold, but the crowd was somewhat lacking. Doesn't anybody search out live, original music anymore? It kills me that people will spend half of their Friday nights waiting to get into one of the trendy discos in New Haven, while there are actual musicians performing original music at nearby clubs.
This isn't just a New Haven issue as Fairfield County venues that specialize in original music also aren't getting the customers one would expect for their shows.
I worry about the futures of music venues that don't bother with cover bands or DJs and try to bring an assortment of live shows to area clubs - such as Cafe Nine, Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport, Toad's Place, etc. It seems that people are getting accustomed to just listening to what the radio monopolies put out there without bothering to search for the music they might like.
For me, it was always a thrill to fall in love with an artist or a band that was relatively unknown and, occasionally, watching with some smug sense of pride as people started to catch on and the band's fan base started to grow.
With all the ways that wide varieties of music can come into our lives nowadays (Internet, satellite radio, etc.), you would think that live shows should be thriving as more music-lovers can find out about these bands before they come to town. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case and it could be a struggle for rock clubs to survive.
So, let's hear from you. Why aren't more people going to check out original music at our area nightclubs?
Posted by Sean on August 21, 2006 4:03 AM
Comments
Muck and the Mires!!! they're back in CT!!!
this Saturday at Jimmy's Seaside in Stamford,
891 Cove Road, easy access off Exit 9 off I-95 ...
This Spy Surfs starts off at 9,
then Lifeguard Knifefight,
and Muck and the Mires at 11
c'mon on out and support LIVE music
myspace.com/surfnight for more details.
Posted by: Bob D. at July 25, 2007 3:34 PM
