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I can personally say that if this goes through I am through with putting on events in Chicago.
I am not a "big fish". I am not a voice that can reach into the pockets of those that would be interested. I do not rely on events to pay my way. If I did, I'd be doing illegal house parties, raves and loft parties.
I put on 2 or 3 concerts a year and I do a monthly dj night. If I wanted to make money off of shows for a living I'd never have tried to do it in this city to begin with. Too much competition and way too much money involved.
I don't rely on ticket sales to pay bands. I rely on having the money on hand before the night of the show.
Not a single event have I ever made enough money to even go so far as to pay my rent. I usually take all the money made at the door and split it between the bands. I might keep enough to pay for a cab ride home if needed.
I can say that I pay money out of my own pocket at the end of the night to make sure the bands get what was needed.
I will say now that if I have to pay for a license because the city doesn't want to enforce the laws and ordinances they already have, I won't.
Maybe I'll continue to do shows outside of the city limits. That's still to be seen.
Why do I do shows that cost me money? Everyone needs a hobby and because I like to offer the opportunity to bands to come in and show people what they can do. To open themselves up to a new area and hopefully gain new fans.
Everything I do, I do inside a licensed and insured establishment.
I do not promote or organize illegal house parties or raves. However, if the laws were stronger against people that held these illegal activities maybe the city wouldn't have to cover their asses and make everyone pay for a license to an ordinance that allows blame to fall on the venue and the promoters rather than the venue and the city.
Maybe the city should offer a "per head" ticketing system for people that organize and promote illegal loft parties, raves, and such inclined events. Every person at such an event is a $20 fine. And maybe they should enforce the underage and curfew policies for anyone that is underage at these events. But that might take too much man power and too much time. And this isn't about who's at the event. It's about who's putting it together and telling people about it. No need to ticket the underage kids because they didn't put together the event. They just showed up and got drunk. Even though they know they're not supposed to drink until they're of legal age.
After all, the city wants to determine who the good guys and bad guys are so wouldn't the fact that these events aren't in legal establishments do that?
I think it's funny how all of a sudden, the big venues like the Rosemont and United Center threatened to take their business out to the burbs if this passed. Now all of a sudden, they're exempt from it and they no longer care.
The biggest reason such venues said this was simple. They have a lot of people from other states that book events there. Circus', carnivals, monster trucks, concerts and such. Accordingly, all these outside promoters from other states and cities would have to buy this license. Even though they do not reside within the limits of the city of Chicago.
These promoters plainly said that they would take their events to other venues such as the Metro Centre in Rockford IL. The city doesn't want that to happen so now these larger venues are exempt. Thus, the outside promoters do not need the license.
The only thing I can offer to everyone, that is a small time player like myself, is this.
Search out venues that are outside of the city limits but close enough for trains and buses. As soon as the word is given that the license has become legitimate, cancel all the shows you have, even if they happen before the 5 month limit, and try to reschedule them outside of the city.
If everyone does this it might send a message to the city.
Highly doubtful, slightly possible, but it will save you the money instead of paying for a license that basically keeps the city out of court for not enforcing the laws and ordinances it already has.
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