Darrin Dominguez, owner of The Caterie on Perkins Road, would like to feature more local original artists, but due to financial pressures, he must showcase an assortment of cover bands to make money.
He said that he would like to have more original bands because he respects them and what they do, but he can’t afford to because they don’t bring in as much of a crowd as the cover bands.
Crowds equal money.
“It’s just a matter of economics,” he said. “I do what I can do for original bands.”
He also said that some well-known national touring acts that have played The Caterie do not pull in as many patrons as cover bands.
This equation creates a ratio of about eight to one in favor of cover bands over original, according to the business’s monthly schedule.
Dominguez said that many patrons come to see bands that play famous songs by other artists because it is comfortable to listen to something they already know, and in return, the bar and the bands make more money from these shows.
“Most bands play cover songs when they first start out,” said James Clark, a business junior who works at The Caterie. “It helps establish them [as a band] and they get more money from it than if they played original music.”
Not everyone wants to constantly hear cover bands, including employees.
“I get tired of it sometimes, but it’s how bands make their money,” said Rodney Riche, a 22-year-old employee at The Caterie.
Clark mentioned that most of the cover bands that play The Caterie are modern rock acts and play songs by bands such as Incubus.
Both Clark and Riche agree that they would like to see a larger variety of cover bands, such as classic rock and old soul music.
“I’d rather go see a cover band than an any other local band,” said 21-year-old music fan Jessie Miller. “When I’m drunk in a bar, I like to sing along with the songs that I know and like.”
Matt Heroman, a business sophomore, does not feel the same way.
“If I wanted to hear a cover band, I’d just flip on the radio,” he said. “Conversely, I think it’s cool when an original band will throw a cover or two into their set, given that they put their own creative twists into them and stay as far away from the Top 40 as possible.”
Scott Frye, former owner of the recently closed Ichabod’s bar on Chimes Street, said in February, the last month in business, that he focused on local original music and folded after about two and a half years.
“We have done everything we can to do anything creative, but apparently, originality is not a big thing in this town,” Frye said.