I see a big shift in the US venues ... I can make it work because I keep trying new things and playing different kinds of venues. In truth I work anywhere I can get paid and too many where I don't.

My main interest in playing is still concerts ... that's the kind of "entertainment" I do best. The truth is I am NOT a personality entertainer, not a humorist, not a virtuoso ... but I have some of each of those elements. IF people are entertained by my show it is because they have an interest in the kind of music I play - and they are "entertained" by the music. As a performer, I'd have to say I'm a musician (not an entertainer). That is the basic weaknesses I've had to work on - and frankly still need to work on.

In order to make a living, I've had to develop other kinds of shows (beyond concerts). I play some where I do very few of my own songs (usually Pubs) and I play some shows where I do almost nothing but my own songs.

Especially this time of year - I feel like my day job is a Pub singer. I don't mean to put down pubs. I actually enjoy doing them, most of the time - but it's not what I'm best at - and I've had to work hard to be as good as I am. So I see it as both a way to make money and a way to force me to develop as an "entertainer."

We have one of the very best entertainers in the world here at Mudcat ... and that is Seamus Kennedy. He is both a fine singer/musician and a first rate humorist. Seamus is the perfect entertainer in one package. It seems to just roll from him when he's on-stage, but I know how hard I've worked to develop my show ... so I suspect he works at least as hard.

As the music scene changes, I assume it is my task to change with it, and maybe even be lucky enough to change ahead of it. I've always been interested in history and wrote a few songs inspired by history - and I've accidentally fallen into a bit of a music niche there - mostly CD and MP3 sales - but I do a few shows every year that pay well. I push stuff out onto Myspace and Youtube - and I sell CDs and MP3s through CDBaby. Each of these sites has provide some benefit - CDBaby especially through real income - but the others give me demo sites, promo facilities and have helped me make meaningful music connections.

I have struggled with festival growth - as a solo performer and a balladeer I find fewer and fewer festivals have those kind of slots. The shift there has been toward the big fat sound of kick-ass trad based bands - and toward the even bigger and fatter sounds of the hard Celtic rock bands. So I've been booking some festivals with various band configurations, tapping some very talented friends for band members as needed.

I've also stumbled into TV and film work. None of that's paid well, yet - but it helps on the resume (CV) and provides real advertising. I do have one film possible for next year that will actually earn me something if it goes. I won't hold my breath, but I will keep my fingers crossed.

Anyway - as I struggle through this music business, I keep trying to find new ways to make it work.