“I know they are killing everybody! You getting to many shows? Your claiming to be a voice for us..... SPEAK UP!!! no bullshit.
-tim”

This is a message from Tim on Myspace. You can check his profile out here.

Yes sir!

I suppose we do claim to be a voice of the local music scene. I'm not sure that I, or anyone on the staff, is really in a spot to give critique on the state of energy costs and the economy in general, but I know sure as shit that I can state my opinion one way or the other.

I bet it is getting harder and harder on bands to tour. Most of you guys rely on being able to load up shitty old vans with all your gear, yourselves, and hopefully some groupies to make the nights go by more enjoyably, and hop from state to state, city to city and venue to venue, maybe scraping enough money from the gigs to cover your costs, but in a lot of cases I know you are paying a large chunk of all of this out of your own pockets.

Getting a band off the ground, let along making it a profitable idea is really a hard proposition and not something that everyone will pull off.

I feel for you guys as fuel costs bounce around from absurd to ridiculous and then seem to settle out at astronomical. Getting out there and spreading the good word, gaining some fans and having an adventure just seems to be getting harder and harder.

I don't know how you do it, and I respect the hell out of you guys for trying.

As for the rest of us, the folks driving from venue to venue going to shows all over the Portland area and beyond, fuel costs are kicking our asses as well.

I personally ride a motorcycle for my primary transportation now. It's hard to beat 60 miles to the gallon in a $2000 vehicle. Before I started the job that I am working now, I used Tri Met pretty much all of the time. Now, because I have to go from Beaverton to Gladstone and then often back into South West Portland to catch a show, I can't really rely on the bus and train any more, so the bike was a necessity.

I know that there are a lot of other people out there that have to look at the cost of travel before going to a show. What I wish you all would do about it is try and organize a carpool system. People are developing sharing communities all over the place. I just heard about a bunch of people that list their couches so that travelers can come through and crash with them at no cost as they move about the country. If people can actually welcome random ass strangers into their home, at no charge and no guarantee to their own safety and sanctity of their belongings, then I think you guys could start organizing rides to shows.

Hell, I know I would be interested in just such a project. I don't know how it would be implemented. Maybe use Craigslist or something? Hell, if I can find the time to try and start a forum on the site, or if any of you out there would be interested in starting a forum, I would be more than happy to provide ample links and content swapping with you to try and get it off the ground.

Bounce some ideas off of me people! I'm a busy ass man, but maybe we can make something work out.

Thanks for the message Tim, and I hope this is what you were looking for.

I'm looking forward to some e-mails from all of you folks, and in the mean time, make sure to listen to some good new music, and if you find something that you think we should be writing about then let me know.

Jake Carlsen

Editor for LiveMusicPDX.com

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