The Coffee Shop, the Club, and the Arena

I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday or Saturday night, or any night of the week for that matter, than experiencing live music. I am fortunate to live in city that has great live music seven nights a week (see Nashville, Where Country is Only the Tip of the Iceberg).

While part of me would like to spend every single night at a different venue, I’m not sure how long my ear drums or the “home-lifer” in me would put up with it. I do, however, try to make it to at least one or two shows a week. This got me thinking though. My ears and the convenience of the sofa aside, if I could go see live music every night of the week, where would I rather spend my time and money, the coffee shop, the club, or the arena?

Here’s what I decided. I’ve pretty much given up on the arena, stadium, and large amphitheater for experiencing great music. The only exception here is when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers roll into town. Its not that you can’t hear “good” music at a large venue, but there are too many other negative factors that weigh in. First, these types of shows, if you’re even able to get tickets, are usually way over priced. I don’t want to point fingers as to who is responsible for high ticket prices because it is usually a combination of factors. But my days of jumping on the computer right as the “pre-sale” begins, only to be stuck in row 80 at $150.00 a pop before added fees are over.

Secondly, you have to order your tickets exclusively through Ticketmaster, pay the above mentioned additional fees, fight large crowds, and struggle to find parking. You usually have to plan to attend these types of shows months in advance and for me, that takes some of the spontaneity and fun out of the experience.

I don’t want this post to be about how you shouldn’t go these bigger shows, but rather, why it is better to support smaller national, regional, and local acts. First, for the cost of one arena show, you could see seven or eight shows at small venues and experience a lot more variety. Plus, I think there is a part of all of us that likes to support the underdog so to speak. While many of the acts that play club shows these days are really successful, there are just as many artists that are struggling to make it. I would rather support them than help an act on their eighth farewell tour buy a yacht. I also like the idea of supporting smaller independent promoters and venue owners.

Additionally, I get a much more up close and personal feeling at smaller shows. Many of these shows are general admission and providing that you are not fashionably late, you can sit or stand where ever you choose to. There are not additional parking fees, and entering a club or coffee shop usually isn’t a metal detector frisking affair.

So for my time and money, I’d much rather experience live music at the clubs and coffee shops where I feel like I am contributing to an artists career and my local community. I think we will see a rise in the number of smaller venue shows as many of the acts that are still able to fill the arena and amphitheaters permanently retire.