Friday, February 25, 2011

Thoughts on variety entertainments future ( via performers net)

"A huge share of the nation's economic growth over the past 30 years has gone to the top one-hundredth of one percent, who now make an average of $27 million per household. The average income for the bottom 90 percent of us? $31,244."

You charge minimum $500 for a solo act for example. 90% of the us earns just over thirty grand in a year. That's roughly one weeks income you charge.

My point is that markets that have fueled whole variety careers no longer exist or are gasping their last. I did a birthday last year. It was one of the ten percent people. A NBA player.
Have you kept records of birthdays? Bar and bats stable? They tend to be lavish. I've yet to work a middle class one.
Ma and pa lashing out may have been an earner over the last decades but the idea that the part timers will simply go back to their real jobs without any wholesale shrinkage in the overall market is without evidence.

Quite simply. More people have less money and with that trade shows have a smaller market base and with that there are less trade shows .

Might be able to chug along a further year or two, competing with the same amount of performers seeking dwindling markets. Underbidding all the way.

I'd caution against undue optimism. 41 American states are technically bankrupt this fiscal year. Federal Govt has no more bailouts available. The pell grants have even been cut. Unemployment is growing and the only records kept are those on benefits so it's a phantom percentage but I think the great depression was 26 and the current 'on the books' is around 10.

My point is there's a whole generation of us who leeched off a financial excess that has and further is, grinding to a standstill.

But I could be wrong. However any argument against cannot simply be a matter of optimistic faith

There is always opportunity. New markets among the top ten percent. They are the only people who can certainly afford parties and they will probably have more of them to distract and separate themselves from the bewildered herd. They will need encouragement. That's our job yes?

The whole middle class budget is rapidly shrinking. However knowing that for some money is no object and working out lavish looking spectaculars that themselves cost a bit to produce is probably a good bet.
Jazz your show up with a couple of grand of tech and charge ten times what that tech costs at least  could me viable yardstick.

When I can finally afford a computer and timidly teeter out of my rehab facility. I'm doing Sandiago in April , I intend to start an event based performance singularity called... Wait for it...
SuperHyperMegaUltra.com
Test this theory out. Because with the middle shrinking and the lower end all but dead all that's left is exclusive opulent mega mega.

That's where the live stuff will be viable. Then there's producing online curiosities of between one and three minutes to exploit potential traffic and incidentally build up a creative portfolio. I'd suggest people look at that.

I have a go-pro hd camera but at this stage my 'clown in recovery' fullface monologues are crippled by my computer being run over by the ex wife. Kinda my version of the dog ate my homework.

And my books slowly being edited but that's just me.

I've been traipsing round for nearly thirty years now. I'm trying to look at things objectively and not simply as someone getting older.

There are some younger newblood acts but there used to be a whole European street based factory of performers that flowed everywhere and I don't see that renewal there once was. Which is ok. Less dross as well.

But economically politically and environmentally everbodies just not as carefree as they have been the last thirty years.
So that means those of us who distract for a living have to work that much harder to be noticed and seen to be indispensable at gigs.

Where was I? Just prattling before the ex cons arrive back in the dorm before 11. They go out to party. I found their dope plants here at the drug rehab center hidden in the garden last week. Oh yes and today is 100 days clean and sober and that and the mind that doesn't fucking stop is all I have to celebrate. Along with the sandiago gig. And nicks visiting off a cruise ship some week soon.
Transmission ends.....

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