PHEW! Here we are diving head first into 2026. There are so. Many. Challenges ahead for the music industry as a whole in the NC market. First, the venues are hurting. I hear from breweries and bars all over the state and they are all saying the same thing. They are struggling. Many have closed. This is not good for the live music scene of course.
We depend on these businesses to be successful. The more successful they are, the more opportunities we have as musicians to bring our music to you. When they fail, we hurt. There is not much we can do as musicians to improve that situation as much of it is out of our control.
There are many factors into why these businesses are hurting. Sometimes its do to poor management. But with today's economy, its more about the money in our fans pockets, or the lack thereof! When our fans don't have disposable income, they stop going out, or at least cut back how much they go out. This means the places that support live music have a lot of empty seats in the house, and when there is an empty seat, there is a lack of revenue.
There is an equation called average cover. Average cover is the amount of revenue generated when a seat is occupied. If a bar earns $5000 in a night and serves 200 patrons, the revenue per seat would be:
Average Cover = $5000 / 200 = $25 per seat
Of course there are a lot of factors that impact the amount of revenue an establishment can earn in a night. Price is high on that list. If prices are higher so is revenue, but higher prices can also limit the amount of money you might spend at the bar. There are so many other factors, but music can help drive revenue per seat, if the artist can bring more people to fill seats in the bar. This is what drives a lot of bookings.
Booking agents and bar managers look for artists who bring people in to the venue. They are looking for artists who can bring a following with them, and fill seats. Even if its just a few seats, its something! That is why artists do what they can to promote their gigs, and get people to come out and see them. If we don't fill seats, chances are we won't get booked at that establishment again.
As a local musician, I work hard at my craft. I have a rehearsal studio where I constantly work on new material, and better ways to deliver the stuff already in my catalog. I am always working on ways to make my shows better and more entertaining. As times get tough, we depend on our fan base more than anything to help get us bookings. We need our fan base to come out and fill those seats!
Its hard. I get it. I tend to be a couch potato myself when I have no place to go. This is especially true since I don't drink. Why go to a bar when I don't drink, and money is tight. Disposable income is not as prevalent as it once was. But when I go out, I have a great time! Because I am hearing great music, I'm interacting with great people, and I am enjoying non-alcoholic beer (there are some great ones out there folks - give them a try).
We need your help. Help musicians survive by helping out the local bars and breweries that support live music. Fill those seats, and buy a few beers. Let the musicians know you are there because of them, and let the bartenders know too! The more these establishments are successful, the more live music you will hear in your community. Look forward to seeing you at one of my shows, and be sure to say hello!