The music business, similar to other businesses, is filled with characters who display a wide array of attributes that display for all of us to see.   However, there are things that happen in the music business that if you tried to attempt in another business circumstance, you would be either reprimanded, or most likely, either never be hired in the first place, or fired immediately.   Recently I saw something within my role in this music business that gave me a jolt.

I’ve been playing music in clubs for 25 years.  I have loved music and sang it for anybody who wanted to hear it since I was 5 years of age.  For the past 15 years, I have created and produced multiple charitable and for-profit concert events.  My role in these events is considerable and I’ve had my hand in all aspects of the event.   As a musician, I have also been on the side of the performer.   It’s a unique perspective that the majority of event planners don’t have.  I’m not sure if having both sides to draw from is a good or bad thing, but for me, it is what it is.  This knowledge of both sides experienced a flurry of emotions when I experienced one of most unethical actions a band displayed at an event I was involved with.

This summer, I was hired by a venue to serve as a Production Coordinator for their multiple day festival.  This was a monumental task for the investors who built this site.  They spent an enormous amount of money on the venue, the land, etc.  They also spent a ton of money on artist fees for this festival.  As someone who has booked many national groups for festivals, you struggle as you decide how much to pay an artist to perform at your festival.  Are they worth it?  Will they draw?  The questions go on and on.  But one thing you normally don’t question when you book an act that has been on the road over 30 years is the professionalism and their knowledge of what to entertain.  In this particular case, the promoters, the investors and the audience were horribly wrong in that assumption.

Before I go off ranting, I have to preface where it comes from.  My influences include James Brown, Springsteen, Southside Johnny, Elton John, The Clash, Luther Allison to name a few.   When these artists perform, or performed in the case of JB and Luther, there was never any doubt that they fully understood that the fact that any audience paid their hard earned money to see them.  They knew full well that the promoters put their financial faith in what they do and they expect to receive for which they paid.   As hard as this is to believe for some, the music business survives on the ethics of the parties involved.  Without ethics, eventually it will falter or fall apart completely. 

This particular rant of mine concerns a group that featured in it’s heyday a lineup of superstar rockers from other groups, who had come together to form the group they are now.  I had dealings with them prior to the show to set up their travel and hospitality etc and they were all considerate and forthcoming. They gave me their information; I took it down and took care of it on my end so they could get to the gig. 

This particular group also did the longest sound check I’ve ever seen, nearly 4 hours.  Hell on the production team on stage, but again, the band came across like they sincerely cared about what they were presenting.  For the money they were being paid, I’m sure the investor appreciated the effort.

When they arrived on site for the actual performance, it was stressed to me and the Stage Manager and anybody within earshot, that the show must start at certain time so they could finish by the agreed upon time.  The stage crew did all that was necessary to make good on that request.  When the time arrived, the Road Manager for this band told the soundman out from to play the intro music for the band.   Intro music for the band is not uncommon. What was uncommon and disturbing to me was what followed.

The intro music went on for 5 minutes, 7, 9, 11, 13, yes, 15 minutes before the band decided to grace the stage.  This intro music was not an elaborate musical set up to coincide with the bands first song. It was a series of songs that any DJ would play at a wedding reception.  As these songs were going on, the band was standing backstage behind the amps just talking to each other and other crew members.  Once the finally got on stage and performed, the lead singer stopped the show.  He then proceeded to do a 3 minute testimonial about a line of sunglasses from an endorsement deal he got that day at another venue in the same city.  This sunglass vendor was not one of the vendors within the venue he was playing.

Why is this situation wrong on many levels?  

The investor paid for a 90 minute set for this band.  They got 75 minutes of live music, 15 minutes of DJ music that the promoter could’ve spend $10 to achieve the same thing.  The audience had to stand  there like a bunch of chumps waiting for the group they spent their hard earned money to see, and patiently wait for these “lords of rock” to appear.   When they did appear on stage, they sufficiently rocked, but the crowd was disinterested as they played their now 75 minute set. 

A friend of mine has a saying.  When she sees something that is clearly wrong, her phrase is “I call B*******.   I don’t know if it was the bands decision or the management of the band to provide this type of entertainment for the money they request.  Whoever made that decision, shame on them and yes, I call B*******.  With the thousands of other things that people could be doing with their money every day, any live musician, are it local or national band touring with 20 buses, better put on a great show or their audience will slide away.

Luther Allison said it best, “Play the Music, Leave Your Ego, Love the People”. Artists who are in the phase of their career where the money is far more important than the content of their show need to re-evaluate.  In the end, bands such as the band I’m speaking of, are damn lucky that people want to see them in the first place.  They need to throw away their prima Donna pins and remember why artists like Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Elton, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffet and others sell out to arenas and stadiums every night.  They followed Luther’s advice.  They show up and as Mr. Springsteen stated so eloquently, the “Prove it All Night”.