I played Viento y Agua in Long Beach Friday night. I’ve been playing there every couple of months. I like the space. I like the sound. I like the people who work there. I just wish more people would come out to the shows and venues would do more to retain them.

Friday was the same story I see everywhere all the time. The guy who played at 7pm drew a crowd of his friends. They all left at 8pm when he was done. I played to my friends. We stuck around for half of the closer’s set but we were the only ones there and when some friends wanted to leave, we all left.

I feel bad doing that. If I’d been alone, I’d have stayed. Still, I can’t help but think there’s a culture of everyone hanging out through the whole show that needs to develop. Maybe it’s not listing the set times of the performers. Maybe it’s having the staff come around to the tables to ask for drink orders. I don’t know. It’s not like I only see that problem in coffee shops. But there have to be ways for venues to encourage an audience to hang around.

In any event, I played well. I had a good time. I tried a bunch of songs I hadn’t before. I used to feel frustrated that people didn’t come out because I wanted butts in seats. Now I want people to come out because I think they’d enjoy it. I’m pretty good these days and it’d be cool if people saw and heard that. See where I’m playing next and come out.