Jul 29, 2010
A Few Tips From a Reader’s Wife |
Sunday, April 11, 2010 |
|
A Few Tips From a Reader’s Wife
For musicians based in Ireland, XMusic will match any price you can find on line, for all the gear they stock. I bought my Orange amp there. Books I would recommend: No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish by John Lydon All You Need To Know About The Music Business by Don Passman. Desolation Angels by Jack Kerouac. There’s loads. My favorite piece of gear is my Orange Tiny Terror
Personal Health – The little bit every day is better than alot, once a week. RyanAir is shit service but you can’t argue with 20 quid return to the UK & we do that alot (sneak the guitars on!). Best Venue in Dublin is The Academy. Best Venue in London is The Luminaire. Couch surfing has saved our arses many times!! Check out our ultimate guitar interview here http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/hit_the_lights/readers_wives_nowadays_you_gotta_have_great_songs__be_different.html Niall James Holohan Bio: The band took to the road, fast becoming one of Ireland’s most active bands in Europe. Niall knew, instinctively, that if these boys played his tunes long enough, they would eventually make Reader’s Wives their own. It worked. Two years on, Reader’s Wives are now a solid four piece with a sound like no other independent band doing the rounds. www.muzu.tv/readerswives
|
|
| Posted by admin at 01:13 AM |
No Comments |
5 Reasons to Go Global |
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 |
|
5 Reasons to Go Global
What’s the point to gaining an international market? Seriously? The industry in the U.S. is unbelievably cutthroat as is, so it almost seems like wasted energy to promote your musical brand across the Atlantic. For international musicians, the same applies, why would you even pretend to chase American music stardom? The market is bursting with musicians lined up out the door willing to do more, take less, and literally do whatever it takes to make it. Now that the industry has experienced 5 facelifts in the last couple of years, it is important to think differently about the music market. More importantly musicians should think smart, and that means thinking globally NOT domestically. It is important to understand this complete shift in thinking, especially since the need for global expansion changes daily. Start with the basics: 5 Reasons to Go Global. The global market has changed, and you should too. Musicians appear to be stuck in the old industry model. Trained over time to think small, grow regionally, and boom domestically, this once standard model doesn’t apply today. This isn’t to suggest bands should abort this technique, as there are essential steps to growth, but the new age band should no longer blindly follow the herd. The masses build their career based on a domestic model; but it’s time to be smart, different, and more effective. Go global. There are infinite reasons why bands should focus on a global market; but let’s explore the tip of the iceberg first: 1- THERE’S MORE OUT THERE Undisputed, the United States reins king in the entertainment industry. Whether you like it or not, it’s reality. The competition on American soil is brutal, as your chance for success is literally a crapshoot. Why stay in the rat race? There are a limited number of consumers in the States, and couple that with the market war, the likelihood musicians can create an economic, stainable career is unlikely. Be smart. People don’t realize the U.S. only makes up 4% of the global consumer market. 4! That means there is a creative death match amongst musicians for 4% of the pie. By thinking global, you remove yourself from the 4% mindset and generate creative ways to explore the 96%, therefore increasing your likelihood for success. 2- DECLINING ALBUM SALES AREN’T WIDESPREAD Piracy and illegal downloading have been highlighted words for 5+ years, especially within the entertainment media. These issues are depressing, intriguing, and ultimately sell magazines. Ignore it. “Yes” album sales have dropped to an obscene amount in recent years; but that isn’t widespread. As previously discussed, don’t focus on the 4% consumer market the other bands focus upon. Go global. Find the bigger piece of the pie that hasn’t been murdered by piracy.
3- DRAW OF THE FOREIGNER The draw of the foreigner may be the most unused keys to international growth. There is a reason all five nominees for the 2009 Grammy Award’s Album of the Year were internationally born musicians. International = market appeal. Foreigners represent change, sexy, exotic, and new potential. Rock musicians from Finland stand a better chance of breaking in the U.S. rock market compared to a U.S. band. Setting musical talent aside, the Finns are more marketable, and marketability is a game changer in today’s market. American musicians can separate themselves from the domestic pack by going abroad. The #1 export of the U.S. is its entertainment culture. In 2001, America’s leading export wasn’t agriculture, automotive, or timber- it was entertainment to the tune of $89 billion. American bands are viewed by foreigners as “American entertainment”, not by their individuality. Whether you’ve contributed to the 89 billion is irrelevant, but I suggest taking advantage of this and benefiting from the figure. Clearly it sells. 4- THE VENUE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED In the past, entertainment venues were limited to American boundaries. Not the case today. The other countries of the world weren’t, until recently, major players in the entertainment dogfight. Due to the rapid growth of global media and technology, coupled with entertainment growth, the number of entertainment venues around the globe has increased over 100%. This means it is now realistic for musicians to swell due to venues and market expansion. 5- DOMESTIC THINKING SETS LIMITATIONS Musicians can quickly, and easily, get distracted with the duties surrounding a domestic career. Once you start down the regional path of promotion, it’s hard to step off. It’s important in the beginning to separate a band’s domestic goals and international goals into two different markets. By creating a game plan in each, bands can later evaluate which proved more beneficial. The separation is important because bands become fixated on their domestic career and don’t properly evaluate, or expand into a global market. It is imperative to constantly analyze/compare your domestic growth and international expansion. Check out Marty’s Blog @ http://www.musicglobalization.com/2009/09/5-reasons-to-go-global.html “Martin Frascogna is considered one of the music industry’s most knowledgeable sources, especially on global topics, and a leading force in what he calls “Music Globalization”. Frascogna offers clients a rare combination of expertise that has both roots and wings. The Frascogna family has become one of the most well-connected, well-respected, well-rounded names in music. Whether it be top notch entertainment attorneys in the United States, best selling Billboard authors, indie and major label muckety-mucks, concert promoters in Italy, musicians in Europe, or music retailers in Scandinavia – the family is all connected.”
