Stix Bar and Grill has cut down on the number of bands playing in April and will continue the trend next fall semester because of low turnout.

Since the stage was added to Stix a year and a half ago, turnout for bands has continued on a downward spiral that caused the number of bands scheduled each month to be cut in half, Jeff Brice, manager, said Friday.

Brice said turnout for nights with bands is 500 people; however, without bands, that number increases to 700.

“We could definitely tell the lower turnout,” he said. “On the weekends we don’t have bands, we have the best weekends.”

Furthermore, Brice said the $3 to $5 cover charge for the bands is one reason behind the turnout problem.

“A lot of people go to bars that don’t have a cover,” he said. “Sometimes we have to dig out of our pocket to pay the bands.”

In fact, Brice said on nights without bands, it “seems like a lot more people have fun.”

One band remains to play April 25 and Brice said no bands will play during intersession. Next semester, the trend will continue with one or two bands per month instead of the previous six. So far, Stix has one band scheduled for the fall semester.

“This is a business. You’ve got to get the money somehow,” Brice said. “When you’re not making the money you have to make changes.”

Despite the decision to cut down, Brice said no bands were canceled; instead, bands were not hired.

However, Ramone Esparza, member of Chicago band Deuce is Wild, said Sunday that his band was scheduled to open on April 5 for Flapjacks, also a Chicago band, but the show was canceled hours before they were scheduled to take the stage.

“We heard it happened to a lot of bands,” he said. “It made us look bad, and I’m sure it doesn’t help the economy of the club.”

Esparza did not know why their band was canceled but said, “It kind of soured a lot of people (in Chicago).”

“It’s something we can’t control, but there needs to be better business,” he said. “They’re getting a bad name. It’s backpedaling for both of us.

“It’s really hard for these bands (to) come in from Chicago because no one knows them,” he said.