Here in Cleveland the business died in 1986 when the state changed the drinking age to 21 in response to BLACKMAIL from the state who said "Change it from 18 or 21 or you get ZERO highway funds." Before that there was more venues than bands and we decided where and when we would play and told them how much they were going to pay us. Slowly there were venues closing everywhere because they lost that 3 year demographic that included college kids. Then there were more bands than venues and the undercutting began. Bands that made $1200 a night for a bar gig were playing for $400, just to play. Fortunately I was always in good bands so we got private party and corporate work. Now every band is a 3 piece with a front singer and they all play the same 50 songs so every player can play in many bands. You never see the same lineup twice in a row. Nobody rehearses. I have been at places where the drummer and bass player had to be introduced on stage. How tight can a rhythm section be that have never even met, much less played together?

But hey, I'm almost 70 and my music time is about over.