Calling all area Charlotte bar owners and live music operators – in case you haven’t heard there appears to be a recession upon us. You may have noticed this in your establishments on some nights (see: Sunday – Thursday). You may be wondering how to improve this situation, and actually make some money? I have the answer my friends:
Get a better-than-average, versatile cover band. Trust me. It’s money in the bank. Guaranteed. Want proof?
Hong Kong is basically the New York City of Asia. There are roughly a bajillion bars with live music in that city (trust me, I’ve been there and counted them myself). And you wanna know what type of band is playing in every single one of those bars 7 nights a week? That’s right – the aforementioned cover band.
Imagine this if you will. It’s Sunday night – the worst night of the week in terms of people out drinking (unless it’s Super Bowl Sunday). Your establishment is a quarter full (MAYBE). Wouldn’t you love to have a packed house, rockin’ out, spendin’ wads of cash? That is exactly what the scene looks like in Hong Kong on any given night.
So, what’s so special about a good cover band you ask? Easy. Every song you’ve ever heard on the radio. They can play it. And as an added bonus, they usually sound better than whoever sings it on the radio. Classic rock, southern rock, pop music, 80s, 90s, disco, rap, hip-hop, you name it, they can play it. They take requests, they get the crowd involved, and they pack the house. Every single night. People love it, people go crazy.
Now, your basic badass cover band should break down like this:
Lead singer: Usually a woman – you need the power vocals to sing the Tina Turner, the Abba , the slow jams that your peeps throw out.
Back-up singer: A dude who rocks out with the lead singer. Think Bryan Adams and Tina Turner “Its Only Love” – a little chemistry helps too.
Lead guitarist: A dude who shreds like you’ve never seen. Probably the most important piece.
Another guitarist: Can’t have battling guitar solos with one dude.
Drummer: Obvious reasons.
That’s it. That’s the magic formula. And you may be asking, isn’t this a lttle too easy. Yes, yes it is. That’s why they have to be good – really good – like Scott and Woody at Buckhead Saloon downtown good. It’s an easy fix. That and cheap beer.
I’m all about our local live music acts, but if you want to pack the average bar, you gotta give into the basic rule of supply and demand. People demand songs they know, and you’d better be supplying it. Let the Evening Muse, Visulite and Neighborhood Theatre roll out the original acts.
You’ll thank me later. Trust me. Just have them blast a little “Paradise City” by GNR and we’ll consider it thanks enough.
This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 1, 2010.
It’s not too hard to go out and play the music someone else already wrote – and then cash in on it. It’s just cheating, isn’t it?
I’d rather give my money for a cover charge where bands have actually spent time trying to write their own songs instead of piggy-backing on someone else.
Go pay the original band, buy their album or listen to the radio to hear the same old crap…
I understand that some people love cover bands and the music they know, but that’s why local bands struggle and why cover bands are put at Alive After Five for the pink-polo shirt wearing masses instead of giving local bands a chance.
Jeff – I completely agree. I would much rather check out live acts that write their own music and send my support to the local music that way. The reality seems to be that most people want to things when they go to a bar.
1. Get drunk
2. Sing along to songs they already know and can remember the words to when they’re drunk (see: jovi, bon – journey – ice, vanilla
I didnt say i agreed with the cover band idea, just that it seems to work and if you want to make money at your establishment, you gotta give the people what they want.
Sounds like Jeff was in a garage band that went belly up. Don’t Jump Jeff…don’t do it.