It's great that so many folks are telling Hamish not to worry or feel guilty ~ and I suppose he really shouldn't. However, I share his feelings, because this problem is especially touchy in my town at this particular time.

Live music has always been a major factor in New Orleans' appeal as a tourist destination, and the tourism industry has been critical to the local economy for years. And, even in good times, musicians have always been underpaid ~ almost as severely underpaid as other workers critical to the tourism biz, like restaurant workers, hotel maids, cabbies, etc. It's historical fact that the tour-and-travel business provides a small number of well-placed individuals and corporations with big money, largely thanks to the efforts of a large number of thoroughly exploited wage-slaves.

Since the 2005 flood, tourism is off ~ even though the economy continues to rebound since being totally shut down immediately after Katrina, we are still hurting. A number of live music venues have not reopened, although there is still probably more live music in New Orleans than in any other US city. Most of the places that are open and offering music have to get by with reduced attendance and therefore smaller revenues. Many musicians who evacuated still cannot return to live in their hometown, especially those who were not homeowners prior to the storm, because rents have gone sky-high due to supply-and-demand.

The upshot is that plenty of opportunites in the local music industry are up for grabs. Many established players, and a few established venues, are now out of the picture. Those musicians who are here and available for gigs include talented and proven veterans who deserve to make a living wage, as well as wannabes of all ages and descriptions willing to take any opportunity for just about any level of compensation.

I think the right thing to do is to accept a gig ONLY if it pays well enough that a player more experienced and established than oneself would at least consider it. In other words, I would feel guilty to be, in effect, a "scab" serving to devalue performance of music and to deny fair payment to professional musicians who can do the job admirably ~ and who might not be particularly qualified to make their livings any other way.