|
|
| Posted by admin at 07:29 AM |
No Comments |
Musician’s Guide to 3 Uncommon Gigs |
Monday, January 25, 2010 |
|
Musician’s Guide to 3 Uncommon Gigs Trying to make a living as a solo acoustic guitarist with an unusual playing style, I’ve had some difficulty fitting in with some of the more popular types of venues. Coffeehouses are fine, but it doesn’t pay the rent. At the bigger clubs, I seem to spend more in promotion than what I get at the door (maybe I should read some articles on promotion). Local bars tend to pay well but since most of my material is original, doing the human jukebox thing really isn’t me. I certainly haven’t written these kinds of shows off. I still play them on occasion and even walk away with a little money in my pocket. Although over time, I’ve made a living focusing on three not so ordinary places to play. These are gigs that I enjoy, have built in audiences and ones where I can make a decent buck. Maybe one of them will work for you. In this article I’ll try and share some info and perspective on each one for you. Libraries: Yes, your read that right, libraries. This is by far my favorite venue to play at. If you’ve never heard of libraries putting on shows, chances are one of the libraries near you has a concert series going. I just discovered them a few years ago. You can expect to make between $200 to $1000 depending on the libraries budget, the size of your group, and your savvy negotiation skills. Don’t forget about those CD sales! I’m pointing this out because these shows are set up as a listening concert. Unlike at a bar, they hang on your every word and note. Your music will have a chance to emotionally affect them, which in turn will result in a fair amount of CD sales. The location of the concerts could be in the library’s meeting room or outside. Performances are 1 to 1 ½ hours and generally fall on a Sunday or weekday afternoon. This is especially good for those who tour. How often do you find a gig on a Monday or Tuesday afternoon? It’s a great way to fill in those empty dates. If you want to try and give it a go, locate a library that has a monthly concert series and find out the name of the Adult Program Coordinator. This is your contact. Treat him/her like you would any other person you’re trying to book a show with. Send your press kit, make your phone calls, emails, etc.. Helpful tip… Library Program Coordinators rely heavy on other local coordinator’s recommendations when booking. Getting that first library gig might prove to be difficult. Once you do get it and after you play the gig, ask the Program Coordinator to type up a letter of recommendation and mail it to you. Now you can include this letter in your press kit to other libraries as a stamp of approval. Street Performing (Busking): If I had to choose one thing that helped me transition from sad unhappy Warehouse Manager to happy go lucky full-time musician, it would have to be street performing. In less than a years time I sold about a thousand CDs (they were home made sample cds at $5 a pop), got a butt load of tips, a three page color news article written about me in a major newspaper, was interviewed for a show on the Discovery Channel, and so on. A lot of great things started to happen as a direct result of street performing. Although my busking experience was positive one, it’s definitely not for everyone. But I would encourage anyone to give it a try. If anything you’ll learn to engage people which can only help you during the real shows on stage. As for me, my playing style is some what unique so it grabbed people’s attention and cut through all the visual and audible noise of the city. Not that you have to be in the city to street perform. You don’t even have to be on a street. The 1st time I ever did it was in a suburban park at a folk festival. I kept trying to get booked as a schedule performer at this particular fest with no luck. Out of frustration I decided to set up my battery powered amp under a nice shady tree and start playing while the festival was in full swing. Soon I had more people under that shady tree listening to me than at most of the other tents. Also, the guys who run the festival took noticed and booked me for the following year. It takes some pretty big balls to go out there and play to strangers on the street. There is nothing glamorous about it. You attract every weirdo that passes by, every thief is eyeing your cash, and about every 30mins there’s a guy who calls out “Free Bird!!” and thinks he’s funny. But in all, it can lead to some wonderful opportunities and a decent amount of cash. Helpful Tip… Check for any possible ordinances before starting. It might be necessary to buy a license and/or for there to be restrictions on where you can play. If you don’t you could risk paying a fine.
Afternoon Café Gigs: OK, maybe playing at your local café’, or bar and grill in the afternoon isn’t so unusual. Also, it isn’t a real big money maker gig. But as a full-time musician I rather be making a little money in the afternoon than watching Bonanza reruns. I look at it as getting paid to practice. The upside is if you land 3 or 4 of these kind of gigs a week with a few CD sales and tips, it really starts to add up. I think you’d be surprised as to how many business owners are willing to try the idea of live entertainment for their lunch crowd. I typically charge $40-$50 and play for 2 hours. If I’m lucky I’ll get a meal out of it to. I hope you found this article helpful in some way. Best of luck, Jim Green THE WANDERING ENDORPHIN http://www.wanderingendorphin.com http://www.reverbnation.com/wanderingendorphin Jim’s Recommendations: 1. One book I would recommend. Rough Mix by Jimmy Bowen
|
|
| Posted by admin at 08:27 AM |
2 Comments |
Indie Guide: 10 Essential Tools to Penetrate a Global Market in 2010 |
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 |
|
Indie Guide: 10 Essential Tools to Penetrate a Global Market in 2010 Before fully ringing in 2010, let’s reflect on the lessons learned in 2009. With out a doubt ‘09 represented the year of the foreigner. Mainstream acceptance for international musicians peeked in the U.S, which trickled down into global market acceptance. Highlighting this point, in the 2009 Grammy Awards all five nominees for record of the year were associated with foreign countries. So indie musicians, labels, and music professionals, reset the radar as 2010 is the year for global expansion. The obvious question – how? This particular article is geared as a guide for indie level groups, however the advice cuts across all levels. It’s insight into aspects that are either taken for granted or not fully identified. So without delay, the 10 essential tools to penetrating a global market in 2010. Follow them from top to bottom and start implementing them immediately. 2. Get a Passport 3. Artist Development Plan (A.D.P) 4. Get Organized. Really Organized. Like Crazy Man Organized!
