"Fueled by liquor": How musicians talk about alcohol and bars

This study explores the complex relationship between alcohol use and occupational identity among musicians working within nightlife venues in Vancouver, British Columbia. While prior research has examined alcohol consumption in the hospitality sector, little attention has been paid to musicians as a distinct labor group operating within similarly permissive and criminogenic environments. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with active musicians, this research investigates how alcohol functions within the music industry, as a social lubricant, coping mechanism, reputational tool, and workplace expectation. The study applies Erving Goffman’s (1959) dramaturgical model to understand how musicians perform identity in alcohol-saturated spaces, and Sampson and Laub’s (1993) life course theory to examine patterns of desistance over time. Findings reveal that alcohol use is deeply embedded in the professional and cultural expectations surrounding live performance, with drinking often seen as integral to networking, performance energy, and audience engagement. However, many participants also expressed increasing awareness of the long-term personal and professional consequences of sustained alcohol use, leading some to reject or renegotiate their relationship with alcohol. By situating musicians within broader criminological frameworks, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how occupational contexts shape behavior and identity in high-risk cultural industries