bitching

I'd like to air some thoughts.

 

A few years ago, there was not much of a Jewish music scene here in Chicago. Either there wasn't a market for it or there simply wasn't enough activity to generate interest.

 

Since I started KFAR, that's changed dramatically.  People who'd never have xonsidered coming out to hear Jewish music now do it with some regularity.  Acts that never wiould have been brought to town have been presented  at legiitimate musical venues.

 

But every week, I get asked the same quest: "Why don't you bring (insert act name here) to town.  They are my favorite."

 

Well gee, the obvious answer is that there simply isn't enough time or money to bring a million different acts town.  In case you weren't aware, producing a Jewish music concert can run as high as $10,000.  Each of KFAR's events typically cost around $6,000 by the time you add up talent fees, travel expenses, promotion, sound, venue.  It's not cheap.  The margins are VERY thin, so when we do make money, its usually barely enough to keep our head above water for the next cocnert, for which we might likely take a financial bath.

 

But people don't understand this.  When I answer "It costs too much." They get upset, when I find ironic, since they don't come to the other shows I produce.

 

There simply isn't enough time to bring 60 acts to town each year.  There's only 52 weeks in the calendar, and it is virtually impossible to promote that many events to a 250,000 head population in any cost effective manner.

 

Allow me to say something else here.  I don't make any money presenting these concerts. In fact, I usually lose money, and this is my parnassah we're talking about.  It is a full time job, and people seem to take it for granted that KFAR shows will just happen on their own.  They don't, and just like any other community professional rightfully deserves to earn a living doing whatever it is they do, so do I.  I'm not ashamed to say it, but people seem to want to shame me for expecting it.  I deserve to be compensated for what I do forthe community. I produce great events and people like them.  If I take a salary, it doesn't make me or KFAR any less of an organization.  and the fact is that if I don't do it soon, there will be no KFAR to speak of.

 

'And all yall you keep thinking you're gonna make a buck off KFAR before I do, think again.