Please take the flame wars to PMs.

However, I disagree -- I think I speak for most of us - and neither one can prove that point so neither one has a valid argument by saying that.

Statements like that are best left out of a debate so I retract mine because it can't be proven and negate yours.

I also agree that MOST open mic nights offer inferior entertainment. The musicians that play for free are usually not as good (not always) and the groups are not rehearsed.

Perhaps it will end up being a bad business model and the club owners will realize that they get what they pay for.

If a restaurant buys inferior cuts of meat or wilted lettuce, customers will go elsewhere.

If the restaurant underpays the cooks it will only get inferior food preparation and customers will eventually go elsewhere.

If the bar asked its bartenders and waiters/waitresses to work on tips only, they would only get inferior bartenders and wait staff and the customers will eventually go elsewhere.

If the club gets freebie musicians the quality of entertainment will be inferior and pretty soon the general public will hopefully get tired of all the same songs done in various shades of mediocrity and go elsewhere.

And sure, playing music together on front porches, garages, public parks, living rooms, warehouses, and so on are a time honored tradition, one which I have participated in many times.

But playing in a commercial establishment for free is a different thing. Stealing a job from a fellow musician by playing for free is something I would never do. It's a "do unto others" thing for me.

That's all I'm saying and all I'm going to say about the subject. We've gotten to the point where we are just repeating ourselves and have come to an impasse.

Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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