Bad scene

Phil Davis reports that after 10 months of booking shows at O'Cayz Corral, promoter Tom Layton is calling it quits and moving to Austin, Texas. Despite bringing in such national acts as Camper Van Beethoven, Soul Asylum, the Feelies, Timbuk 3 and Alex Chilton, Layton estimates his cumulative losses at $500 to $1,000. "It was right after the Fetchin Bones show last month that I realized I'd become disenchanted with the music scene here," Layton says. "They'd gotten press all over and done well in clubs across the country. WORT featured their record that week and plugged the show. All signs were good. Well, we couldn't even get 100 people down to the club." Davis reports that other venues are also struggling, with one club losing money on the Neville Brothers; Bonnie Raitt drawing 400 people to a hall she had sold out the last time she was in town; and concerts by David & David and Love & Rockets canceled due to poor ticket sales. But Layton would persevere in Madison, promoting music until his death in June 2004.