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<blockquote data-quote="john lutz" data-source="post: 123134" data-attributes="member: 244">Re: Price check in Aisle 5Summed up well.&nbsp; It was not always like this though.&nbsp; In the 70&#039;s and 80&#039;s I made an OK living as a small local provider for bar bands.&nbsp; In Michigan and surrounding states there were many many bars that thrived on the “party scene”.&nbsp; If you didn&#039;t have “the sound” and “the look” you sucked.&nbsp; Patrons expected that a different good band that met certain minimum requirements would be on site each week .&nbsp; A lot of clubs developed favorite bands who&#039;s shows were very well attended.&nbsp; Shoulder to shoulder and packed dance floors 3 or 4 nights a week were the norm.&nbsp; Folks just had more disposable income and fewer entertainment options. I think total expenses for the club owners were comparatively less as well.&nbsp; Plus liquor law enforcement was not as radical so people soaked up a lot lot more drinks.&nbsp; Eventually law enforcement began to basically camp out in bar parking lots.&nbsp; Penalties and fines for any DUI related offense became financially ruinous.&nbsp; That and other factors combined to a predictable effect and the party gradually came to an end.&nbsp; Granted, I was young and single so my needs were less – but bar band pay vs. expenses needed to compete for gigs and still have a life was way way more favorable.&nbsp; Food, rent, gas, transportation, insurance – all relatively cheaper.&nbsp; Only the sound and lighting equipment was more initially expensive, but that just cut some of the competition and made “bigger and better” pay off more.&nbsp; The economics were very different.&nbsp; Alas or thank goodness depending on POV ...all things change.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="john lutz, post: 123134, member: 244"] Re: Price check in Aisle 5 Summed up well. It was not always like this though. In the 70's and 80's I made an OK living as a small local provider for bar bands. In Michigan and surrounding states there were many many bars that thrived on the “party scene”. If you didn't have “the sound” and “the look” you sucked. Patrons expected that a different good band that met certain minimum requirements would be on site each week . A lot of clubs developed favorite bands who's shows were very well attended. Shoulder to shoulder and packed dance floors 3 or 4 nights a week were the norm. Folks just had more disposable income and fewer entertainment options. I think total expenses for the club owners were comparatively less as well. Plus liquor law enforcement was not as radical so people soaked up a lot lot more drinks. Eventually law enforcement began to basically camp out in bar parking lots. Penalties and fines for any DUI related offense became financially ruinous. That and other factors combined to a predictable effect and the party gradually came to an end. Granted, I was young and single so my needs were less – but bar band pay vs. expenses needed to compete for gigs and still have a life was way way more favorable. Food, rent, gas, transportation, insurance – all relatively cheaper. Only the sound and lighting equipment was more initially expensive, but that just cut some of the competition and made “bigger and better” pay off more. The economics were very different. Alas or thank goodness depending on POV ...all things change. [/QUOTE]

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