When does a gig become TOO intimate?

[The Curmudgeon]

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I went to see a band I've loved for years for the first time in a venue I'd never been to before. Turns out it was a tiny basement in the middle of Glasgow. And it was pretty much a fan boy like me's dream.. but maybe just TOO much?

Here's what happened. We (me and Mrs C) got to the place; a hipster hang-out serving Asian streetfood by white guys white beards. They played the Smashing Pumpkins, the Pixies, Lou Reed.. my kind of place, except for the food.

So the band themselves, Mates of State (a husband and wife electro-pop duo) were just sitting around. She was reading a book, he was at the bar getting a beer. I got my photo with them, shared awkward exchanges and that was it. Twenty minutes later we were outside and saw him trying to start a British car. We tried not to laugh.

Half an hour later they opened the door to the gig downstairs. A tiny, dimly lit basement that held about 100 people max. The support act sat on the stage on their phones, talking and messing about with the drumkit before they were "on." They were actually very good.. but they played to about twelve people. The S I L E N C E between each song was pretty damn excruciating.

Onto Mates of State themselves. They were downstairs watching the support act (which is more than can be said of the support act, who we saw get into a van right after their set). There was a merch stand selling CD's, two of which I needed. Now this band have been active for about 15 YEARS. They've released eight albums. Why the fuck are they selling their own merch? Why is the guy who I'm paying to see digging into his pocket for change? They signed both CD's for me, they were really friendly and talked away (she's MILF-y as all hell) but is this just TOO intimate? They even set up their own damn instruments.

Don't get me wrong; I've wanted to see this band play since 2007, so getting to meet them, get photo's, signed CD's and see them in a tiny venue of 100 people is exactly how I want a gig to be. But.. man, it kinda killed the "star" mystique that helps a hell of a lot.

Would you like this, or is this just a bit TOO down-to-earth?

[Ben]

Little known acts like them don't have a choice, man. They save a lot of money doing it themselves, and if there were only 100 people there at most, they're barely raking in enough money for gasoline from the ticket sales.

I get what you're saying, especially given how long they've been around, but that's just the state of the music industry. One of my favorite artists who actually HAS gotten some national exposure, albeit 10 years ago, was in the exact same boat when I saw his band in 2008. I remember reading an interview with him where he said his biggest pet peeve was people asking him to buy them drinks after shows and getting pissed off when he said no. The reality is he doesn't have any money. He had to launch 2 different reissues of demo material and shit just to pay for the last album.

All that considered, I do enjoy the personal experience, but it'd be a little weird from a band who's been around for well over a decade.

[trashcanman]

I love that, and I love the Mates of State. Here's the thing: without that indie/punk DIY attitude, bands like this cease to exist. At best, they are somewhat successful gobbled up by major labels, left out to dry if their first album isn't a blockbuster, and then have to get day jobs and quit music when the label won't fund them but hey're still under contract and the label owns their music so they now have to pay them to play their own songs. It's why you have to pay $75 a ticket and then a $25 rape fee from the ticket monopoly on top of it to see any major band. It's why Fugazi never played a show with over $10 tickets. To hire people to sell your merch and set up your equipment you need to pay them, put them up in their on hotel rooms, feed them, transport them, etc. I'll take free-spirited, inventive, down-to-earth musicians in charge of their own careers and respecting their fans' time and money over rock star mystique any day.