I have never made a post like this, and I am sure the ensuing manifesto will ruffle a LOT of feathers. But it is high time something on this matter is voiced. To generate change for the better, it is up to each of us to make a difference. We often hear the term Vote with your forks, when discussing a shift towards a society that values the local, sustainable and organic food model. Well, I am suggesting a Vote with your attendance, in regards to the live music scene in Western NC. There are an abundance of venues in this town that screw over musicians, and have done so for years. As someone who has lived in Asheville for over almost 15 years and played hundreds, maybe even a few thousand gigs in this town, I can attest to seeing this firsthand on multiple occasions. A recent occurrence at a venue was the straw on the camels back. The musicians, who were being paid next to nothing, were mistreated by the owner. They did everything right - advertised, spread the news by word of mouth, and gave 110% at each performance. They didnt need to do this, especially considering how little the venue was paying them, but they did and gave it their all. Their compensation? Being told by the owner they were not doing a satisfactory job and that a different genre would be selected for that weekly slot. The actual result - the owner lied to the musicians, hiring a different ensemble in the same genre behind their back. I realize there are greater injustices in the world and this is a frequent occurrence in the music business. However, Asheville can be a different model. You and I cannot change what a venues owner chooses to do or not do. But we CAN act as a catalyst for change by simply not attending that venue. Musicians – we also have the power to generate change, through one very simple action – if the gig doesn’t pay well (or at all), then DO NOT TAKE THE GIG. If each member of the musical community in Asheville does this – the artists and the audience alike – we can actually generate a sustainable model of entertainment where everybody wins and artists can actually make a living. One final note – the reason many of you don’t see me performing in Asheville that much anymore is that there are almost no venues that offer their musicians a guarantee. I believe this devalues the work of the artist, and I for one refuse to support this paradigm. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you will consider this in your next live music outing. Thank you for supporting the arts in Western NC – together we can make a difference and create an environment where both artists and audiences win.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 13:57:49 +0000
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