Right, I've been talking about this off and on here for years. I'm in LA and that's the way it is. The idea that this guy who wrote the article thinks that trying to reason with a club owner is going to get him anywhere is wishful thinking. He's assuming there's an audience out there who gives a crap about what we consider to be live music. There isn't. Not anymore. Don't be fooled by a few friends and relatives who love our stuff. That's not a career or a following.

The reason the bands play for free is they need a venue to make a decent video that they can put up on their website and link to on Facebook and all the social media sites they use. Most here hardly know anything about that but that's the name of the game. I just mentioned a week or so ago my little story about a similar club owner who was in the club listening to us but insisted on our website and Facebook links so he could check how many "friends" we had. Since we're a bunch of old farts it's called Face what??

The restaurant that I used to do Friday night jazz gigs for over 5 years down on the pier in Hermosa Beach changed owners last year. It went from Sangria's, a good Italian place with sidewalk seating and a combination sports bar/lounge where we played to the American Junkie. Nice, eh? No, they're not referring to drugs they're referring to sports junkies. The place is absolutely packed on a Friday night. Who cares about a band?

What to know what's really happening now? Check out the Palms in Vegas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlMe5eeXqys

The Lounge at the Palms is one of the hippest places there. I just happened to see this just this morning surfing Youtube by accident. This video is from 2006 so I went to the Palms website and found this guy Stendek is the main Friday night's entertainment right now this week so he must be a hit. He's the 2010 Boss looping champion. Gee, I'm so impressed I can't stand it. I forced myself to look up that looping contest and there must have been 2000 kids there yelling and screaming. I'm not saying he doesn't have any talent, he can do a few things but Friday night prime time at the Palms? You kidding me? Anybody want to go to Vegas with the wife, make some reservations and go see this guy? At least they do have a kick ass band called the Fat City Horns in the rotation but on Monday nights. That's the absolute worst night of the week in Vegas but they are good so there's some real music going on there.

Bob

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