I could also pay the cover at a bar that has a live band.

I think the disconnect here is to me and the guy you’re replying to, that’s still a show/concert/whatever you wanna call it, but since a band like Julie isn’t as big as Metallica, they play the venues metallica used to play in '84, while Metallica is an arena act now. A concert doesn’t have to be in a theater or arena, that “cover” is the ticket price. Like see this show here at The Middle East downstairs in Cambridge MA, www.mideastoffers.com/tm-event/czarface-ocelot/ you’re not just paying $30 to get in, you’re paying $30 with an advanced ticked to see Czarface (who fucking rules btw), $35 day of show.

Unless you mean some shitty cover band nobody knows the name of in a bar nobody wants them in, in that case my mistake, bars around here don’t charge a cover for that they basically use it to beg for customers. I hate it, I wanted to drink with my friends and talk not “SURPRISE! Bad Barenaked ladies and Eve6 covers for 4 hours!”