In talking with local venues, the general impression is that attendance has gone down in the last two years in the Baltimore/D.C. area. We think we still put on a good show for a reasonable dollar, but some venues are talking about giving it up.

Many venues are run strictly on volunteer power and poor attendance saps the morale of volunteers. It also means the performers do not receive the recompense we feel they deserve.

My impression is that there are many new venues in the last two or three years, I contend there are only so many folk dollars to go around. I could easily attend a concert every night within a fifty mile radius of Baltimore and two a night on several nights.

What is the experience elsewhere? I suspect many Mudcatters are well connected to their local concert venues and even get out of the house to see live music (well some of you, at least). What are your local experiences with attendance and growing numbers of venues?

Roger in Baltimore