Speaking with DJ Grace Of Spades Sunday at Bowery Electric, she bemoaned the State of New York Rock Clubs. Me? I thought the state of club life was fine -there are certainly as many as clubs as ever and the bands that play em are just as good or better than they ever were (except MAYBE for the mid to late 1970s).
But the economics.
Memorial day Sunday night is not a great time for a a rock concert but I figure there were about 40 paying customers Friday night and maybe 60 punters altogether. At $6 a head that equals $360 (fax free by the way) to be shared by three bands, say, 12 people equals $30 a head. It costs Bowery Electric nothing. The DJ and the sound person probably make $70 beyween.
Now let’s take a look at Bowery Electric. Their overheads never much change and they have to be open 365 days a year and if there was no concert the bar would be deader than Elvis. Instead they have 60 punters and they all all drinkin. All of em. At six bucks a beer. Say it averages out at $18 a person. I would guess the basement where the concert took place wouldn’t have bothered opening without the gig.
So, sure the bands are hurting but bands are like actors… most of em are broke anyway.
But Bowery Electric are doing pretty well and if they weren’t, if rock clubs were losing money, they’d close. For the fans, the entrance is cheap though the drinks are pricey and it is an up close experience UNLIKE going to even a Bowery Ballroom and certainly unlike a Beacon or a Townhall.