I was just looking over the summer concert calendar and was surprised to find the Zombies are playing the Wiltern (capacity 2300). I've seen them play twice since they reformed and both were in 500 capacity venues. I know O&O has been reissued twice but is that what is driving this? It wasn't that hard to find even if it was out of print before the reissues and its been on those "lost classic" lists forever. I think the first tour I saw them on was the first time they'd ever toured in support of O&O since they had broken up before it spawned any hits in the US. I would have thought that would have been a bigger deal than some tour now. I wonder where Arthur Lee would be playing now if he were still alive.

And its not just the Zombies, MMJ and the Coldwar Kids are playing venues that big in LA. It wasn't that long ago that they were the 3rd band on the bill at 400-500 capacity venues. I know both are more popular now but it doesn't seem like that alone could be driving this. It used to be that the indie bands I liked never really outgrew the smaller venues. I think this is somewhat proved out by all the reunion bands making so much more on tour now then they ever did at the height of their creativity.

What has changed? Is it free dl's driving more people to check more bands out and then going to see them live? Any theories? Are more people going to shows in general? Or are indie/cult classic bands just more popular right now for some other reason?

this, and the influx of music blogs/music mag sites, as well as exposure on myspace/facebook.

cd sales are down, yet concert attendance and vinyl sales are up. ya gotta love it.

From a selfish perspective, I don't really love it. More than half of the "indie" acts I somewhat like have outgrown the venues I'd consider seeing them at.

I don't begrudge them their success especially since they are so dependent on touring for income but still its a little disappointing to have bands outgrow the intimate venues so quickly.

I'm not sure I really buy that blogs and music mag sites are driving this. And someone had to be playing all these venues before. Now its indie bands more frequently than in the past.
It might be true that more people are going to shows than in the past, but I don't think I've read anything to support that.

bands like MMJ are much more than indie bands...when even doofuses at my work start asking me about them, I know its true.

Yeah, MMJ are kind of fucking huge.

i haven't seen this trend where i live. although, the yeah yeah yeahs did just play a 4,000-capacity venue and karen o claimed it was the biggest place they've ever headlined on their own. (so i guess that doesn't count festivals.) i think part of it is promoters absolutely do not want to see sell outs, so they're always putting shows in venues that are bigger than the act can fill.

I don't really feel like MMJ is alot more popular or well-known than a lot of bands I grew up liking that had MTV exposure but played much smaller venues so I don't think their popularity is the issue. Those bands sold a lot more records too. Through mid-last summer, all of MMJ's albums combined had sold about 500K.

And to the point that people are going to more shows, why don't you see more young people with awful hangovers during the week if that's true. It used to be a regular sight. I can't remember the last time I've seen someone at work really a mess from a late night. I've also noticed there are a lot of obners who say they don't go to shows during the week.

maybe there are just too damn many people in LA.

Part of it is due to Los Angeles being fucking huge, but alot of it has to do with some of those bands being rather huge now. Cold War Kids played a show with DCFC recently in Omaha at large Theater that sold out fast, and neither of those bands sold out the 1,600 capacity auditorium the last time they came through Omaha.

really???

I've never heard that from a promoter before.

That surprises me a bit too. I'd have thought having a venue seem empty would have been a bigger concern than selling out.

I'd be interested in Saynard's opinion on this and the larger topic in general.

he's my favirit

that's just going on my experience lately. a lot of sellouts or near-sellouts are being moved to larger venues instead of staying sold out or risking a sellout in advance. maybe it's just chicago. although, phoenix this weekend is still sold out and they didn't move it. though, i think the promoter's other venues are also booked.

Bands have just decided to stop coming to Indianapolis all together. I figured it was because concert attendance was down everywhere and they were being more selective in where to play but apparently it's because Indy's music scene is even worse than I thought.

why do you say it's not because bands are being more selective?

cause it means the same thing.

The only reason I can imagine there would be a voluntary venue switch is that the promoter anticipates making more from additional ticket sales in the larger venue than the increase in production costs between the venues, regardless of whether the larger venue sells all the way out or not. And there's almost always sort of connection between the venues (i.e. the same promoter regularly - if not exclusively - books at both locations or both venues are owned by the same person/company).

Also of note is that this generally happens at the request of the band's booking agent.

Man I never go to shows anymore. Not that I was ever really good about it except during college, but who wasn't.

Also, movie and broadway ticket sales are way up this year. Escapism?

Movie Tickets are fucking insane now. Douglas Theatres in Omaha sold most of their theatres in Nebraska to Marcus Theatres, and tickets went up to $9 for most shows. I haven't seen a movie in the last five years that I could say was worth $9 for one viewing.
As for broadway, the local community theatre is doing "The Producers" right now and tickets are $30. I'm sorry, but no community theater group in Nebraska should charge that sort of cash.

Definitely.

And the ridiculous prices they're asking these days (you guys have NO idea how expensive shows are here) puts me at complete ease to steal as much music as I want.

MMJ played the Fox (capacity 4700) last time through Atlanta--they are a pretty fucking huge live act.

I'm finding the same phenomena, but I attribute it more to the web promoting bands, and people having access to websites like pollstar and club sites to see who is coming.

Most of the shows I try for now, unless I get advance tickets, I'm probably out of luck. The Dino Jr/Watt show sold out. Mark Kozelek sold out, Wilco always sells out despite venue, etc.

what's been going on down here a bit (with the exception of the national show) is that if a band sells out a club/mid-size venue, they're immediately booked a few months later in a bigger place

yeah, it happens. Wilco sold out 2 nights at 9:30 Club in DC + Merriweather, and then sold out Lyric Opera House in Bmore. This summer I'm seeing them in a freakin' minor league ballpark, and then Wolf Trap. Dang.

Animal Collective was playing small (read: tiny) places in and around Bmore, and now are selling out bigg(er) national clubs.

I was actually surprised to see Dino Jr in a smaller club than their previous tour though. The Ottobar holds much less than 9:30 Club, which they sold out last time. So there's an exception to the rule.