Where has all the music gone?

Again jumping off the technology kick for a little while, I want to talk to you about music…being an independent musician, fending for yourself. It’s a tough life to live, but even tougher when you can’t get any gigs anywhere. I live in Ontario, in the GTA: the Greater Toronto Area, more specifically, Mississauga. These days, I‘m finding it damn near impossible to find any kind of place to play music in this city. It’s always so easy when you’re close to the downtown core, no matter what province you live in.

Mississauga is losing its venues. My girlfriend and I used to play at a place called the Executive Snooker Club, a haven for small-time musicians like us, and people used to come from all over to play there. Imagine that, someone from the surrounding cities driving past the buzzing bar and club district of Toronto to play a gig in Mississauga. Well, the ESC closed down a couple of months ago. It wasn’t exactly the best place to play but it was cozy and it was fun and it was home…and it was also home to a couple of big names from Mississauga who started out playing there years ago. Guys like Meligrove Band and, ummm…what was that band’s name again? Oh yeah, BILLY TALENT! So you think they’d keep a place like that around, but no dice.

Well that’s all well and good, there are always places that host open mics right? One place I frequented here in good old Mississauga when I first began playing in front of people was the Streetsville SoundBar. Great sound set-up, friendly workers (who also happened to be the very talented back-up band) who would kick off the performances and back you up if you played any familiar tunes. Well unfortunately, the SoundBar went under as well to make room for…a pizza place. Yeah, because we don’t have enough of those in Mississauga.

So to any small-time singer/songwriters like myself out there in those small towns, heed my advice: find a Starbucks. They won’t pay you, but the nice ones will let you sell your CDs and you’ll sure as hell at least have a place to play your music.

We need more places hosting open mics in this fair city, more places for guys and gals like me to hone our skills. And if you’re not going to do that, at least ease up on the busking laws here…for god’s sake they have EVERYTHING in Toronto.

Ah hell, better stop before I get even angrier.
Rant to you again later folks,

-Joe