5. Revaluate Your Stage Show 6. Get a Local Contact 7. Focus on Radio 8. Team With Local Talent 9. Festivals are Great, Holidays are Better 10. Make Sure to Have Product, but Buy Local Here’s to 2010 Cheers Questions or contact: www.frascognamusic.com OR marty@frascognamusic.com http://www.musicglobalization.com/2010/01/indie-guide-10-essential-tools-to.html
|
|
| Posted by admin at 08:20 AM |
No Comments |
20 questions every band should answer |
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 |
|
20 questions every band should answer
Want to know if you’re cut out for a full-time music career? Would you like to know at what level you’re best suited to play? Well, hang tight because that’s exactly what you’re about to have the opportunity to explore. After reviewing the successes, failures, exciting stories, and disappointments of a variety of artists and bands, I compiled a list of some of the key characteristics and habits of those who have punctured their local and regional envelope and dashed out onto the national scene. I also reviewed interviews and coaching sessions I’ve done with artists or bands who came to the realization that they were really better suited and more aptly served by keeping their efforts closer to home—in their city, state, or region. The following is, in a very real regard, a list of twenty elements or ingredients that successful acts follow. Whether your dream is local, national, or international, applying these elements will be required if you want to truly maximize your opportunity. Some of the last questions in the list are also indicators of what else will be necessary if you want to seriously expand your territory beyond your own local scene. The following is a 20 Question Artist Evaluation that you (and possibly your band mates) may want to take. It could give you some insight as to where you are on your pathway. Simply answer “Yes” or “No” to the following questions (and by the way, if your answer isn’t a solid, unequivocal “Yes,” then it’s “No”—and remember, honest answers will give you more valuable feedback, so tell it like it is): 1. Can you take genuine feedback easily and are you willing to hear ways you could improve without becoming defensive (i.e. are you committed to continual improvement)? 2. Are you willing to push beyond your limitations even when it’s hard and very uncomfortable? 3. Do you talk about how awesome it is when other bands reach a level of success you haven’t yet reached (does it inspire you and stoke you up to do better)? 4. Do you (or your band) regularly write songs that people (beyond your friends and family) are hungry to buy (in whatever format you have them in)? 5. Do you practice at least 3 times a week (for periods of 3 hours or longer)? And yes, gigs can count as practice. So if you’re out gigging multiple times a week and are constantly improving by doing so, great! Just make sure you are also spending the time outside the gigs to improve your performances where needed. 6. Do you regularly rehearse your established sets as if you were doing a live show in order to perfect your entire performance (and get it embodied at the cellular level so you have the freedom to effectively improvise)? 7. Are you fully committed to blowing your audience away every time you perform regardless of where you are and how many people are there (i.e. do you perform full out 10 times out of 10)? 8. Do you regularly make wise, well thought-out decisions in life (do you seek advice from people who are more experienced than you)? 9. Do you have a strong, viable, grassroots fan base that promotes you and serves as your Street Team and your die-hard advocates?
10. Are you accumulating a fan info data base that’s in a useable format (including email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, whatever you can accumulate from mailing lists, fan clubs, social networks, etc.)? 11. Do you create opportunities to interact with and associate with your fans in ways that also allow you to celebrate who they are and what they’re passionate about while still leaving them wanting more? 12. Do you have a website, Facebook site, MySpace site, and a Twitter following that you regularly update and utilize to build fan loyalty and interaction (a key ingredient of successful communities)? 13. Is destiny calling you so strongly that you are convinced an essential part of your nature has to do with bringing your music to as many people as you can reach? 14. Is your musical career at the top of your priority list (right after your ethics and your key relationships)? 15. Are your ethics aligned with and key relationships enthusiastically and unrelentingly supportive of your dream and goals about a career in music? 16. Do you regularly get into the studio (how ever large or small) and record your music, work out arrangements, master the art of studio performance (vs. live performance) so that your recorded music captures the verve, vitality, and vibe of your live performances? 17. Is your passion for music and success greater than your ego (i.e. can you drop your sense of self-importance or your story and become results driven vs. ego driven)? 18. Are you comfortable not being home and being on the road in far less than elegant circumstances? 19. Do you have a job(s) and/or the lifestyle that enables you to take time off and hit the road? 20. Are you an incredibly dedicated, tenacious, hard working person (or group) who never gives up? If you answered “Yes” to at least 18 out of 20 questions, your commitment level and your chances of excelling are high (if you’re in this category and also answered “Yes” to Questions 13 through 20, then your odds of expanding beyond a local and regional level are greatly increased). If you answered “Yes” to at least 15 out of 20 questions, your commitment level indicates that you have a moderate chance of excelling (and you may likely be better served to stay local or regional). If you answered “Yes” to less than 15 out of 20 questions, it’s likely that you are either not ready to “go for it” or may not have the level of passion needed to take your talent beyond friends, associates, or regulars at the bar or local hang out (and that’s fine, by the way—you can still have a very enjoyable experience sharing your music at the level that works for you). Now, if you scored lower than you’d like, take a look at the questions you answered “No” to and ask yourself why you didn’t say “Yes.” Is this something you’re willing to work on, learn from, and improve? If so, naturally you can increase your score over time and your odds of taking your musical dreams to higher levels. If not, and you think this questionnaire is bogus, that’s okay too. There are exceptions to every rule and I’d genuinely love to have you prove the survey wrong. Just one thought about that approach, however. In a business that’s already got one in a million odds, do you really want to make the odds even more difficult? Okay, so that makes 21 questions, but you get the point. Great quotes: Long-time friend and music industry executive, Coby Regehr, commented in a recent email, “In the many years I have spent surrounded by the music industry, I have drawn the same conclusion as you state in your articles. Success has only happened to the ones who truly believe in music, the roots of music, and the sheer love of playing music.” He went on to share a classic quote from Waylon Jennings, who once laughed when asked what it was like to be a big star. “Don’t kid yourself,” he told the reporter. “Being a star in the music business is really just one long, glorified bus ride.” Added Tip: For a phenomenal education on an artist’s relationship to the music business, take a look at Donald Passman’s “All You Need to Know About the Music Business.” It’s the like a college level course on the biz that everyone who’s serious about stepping up to the next level should be fully conversant on. Permission to use this article was granted from Author @ Examiner.com
