Here in Santa Fe—but I suspect this is true just about anywhere—there is no shortage of serious musical talent.
There are plenty of people who want to perform, and plenty who deserve a stage.
The problem isn't talent.
The problem is that there are a lot of musicians competing for a limited number of stages and dates.
Unless more venues open their doors, that's probably not going to change. There are only so many places to play and only so many nights on the calendar. And because getting a gig can be difficult, especially when you're starting out, a lot of musicians end up working for very little just to get the slot and the stage time.
So what can we, as musicians, actually do to help venues pay us more?
In my opinion, the honest answer starts with us—not just the venue.
I believe most venues that support live music would like to pay musicians more. But the math has to work.
A venue can't pay much when the room is empty.
But if a performer consistently brings people through the door—people who order food, buy drinks, and stick around—that performer gives the venue a real business reason to pay more and keep booking them.
Which means that, for us as performers, getting people in the door isn't a side job.
It's part of the job.
It's every bit as important as learning the songs, rehearsing the band, and putting on a good show.
That's where marketing comes in.
An email list. A newsletter. A social media following you've actually built. Regular communication with the people who like your music.
Those aren't vanity projects.
They're the difference between hoping people show up and knowing that at least some of them will because you told them when and where you're playing—and they trusted you enough to come.
This is the part a lot of musicians skip because it feels less like art and more like homework.
I get it.
I'd much rather be writing a song than writing a newsletter.
But that homework matters.
A band that can reliably put 40 people in a room on a Monday night is more valuable to a venue than a band that is merely good.
That's not an insult to the musicians who don't draw a crowd. It's simply business.
A performer who brings people through the door brings value beyond the music itself.
So, if you're a music fan, support your local musicians.
Go to the shows. Buy a drink. Order dinner. Buy the CD, vinyl, shirt—or whatever else the artist is selling. Tip the musicians. Tell your friends.
And if you're a musician, don't just learn the songs.
Build the list. Send the newsletter. Post about the show. Invite people. Ask them to come.
Because packed rooms are still one of the biggest levers we have to move musician pay upward.
We can't expect venues to magically pay more.
We have to give them a reason to.