Times a-changing for live music

Racine club of national note going to DJs as turnout across area dwindles

George's Tavern was never a particularly genre-specific place, despite being recognized as part of the University of Mississippi's list of best blues music venues.

The style was eclectic.

On a recent afternoon, the stage at George's Tavern - 1201 N. Main St., Racine, just a few blocks from Lake Michigan - was empty, and that's the way it's going to stay, at least while the market for live music remains weak at best.

George's Tavern has three final live performances planned, after which live music is being replaced by disc jockeys. It's a change that George's owner, David Popoff, made with great difficulty and much melancholy.

The tavern has been losing money by offering live music for about three years, he said.

Gone are the days when a live act would push the limits of the establishment's capacity of 130, or at least draw a healthy 60 to 80 people.

Popoff recalls one night when only six people showed up for a show.

When a low turnout started to become the rule rather than the exception, Popoff decided the time had come to pull the plug on live music.

"I kept telling myself that 'Tomorrow will be a better day' and, 'Things will get better; people will come back and support live music again,' but, well, it's a different world now. There's no doubt that I'm saddened by it," said Popoff, whose own love for live music was an inspiration to open a tavern.

Cover charge didn't cover

It became clear Popoff could no longer shoulder the cost of live music when cover charges didn't support the effort.

"In my opinion, a lot of the musicians were playing for less than they deserved, but it was their love of performing and appreciation of the space here that kept our working relationship going. Ultimately, the club could not afford it anymore," Popoff said.

He added that he has 11 employees to consider. Since Popoff switched to DJsin mid-July, the crowds are back, reaching numbers near or at capacity on some nights.

"The place is doing fantastic," Popoff said.

Popoff isn't the only club owner finding it difficult to attract an audience to live music.

Both Jim Linneman of Linneman's Riverwest Inn in Milwaukee and Bill Camplin of Café Carpe in Fort Atkinson, agree that it's a challenging time for live-music lovers.

"It is a struggle," said Camplin, who, along with operating the Café Carpe "listening room," is also a singer-songwriter finding fewer venues to play. "We're never happy with the attendance overall. And yet there are so many wonderful, magical moments that occur with live music. It really does exist - music does exist. But, we live in a world where people can turn on a channel or push a button where the music they like already exists."

For love, not money

Linneman admits he's lucky. He doesn't do it for the money, but for the love of live music.

"I'm a music lover, and I always have been," Linneman said. "I'm in this business to stay, but I tell my friends all the time that if I wanted to be making money, I wouldn't be in this business."

The reasons why the audiences for live music have dwindled depends on perspective.

Linneman thinks the region's blue collar workers simply don't want to pay a cover charge.

Camplin and Popoff believe that modern 20-somethings are used to going to the Internet and downloading music for free and can't fathom paying a cover charge for a band they might not know.

Popoff points to the elimination of arts and music education in public schools, where the value of creative expression is neither taught nor appreciated.

Musicians see trend, too

But no matter the reason, musicians also agree the audience for live music is smaller than in years past.

John Sieger, whose former band, the R&B Cadets, got their start at George's Tavern, said his current band, the Subcontinentals, finds work when it wants it, but he admits it's getting more difficult.

"More people should support live music. It's a skill, like being a blacksmith, and, these days, it seems to be just as relevant," said Sieger, who will be with the Subcontinentals at the Kenosha Yacht Club on Saturday.

Steve Cohen, musician and booking agent, said musicians have had to be creative by reinventing themselves to remain busy, such as doing solo acts or duets rather than having a full band.

"Back in the old days, you could play every night of the week, if you wanted to, in a different neighborhood," Cohen said.

Although the audience may be smaller for live music, it still exists, Cohen said.

He's optimistic that the audience pendulum will swing back to live music.

Popoff is not so optimistic, but he'll be ready if it happens.

"Music is the common bonding that brings people together, but I'm not seeing that with live music today," he said.