Toyota Previas get about 20 mpg, but even still....let's look at the math.
400 miles from L.A.
@ 20 mpg
requires 20 gallons of gas
20 gallons of gas at $4.50 per gallon = $90
Maybe we can fit 40 people into a basement to see that. In Sacto I've measured that when I collect donations, it comes out to about $1.50 per head. That is even after factoring in Dawson and I throwing in some larger bills often times. So if we collect $60 for a band that's driven here from L.A., they're out $30 before they even spend a single dime on food.
I know that this economy is tough on a lot of you, and that is one excuse we cannot discredit. And I don't wanna ever suggest that house-shows should start turning people away because they have no money. Music is more fun when it is enjoyed by more and more friends and welcome strangers. I'd rather see you there than not there. But please do think about it if you can afford to contribute, yet scatter like a roach everytime someone comes around to collect to get a band paid. I do suspect that there are some people who can afford to pay who never pay, or maybe they just plan poorly with their money so that when the hour comes, you're too heavily invested in Belgian ales or burrito or a fatty weed sack, and now you can only give up the change in the bottom of your pockets.
Bands are touring the west coast less and less right now. The effect of travel costs is definitely having an effect of decreasing your opportunity for fun. I used to say that if I had a club to book on my own, I'd have no trouble booking a place 7 nights per week. That is how many bands were getting in contact. Right now, I'm scraping by at an average of 3-4, so that's a big drop off. I'm also hearing a lot more bands are cancelling the plans they've already made. Your role in this as a fan is to come have fun and help bands as much as you can afford to.
:i used to think bands hated change, until Pocahaunted yelled out after hearing the classic "whole dollar amounts only" (this time not uttered by DJ Rick), "quarters are cool for laundry, we're definitely accepting quarters". Nonetheless, paying less than a dollar is basically a big FUUUUUUUCCCCKKK YYYYOOOOOUUUU BBBBAAAAANNNNDDD WWWWHHHYYYY DDDIIIIDDDD YYYYOOOOUUUU COOOOMMMMMEEE FFFRRROOOOMMMMM LOOOOOOSSS ANNNGGGEEELLLLEEEESSSS IIINNNN AAAA TTTOOOYOOOOTTTAAA PPPRRRREEEVVIIIIA FEEEEEAAAATTTTTURRRRRRIIIINGGGG 7 MMMMPPPPGGGG!!!!!?
::what if.. when you wipe with this donated towel an image of the Virgin Mary appears... wouldn't that be worth a lot of money? or, at least it'd be worth the loving support of people who need a little miracle in their daily struggle for inustrial sludge consumption? wouldn't it. donation bowl.... i'll smoke your donation bowl, man!
:::I will donate you a towel. Wipe thoroughly.
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