Scrumpy 'n' Western - Mag 4 Live Music

FREE Every Month Scrumpy ‘n’ Western issue 10 vol 5WAS 2008 A SAD BAD YEAR on musician had had more cancellationsthan actual gigs worked this year and wasFOR LIVE MUSIC?most concerned at the prospect of 2009. AThe year 2008 must be the worst year everlot of the musicians we spoke to were stillfor the British pub, 100 years ago mostbusy gigging, but their overall concerntowns and city’s there was one on mostwhen playing certain venues was the dwindlingaudience numbers, at these venues,street corners. The bombing in the SecondWorld War of our city’s and towns saw offcompared to 4 - 6 years ago. We had aa certain amount, the redevelopment sawpositive reaction from south Devon musicianMartin Weller who plays with ‘Crusha change in the sixties of new estate pubs,fewer but larger, then the changing habitsUK’ and ‘The BobKatz’, two very busy andof people in the nineties, started to seepopular bands plus his own solo work, apubs close. They have over the past yearbig thank you Martin.now been closing at a horrendous rate,S n W - Have you had many gigs cancellednine times faster than 2006 and 18 timesthis year?faster than 2005! Publicans complain theyMartin - “About eight I would say, it doesn’thave been hit by the smoking ban, risingget any easier despite being in two of therent and business rates, increasing fuelbest bands around.”bills and aggressive drinks discounting byS n W - What about audience numbers?supermarkets! We are told by many landlordsand managers that many of theirMartin - “A change in patterns perhaps,with folks coming out later so the secondcustomers turn up to live music sessions,half kicks in.”having already tanked up at home, to seeS n W - Could you take the time to makethe band and buy one or two pints, then toa few comments on the situation?return home early!! Over 2000 pubs haveMartin - “I think it is the same as it ever wasclosed in England alone in 2008, this hasreally, perhaps even better in some ways,led to pubs being urged by the BBPA? Tosome of the venues have got their actsconcentrate on the ‘Five F’s’ - ‘Food, Families,Females, Forty-Somethings and Fifty-together and booking is easier and morereliable. It’s an erratic business and whatsomethings! So the question the Scrumpywe do is deliver quality wherever and when‘n’ Western asks is what affect is this havingon local live music? We are told byever we play, to maintain consistency andalways give value for money. I do this for amany active working musicians that theirliving so I am in it for the long haul. Flexibilitywith times, material to suit certain ven-bookings in 2008 are way down, somestate that they have had more cancellationsthan gigs this year!! Plus many ofues all helps. I try and work in partnershipwith regular venues making sure the showsthese acts who do Entertainment Agencyare well publicised and the info is accuratework, like Weddings and Private parties or- that’s where the S n W comes in. I thinkCorporate do’s, many have said this typethe S n W is a valued asset to musiciansof work has virtually dried up!and venues alike, so thank you”.So we went walk about, to ask some of theIf you follow the gig listings every month,West Country’s top bands and solo actsyou will see that ‘Martin’, ‘Crush UK’ andwhat they thought of the situation. One half‘The BobKatz’ are well listed, busy acts.of a Bristol based duo said that their agencywork had virtually dried up, but the factSo it’s not all doom and gloom, The PierTavern, Burnham on Sea are still holdingthat they had built up a good work record,live music events, on Thursday, Friday,they were still getting plenty of work. Of theSaturday’s with music (Jazz) from 2.00 pmmany solo musicians we asked, one fromtill 4.00 pm on Sunday afternoons. TheWeston-Super-Mare said that he had theRock Gardens in Weston-Super-Mare nowodd cancellation, where as one North Dev-open a year, have live music on averageJANUARY ‘09 26