Submitted by MadLove1348 t3_111md12 in RhodeIsland
Ever since they changed names and assumingly changed ownership, the quality of bands they get in has drastically declined. Maybe just the quality of bands I like (jam bands)? Does anyone have some inside knowledge here or attest to a similar feeling with other kinds of genres?
The overall quality of everything has either gotten worse, or stagnated. Which is tantamount to getting worse in an industry that always had newer and better equipment.
I would assume it's more ownership. Same with Fete. If these venues sit outside the livenation system, they're going to get skipped. You also have to take into account the amount of venues in Boston have increased dramatically. To my understanding AEG and other promoters like Bowery Presents don't have agreements in Providence.
And we're also kind of a smaller market. Like a C/D level market.
I should probably also note some bands may have radius clauses and no competes if they play Boston which is why they'd skip PVD on a tour or 2.
This is the culprit. I used to be in the industry and had this confirmed by a local venue owner. A rule obviously not meant for the density of the Northeast.
It’s why you’ll see New Haven get a show often instead of Providence.
Bowery appears to be involved with Fete. It's listed under "Our Venues" on the Bowery website
Wonder why they don't book more stuff there, unless it's just getting heads in the door. For example, I saw Cave In there last July, they put them in the lounge, but they played royale and the Sinclair in Boston in 21 and December 22 and sold both out.
Maybe we're just not a strong market
Unfortunately I think that’s exactly the case. Not enough people going out and willing to pay the entry fees
But Cave In were pretty sick in the lounge. I think with that show it might have been the first of the tour for the new LP and kind of a testing ground for the material so it wasn't promoted the same? I could be way off base.
I'm not ruling that out, but if they sold out the lounge they could've moved it into the main room, which if we're being honest it was pretty cramped in the lounge that night
and by the way, 'Heavy Pendulum' is amazing.
The lounge was definitely cramped. Heavy Pendulum is fantastic!
Providence definitely isn't as strong a market. Boston and the towns immediately bordering it have more people than the entire of Rhode Island and most of that is accessible via public transportation or a fairly cheap taxi/uber ride.
There's also like 30 colleges and universities in the immediate area too.
I still check Fete regularly. Huge drop in quality, they used to have such a wide variety. Don’t think I have seen a name I recognize in like 2 years.
The market has changed. Radio artists like we used to have in the 90s don't exist.
The Met has some solid shows coming up with Neighbor, Perpetual Groove, Melvin Seals & JGB, and a bunch of random Dead cover bands. But yes, I agree. Lupos/Strand used to pull some good bands. Last jam show I saw there was Umphrey’s back in 2014.
Man, pgroove is coming to the met? Cool! I saw Rodrigo y Gabriela and UM there maybe 4 years ago but basically radio silent ever since.
They are! April 29th. Looks like Cabinet and the Kitchen Dwellers are coming as well, albeit separate shows. So, maybe the Met will be able to fill our void. Just need Phish to come back to the Civic Center, that was a treat.
Would love for India point park to get a good jam band this summer!
Saw Twiddle at Bold Point in Summer 2019. Decent venue, the sound was quite muddy though. Definitely has potential to be a nice place.
That Rodrigo y Gabriela show was fantastic!
Right! Such a treat.
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Nothings wrong with badfish, but they are the kind of band I prefer seeing at the ocean mist in the summer.
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They stink
The Sublime mostly.
I disagree with you, but that is a good reason lol.
I can't stand the source material but it is kinda funny how a band that lasted less than a decade only had like 3 albums had a tribute band that's lasted 3X as long as the original band and can play to thousands of people around the country.
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Saw Social Distortion in Fall of 2018. That was probably the last good act they got that made it feel like old Lupos. F that place now.
that building never felt like lupos, especially during the decade when it used that name.
While I like jam bands, they draw an older demographic that doesn’t drink like younger crowds ( read: hip hop) … and that’s where clubs make money. Pretty simple.
Umphreys fans would beg to differ lol
which jam band crowd doesn’t drink a lot?
Rage. Rest. Repeat.
I think the ownership group has money problems. They also own the Rosendale (closed since last summer?” and Studio Lounge (looks like it closed in November). They still have Fish Co though.
Hot Club?
No, Fish Co. The place a few doors down from hot Club. On the corner of Point St
The Strand hasn’t been the same since the 90s when it was a dedicated music venue. This was back when Lupos was in the old Woolworth building and there were a few other venues like babyhead etc.
The plus side back then was they had a ton of regional and newer/smaller national acts. I saw Alanna Miles there lol. The downside back then was that it was a total dump.
