So – here’s something I MEANT to say at the show last night:
I had started off talking about how we wouldn’t be doing any of this without the weekly support from our fans – and that’s absolutely true. Your support – both mental and financial has figuratively been immeasurable. Literally – it’s been VERY measurable! Truly – without it we wouldn’t be covering the rent, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.
But there was supposed to be a part two to my thought and it went something like this :
But tonight’s different. Tonight we put a ticket price on it and you couldn’t join us without paying for the show. And there’s a little bit of discomfort with that because for US at least – our audience and ilyAIMY. You and I – we’ve fulfilled the contract. We’re giving you something that you think is valuable and you’re giving us value for it. We’re going to keep on doing just that. The ticket wasn’t FOR us. Sure – we got paid out of it but the ticket is for the venue.
When the light at the end of the tunnel is something more than just a temperate enough day where we can play outside – when we legitimately are coming back to “playing out” and booking tours and setting up our PA and breaking down at the end of the night – when there is a return to, for want of a better word, “normalcy” – we’re going to need the venues that have had even less opportunity to make a Living than the artists have.
And so the ticket price wasn’t really there for TONIGHT’S show. It was the price for next year’s concert series. Thank you for paying it.
But I didn’t say that. I need to make a Statement or something at some point. Because of course I’ve got another view point as well : not all the venues are doing anything to earn their keep. And for them, there DOES sort of have to be a value judgement by their audiences. It’s not going to be encouraging I fear. People will vote with their wallets. They’ll hit the bar, but won’t keep a Live music series going if they’re not serving alcohol and food – and yet these things can be a LOT safer if people can wear masks…
No clue what happens next.
But back to the positive. Last night’s show was stunning. It was so good to perform with Rowan – and though there’s negative and strangeness swirling around the format, finding a way through adversity lends some positivity to it all.
I wish it could’ve been all as smooth as I wanted it to be – but when it comes down to it – if you want something done right, you do it yourself!
Still – gorgeous mix – a joyful noise! Thank you for an incredible night Institute of Musical Traditions! If YOU wish you had access – you can still buy it at www.imtfolk.org.
