Are There Too Many? (Part One)
The trauma of decision making. – My brain hurts.
The comfortableness of the “same.” – I am bored.
I sit in front of my television and, unless I am in the middle of a series, will spend 10 minutes or more trying to determine what to watch. Many shows I have seen. Many shows I do not care to watch. Some shows have not perked my interest enough to explore. When a decision is made to watch something new, a commitment to it will be made within the first few minutes or my attention will go elsewhere. Before me are thousands of opportunities for entertainment and I struggle. It is why I settle on specific areas of interest and rarely venture elsewhere. Always in the back of my mind is the fact that this abundance was not created just for me. But this abundance causes me, and I am sure others angst.
The Paradox of Choice
The psychologist Barry Schwartz found that the more options we’re offered, the less satisfied we are with our choices–the paradox of choice. An overwhelming array of options creates anxiety and dissatisfaction, ultimately leading to avoiding choosing.
The beauty of abundance is that everyone has an opportunity to carve out a slice that is meaningful to them and dwell in that segment. The problem with abundance is that it can create complacency. We live in the comfort and certainty of what we know and if content do little venturing. That which we haven’t explored will always be there. Isn’t it ironic many will know more about a place far away than they do somewhere only a few miles away. I have been to Venice. I have never been to Big Bend National Park even though I have lived in Texas most of my life.
In September 2020, my life changed. I began photographing musicians with serious intent, i.e. with a purpose. This forced me to have to choose from many entertainers and venture to different locations. Because of my newness to this world, I approached and began to learn about it with new eyes. It was and still is an exciting adventure. But having piled on many events in a few years, I now see things differently than when I first set out. The initial enthusiasm and desire to go anywhere has been replaced with a more focused and realistic understanding of whom and where I want to photograph. Places of past that I wouldn’t hesitate to go to are either too far or not worth my time because the lighting is deplorable. My time has become precious to me.
This focused outlook has given me the desire to have a deeper understanding of the music environment of Austin. The more I learn the more questions I have. These questions are not asked solely from a photographers perspective but as a lover of music. I am an analytical, problem-solving, perfectionist who is interested in the music environment of Austin. I see issues that I want to be a part of the solution, so I ask, “Are there too many?”
Too Many What?
Are there too many venues? Austin is the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Live music can be seen and heard seven days a week. Just using the Austin Chronicle as the menu of options, the number of performances goes from 30+ on Monday to over 100 on any Friday or Saturday. If there were more venues that offered live music then the list would be longer, the musician pool to draw from is vast and deep. A dearth of musical options is not the problem for live music lovers. So why, on any given night are some venues filled to capacity and others have few in attendance. I have been to some venues where most of the attendees are the musicians who just played or are about to play, spouses and friends included. In order for Austin to live up to its’ designation has it saturated this city with too many options?
Are there too many cities? In 2016, The Texas Music Office created the “Music Friendly” designation for a city. At the time of this writing, there are 60 designated cities. At what count does the designation become meaningless? Most cities need the regular visit of the outsider to financially bless them with their purchases without consuming more of the services that the city offers. If my city is designated then why would I go to another city of the same designation? Unless that city offers a different style or method of presenting live music performances, I can think of no reason for me to visit. The band playing there will eventually come here, I hope.
Are there too many musicians? Is this the reason why most musicians struggle to make a decent living by music alone? If I am a business owner then why would I be inclined to pay more when there is an overabundance of supply. Supply and demand is an economic force in everything. I will only pay more if the resource I want is in short supply or will produce a satisfactory return on my investment. All this is defined by a budget determined by previous attendance and profit. The musicians who can satisfy such demands can dictate a fee greater than those who cannot. It has been this way since the beginning of time. If the purpose of the music is background then no amount of talent will draw a higher fee because the musician is not the attraction, anybody, of a certain style of music, will do. What if venues had to struggle to find talent? Would they give up having live music, therefore not be included in the “Live Music Designation” or pay more to get the talent they need?
Are the too many of the same? Years ago, I worked for a record store. During a conference, a record label agent told us managers that a musician like Michael Jackson pays the rent and keeps the lights on but new talent makes the company profitable. New talent brings in new customers. New customers become an established patronage to a business. The economic pie grows larger when “newness” is nurtured. This is important to understand. Without new, that which we cherish can become comfortably borish and stagnates to a status of being taken for granted because it is a “known entity.” With this in mind I approach the practice known as “Residencies.”
From an economic standpoint, residencies can be good for both the musicians and the venues. For musicians it provides a stable income. However, with more emphasis on the purchase of merchandise to make ends meet, bands must attract new listeners to this location. If I purchased a t-shirt or cd from you last week then what is the likelihood of me doing so this week or another week I attend. The problem is that Austinites are territorily bound. Few of north Austin will travel south of the river to hear a band, especially one they do not know. Few of south Austin will travel north of the river.
For venues, residencies can be good if the entertainment hired has a steady number of attendees who purchase. Venues have a capacity limit and they could care less whether the person walking through their door is a band follower or a new listener. They are body with the potential to purchase from their facility. If the band can fill the venue then they will be asked back so technically, it doesn’t matter whether the body is a band follower or new listener. The person is a count towards a quota of capacity that will acknowledge the musicians return to earn or not.
From an entertainment perspective, residencies are detrimental. Residencies prevent “new” from being heard by keeping in place and perpetuating the “same.” They are like the sequels to a hit movie. By the time “Jaws: The Revenge”, the fourth of this series, was released did it have the excitement of the “unknown” as the first. If a band plays a designated day each week then what importance is there that I see them this week, unless they do something different each week. The “Opportunity Cost” of missing a performance is low because I can listen to them next week. Residencies do give music lovers access to consistent good entertainment but will produce one of two outcomes, if not both; Lack of attention, because we have been here before, or stifling one’s williness to explore the new. I am comfortable and enjoy this music. Why would I take the chance of going elsewhere and possibly be disappointed?
The only way I see residencies benefitting the music environment is if they occur in a facility that, by default, has an ever-changing audience, e.g. hotels and airports.
Play and Repeat: Why We Watch the Same Shows Over and Over
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Posted December 22, 2022 | Reviewed by Vanessa Lancaster
