Re: Off Topic? I'll give you Off Topic!!

[Travis Hartnett <tiktok@sprintmail.com>]

I play regularly at several Starbucks in my area, and they're always 
enjoyable cafe gigs from a gigging standpoint, and I'm happy to play any 
that I find that are willing to book me.  Only the "flagship" SB stores 
have music (>100 seating capacity), so there's sufficient distance between 
you and the noisy machines.  There's always people there, and in my 
experience they tend to tip and clap on fairly regular basis.  I've found 
them easy and reliable in their booking (usually handled by a manager and 
they're always easy to reach on the phone), and the staff is always more 
than willing to help set up the performance area, help move gear around, 
and happy to have a break from the store music CDs.  There's always 
parking and almost always wi-fi.  And sometimes they even pay you to play.

That said, the only difference between them and the Tully's that I play 
twice a month is that I'm a little closer to the steamer than optimal, but 
the staff and venue are equally pleasant.  The independent coffeehouses I 
play are physically a little smaller, so there can be a bit of a noise 
problem, and I'm more likely to encounter amateurish booking situations.  
I can only think of one place offhand that was a shitty experience, and I 
just didn't go back there.  

I also used to play every Borders I could find within a three-hour drive, 
and up until mid 2000 they always paid performers.  If you were local it 
was never less than $50 (sometimes cash, sometimes a gift certificate) and 
free drinks/food.  Getting the employee discount on whatever you bought 
with your gift certificate was also fairly common.  With both Borders and 
Starbucks, the first question from the booking agent was always "Have you 
played at one of these before?" and if the answer was yes, then the 
calendar usually appeared right away.  Then a few years back there was 
some sort of shakeup, they stopped booking much local music, cut the pay, 
wouldn't let you sell CDs yourself, and had this ridiculously large 
contract with all this crap about offensive lyrics, one-volume-warning and 
then you're out, and so on.  Borders booking was also handled by their 
community affairs person who seemed to turn over every 4-6 months, so it 
could be a bit of a struggle on repeat bookings.  You had to quickly 
convince the new person that you were bona fide, but it wasn't much of a 
stuggle.

TravisH

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Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 10:17:40 -0700
From: msottilaro <sine@zerocrossing.net>

True, they are amazingly evil and actually effect us as performers on 
some level.  I know Gary likes to perform at Starbucks, but how many of 
us rely on Starbucks for a regular gig?  Also, Boarders paying 
musicians?  I played there several times and was never offered a cent.

Mark