Then they closed and reopened later in partnership with Lupos. They cleaned it up a little but I think that arrangement sucked. The band shows were too early and then the weird club shows were eating into the music. I saw better than Ezra during that time and the lighting people for the Strand club night actually started setting up lights and stuff while BTE were playing. I thought a fight was going to break out onstage. It was bad.
And now as other posters commented they aren’t a choice spot. Boston has MGM music hall and others that fill that niche. And without live nation dollars it’s hard to compete.
I feel like a lot of bands went big once Covid restrictions came down and this year is a bit slower.
Thank You Scientist is coming to the Fete next month. That'll be a good show!
I’ve been going to the met for jam bands. I love it there. Strand has someone I like every like 3-4 months lol. I don’t get it wish there was something every week for me there.
Advertisement for shows are kind of non-existent.
Different target demographic that spends less on alcohol and alcohol sales are basically how clubs and venues are staying alive.
Live music is less lucrative for the artists than it used to be. Many artists in many genres are doing some pop up shows but less "quality" acts are actively doing gigs.
Lower tier market, especially with Boston nearby.
Plus, COVID threw such a wrench in touring for such a long time. Even with the worst largely past us, tours are still much more expensive and volatile to pull off. Nobody wants to be having to cancel shows once they’re going or worse, be like KISS and leave a guitar tech to die in a hotel room
What they need over there is a damn AC. It’s fucking hot inside
Funny, I went to a show on a not so cold night in December and everyone, including the band (who kept their outerwear on), was complaining of being freezing. Maybe it’s just not insulated.
Been mostly Spanish artists cause the owner knows he’ll make the most money off the alcohol with those crowds vs rap/rock crowds. Just is what it is.
They’ll get the most mid rap artist who blew up a little on tiktok to supplement in the yearly lineup. Fyi, no more than 200-300 people go to those shows. It’s a dud.
I Won’t disclose much else.
Jerry Cantrell is going to be there on the 14th. Is he somehow not good enough for you? Lol.
Loving the downvote for pointing out that Jerry Cantrell, singer, lead guitarist and principal songwriter for Alice In Chains hardly constitutes a drop in quality.
Not an Alice In Chains fan myself, but my husband is. But years ago they would get like 6-8 bands a year I would want to see. Now it’s 0-1. Just a bummer because we spend so much traveling to venues outside of RI we can only afford 1-2 shows a year when we used to be able to do one annual outside of RI trip and multiple local shows.
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I thought your concern was the quality? You might not a be a fan of AiC, but Cantrell is a major get.
It’s not a major get. It might be a good show that you’ll enjoy, but Jerry Cantrell and Alice In Chains hasn’t been relevant for 25 years.
Alice In Chains sold out a 20,000 capacity amphitheater like 4 months ago as a headliner and still pull 7 million listeners on Spotify. Radio stations are still going to play those songs a couple times a day, people still want to go see them.
They might be 25 years removed from a hit but they’re still a pretty big name on the strength of the hits in that 5-6 year run.
That being said, Cantrell isn't really a huge get. It's a nice show for a certain demographic that still will go out to see him. I don't know if he's going to sell out a midweek show here but the show probably sells 75% or more. Then he'll go sell out the place half that size north of Boston later in the week.
They haven't been? I thought they were still doing national tours at large venues. I guess I didn't see them at the Comcast Center in Mansfield? Any idea who I did see?
There were a lot of people there to see an irrelevant band.
This might shock you, but there is still a lot of demand to see 90s rock.
Next you're going to try to tell me Pearl Jam is irrelevant lol.
>They haven't been? I thought they were still doing national tours at large venues.
So is Loverboy. What's your point?
That people still find them relevant.
What's your point exactly?
It hasn’t been the Comcast Center since 2013.
It hasn't been Greatwoods since 99, nor the tweeter center for 15 years. And yet people still call it both.
So what's your point?
I saw him at The Middle East not long after Staley died. He absolutely sucked...my friend and I left at intermission...and we were AIC fans.
Cool story. I saw him at the heartbreak hotel in 2002 and he was excellent.
I'm still mad they canceled Twiddle.
I'm pretty sure Twiddle cancelled Twiddle. Friend who was going to the show said a band member had a health problem.
Can’t play when the singer/guitarist is in the hospital…
The show got moved to October, it's not cancelled. But I can tell you that it is close to selling out so if you plan to go in October grab a ticket soon.
Appreciate the tip.
The Strand is just fine
I'd agree in the sense that the last decade or so of it being called Lupos was underwhelming.
Username333666999 t1_j8fjo2c wrote
100% agree. They went downhill big time.