A friend who sings with a band in another city related this story to me recently, indicative of what musicians face on a regular basis. They were given the opportunity to open for a well-known R&B artist whose heyday was the late ’70s. They would not be paid, but it was a great opportunity for exposure. The club provided the drumset and equipment for the main act, a typical rental arrangement for touring bands, and the club owner sensibly agreed to let my friend’s band use the same equipment at no charge. Continue reading →

Is a recession coming? If you ask this question of a musician, the answer you’ll likely get is, “It’s already here.” In my band, Gemini Soul, we’ve noticed a dramatic slowdown in performance opportunities. One year ago, Craigslist was filled with postings by venues seeking performers, and we found many of our gigs that way. Not so today. Instead, musicians argue about whether or not to accept offers to play for no pay. Sure, it makes sense when you’re starting out to play for free, but increasingly clubs, restaurants, cafes and other venues are unwilling or unable to pay musicians except with perhaps a pound of coffee — probably because they, too, are feeling the pinch of decreased sales. Continue reading →