New York City music club The Bottom Line opened its doors in
1974 with a jam session between Dr. John, Stevie Wonder and Johnny
Winters. Twenty-nine years later, the club’s landowners at
New York University deemed it “undervalued real estate”
and The Bottom Line, which has hosted luminaries from nearly every
genre of music, was forced to close its doors for the final time at
the end of 2003.
Other legendary New York City clubs, including CBGB’s,
have also decided to close down, thanks to skyrocketing rent
prices.
The truth is that none of these clubs were really forced out;
they were just faced with a choice: remain wholly independent until
completely bankrupt, or pursue corporate sponsorship to help pay
the rent.
Yet while Los Angeles venues are beginning to accept this new
paradigm, New York City clubs are having a harder time adjusting to
increasingly widespread industry problems.
“Corporate sponsorship is becoming more and more common
because … the rent has become so off-the-wall that mom-and-pop
places are having a harder time existing without help from
someone,” said Allan Pepper, co-owner of The Bottom Line.
“Unfortunately, when you do that kind of thing, you give up
something in terms of the independence of your business.”
According to USA Today, in 2003 Sirius Satellite Radio offered
the club financial assistance. The Bottom Line chose to stay
independent, however, ultimately leading to its demise.
Small venues throughout Los Angeles are now making changes to
avoid a similar fate.
The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood is one of Los Angeles’ "mom-and-pop"
venues, offering the intimacy of a small coffee shop and live
performances by some of the most promising artists both inside and
outside the music industry.
However, the venue has also expanded its visibility by
sponsoring a 2005 tour that included many regular Cafe
performers.1
“To compete, because of the presence of bigger companies,
you need to find a way to survive with outside support,” said
Marko Shafer, co-owner of the Hotel Café, regarding the tour.
“Music is still music regardless … but we’re walking
the line on both sides (of independence and corporate sponsorship).
It’s about balance.”
Part of that balance can be achieved by pursuing promotional
support from companies complementary to the venue itself, such as
the trend-setting radio station KCRW and MySpace.com. For certain
performances, KCRW signs hang from the Hotel Café’s dark
red walls and the wristbands allowing entrance into the club are
covered in MySpace slogans and logos.2
Although society has already grown accustomed to sponsorship and
ubiquitous advertising, the presence of such consumerism in music
““ which some believe is built from an ethos of independence
and autonomy ““ is still risky.
“Product has certain goals and when those goals run
counter, philosophically, to the artists you’re presenting,
this could be a major problem,” Pepper said.
“That’s the intersection of arts and
commerce.”
Nevertheless, each club works to maintain its charisma and its
connection to artists and fans alike.
“It really feels like we’re a part of
something,” said singer/songwriter Brett Dennen about the
Hotel Café. “These artists are going to break out, and
they’re going to do it right here. It’s like a family.
And as a fan, that must be amazing.”
Other clubs around Los Angeles have also needed to work to
preserve their own atmosphere, such as the artist-oriented Roxy on
Sunset Strip.
“When the Roxy opened in ’73, it was one of three
clubs, and now it’s probably one of 15 in the area, but it
all comes down to keeping a good relationship with the
bands,” said Nick Adler, the club’s owner.
The Roxy has made small changes along the way, such as taking a
cut of proceeds made by bands at the merchandise table. But even
that is not enough.
“Ten or 20 years ago, beers were $4 and tickets were $8.
Now, 20 years later, everything else costs more but we’re
still only charging $4 for beers and $8 for tickets, so that part
is not computing,” Adler said. “But that’s the
type of thing that can’t change. … I do feel like I’m
reaching out for corporate help sometimes.”
In addition to merchandising and seeking corporate sponsorship,
venues of all sizes have also begun expanding through chains and
franchised locations. The House of Blues may be the most prominent
example, with 18 establishments throughout the United States and
Canada.
New York City’s Knitting Factory has also recently opened
a location on Hollywood Boulevard.
“(The Knitting Factory) was looking to expand and the
thought was to get more and more clubs so that when someone’s
booked, they can be given a series of gigs,” said Bruce Duff,
the publicity manager of Hollywood’s Knitting Factory.
“We’re not quite there yet but that’s the
idea.”
The Hotel Café has begun discussions about opening a venue
in both San Francisco and New York City, and The Roxy is scheduled
to open in Las Vegas in the spring with the goal of expanding
across the West Coast. Even The Bottom Line and CBGB’s have
considered franchising their clubs or moving them over to Los
Angeles entirely.
The change is also a component of society’s transition
toward chains and constancy; people know what their coffee will
taste like from Starbucks, and they know what type of shows to
expect from The House of Blues, or possibly, in the future, the
Hotel Café.
The decision to either get external support or remain
independent has become extinct. The choice has become simply how
club owners want to go about pursuing sponsorship and to what
extent they will let it change their club.
“No one’s involved in the music or the actual venue
““ that’s ours,” Shafer said. “As long as we
keep one thing real, we can keep the doors open.”
1 CORRECTION: This sentence was changed for
clarification.
2 CORRECTION: This paragraph was changed in
order to clarify the situation presented.