07/08/2012
!RUN RANT!
What makes music good or bad, is purely a matter of opinion. And so what makes a band good and appealing to all types of people is not the genre of music they choose, but actually how much passion, hard work, and thought about their message, are put into it. The venue has the right to decide what bands are good enough to play their stage, but to only cater to one type of band (whatever's popular at the time) that will ensure only one type of audience (21 and up usually, so that even if the audience doesn't like the band, they'll buy some drinks) is to ensure the venues eventual death.
If you are not growing, changing, and evolving, then you are dying.
This is as true of businesses as it is of anything else.
And so yes, a venue can play it safe for a while, but soon the people will get bored of only only one type of band playing and since they can drink at any bar or even at home, the venue will have lost its appeal and they will stop coming and then the bands will have no one to play to, so they stop coming, and word spreads and pretty soon the venue can't book any of the new popular bands because there's no crowd to play to.
Then the venue owner has to decide whether or not they want to become just another one of the countless, faceless regular bars that will never be able to do more than just survive. I hope not, because I feel we already have plenty of those.
If the venue is all ages though, and it caters to all types of musicians, then eventually you will find the right combination of band and audience that brings the most people. And when that combination has run its course, you will have a whole new younger generation coming to your venue because there they know they will be accepted despite their age, despite their ability to purchase alcohol, and they know they will have all of the options to choose a new favorite, a new popular sound. And once they've found that at your venue, they'll buy water, or soda, or shirts, or pay to get in the door to see their new favorite band.
To only think about bar sales as a way to keep your business afloat is to show a complete lack of creativity. Why not instead of one or the other, have both instead?
Have your cake and eat it to because what the hell is cake good for if you can't eat it?
So sell alcohol to the older crowds and sell something else to the younger crowds. Think outside the box and sell whatever you want. Change it every up now and then.
The older crowds are more likely to try buying something new if there's more to choose from.
And the younger crowds will be willing to buy a lot of different stuff in the name of trying new things.
And neither crowd will mind paying to keep your venue running because you're venue is providing a service. You're venue is helping their favorite bands, you're venue is giving them a sanctuary to have fun and not feel guilty about whether or not they're able to legally buy alcohol. You're venue is giving them a purpose to spend money on, so they're not forced into spending money just for the sake of consumption.
They're willing to sacrifice their money for a place that cares about free will. In an age of oppressive corporations, the small businesses can fight back by simply supplying the demand for a choice. More variety and not just name brand products, bands, and other such things.
They'll want to help your venue because you're venue is helping them. Now you're not just business and customer, you're also friends. You've built a trust between the venue, the bands, and the fans. And true friends are always there to help each other out when it's needed.
I understand that in these economically troubling times, it is easy to go into defensive mode (especially as a smaller, local business) and only stick with what you know. You know people drink. People drink more when times are bad. And times are certainly bad. And yes, you can give in to your fear and make a stand at only having one type of well known defense (in this case selling alcohol). But it will be your last stand.
Instead, fight your fear.
If the best defense is a good offense, then how about having more than one defense as your offense.
Sell more than one thing. Provide more than one service. Cater to more than one type of customer. Accept more than one type of person.
The words still ring true today "That a house divided can not stand". And I'll humbly add "That a home united will surely grow"
