Concert cancellations

Subject: Concert cancellations
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 08:04 AM

I just found out that mine was not the only concert cancelled by the local theater this summer- Vance Gilbert, Lisa McCormick, and Whatsiz Name, oh yes, Jonathan Edwards - were to perform next week; that one got dropped more than 2 weeks before the date. I am so bummed- I was going to go to that one!! Is this happening in your neck of the woods, or is it purely a southwestern-NH phenomenon?

Subject: RE: Concert cancellations
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 08:06 AM

A previous thread, Read it and weep explains my sad story.

Subject: RE: Concert cancellations
From: Dale Rose
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 11:11 AM

I think it all comes down to money, if they think they aren't going to make enough, they cancel the show, leaving everybody else but them out in the cold.

I was quite excited last year about getting to see Hazel and Jennifer Wrigley either in Memphis or Little Rock. I don't know the details, but the promoter cancelled the Memphis show, and the girls then dropped out of the Little Rock show since they could not make enough on just the one performance to make it economically feasible to make the trip.

Subject: RE: Concert cancellations
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 11:35 AM

Animaterra,

'Tis a sad fate, 'tis true. Most likely the promoter has no "back up" money at this point. The venue with which I work relies primarily on door sales. We guarantee a minimum for the performer or a percentage of the receipts, whichever is higher. Some concerts, the venue gets less than the minimum in gate receipts and has to pay up the minimum out of other funds. Since we are volunteer operated, our overhead is low and we can manage (along with some gracious benefactors who donate some money to help keep us going).

Feel blessed that the promoter is trying to bring in some very talented performers. He or she may still be getting a feel for what the area wants to see in terms of performers. It could get better.

Be assured that the performers are not making big bucks and their overhead is high in terms of transportation and housing (I think Jonathan Edwards lives down towards DC). They usually cannot afford to take a loss.

Keep hoping.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Concert cancellations
From: SueH
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 12:27 PM

Same with us, Roger, as a folk club. We have to hope, if we have agreed a price with the artist, that we make enough to cover their fee otherwise we are out of pocket. It's noy easy as a new club either, & I think even the long-established ones have problems from time to time.

It's very limiting too as you are almost bound to book well-known performers, otherwise no-one comes. We had a local duo a month or so back who are very talented, & they agreed to come for half the door take. In the end we gave them all of it as it only amounted to 25UKP after taking out the payment for the rooms. That's about 40 US dollars.

However, there are always very few advance bookings for a folk club, unlike festivals etc. So really you just have to trust to luck. A cancellation would only happen if the artist was sick, for instance.

I wish there were more people prepared to pay out ewhat are really small amounts of money to go & see live performances. This seems to be a problem in the UK now; tickets generally cost between, on average, 4 - 10 UKP (thats about 6.5 - 16 US dollars) & the cinema is about 6UKP - 9.6 US dollars. I'd rather pay to see a live performance any day.But I think a lot of people think folk music ought to be free.

Sue