Not stifling young talent Sitting in the JavaNet cafe on Main Street, Jordi Herold said he doesn't understand the commonly voiced refrain that the Iron Horse Entertainment Group is stifling local music. Herold, who books for all three venues, understands what it means to be young and struggling for success, he said. After all, he was part of the generation of restless young people in the 1970s who began settling in Northampton. With Herold's co-founding of the Iron Horse, he cemented his place as part of the city's renaissance. It's a different music scene now than in the early days of the Iron Horse, said Herold.
Every venue is more businesslike and requires a paying audience to fill the seats.
We won't engage local musicians who can't bring in an audience. We're not the arts council. No club, no venue is a public service. Jeremy Smith, who performs with the band Knuckle Sandwich, believes that business philosophy is part the problem. In Northampton, he believes there isn't enough of a public spirit among booking agents and venue owners.