The New York music scene ain’t what it used to be, but it could be…

Maybe I’m just getting old, but the New York music scene ain’t what it used to be. Only about a decade ago, there were venues that supported emerging artists of all styles and genres and the public had a greater interest in going to shows.

One of the best and most legendary in Manhattan was of course CBGB’s, the birthplace of punk, new wave, and alternative rock, a grimy midsize venue on Bleecker and Bowery. Also essential was The Lakeside Lounge, a small Americana joint on Avenue B between 10th and 11th St. and Banjo Jim’s on 9th and C, home of anti-folk The Sidewalk Café, as well as the Rodeo Bar in the east 20s. In Brooklyn, Hanks Saloon on 3rd and Atlantic, Southpaw on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, the original Freddy’s, and so many more provided a place for all kinds of music. I played or attended closing nights at too many of the aforementioned.

In the inevitable cycle of rebirth, clubs come and go due to a variety of reasons including exorbitant rents, unaffordable liability insurance, smoking bans, healthier lifestyles, and an overall lack of interest, in my mind, largely due to people’s distraction with cell phones. Afterall, why go out when you can have all the entertainment you want in the palm of your hand? Today, it’s terrible to see that many of those who do go out remained glued to their phones in the presence of a great performance. Talk about rude! I don’t think we fully appreciate the full ramifications of this technology and are only beginning to understand its disruptive impact on every aspect of life.

Perhaps because of all the aforementioned challenges, I’ve noticed a disappointing trend from venues, bookers, and promoters, which is that they find an act they like and stick with it at the cost of giving newcomers a chance. Good talent can be hard to come by, and it’s tempting to stick with an act that attracts steady crowds, but the result can be a “scene” that is increasingly insular and cliquish with the same people performing at the same places all the time. This type of incestuous inbreeding is a danger unto itself, and without sufficient diversity, it’s doomed to die.

Brooklyn venues that do it right include Bar Chord in Ditmas Park, Branded Saloon in Prospect Heights, and Freddy’s in Park Slope. All feature a wide variety of styles, interesting programming, and do their best to treat artists right. If there are more, I’d love to know. I don’t know if there’s anything good in Manhattan anymore.

So, what to do?

Proprietors, consider switching up your roster and giving new acts a chance! Fresh talent might be just what the doctor ordered to inject new life into a stagnant scene. At the very least, consider creating more opening slots for emerging acts. After all, venues like CBGB’s helped cultivate the Ramones, Television, Blondie, The Talking Heads, Patti Smith, and so many others because Hilly Kristal had the wisdom and vision to give everyone a chance and welcomed all styles independent of genre. And let’s not forget the NYC Folk Revival which cultivated greats like Pete Seeger, Woodie Guthrie, Dave Van Ronk, Lead Belly, Fred Neil, and Bob Dylan! All different, all great, because different is great! Audiences, give new music a chance! “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Freebird” may be fun requests to shout out, but the band doesn’t really want to play them anymore, if they ever did! Remember that those tunes were once new and original. Getting hung up on classics inhibits the possibility of allowing new classic to emerge.

If you really like an act, buying a hardcopy CD or a vinyl record is the best way to support a band, followed by paying for digital downloads. Tipping performers is also key. Getting money directly into their hands is often the best way to directly support the arts

While sometimes useful for discovering new music, skip Spotify as a primary means of music consumption. The royalties are miniscule and suck for artists. There is this other thing called radio. WFUV, WKCR and WFMU are all fantastic local stations that play new music by national touring and local bands. Even more local is some of the programming on Radio Free Brooklyn and BRIC radio, all community supported stations. And yes, they need your help during tiresome fund drives!

Performing artists, you might want to consider alternatives to the traditional route of performing in clubs, which often do not provide the best conditions or pay. More promising are restaurants and especially craft breweries, which can pay bands better off from food & drink earnings, though those gigs are less about expressing your soul and more about pleasing the audience. You’ll have to tailor your sound, and volume.

With the explosion of microbreweries in New York and nationwide, there are good emerging opportunities for musicians. Breweries can benefit from having live music which attracts customers with musical entertainment. It’s a scenario ripe for symbiosis. This is perhaps the greatest new and hopeful territory for performers. I see it happening in NYC but even more so outside of the metropolitan area, a reminder that sometimes you have to look further afield.

[pullquote]Musicians like many creatives are often focused on their own art, but helping other bands by booking shows together, offering opening slots, returning the favor when someone else books you, and sharing information is a cool thing to do. Resist the temptation to hoard the spoils all for yourself. You’ll make friends, increase your fan base, and help build a better scene. Solidarity![/pullquote]

Finally, to the city and the nation, consider supporting the arts with grants! I know of programs like Make Music NY and MUNY (Music Under NY), but there should be more. That’s a tall order, but other cities do it nationwide and worldwide, so why can’t NYC?

Of course, so many of us are struggling with family, time constraints, and the requirements of just surviving in the city. Doing these things requires effort and money, but shows are often free and just being present is doable. It’s worth the struggle, and I believe access to culture is a big part of why we choose to live in New York and not the suburbs.

I for one will keep doing my bit here at the Star, producer of the music podcast 1st Place Radio leader of Eclecticana band The Crevulators, member of as many other bands I can play in, now 5+, sometimes Music Supervisor, always hyper of great sounds from any genre, and shameless self-plugger, which is also part of the deal. Let’s turn me into we and do our best!