|
|
| Posted by admin at 12:34 PM |
No Comments |
Let The Music Be Your Guide |
Monday, December 21, 2009 |
|
“Let The Music Be Your Guide”
So you’re wandering around your place, looking at all the instruments scattered here and there, checking your band’s sites and thinking to yourself, “This is getting silly, where has all the gigging and driving around hell and back gotten my band? We have really good hooks, great stage presence, solid musicianship, and get lots of inebriated cheers at our shows, but unfortunately we can’t take any of that to the bank. How can our band get itself out of low gear?” Sound familiar? So what are we all missing about this nebulous music biz? If you’re like the vast majority of us, your band is seemingly invisible outside its loyal circle of local fans and friends. Flip on the radio or late night television and you can hear generally average music getting airtime and nationwide exposure. So what does it take? Talent and songwriting being equal, where have those acts succeeded where all the rest of us have come up just short? This rock ‘n’ roll dilemma seems almost as old as Nipper the RCA pup. And sure, there have always been the “haves” and the “have-nots” in music, but this has gotten downright ridiculous in the past decade or so. Just flip through the budget bin at your favorite vinyl or CD shop and you’ll see an obnoxious glut of very mediocre, some unbearably awful bands who were blessed with recording contracts by major labels in a time not too long ago. Nowadays, genuinely good bands send out their quality albums like resumes, and they’re lucky to even get a disinterested response. This shift has been explained away by mentioning vague terms such as “the consolidation of music retailers”, “intellectual property pirating”, and “the digital revolution”. Oh, and of course there’s the current “worldwide recession”, which isn’t quite as vague. Maybe people simply aren’t able to spend $16 these days on the latest must-have album? But wait, people still love music, right? People still actually buy music, right? Records still go platinum every so often, so what’s the deal? One issue may be that of major labels themselves, who have reacted to the changing market by simply becoming totally gun-shy when considering putting pen to paper and signing deserving acts to recording deals. This has gotten to the point where many “majors” won’t even actively seek exciting new artists, but rather wait for the safe bet and sign an already in-demand act. Can’t really blame them, right? Profit margins aren’t what they once were back when those “budget bin” bands where selling just enough records to a market with an insatiable appetite for new music. This appetite never went away, but these days perhaps the masses have a more refined, or at least more selective musical palate. Whatever the reasons most of us can’t get a sniff from a major label, we in the worldwide amateur music community are taking a second look at the road map of the rocky music biz, just as industry execs have. We are recalibrating our collective design for superstardom, and are seeking new paths en route to that elusive destination of becoming the next big thing, or just making enough loot to get new tires for the van. In question to begin with is the very notion that being offered a recording contract with a major label will make you rich and famous. For every artist on the Billboard charts, there are many more similarly signed acts barely making a living on the few percent they actually see from music sales. Consider also the import of independent labels, which collectively account for roughly a quarter of music industry sales.[1] The reasons for this are pretty clear; independents tend to have more enthusiasm for uncovering great talent, and generally have their finger on the pulse of the local music scene. Artists under contract with independent labels also enjoy a much larger percentage of music sales, and can actually earn more than what their major label peers earn. In fact, many major label artists have reverted back to independents or have started their own label after weighing the “pros and cons” of having been a major label artist. In either case, while music fans still do buy music, the price they have to pay is a fraction of what it once was given the variety of media there is to choose from. Today, professional musicians generally make most of their money by touring and through merchandise sales, not through music sales.
So that’s our first step…GET OUT THERE AND PLAY. Seems obvious, but too few bands actually do it on a regular basis. Not many artists have made it big from their “Myspace” page alone, so the more you endear yourself to the local music scene the better your chances of getting noticed by somebody in the biz. Playing in front of even small crowds at your local “open mic night” will help develop stage presence and tightens up the act musically. If you can book larger clubs and events, go for it. Confidence may not come immediately, but until it does, fake it. The audience won’t believe in you unless you believe in yourself. This doesn’t mean acting like a jerk, it means bringing your music to life on stage in a way only you can. Next, think of ways to COOPERATIVELY PROMOTE your band along with others. Understand that you are part of a “small world”, and that these symbiotic relationships are absolutely key for success in the music biz, as in any other. If major labels, booking agents, and venues need a nudge, give it to them by sending them a multiple-band demo CD, organizing shows together, cross-advertising online, and generally keeping an eye out for each other. All by yourself, you’re just another amateur bar band that pressed its own album. Together, you become part of a legitimate pack of quality performers who are ready to rock and break through the music industry’s glass ceiling. Also, FOCUS ON CREATING HONEST MUSIC, and not what commercial success may or may not come of it. Your peers in the music scene will be drawn toward you and your musical vision and integrity. “Wannabees” come and go, but it’s those who truly have music in their soul who rise to the top together. You may not reach the plateau you’re looking for, but you’ll go absolutely nowhere without the respect of your peers. Put your heart into what you’re doing and surround yourself with those equally passionate about the craft of creating great music. Worrying incessantly about making millions will inevitably prevent it from happening. Let your music flow from your heart and soul, and everything else will begin to fall into place. Simply put, be in it for the music, trust it, and let it be your guide. Errorcraft Records is a music promoter and independent label based in Murrieta, California. We specialize in the genres of rock, folk, blues, and everything in between. Please visit us at www.errorcraft.com.
