Why would venues agree to paying anything at all when they already have plenty of musicians willing to play for nothing?
- Although it's true that Portland's music scene is flooded with musicians willing to work for little or no money, that doesn't mean those musicians represent the best that Portland has to offer.
- Do you think it’s best if venues were to always hire the cheapest cooks, bar managers, or other employees? What assurance of professionalism and proficiency do they receive by going to the lowest common denominator?
- Our community is home to many world-class performers and recording artists who choose to live in Portland, but rarely perform here due to abnormally low wage standards. Raising those would enable Portlanders to see them at home more often.
- Whereas building a reputation for hosting the best music is a sound, long-term business strategy, relying solely on the friend-bases of the cheapest musicians you can find is a short-sighted roll of the dice.
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