Live entertainment brings in regulars and creates atmosphere, but every square foot the band takes up is space they can't use for paying diners.
I've been playing San Diego venues for over a decade, and I've watched this struggle play out countless times. Owners want music because it transforms the experience, keeps people staying longer, ordering more. But when you're already maximizing every inch of dining space, where do you put a band? Most musicians show up with drums, amps, stands, cables - suddenly you've lost two or three tables worth of revenue. That's real money in a business with thin margins.
When The Counterfeits first started playing regularly at Hotel Palomar in Temecula and Viva Vino, we faced this exact challenge. Both venues would pack in crowds, especially on weekends. As the night progressed and more people showed up, we literally needed to shrink our footprint. That's when I developed the suitcase drum setup - playing drums with my feet on an actual suitcase, using a cookie sheet for high-end percussion. It was about solving a real problem. We were there every week, progressively getting better at creating the same full sound while using less and less space.
What we discovered was that using less space actually made us better musicians. When you can't hide behind a wall of equipment, you have to be good. When diners are three feet away, every note matters. Take a place like The Grass Skirt - if you haven't been, you should. Their whole vibe is carefully crafted, and the last thing they need is a band that dominates the room. We learned to add to their atmosphere without disrupting it. One microphone, minimal cables, instruments we can hold - that's it. The music flows through the space instead of taking it over.
Over the years, we've played everywhere from converted houses in South Park to narrow patios in Pacific Beach. Each space taught us something new about adaptation. Sometimes it's just me with the suitcase. Sometimes we can fit a duo. On rare occasions, we might squeeze in a trio. But it's never about how many musicians we can cram in - it's about what serves the space and the crowd. The restaurants and bars that call us back repeatedly aren't looking for us to take over. They're looking for music that enhances what they're already doing. And honestly, after years of playing in every conceivable configuration, I prefer the challenge of small spaces. When you're close enough to see everyone's reaction, when the music becomes part of the conversation instead of overwhelming it, when you leave and the venue still has all their tables - that's when you know you've found the sweet spot between entertainment and economics.
