There are plenty of places to play for free and for the fun of it that aren't commercial establishments.

Playing in a for-profit place deprives a working musician from his/her livelihood. That is unless there is a paid house band working at a fair rate as an anchor.

I've gone to jam sessions for the fun of it, but only if I know the house band is making a fair wage. Mostly it's to support my friends in the house band to make sure they keep working.

Just think of your regular job. How would you feel if someone offered to do your job for free one day a week, and your boss gave you the day off without pay. The person sitting in to your job might not be as good as you are, but is having a good time, and your boss gets work done for nothing. Would that be OK with you? Do unto others.

So if the restaurant/bar hosts an open mic night, and there isn't a house band being paid, I don't go there whether it is open mic night or another time. I feel I owe that to my fellow musicians.

Others can do what they want to. They can let the venue exploit them, they can put musicians out of work, but I won't. That's the way I feel about it anyway.

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Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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