The New York Times has finally discovered the human cost of the recession we’re totally not in right now: “Steadily rising real estate prices are taking a toll on all but the best-financed music groups and institutions” and the cost of their coke habit MetroCard means they can’t afford the “$10 to $50 an hour” for a rehearsal studio, which sometimes leads to them disturbing their roommates or having to go tall instead of venti. Maybe they should divert the monthly cost of parking their waaaahmbulance?
In other cities, some groups in the hunt for affordable rehearsal space might begin as “garage bands.” But few people in New York City have their own garages, and musicians say that finding an affordable place to practice is as much of a challenge for performers who make a living in music as it is for part-timers and amateurs.
“I would love to have a space just for my band,” said Kara Suzanne, a singer and a songwriter who lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn. “It’s just too expensive.” She pays $60 a month for a four-times-a-month share in a rehearsal room near the Smith-Ninth Street stop on the F line in Brooklyn.
That may not seem like much in an increasingly pricey city, but many musicians say they are feeling pressure to make ends meet. NYC Performing Arts Spaces says that 44 percent of the musicians in New York make less than $50,000 a year.
Well, who can be expected to live on less than $50,000 a year except hundreds of millions of people around the world? For those looking to save a little cash, here’s our simple solution: leave New York or quit making music. Both are probably advisable.
Seeking Room To Rock When Cost Of Space Just Keeps Rising [New York Times]
Missing Foundation references! You scamp.
“She pays $60 a month for a four-times-a-month share in a rehearsal room near the Smith-Ninth Street stop on the F line in Brooklyn.”
I rent mine out for $200 per band a month so what the hell is she crying about?
Ours is like $550 and I pay $50, but that’s in LA. (To give you some idea of the breakdown, 4 bands practice there with a few overlaps in membership.) Also, how much of that $50k a year figure is checks from the parents and how much of it is from the trust fund jar?
our is $250 per band and we get three days a week. yes it is a small, smelly space, but who cares? is she whining because it’s expensive? Fifteen bucks a session is not that bad, especially if you can keep gear there. is she whining because she can’t find more time? unlikely.
I don’t get the point of this article. “We have to pay for rehearsal space” huh?????
That was a shockingly pointless article.
There was no theme except that people who want to play music professionally have to find a place to practice, and those places cost money. Get a job hippie! If you can’t afford a monthly (my band can’t) go hourly!
Is the follow up article going to be cab drivers bitching that it costs money to lease their cab?
Those smith-9th spaces they are referring to are not far from my apartment. I have been curious what those go for. Hmmmm might have to give that building a call since that rent sounds CHEAP!
Who needs bands (or rehearsal spaces) when there’s Pro Tools and amp simulators?
@TheContrarian: oh I get it… the contrarian. ha ha ha.
Maybe the point was for out of towners to know that there are no garages in NYC.
THE PARTY’S OVER.
Which makes it difficult to plan on celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park riot this summer…