What does the CT/Western MA scene need?

[Johnny 5]

What do you think will make our scene better?

[fcmonk]

Me in a band. ;D

Seriously, more places for original bands to play, and more variety to the bands overall. All bands seem to play the same style and (in the case of covers) the same songs. Makes it tough to differentiate (sp?) between bands sometimes.

[Johnny 5]

I agree, those are two important issues to me. The only available places for original bands to play rarely, if ever, pay. They also force 40 minute or less sets divided among other bands. The only decent place I can think of is Toad's Place.

Regarding the latter, it seems 99% of bands around here are screamo or metal bands. We need some diversity and maybe clubs would open their doors to us a little more.

[jobu]

I think we need more people who are willing to pay to listen to original music exclusively. You know, take a chance and go out and see a new band for $5 to see what they're like. We need open minds before the scene can progress into a true hotbed for creativity.

I'm sick of playing out and clearing the dance floor when we play our originals. Being the proud parents we are, we play them anyway and keep our chins up, knowing it's the right thing to do.

I think the wrong thing has been done for so long around here that when it's not done, people get confused. We really need a place to see original music outside the local VFW.

By the way, I agree. The death metal scene around here is giving the rest of us...not a bad name, but deterring club owner from hiring original bands.

[Johnny 5]

Exactly, but I think the club owners are partly, if not more, to blame for not hosting and promoting original music. There are a few decent places for original bands, but I'd like to see a Brickyard, Bourbon St. or Thirsty Turtle type place take a chance once in a while.

I think they're afraid because if they do it on, say, a weekend night, alot of their customers will probably go elsewhere if it is a metal band. But a good rock original band that can maintain the built in crowd could do well.

[jobu]

I think it might be cool to have a theater type place with seats and all that caters to the local original scene. You have a bar there, but make it a theater, like a curved movie theater. Of course this scenario is far from economically viable, but if you get like 100 musician investors to who all have a stake in it, they might be willing to work harder to make it work.

No tribute bands, no cover bands...but you do mini shows...like 1 hour a night and charge $5 at the door. That way, people don't think they're using their whole night to go see a band they don't like. They put an hour of their time in, and leave, maybe seeing a great new band.

No pay to play, no selling tickets. If your friends are into it, they'll be there and bring THEIR friends.

To pay the bills, you host national touring comedians/plays/whatever from time to time...but a certain amount of time is regularly set aside to cater to the local scene. It might not work, but we'll never know unless we try.

[Johnny 5]

I'd really like to see some clubs do both covers and originals. It seems clubs decide one or the other and refuse to do anything else. I think Toad's is really the only club that seems to do both and they seem to be doing pretty well.

[fcmonk]

Is Toad's pay-for-play like the Webster? That place has done more to harm original bands in this state than anywhere.

[Johnny 5]

No, they have that ticket thing going. Each band gets different colored tickets to hand out to their fans. They know how many people each band brings by how many tickets of that color come in. If you don't bring (I think) 60+ people, you don't get paid. I think it works out for the most part.

The only down side is that everytime I play there I have friends that are so excited to say "I got in with out even having to hand in my ticket!!" Some people just don't get it.