|
|
| Posted by admin at 09:18 AM |
1 Comment |
Money Saving Travel Tips for Touring Musicians |
Monday, December 21, 2009 |
|
Money Saving Travel Tips for Touring Musicians - Don’t pay full price for hotels. - Skip hotels all together - Don’t pay full price for gas. - Pack your own meals - Tour with other artists - Avoid 1-way Car Rentals
Recommended Book: Favorite Piece of Gear: Cheers!
|
|
| Posted by admin at 09:19 AM |
No Comments |
Booking Your First Tour |
Monday, November 30, 2009 |
|
Booking Your First Tour As far as booking is concerned I spent a lot of time sitting in my house hoping that someday someone might hear my music on myspace and decide that we should do a whole United States tour. Or perhaps that mailing out 100 press kits to different booking agencies would get some sort of interest. Thing is it seems like maybe 5 years ago that would have worked. Now everything in the mail and on the internet is so overly saturated. There are so many bands and what makes your band any different. Truth is you have to have all your ducks in order. Yes you still have to have that professional sounding mix of your songs whether it is a whole album or an EP. You have to have a sweet looking press kit to go along with this with a bio, pictures, reviews and past shows you have done or tours, if you have had the opportunity to get a tour yet. Next make sure you sign up with Sonicbids.com for an account. This is a great way to send an EPK to promoters, clubs and bars. Trust me a lot of them won’t look at it at all or even bother going to your website but it is worth having for the few that do want you to have an EPK.
So now we are at the process of booking. This requires you to do much research. Research on myspace all the bands that you feel you are similar to and look at where they are playing. Look online to see if you can find clubs or bars that book bands in the music style you write. This process will take about a week of looking for every possible club or bar out there in the cities you want to book. Also call up your friends in other states even if they are not in a band and ask them where good places to play in their area are. Friends are super helpful with this and sometimes they will even know who at the bar you should talk to about getting the show. Another resource, although not as good, is books at places like barns and noble such as Musicians Atlas will have bars and clubs with emails and contact info and even who you should call or email with regard to booking. On most clubs websites you can find out who the promoters of the events are or who is in charge of booking at the bar. After all your research is done and you have kept a record of all clubs and contact information in some sort of book or computer you are ready to start booking. You will be spending about 2 hours a day on this for the next month until you get every show you are after on the dates you wanted or as close as possible. Start by sending out emails to all the bars in one of the cities you want to play in on the first day. So if you have 30 contacts then send all 30 contacts your information stating how much you would love the opportunity to play at their bar. Make sure that you read carefully the booking process for these clubs. Sometimes they want you to call or send an EPK instead of an email. Do exactly what they want of you. Make sure in your email you make it personal and professional. Give them your EPK link your number and your email along with your website or sites so they can hear your music. Give them about 3 dates to choose from. The next day you will do the same with the next city on your list. Now make sure you keep record that you emailed or contacted them in some sort of way. You will have to contact them again if you haven’t received a response. You will continue to do this for 3 weeks if after the 3rd email they still don’t respond then give up it is not worth your time. If they do respond with a date respond back with a million thank yous and ask them questions that all bands need to know. Do you have a PA?, Are you paying percentage of the door or is there a guarantee? Is there a dressing room? Is there any sort of rider that you need for food or stage set up? Would you like us to send you posters or flyers? Would you like us to send you a jpeg of the flyer? Will you provide a hotel? These are all things you need to know. Most clubs will not give you a guarantee until they know who you are. You will be mostly doing door deals. If they do give you a guarantee it won’t be much on the first time out maybe 50 or 100 dollars. Try negotiation if all else fails if they want you badly enough they may give you a bit more. Hopefully this helps. Doing tours will get you the attention of booking agencies which will hopefully make your touring process a bit easier. www.myspace.com/versailles RECOMMENDATIONS: The Indie Bible My favorite piece of gear at the moment is the Motif XS 8 and the Mopho Honestly this sounds stupid but I bring my stuffed teddy bear everywhere on the road. Many people including my own band have given me shit for this
|
|
| Posted by admin at 10:27 AM |
No Comments |
has always been really good contacts Spend More Time on the Phone, Book More Shows |
Tuesday, November 24, 2009 |
|
Mistake Number Seven: (an excerpt from the book, Called To Sing: 13 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting In Music Ministry (Volume 2 by Dr. Naima Tonya Johnston © 2007 7thirtyseven Logos Publishing)
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, The phone: the lifeline of the emerging artist’s music ministry. Inquiry emails are great, sending a press packet might peak some interest, but the ministry opportunity becomes a booked date when the deal is sealed on the phone. I hated to get on the phone and talk with people about my music ministry, I always looked at it as shameless self-promotion and I hated that thought. But I realized after much prayer, some growing up in the Lord and not enough singing engagements to make the bills, that if the Lord had given me this music ministry, and in fact wanted me to share it with the world, then I in fact had better promote this ministry as much as possible! Getting your music ministry out there is not about pride or a lack of humility on your part, it is truly about doing the work that the Lord has called you to do. So exalt Him in every booking conversation and watch Him open the doors. When I first started in music ministry, I always tried to avoid the phone. I spent a great deal of time trying to locate a booking agent who would be interested in booking my shows and ministry engagements for me. My desire was to spend time in prayer, write new music, practice and then just show up and minister or perform. I didn’t want to have to be responsible for the details. But what I found was that every agent I contacted would not even consider me seriously until I was doing at least 50 – 75 shows a year. Well that was