The thrill of live music is built on the inevitable risk of it. A performance isn’t a rehearsal—you only get the one go each time. It isn’t like writing a novel or drafting technical drawings. You can’t go back and rewrite anything. What happens on stage lives in the moment. And that’s just it: the risk isn’t just about the thrill of it, but the presence we experience during a performance. There is no pause button to go grab a snack. You can’t rewind it. Sure, you can pull out a cell phone (please always remember to check if your flash is off), but how often do you rewatch that video later and get the same feeling?
There’s another layer to the foundational risk of live performance. You’re taking a chance on something new. And that’s why I want to talk about tribute shows.
We welcome numerous tribute shows to the Marigold each year. They’re put together by some serious professionals and are often lead by vocalists and musicians who are deeply passionate about the music they play. They’re some of our wildest nights at the Marigold—almost every one of them sells out. I’m always encouraged by the joy and fun people get out of them (which may or may not be related to tribute shows also being some of our busiest bar sales).
There is, however, a feeling out there that I’ve encountered before that tribute shows take up space for local, Canadian, or original artists. That’s where things get interesting. Not all, but most of our tribute shows are rentals. That means, instead of the Marigold choosing and paying for an artist to perform and us bearing the risk of financing it, the performer instead takes on that risk. They compensate us for the use of the building and the resources it takes to put on the show (that’s why you sometimes see on our website a line that says ‘this performance is not presented by the Marigold’). That doesn’t say anything about quality, but instead, it’s one of the ways that venues like us manage risk. And our rentals are an equally important part of our income and the array of experiences we offer here. All of that income goes back into investing in promoting original artists from Nova Scotia and across Canada and keeping our organization running. Tribute shows don’t take up space in a calendar so much as support our ability to invest in original artists who we want to build an audience for in Truro. Venues function of an ecosystem of different performances and experiences and tribute shows are one part of that ecosystem.
Keep showing up to our tribute shows. The Billy Joel night we bring almost every year is one of my favourites. If you look side stage, you can probably see me quietly belting out Vienna or We Didn’t Start the Fire. But, take a risk sometimes. I know a tribute show is reliable and will be the music you know and love. That said, we have a huge slate of other shows that will bring you a new experience, a new favourite musician, a new favourite song. The only thing better than a great experience is a new great experience.
Whatever you do, keep coming out to live music. The next while though, take a chance on something you haven’t experienced. The greatest rewards in life come from taking a chance on something. Worst case scenario, you see a performance that maybe wasn’t your taste. But hey, the best case scenario is new music to fall in love with.
So, take a chance. Live a little. See something new this year. I’ll see you there.
marsh
executive director
Marigold Cultural Centre