Save Seattle Music
Nov 14, 2022 at 1:59 pm
We Spoke to Musicians, Talent-Buyers, Club Owners, and Leaders in the Music Community to Find Out What Happens Next
ANTHONY KEO
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800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
I think it would've been interesting to hear from music fans and show-goers for this article.
IMO, some of the venues are oversaturated with mediocre bands that don't offer a lot and play too frequently. There's not a lot of incentive to see them for the 10th time - even if you want to support them specifically, or the music community at large. The sheer number of "festivals" with the same old tired composition and set lists is a drag. There are interesting outlier events that offer sounds and experiences that many others can't (FreakOut, for example) but too many people are trying to pull money out of the same, small well. Aside from a few bright spots, it doesn't feel like our local music talent is evolving. In fairness, we know there are a lot of social, economic and demographic reasons for that.
Another deterrent for me is audience behavior. Jesus. H. Christ. General audience etiquette is at an all-time low, and that's on top of the cell phone bullshit. I've saved up my social energy and ticket dollars to drop money on a good show, only to have people on all sides talk over the bands the whole time, eat entire meals in the middle of the floor, or crop dust the whole place for 2 hours.
If the Stranger's EverOut site is the one comprehensive calendar for shows, it needs more prominence, promotion and....a name change?
We're trying to help, but there are barriers for us, too.
High Rents-- Talk to the Seattle City Counsel.... they make building unnecessarily costly and cumbersome. The myriad of regulations are prohibitive to clubs and venues.
High Medical Insurance... Oh, uh ... Obammacare was supposed to solve all of that.... or did it... oh it didn't.
High costs of operations.... keep raising the min wage... ja, brilliant.... then add sick leave, paternity leave and jack up L&I, Employment security rates.
High cost of gasoline... well we have the highest gas tax in the nation...what did you think would happen... DOH.
Then add the wild wild west factor of being downtown in a crime riddled zone... and lots of drug addicts plying their trade.... and you have a really nice overall situation.
In summation... Seattle as a venue simply sucks. ..... To artists, musicians, actors.... I'd recommend leaving this city... it is forsaken.
Manolitos, take your conservative talking points and shove it. The MAIN reason rents are so high, is there is NO CONTROL WHATSOEVER on real estate OWNERS across the USA. Even Switzerland, with far more amenities, INCLUDING UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, YES, IT SOLVES PROBLEMS YOU AHOLE, is not as expensive when it comes to rent. They also have public transportation that puts us to shame. RENTS are NOT the fault of the CITY COUNCIL, they are the FAULT OF ROYALISTS LIKE YOU. Prob one of the catholic dominionists trying to turn America fascist like Argentina, prob your dream time.
I used to head for The Fabulous Rainbow every weekend. Saw and heard some spectacular music performed there.
I used to head for Peaches Records after work every payday. Remember Peaches? And then it was to Tower Records. Remember Tower Records? Those were the days.
I know I know. "OK Boomer". So sue me.
@4 👍
Why oh why oh why does Metro completely shut down at 8:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. , and then they wonder why nobody ever uses Public Transportation for their evening activities?
Oh BTW
F KEXP. "The home of announcers and DJ's who are in love with the sound of their own voice. And ONLY their own voice".
I still miss KCMU. Remember KCMU? "Radio the way it's supposed to be".
couldn't have anything to do with the larping as non-trumpy and nice by fully embracing covid maximalism and ultimately ineffective social engineering and attempts at authoritarianism. "oh but we never really locked down" well look at china and they still apparently cant get rid of covid. "but masks work" - ask japan and korea about their covid successes with those high 90+% masking rates. all we got was jabbed 3-5 times, still got covid and made our arts scenes weird, and became pretty much that which we claimed to hate. all from LARPing around. we get it, you didnt vote for trump, neither did I!
see this guy on masking
https://ianmsc.substack.com/p/public-health-is-trying-to-force?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
I moved here from a place where people go to hear live music (New Orleans) in 2005. As a working musician it was obvious that teaching, publishing and playing in a casino cover band were the only viable options as audiences are thin and fickle here. Add to this the fact that Tik Tok is where many younger folks are going to hear supposed music. It's far cheaper than paying the cover charge and exorbitant alcohol prices to hear supposed music at a club. There is a very limited audience here. Sure, occasional shows will hit the mark but it's not anywhere near consistent. I don't know how to lure audiences out these days, but that is the key.