nuts, how could I do that many shows if I didn’t have someone to get on the phone and book me? Next I tried recruiting friends to serve as booking agents, and this is an approach that works well when you have a motivated individual with the time and talent to tout your musical ministry. But I didn’t and so it came back again to me getting on the phone and serving as my own booking agent. At first I set small goals for myself, trying to call ten places a day and then call one more after I had finished the initial list of ten. This worked well and I greatly increased in booking ministry events, activities and shows. I often solicited my friends to find new venues or to ask them to suggest me for events, I scoured the web to find churches that had concerts and reviewed the sites of other artists to find new venues and this increased my bookings as well. And I read everything I could find about booking, booking agents and artist development, but what really turned the light bulb on was reading an article written about an independent artist who was bringing in over $100,000 a year, playing over 200 dates a year and he was doing his own booking! The artist wrote how other artists flocked to his side inquiring about the secrets of success and once he told them his fantastic secret of success their hopeful faces fell flat. The artist shared that the secret to his success was simply that he spent 8 Hours On The Phone, Doing Booking At Least Four Days A Week! He called everyone, nursing homes, schools, churches, cultural centers, venues and nightclubs, festivals and fairs, if they had music he called, sent a press packet and then followed up. He stated that over the years he had developed such as extensive network that much of his current booking was people calling him to set up engagements! But he didn’t rest on his laurels, he continued to work the phone, exploring new opportunities, shoring up relationships, making contacts and sealing deals. After building a following he’d been approached by professional agents and labels, but he was making so much money, he didn’t want to give them a cut! Many of us can’t imagine spending that much time on the phone, we don’t even know where to obtain that many phone numbers. But the Lord spoke to me and told me that there was favor on the phone – so I better work the phone as much as I can. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and I can’t tell you how many bookings I have gotten because I began the booking process with a phone call and ended the booking process with a phone call. I work under the assumption that most people won’t call you back when you’re starting out no matter how great you are. So if you want to increase your booking – get on the phone, promote the gift that God has given you and watch the doors begin to open! Lessons Learned From The Phone… Never send out a hard copy of your press packet unsolicited, this is a waste of money and resources. As a past promoter I can tell you that we threw away a ton of press packets, recycled the folders for own use and had a glut of extra CD cases. Dr. Naima Tonya Johnston is the author of: Called To Sing: 13 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting In Music Ministry (Volume 2)
|
|
| Posted by admin at 01:30 PM |
No Comments |
With a PhD in Education from Ohio State University, Naima is a Christian Recording Artist, Minister, Educator, Author and Speaker with a mission and passion to see people achieve their God given dreams! She travels extensively engaged in fulltime music/teaching ministry doing upwards of 80 dates a year. For more information about Naima or to purchase her book visit: www.naimajohnston.com Artist Development: A Distinctive Guide to the Music Industry’s Lost Art |
Monday, November 16, 2009 |
|
This article is an edited excerpt from Eugene Foley’s book,
TOURING With record sales being down over the last few years, many artists are realizing that touring is the best way for them to earn a large amount of money. It also gives them an opportunity to bring in additional revenue from the sale of merchandise and CDs right at the venue. The concert setting allows an artist to sell directly to the consumer without a strong dependency on a retail distribution alliance. You may be fortunate and have a booking agent on your team, or perhaps in the early days, you will have to arrange your own tours. Regardless of how your tour is booked, the importance of regularly performing in numerous markets cannot be underestimated. If you are firmly established in your home market, then it’s time to consider winning over some new cities. Fans and the media can be very fickle and quickly switch their allegiance to another artist if you are not out there promoting and marketing yourself on a regular basis. Touring is among the best ways to stay on their minds and in their hearts. Don’t always be so concerned with what you’re being paid for the performance. Of course, you should try to get what is fair. But remember that your main goal in the early stages of a fledgling career is to use the gigs as a way to gain experience, sell CDs, win over new fans and as a vehicle to secure press and radio opportunities. At every gig, you should announce that you have a mailing list. After your performance, pass around a pad and pen so that people can sign up if they are interested in you. Once a month, send out an e-mail that announces upcoming gigs and provides fans with additional news and information. It takes some effort, but it’s worth it. This may sound obvious to you, but so many artists that contact me simply don’t create and maintain a mailing list. Before you even consider planning and booking a tour, you must do your Make sure you send a thank you card or appreciative e-mail to anyone who helped to make your tour a success. Being on tour is not a license to get drunk every night, while missing gigs and press interviews. If you worked in an office at some big corporation you wouldn’t act like that. If you did, you’d be fired long before you even sobered up! Take your career seriously or it won’t be a career for very long. Do your best to get as much rest of possible. Try to eat healthy and avoid the excesses of the road. Artist Development: A Distinctive Guide to the Music Industry’s Lost Art
EugeneFoleyMusic@aol.com Foley Entertainment, Inc. is a music industry consulting firm and entertainment agency licensed with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs, Office of Consumer Protection/Regulated Business Section. He is an active/voting member of N.A.R.A.S. (The GRAMMY® Awards) and a member of the Better Business Bureau. Foley is also a N.A.R.I.P. award-winning Consultant/Strategist. Foley offers a FREE, no obligation, written CD/Press Kit evaluation for recording artists in all genres. E-mail him for more details and the mailing address.
|
|
| Posted by admin at 12:02 AM |
No Comments |
What do I know? |
Thursday, October 29, 2009 | ||
|
What do I know?
