BY ANNIE GARDNER
annie@newsroom.byu.edu
Live music in Provo -- it is not as hard to find as some people think, and it is not all mindless rehashes of Dave Matthews' songs either.
When it comes to talent, musical variety and entertainment value, most Provo bands leave nothing to be desired. But they do lack a vital aspect of most successful bands -- listener support.
'It's really hard to get a fan base here because most people stay at home on the weekends and watch videos,' said Torch, drummer for the 60's space rock band, the Mantarays.
People are worried that if they go see a band, they are not going to hear anything new, said Cornelius, Mantaray guitarist and vocalist.
'It's not true. People need to go and check it out for themselves,' he said.
Making it out of the garage and onto the stage is not a difficult thing for a band to do if they are serious about getting heard, said Mike Farr, guitarist for long-time local band, Chump.
'We just made a tape and took it to some local venues and then we'd call and call and call until they said 'okay, stop calling us and we'll let you play',' Farr said.
However, he said the venues have to be selective because they cannot let a band play that is only going to bring in 30 people or else they cannot pay their rent.
Money is big issue for bands that want to make it big.
Farr said it can cost between $2,000 to $8,000 to make a CD and the band takes the risk of losing the money if their CDs do not sell.
He also said most gigs in Provo's all-age clubs do not pay well as opposed to 21-and-over bars where bands can make good money from drink revenues.
'When people pay a four dollar cover charge at Wrapsody, it's not all going to the band. That money pays to keep the venue open and pay staff salaries, not to buy drinks for the band,' Farr said.
Alex Calderon, lead guitar and vocalist for blues band, Alex and the Blueshounds, teaches guitar lessons on the side to earn extra cash.
'You'd be surprised at the great money you can make from teaching,' he said.
Money is not the only life force for a band's survival. Many college bands struggle just to keep the band together.
Dan Reneer, base guitarist for Sunfall Festival, joined the band after his own band split up few months ago.
'What happened to my band? The story of many Provo bands - somebody graduated,' Reneer said.
Commitment is a difficult thing in a lot of bands -- you never know who is going to stay and who is going to leave the band and go off to medical school, he said.
'Everybody's goal is to make it big or at least to make a living doing what they love,' said Corey Fox, manager of local band Clover and booking agent for Wrapsody.
Fox said it is not easy to get signed to a record label, and when the most popular bands cannot get a contract it is discouraging to smaller bands.
But most bands agree there are more important things than getting a coveted record deal.
'If the deal comes, it comes, but it's more important that we are happy with what we're doing,' said Chris Peterson, drummer for Sunfall Festival.