ABSTRACT
Venues are categorized by several factors, including capacity, music genre, location, and permanent status. Size plays an important role in the function and musical style performed at a venue. Smaller venues often have a duel function. Typical to this category are nightclubs, clubs, bars, coffee houses, and restaurants that not only offer food and beverages but may also have live music performed on a regular basis. These venues also tend to cater to a single genre of music, for example, jazz clubs or folk music in coffeehouses. Medium-sized venues tend to exhibit a wider array of genres. Some of the larger concert halls cater to only one genre, for example, opera houses, which traditionally were designed only for opera performances. In an effort to keep a venue profitable, many opera houses today are part of larger performing arts centers that offer a range of performing arts including theater and opera. Another variable for categorizing venues is permanence. The majority of venues are permanent structures; however, temporary venues exist, often in conjunction with specific purposes or genres. An example of a temporary venue are those associated with festivals. They often have a dual function, such as a sports stadium or a farm as in Woodstock festival. Temporary venues are those that cater to seasonal requirements, especially in regard to summer performances such as Tanglewood in Massachusetts. Music venues may be the result of private or public enterprises. A recent trend within folk music are house concerts. These are performances at an individual’s house, usually a living room or outdoors. They are sponsored by a community, neighborhood, or state folk alliance.