I’ve read the other articles on here and found them helpful and entertaining. This is not one of those articles. I have only been touring since the beginning of 2007. My experience is limited, so I’m gonna power through this. I’ll share a few tidbits on what I remember of the last 150 shows… Gig sharing: Never Stop Learning: Travel and Gear Safety: Always Promote: Distribution: Well, I warned you. This was just a few tidbits of info that you probably already had in your back pocket. If anyone has a different perspective or experience on any of these subjects, please comment. As I mentioned, I have a limited experience. I am hoping to help those with less experience and to get help from those with more. www.ThomasNicholasBand.com |
|||
| Posted by admin at 06:08 PM |
No Comments | ||
Inviting Other Musicians to Jam |
Monday, October 26, 2009 |
|
Inviting Other Musicians to Jam This is a topic I think often gets overlooked. In my experience it can be an extremely invaluable experience for everyone involved. It may take some pre-planning, but if you keep the idea in mind then it won’t take much at all! The benefits of this are countless. To start, if you’re on the road and playing with a local band, and you invite one of their members to sit in with you on one of your songs in your set, you’re instantly drawing their hometown fans closer to you. You’re also making a powerful connection with another musician that will likely be remembered for a lifetime. As well, getting to know someone by having them sit in on a song often suddenly opens people up, next thing you know you have a good friend and connection in a town where you know nobody. It’s so much more powerful than simply saying “nice set dude” as you walk past the other guy. Now granted there are all kinds of cases that may or may not facilitate this, such as you just didn’t like the other artist(s), or you’re playing first and have never heard the other artist(s). Challenge! ..you could still take a risk and ask someone to join you for just one song. ..just one won’t hurt! Think of the relationship you’ll develop in that 4 minutes on stage! As well, maybe your material is complex and it’s just not feasible to have someone “jump in” one of your songs. Here’s where the old Ryan Chrys trick comes in: Always have a couple super simple songs in your back pocket for just the occasion! Whether they’re original or covers, it doesn’t matter, but keep a couple 3 chord jams handy. That way you can say “join me on this one! its super easy, 3 chord jam in the key of E minor.” Follow that by “play when you feel it, play a solo in the jam or add a harmony vocal when you’re comfortable, it doesn’t have to be huge!” I’ll tell you that usually takes the stress right out of the situation. A lot of musicians will jump at this for the same reason you’re asking. To gain more fans and friends and connections! Some musicians won’t if they are shy or otherwise, but keep it in mind and you’ll find some takers. I can’t tell you how many close new friends I’ve gotten to know by just asking a guitar player from one of the other bands to “hey man wanna jam a solo in the key of E in the middle of one of my songs?” I’m sure you all can imagine the doors this can open. See you out there! www.myspace.com/ryanchrys
|
|
| Posted by admin at 07:39 PM |
No Comments |
The Benefits of eFax |
Thursday, October 22, 2009 | ||||||||||||||
|
The Benefits of eFax
I started using eFax when I landed my first college tour in 2004. I had so many contracts coming in I didn’t know what to do. I spent a lot of time swinging by currency exchanges and using the fax machine at the hotels and colleges along the way. This was also right before I started using GPS, so I was also swamped with yahoo maps all over my car. Though most business is done via email and black berry, I still have to send in the W9 forms and updated contracts once or twice a week. I can fax it with a click of a button no matter where I’m at. Here are some of the benefits of eFax off the website. Give them a ring and see if it’s worth it for you. I’m happy with it. Tour Safe, Tour Smart. eFax : 877-620-9849 Try eFax Annual Plan For 30 Days Free -
Dave
|
|||||||||||||||
| Posted by admin at 10:18 PM |
No Comments | ||||||||||||||
Stay Focused |
Thursday, October 22, 2009 |
|
Stay Focused
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the endless things we feel we need, and have to be doing to stay up with what we want to accomplish. There will be days that I accomplish a lot, and there will be days that I can barely keep up with anything. Days are always unpredictable, and I can literally drive myself crazy with thinking of things I need to do, get started, and finish. Instead of trying to get everything done at once, which is impossible but is an easy trap to fall in to, I try to break down what I need to do, and focus on specific areas on specific days. For example, Mondays and Wednesdays, are for booking. Monday, I check up on all the venues in my city, see who is playing where, and look for any openings that would work for me. Also, I work on contacting new, out of town venues, and check on places I have played before. Then, giving a day in between for the venue/booker to get the chance to get to my email, on Wednesday, I follow up my emails from Monday, and make follow up emails/calls where necessary. Tuesdays are for working on generating business contacts. For me, this means looking for booking agencies to submit to, looking for and trying to generate press contacts (for reviews, press, listings), and searching for “music business” people that work with music that falls in line with mine. I’ve always felt that it’s better to contact these people earlier in the week, before events from the upcoming weekend distract them or tie up their time. Thursdays are for upcoming show promotion and working on artwork for posters/web/etc. This is a broad category day, because it covers everything from posting bulletins, events, writing emails for my mailing list, creating posters to post/advertise, etc. It all depends on how far off some of the shows are as to what needs to be done. Fridays are my utility day. I usually end up following up on any loose ends, and double check on the shows I will be playing, or going to see, that weekend, and the weekdays of the following week. My practice schedule floats in and out of there, and definitely takes over when the writing bug hits. In a nutshell, I just try to play/practice/write as much as possible, and unless I am preparing for a show, I keep that schedule pretty loose. Of course there will be definite bleed over from day to day sometimes, but when my mind is racing with the 220 to 221 things I want/need to get done, I try to fall back on my daily template. Then, I accomplish at least one small thing, and I feel more focused. And then, before I know it, I’m rolling along and things that I’ve needed to do are slowly getting done. It also really helps me when I need to shift gears into writing. All of that other stuff is out of my mind and I can focus more. Also, on a similar line of thought, I would be remiss if I didn’t share these words that a good friend of mine once told me: “Do at least one thing a day. One thing. Of course you want to spend all day every day, working on this, your dream, but there will always be days where life happens, and this is not possible. So just commit to doing one thing, every day, that moves you toward your dream. Do this, and then, you will be successful, and in perpetual motion towards your success.” That advice has stuck with me for a long time now. It also keeps me sane when I feel overwhelmed, and points me in a direction when I am at a loss for what I need to be working on next, to live, and succeed at this. www.sonicbids.com/ryanpowers
