AFM Indie

The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) of the U.S. and Canada announces the beta launch of Venuology, a venue review website exclusively for musicians.

Beginning in New York City, with plans to expand throughout North America, Venuology.com enables bands to anonymously review a venue based on their experience playing there.

If a club cancels at the last minute or doesn’t pay well, groups now have a safe way to warn others of the issue. Similarly, good venues are lauded for their fair treatment of musicians and relationship with the community.

Musicians can also note myriad facts about the venue — is there a sound system? Was the audio engineer good? Is there a drumset at the venue? Is there room for dancing?

Books and websites such as the Indie Venue Bible and SonicBids.com offer musicians lists of venues, club details and help in booking gigs, but Venuology incorporates an often-overlooked component — fairness. Similar to websites Amazon.com and Yelp!, as musicians add reviews, clubs develop a written history that any observer can use to evaluate a venue.

Venuology is free and open to all musicians.

From the Future of Music Coalition, an issue at the forefront of  many U.S. musicians’ concerns:

Health care is now a matter of serious debate across the country. FMC has advocated for reform, and we’re still very much committed to arming musicians with information so they can make smart choices.

But we also want to know if anything has changed since our initial report. Which is why we’ve relaunched the survey to learn

• How many musicians are insured?
• Has the number increased or decreased over the last eight years?
• What are the factors that make it difficult for musicians to get insured?
• Do musicians know about the plans offered by some unions and professional organizations?

Taking the Pulse runs from March 1 through April 1, 2010, and assesses the level of health insurance among working musicians. questions about artists’ access to coverage and their understanding of the current health insurance landscape.

Take the survey today!

AFM Indie’s first step is to gather feedback from indie musicians — whether from indie rock, hip-hop, alt-classical, avant-garde, folk, country, latin music or jazz. Tell us:

• What do you consider to be the unique challenges faced by indie artists?
• What non-musical, but career-related tasks do you feel are most difficult to deal with as an independent musician?
• Does a DIY approach have anything in common with a cooperative mentality espoused by artist collectives and labor unions?

Members of AFM Local 99 (Portland, OR) have formed a 200-plus group of musicians seeking fair pay in local clubs and establishments.

Although many places charge a cover fee to see a band, a very small portion of that money actually goes to the musicians, says Local 99 President Bruce Fife, who was quoted in the Willamette Weekly. There’s no set amount for a percentage of door sales that goes to musicians and payments vary from club to club.

“Money goes to the doorman and soundman before it gets to the band,” says Fife. “That money being paid at the door [should be] fairly distributed to the musicians.”

The movement for “fair trade” music hopes to establish a pay scale for Portland club gigs, depending on audience capacity and the type of liquor license. Venues that already participate with union musicians like Roseland and the Crystal Ballroom would not have to adhere to this new proposed pay scale, since they already work with AFM contracts.

Clubs and venues that participate in the pay scale would receive some sort of recognition like a sticker in their window, similar to coffee shops and chains that buy from companies who pay farmers and laborers fair wages.

It’s uncertain whether or not clubs would increase door fees or alcohol prices to cover the cost increase. In a progressive city like Portland, musicians believe people would be willing to the pay a higher price for a quality act. “This sticker means better entertainment and that your money goes to the musicians,” says Sean Hudson, an upright bass player and member of Local 99. “We think this will help increase attendance.”