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<blockquote data-quote="Mike Babcock" data-source="post: 142" data-attributes="member: 65">I am really only basing this off of personal experience and observations. But it seems as though the industry is outpacing the US economy in terms of suckage. I know this is the second January in a row that I have said that living the dream may be over, and it may be the year I finally get a real job. Ticket sales are down, budgets are down, and people are asked to do 2 or 3 jobs for less money (in the touring world). I&#039;d personally give my left nut for a van tour right now as sitting at home for the past 4 months looking for work has depleted my funds to about 0. I&#039;d give my right nut for a $100/night club gig, but the 40 or so venues in the area are staffed by the 50 or so touring engineers in the same boat as I am. Here I sit with both nuts intact. In 2010 I made 20% less than in 2009. In 2009 I made 35% less than in 2008. In 2 years my gross income has been cut in half. The previous 10 years were a steady rise in income on a yearly basis. I have resigned myself to stagehanding at a rate I was getting in 1992 because it&#039;s the only gig available. I know quite a few people that are in similar situations, and I also know some people who just seem to stay busy regardless, and some lucked into a consistent gig. I know things will pick up in a month or two, but are they going to get back to normal or pick up to about 15-20% less than 2010?My questions are, how are things in your neck of the woods? For providers, are you seeing losses or gains? Have you needed to lay off employees or rely on fewer employees to pay the bills? Is there anything we can do to turn this around? Touring guys, have you dropped your rate or added a slash to stay busy? Is this an epidemic at this point or just my failure (poor luck) to get a gig, local or otherwise? What can be done about the kids going out for $4-500/week, or the &#039;&#039;pros&#039;&#039; doing TM/FOH for under a grand?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mike Babcock, post: 142, member: 65"] I am really only basing this off of personal experience and observations. But it seems as though the industry is outpacing the US economy in terms of suckage. I know this is the second January in a row that I have said that living the dream may be over, and it may be the year I finally get a real job. Ticket sales are down, budgets are down, and people are asked to do 2 or 3 jobs for less money (in the touring world). I'd personally give my left nut for a van tour right now as sitting at home for the past 4 months looking for work has depleted my funds to about 0. I'd give my right nut for a $100/night club gig, but the 40 or so venues in the area are staffed by the 50 or so touring engineers in the same boat as I am. Here I sit with both nuts intact. In 2010 I made 20% less than in 2009. In 2009 I made 35% less than in 2008. In 2 years my gross income has been cut in half. The previous 10 years were a steady rise in income on a yearly basis. I have resigned myself to stagehanding at a rate I was getting in 1992 because it's the only gig available. I know quite a few people that are in similar situations, and I also know some people who just seem to stay busy regardless, and some lucked into a consistent gig. I know things will pick up in a month or two, but are they going to get back to normal or pick up to about 15-20% less than 2010? My questions are, how are things in your neck of the woods? For providers, are you seeing losses or gains? Have you needed to lay off employees or rely on fewer employees to pay the bills? Is there anything we can do to turn this around? Touring guys, have you dropped your rate or added a slash to stay busy? Is this an epidemic at this point or just my failure (poor luck) to get a gig, local or otherwise? What can be done about the kids going out for $4-500/week, or the ''pros'' doing TM/FOH for under a grand? [/QUOTE]

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