…and the poll says….that our readers would overwhelmingly not mind paying a cover to see bands on Frenchmen Street if doors on Frenchmen Street clubs were required to be closed. But, it was pointed out, that traffic to individual clubs would go down as patrons might not be interested in paying a cover charge at every club. One astute reader suggested a wristband that would allow music lovers to get into every club on Frenchmen. Sounds good, but who would administer the wristband program? Looks like something our new administration and District C Councilman, Kristen Gisleson Palmer, should look into, for feasibility. But would the clubowners on Frenchmen Street go for this? I think I can say they would not.

I think it’s a great idea to get all the musicians paid better, but it’s definitely going to have a potential negative effect on the music clubs, who sell a ton more alcohol with the doors open, so people can wander down the street, listen to music for free and drink in whichever club they land in that has its doors wide open and no cover charge.

We also gather information on demographics when we do our polls, and the older music lovers who go to Frenchmen Street tend to be more apt to be open to paying for a cover music (well, duh: they generally have more money to spend). It’s the respondents who are in their twenties who can’t afford it.

So, how do you satisfy younger people who can’t afford to pay a cover for every club? Ask them to give up one beer or one shot and use the money for a cover charge so the musicians can be paid better?

Quite a conundrum. Suggestions, anyone?