Photo courtesy of heydanno: Don't expect 930 Club crowds to dwindle

In today's depressing economy where money is tight and jobs hard to come by we may need to look at alternate ways to get our entertainment. You can see subtle ways that the music industry is feeling the pain such as the increase in people purchasing music online versus going into CD stores or even just listening to music online without spending a dime. Chances are if you go to a CD store you will find sales and for the savvy consumer there are cool ways to save on purchased music in stores (more on that in a future article.) While this part of the music industry and other entertainment ventures such as sporting events and movie theaters have been seeing less then stellar ticket sales, the concert business doesn't seem to be effected by the economic downturn.

All you have to do is just google a phrase like "concert ticket sales and the economy" and you find numerous articles about how even despite the bad economy the concert industry is seeing record ticket sales. This is very surprising even despite a lot of complaints about the Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger and high fees tacked on to ticket prices. A good example of tickets still being hot commodities is how big named acts like U2, Coldplay, Jimmy Buffett and others are reaping the benefits of selling out their local and national shows in record time and this included some pricey seats to go with cheaper options. I have also witnessed venues like the 930 Club being packed with sell out crowds at every show and just by looking on their website you will see that many shows coming up demonstrate the trend for this venue will not be changing soon.

This simply appears to be a pattern that other venues are seeing as well and even if a show isn't a sell out right away it usually becomes one the day of the show. Upon doing some research there appeared to be only one unfortunate exception to the rule in the DC area concert business. That would be the chance we may lose the Virgin Mobile Festival. This would be a huge loss for the state since the festival attracts over 20,000 people and has been a popular favorite since its inception in 2006. The reason behind this is complicated but pretty much the Festival was being held at Pimlico Raceway which filed for bankruptcy. Perhaps in better times someone could have rushed in and "bailed out" or help finance keeping Pimlico going strong. The horse racing industry may be saved thanks to government intervention but the festival's future looks iffy. Unless it can find an outdoor location someone in the DC area, which looks unlikely, then it may be a casualty in our area of the bad economic times. But our loss may be someone else’s gain and this in fact would be a devastating loss since it is one of the most profitable yearly events in the area. But other then this the concert industry seems to be one of the few businesses not being adversely affected by the slumping economy.

There could be good reason for this too: diversion. Even when things are bad people still need escapism and a way to get their minds off the negativity even for a few hours. Even if your pocket book can't quite touch the sometimes pricey concert ticket prices then fear not this is a great time to utilize the wide array of free concert entertainment available in our area. The DC area is a great place to call home when it comes to free shows because DC, Maryland and Virginia are always offering free concerts and live music. Just to prove this let me provide you with a sampling of some of the free or hidden ways to get your music fix that are at your disposal. Most people know about the big venues but there are a wide array of places where the music is equally eclectic and prevalent such as coffee shops/cafes like Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia which is quickly becoming a draw for artists. There’s also DC’s own Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse which serve up poetry and live music but Kramer’s Books on Connecticut Ave is a superior place to catch a live show with your latte. Also in the summer there’s always fun and unexpected places to hear free music such as the National Zoo which offers live music on Thursdays, the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden which offers Jazz shows every Friday. There is also free shows at the U.S. Capitol, Farragut Square Park and even Eastern Market to name a few.

But if it is foreign music you crave don’t forget any number of restaurants because usually in DC you get entertainment served right up with you cuisine. There’s a bevy of Irish pubs and restaurants in the area which usually have great Irish and non-Irish music to make it feel like St Paddy’s Day all year round. Some personal faves of are The Dubliner and Ireland’s Four Courts. Also if you’re a fan of Morrocan restaurants then you should definitely check out the Marrakesh Palace, which gives you feast for every sense with live belly dancing and decadent Moroccan music. If it’s a taste of Cuba then head over to Habana Village. That’s the beauty of the DC area you can sample music from around the world throughout the year. So needless to say if you want music in the DC area there is definitely no shortage of places for free or that cost a little money to see bands or hear music. That was just a small sampling of the varied and cheap entertainment our area can provide for whatever amount you can afford. I will provide more examples too because in these times everyone needs some fun once in a while and there's plenty to be had if you look hard enough. So even if you are on a limited budget and need to be extra picky on what shows to see, there will be no doubt some type of musical entertainment available to you. We live in a great area that proves fun doesn't have to cost a fortune. Because in the DC area especially when the weather warms up the sound of music fills the air. Even better a large amount has a price tag of zero and that surely will be music to ears of the cash strapped during this economic recession.