Alright, so for those of you that actually read these blogs and check the site on a regular basis know that I've been getting some rad shows to come through town. Also so everyone knows Gabe Garcia of Fare Thee Well has gone out of his way to make sure we get shows along with Pants from Eastside for bringing Ruiner and Braindead (if you haven't heard Braindead you should probably go check em out). After Friday and Saturday I've been a little bummed on everyone who comes out to shows. There have been some kids making a huge effort to coming out to shows in town.

I just really want to bring up a few things, hopefully no one takes it as me being a dick.

If you want to see bands coming through town you need to start coming out to the shows. We have an insanely small scene and when someone doesnt show up we all know. It effects the entire show. Basically how this works is a bar books shows to bring in more money at the bar. So the more people that show up the more likely they are to make money selling drinks. They normally take a cut from the door to atleast pay a sound guy and the door guy. so roughly we're gonna say thats a 100 bucks right there. 5 bucks at the door times 20 people, thats a 100 bucks. So the First 20 people pay the door guy and sound guy. Then whatever is made after that goes to the bands.

Now keep in mind touring is expensive, I was paying 5 bucks to get into shows when i was 15, thats 7 years ago, gas has gone up about $2.60. So the min that i will pay is 50 bucks for a band, thats not even enough for a tank of gas. Bands normally make their gas off of their merch so they bank off of selling as much merch as humanly possible.

So heres where the problems come in. If no one comes to the shows we can't get the bar its money, the sound guy and the door guy have to get paid out of the bar, and the band gets nothing. Now the way I do the shows that I book. The band is atleast going to get 50 bucks either way. So thats 50 bucks i am out of my own pocket. If there isn't enough for the door guy and the sound guy i am gonna pay them the difference so they get their usual. Potentionally I am out $150. I don't have that kind of money to throw around. and if i want to spend that much i'd rather have $150 of merch. Luckily everyone in Fare Thee Well and Get Serious are down to throw down some cash to pay the band.

So here is the big picture, If the venue doesnt make any money they wont book the shows (F.Y.I. we are limited in venues) If There are no venues we can't book shows. If the promoter is out of money they aren't going to try to book more shows, losing venues makes the situation even harder to book shows(there is a definent lose of motivation). If there are poor turnouts and a band isn't given as much money as they are suppose to be they aren't going to make it a point to come back to this town. Then that means our scene crumbles because of everyone who didnt come out. Which means there won't be anymore hardcore shows, there wont be anymore hardcore scene, and then you're back to living in boring old Columbia Mo, midwest clusterfuck.

I also notice that it seems like everyone and their mom shows up to an all local show but when touring bands come to town no one comes out to see them. You go see the bands that you can see every day but you don't see the bands that come through town once in a blue moon. These are signed bands that want to come play for us.

You don't have to come out to shows. I'm not mad that kids didnt come out, i am frustrated with it for sure though. But its totally up to you to make a difference. So to any kid that bitches about how there is nothing to ever do and how there is no scene, realize there are people out there trying to help you out and give you something to do. We are all suppose to be a family and look out for each other. So it's up to you, remember coming up with 5 or 10 bucks to make it to a show is nothing compared to the people who will be out 50 to 150 bucks (if not more). So please come out to the shows. If you know a show is coming up, put aside 15 bucks to go have a rad time at a show and get some sweet merch.

Like I said you don't have to come out, but one day there might not be anything to come out to.