----- Original Message -----
From: david chamberlain <davechamb@yahoo.com>
To: HamishBirchall <ham.drum@virgin.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2001 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: Two-in-a-bar - you can help
Dear Mr. Grainger,
Further to your request for examples of musicians losing gigs because of the 'two-in-a-bar' rule, please allow me to relate a recent incident to you.
I used to be part of a trio called the 'Reduced Latin Band'. The group was based on a novel concept – to perform Latin-American and Afro-Cuban jazz with a reduced format of tenor saxophone, handheld percussion and double bass. The advantage of this small combo was that it was economical to hire, easy to accommodate and
could bring the vibrant rhythms of Latin-Jazz to smaller venues, where a larger ensemble would not fit.
Our group, formed in autumn 1999, was very fortunate in its beginnings to be given a weekly residency at a pizza restaurant in Covent Garden called The Luna Nuova. This residency benefited our group in the following ways:
(i) by providing a reasonable weekly wage (£60 each per gig),
(ii) by providing a weekly opportunity for us to play together and maintain our high standard of ensemble performance,
(iii) by providing an impetus to constantly expand our repertoire and musical horizons,
(iv) by exposing our group to an audience of potential future clients, ensuring future bookings and
(v) by providing a regular live showcase for clients who had already expressed an interest in booking the group.
The gig also benefited the restaurant in terms of our drawing a larger base of customers and in our general enhancement of the ambience of the restaurant.
Our residency seemed to continue quite happily for all concerned for a period of around nine months, with a steady crowd generated by word of mouth and an
advertisement in 'Jazz In London'.
However, after this period, an advertisement which we had been attempting since the beginning of the residency to place in the Evening Standard 'Hot Tickets' guide finally came out. The following week, a smartly dressed gentleman with a clipboard was present at the gig, taking notes. The week after that, the restaurant received a letter from Westminster Council informing them that they were not allowed to have more
than two performers in any one evening without obtaining an entertainments license.
The restaurant investigated the possibility of obtaining this license and found it to be unfeasible, owing to its expense and the difficulty of meeting its various requirements.
The following week we were informed that the gig was to be discontinued.
Since losing our residency, we have been consistently thwarted in our efforts to find a place for our quiet little group to play by the 'Two-In-A-Bar' rule. We have only played together in public once in over a year after losing the gig and are effectively no
longer operating.
This leads us to feel somewhat as though our time and efforts in forming, organising, rehearsing, recording and promoting the Reduced Latin Band were wasted.
I hope this goes some way in convincing you of the problems caused by this ridiculous rule for musicians such myself and my fellow band members who rely upon our gigs to earn a living.
Yours Sincerely,
David Chamberlain BMus
Double Bass
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