Side Street Sounds
Varied Venues for Live Music
- By Steve West
What makes a venue a good place to listen to live music? The answer seems to depend on whom you’re asking. I recently posed the question to my friends on social media. I got answers from other musicians, non-musicians, and from some people who book shows.
The most common answers had to do with the physical layout of the venue. Musicians mentioned having a dedicated stage area with good lighting and a quality sound system. Many non-musicians mentioned comfortable seating and good sight lines. Virtually everyone who answered agreed that good acoustics in the room are important. Too many venues were not originally designed with live music in mind. Concrete floors, metal ceilings, and other hard surfaces create difficulties for even the most experienced professionals when it comes to producing music that can be heard without overpowering the room. Strategically placed baffles and soft wall hangings can go a long way toward tempering unwanted reverberations.
After the physical issues, many of the responses to the question of what makes a good music venue mentioned having good food and drinks. There was some disagreement however about the level of service that contributes to a good music room. Non-musicians prefer having a large selection of food and drink available. Many musicians feel like that can be too much of a distraction. One friend preferred a room, “where they may drink to accompany the music, not listen to music to accompany drinking.” There was some acknowledgement that such situations make it difficult for venue owners to make any money.
The least tangible, but most important factor in making a good music venue has to do with attitude and atmosphere. Musicians should be engaging and responsive to their audience. They need to be prepared for the evening by making sure they have the right equipment, and that they know their material. Audience members should be respectful of the performer by not talking loudly. The audience also needs to make sure they are supporting the venue by ordering drinks or food when available, and making sure the venue thrives. Venue owners need to create a great atmosphere by providing a clean, comfortable place where people can enjoy live music. Turn off the televisions when a performer is on stage, and make sure they have products that their customers want.
Any place can become a great venue to enjoy live music if the conditions are right. All it really takes is the desire for everyone to enjoy themselves and come together to share their love of good music.
