15-20$ in my area might get you symphony type concerts, but not one of their good ones. I could also pay the cover at a bar that has a live band. The smallest venues near me are still 50+ per ticket.
I could also pay the cover at a bar that has a live band.
I think the disconnect here is to me and the guy you’re replying to, that’s still a show/concert/whatever you wanna call it, but since a band like Julie isn’t as big as Metallica, they play the venues metallica used to play in '84, while Metallica is an arena act now. A concert doesn’t have to be in a theater or arena, that “cover” is the ticket price. Like see this show here at The Middle East downstairs in Cambridge MA, https://www.mideastoffers.com/tm-event/czarface-ocelot/ you’re not just paying $30 to get in, you’re paying $30 for an advanced ticked to see Czarface (who fucking rules btw), $35 day of show.
Unless you mean some shitty cover band nobody knows the name of in a bar nobody wants them in, in that case my mistake, bars around here don’t charge a cover for that they basically use it to beg for customers. I hate it, I wanted to drink with my friends and talk not “SURPRISE! Bad Barenaked ladies and Eve6 covers for 4 hours!”
You know what, you have a good point, all the bars around me I looked at don’t charge a cover. Theres probably some decent bands in the downtown area near me that are up and coming but my city is no Nashville.
You might be surprised! There’s really good local bands in just about every city (even small ones) depending on your music tastes and even the small bands tour! Sometimes I’ll just go to the venue’s site (like The Middle East) and look at their calendar, and if they have a band that sparks my interest I’ve never heard of I’ll listen to a song, if I like it I’ll go (if I can).
While Nashville was at it’s peak you also had Knoxville for the outlaw stuff and Buck Owens was pioneering the Bakersfield sound in CA, and that’s just country, Nashville ain’t the only town that knows how to strum a guitar! Lol