WSS mentioned festivals and that reminded me of another story. There are several big festivals around here every year, the Hermosa Arts one, the Manhattan Beach one, the really big one out in Pomona and others. We were down at the beach to the Hermosa one and there were two booths set up at opposite ends selling nothing but CD's. They had nice sound systems playing the music they were selling. One was pretty good contemporary jazz and the other was soothing aroma therapy background type stuff. I talked to the guy running the jazz booth and he wasn't the musician, that guy lives in San Francisco. He hires people to run these booths so he must be selling enough to be worth that I would assume although he could be losing his butt too. I don't know any details but you have to pay for those spaces plus the cost of the booth itself, traveling expenses, etc.

This is a business with all the risks and costs of any other business. I have a full time job, no way do I have the time to do that but still I'm drawn to it like lemmings to the sea because music has always been my first love. I keep going to these different places and keep gravitating to musicians trying to make it and talking to them. I suspect that playing down at the Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade can work for some people too. Some of them are very good and I can see them selling CD's down there because I've bought a few, plus tips plus the exposure to get gigs from people just walking around. That is a very expensive area to live, house party gigs usually pay decently. I researched playing at the Promenade a bit too, you have to get a license from the city to do that and they will assign you an area to play and your time slot. It's up to you to find parking and schlep your equipment and that's not easy either. Naturally the best areas and time slots are difficult to get and I think it's first come first served so people are waiting in line for that. Again this is a business and it takes some investment and work. Lots of work.

Bob

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