City Stages: Dead or just ailing?

The answer to that question depends on where you went for news about the big annual music festival in the state's largest city. Headline on WSFA web page: Future of Birmingham music festival up in air Headline in Birmingham news: No swan song for City Stages, organizers say Say what? Maybe its just too soon after the last note faded for the decision to be made, but even before the first note was played, we all knew the Birmingham City Council had to pony up another $250,000 to support the event, on top of the $300,000 city taxpayers had already contributed. I'd be curious to find out if the performers were accepting smaller fees than in previous years because of the recession. I do know concert ticket prices have been depressed across the county because of the miserable economy. The 2008 single day passes for City Stages were $28.00, and that's the same as City Stages charged this year*. And still, it is likely the festival lost money, given the "sparse" crowds on Friday night.

[*Thanks to Birmingham Blogger Wade Kwon for the ticket figures]

[UPDATE: Tuesday 6/23 Birmingham News reports big drop in daily passes. "All options on the table" says founder George McMillan."]