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wow thats funny you bought this up read this post from sonomatunes a  got last night

via Blues-L:

An open letter to bar owners with live music

It has happened again. A club I have been playing at for several
years, a club in a major US city where I have done well and made good
money from the door, has decided to have only DJs from now on. No more
live music. They make much more money when they have only one DJ to
deal with as opposed to five musicians. " It's not personal, Candye.
People drink more when there's a DJ," the club owner said. "When they
watch a band, they stand there until the band is over and then order a
drink. When the DJ plays continuous music, they come to the bar
throughout the night, sweaty and thirsty. It's a no brainer."

Of course it's not personal. It's just my life and my livelihood. It's
just the way I have been making a living for the past fourteen years.
It's just the way it has been done since I was old enough to sneak
into punk bars in Hollywood with my fake id. Watching live musicians
play live music was how I grew up. Seeing bands like Los Lobos, The
Wild Cards, James Harman, Top Jimmy and the Rhythm Pigs, X, the
Paladins, Smokey Wilson, Roy Gaines and the Blasters gave me a lump in
my throat, blisters on my feet from dancing all night and an empty
wallet from too many beers. It gave me a dream to hold onto; A dream
that I could someday be on that stage playing music as well. My dreams
have come true a thousand fold, allowing me to travel the world
singing for people and sometimes getting paid really well for my
music. It has allowed me the luxury of recording my songs on cd and
the chance to play music with my son, handing down the family
tradition and taking him around the globe with me. It has made my life
rich and rewarding. It has given me the opportunity to keep in touch
with friends and family in city after city and enabled me to learn
about different cultures and languages. It has given me the chance to
revere and emulate the musicians who came before me and made this one
nighter lifestyle possible.

And so its time for me to thank YOU the club owner, who is committed
to keeping live music going in your small bar or middle sized venue.
Maybe you already know how grateful I am to you for the gigs you
provide me. Maybe you can tell when I am beaming from ear to ear
onstage and hugging you at the end of the night, how grateful I am to
have this job. But I am here to tell you again – YOU ARE INCREDIBLE.
Your dedication and commitment to live music means more now than ever
before! I know times are tough. You have had to cut back; not offer as
many hotel rooms or maybe no rooms at all. You have had to lower your
guarantees, maybe not offer food to the bands or work the front door
yourself while you juggle the sound board so as not to pay an extra
person. You are struggling too with rising gas prices, higher taxes,
no indoor smoking and city bureaucracy harassing you. You are dealing
with smaller crowds and less big drinkers with endless bar tabs. I
know times are tougher for you now, just like they are for me. And
yet, you keep on keeping on. You provide a place for people to come
and dance and forget their troubles for a while. You provide a
workplace for waitresses and bartenders. And most importantly, you
provide a place for us middle of the road musicians to share our
talents. In this day and age of digital downloads, you tube and
American Idol, you provide a community service by allowing live human
beings to venture into your club and share their music with others.

I know it seems like a thankless job sometimes when you're dealing
with crabby road dogs, drunk patrons, huge egos and complaints from
ingrates. But I am here to tell you that your work MATTERS. Your
support of live music in spite of these changing times and uncertain
economy shows what a big heart you really have. You are the sole
reason why people like me survive. And hopefully, together, we can
weather these uncertain times in the music business and come out on
top. I don't want to be a grandmother telling my kids "There used to
be live people playing this music. It wasn't just a recording, it was
real people." I don't want live music to be obsolete like the 8 track.
I want my grandkids to grow up knowing that playing live music is an
option just like any other occupation. I want them to go to bars and
see live music being played. And I want you to stay open and thrive!
Thanks so much for what you have been doing all these years and what
you will continue to do, because you believe in musicians like me.
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. Thank you for not
giving up. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, for making my dream
come true.