|
|
| Posted by admin at 11:20 PM |
No Comments |
The Barter System |
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 |
|
The Barter System Once I got a call about performing at a winery for a local event. During the booking they mentioned that they couldn’t pay me monetarily, but they could pay me in wine. I love wine, so I think, “OK, I’ll be getting at least a case”. It was a three-hour long event, and at the end, they asked me if I’d like to pick out a bottle. One bottle. I was insulted and disappointed. I exercised keeping my mouth shut and agreed to book paying performances in the future (as they wanted me back). I was fuming inside. I did go back for the paying shows, but I never forgot it. Bartering can be a great way to give and receive services, however it might be a good idea to communicate what your service is worth and ask for an exchange based on value. www.victoriavox.com
|
|
| Posted by admin at 08:43 AM |
No Comments |
Misadventures, Missed Turns And How Not To Be Famous On Tour: A Passage to India: Part II |
Monday, October 19, 2009 |
|
Misadventures, Missed Turns And How Not To Be Famous On Tour: To recap, last year I joined a handful of international indie bands for a 20 city tour of India hosted by WOA Records and supposed Indian star Oliver Sean. What could go wrong? I arrived exhausted at my Mumbai hotel and met my backing band, Mana3. Wonderful people. The next morning we caught a flight to Goa. After a mid-route change of hotel plans (hmm…), we arrived and met Lloyd, the “new” tour manager from WOA and Edson, the all-access documentarian. Fine. However, Edson was filming with an archaic camera that had no chance of producing broadcast quality footage. Hmm… We were told to get settled and meet pool side at 4PM for a kick off meeting. We were excited – but nervous. Bands had come from around the world without communication yet from WOA directly. Three hours later, Lloyd arrived and prepared us to meet Oliver Sean (you sit here, you sit there). We waited. And waited. Oliver arrived much later offering no apologies or explanation. He pronounced that in a couple of weeks we would be celebrities in India, playing a fully produced, filmed concert with a 30,000 strong audience! We sat stunned, speechless. He described a tour that would be legendary and quite possibly…impossible. I asked Oliver about Pete Saunders and Alan Alvarez, the two people I had coordinated with in the States and was told that they would be unavailable during our trip. They were (I kid you not) on “a secret expedition” and incommunicado. All communications would go thorough Oliver for now. Hmm… Lesson Three: 35 days in a hotel is not a tour. Abso-fricking-lutely nothing happened after that – well, almost nothing. Shows were cancelled daily. We had a small press conference pool side for a local access cable show and some of us were interviewed on a local radio station. It was painfully quiet until quite suddenly we were kicked out of our hotel! While I can’t confirm it, it may have had something to do with the fact that WOA’s big advertising effort for this 30,000 person rock concert was one illegible, dark, black and green billboard upon which our hotel had a small invisible bottom corner logo. Quite possibly that didn’t impress the hotel who had traded that advertising for lodging and morning meals for 7 bands. Lloyd called us as we were leaving the hotel and told us that WOA had moved us to another hotel. Great. Three weeks into a six week tour we hadn’t played a single show. Prior to the tour we’d been shown a full calendar playing paid shows coast to coast all over the country – about 3-5 a week! Demoralized, we realized that there really was no tour. We complained. Oliver told us to sit tight and remain “rock stars” while his team did the work. On one fact-finding call to Oliver he said to me “give me the names of anyone who has a problem and I will kick them off the tour!” I experienced a nauseating sense of déjà vu – these were the exact words “Pete Saunders” said to me in a call 2 months ago. Things clicked: we can’t meet any of our original coordinators from WOA because they never existed! Pete Saunders/Alan Alvarez was Oliver. Oliver was WOA! I shared my epiphany with the others and we agreed that Oliver Sean needed a chance to explain…about anything. I called a meeting, and Oliver arrived and listened while we delicately expressed our concerns about a tour that looked precarious. Oliver delivered the same rhetoric as before, not missing a beat. We felt conned and one band nearly beat him physically, but we were able to cool them off and let him leave. Lesson Four: Always have an escape plan. There was one show left in Mumbai that hadn’t yet cancelled, so Mana3 personally confirmed the show without Oliver. We weren’t afraid of Oliver, but his calls were getting stranger and stranger like, “Xiren, don’t you worry if something were to happen to Mana3, it won’t affect you. You are the star”. What? We played the show at Jazz By The Bay in Mumbai. Whoopee. I immediately took myself and gear to Mumbai International Airport to fly home. A simple plan. Of course it didn’t work. After hours of bribing employees to move my flight, a successful passport kidnapping & ransom exchange by my hotel (don’t ask) and with 40 minutes left before takeoff, I threw my baggage on the scale. The rep looked up from his screen and said, “That’ll be 20,000 rupees” (about $400). I opened my wallet to find no credit cards – they’d been stolen somewhere along the way and my hotel took the last of my cash. My gut did a summersault and sweat froze on my skin. “Desperate” didn’t describe me. I looked the guy square in the face, told him I had no money and pointing to my Telecaster said, “See that guitar? I bought that just after high school and it’s been around the world and at every show I’ve ever played. I will leave that guitar and everything else behind to get a boarding pass home.” I bet it had more to do with the look in my eyes than my words, but the man shut down the ticket line and escorted me through the airport having frequent, curt conversations with the luggage handlers while handing them cash. Temporarily disoriented, I finally realized what was going on. I asked, “Are you paying for me out of your own wallet”? He smiled and answered “Yes, but don’t worry, I have a big heart”. I love that my disastrous trip ended with such a redeeming act of benevolence by a true angel. This was the real India. Since then, bands have complained to the Indian Board of Tourism as well as Sonicbids.com who claimed a thorough vetting process. Oliver Sean claims that we are all drug addled felons and racists. Nothing meaningful has resulted. WOA still exists and tours are still planned. Indie music, what a life! Follow along with this article on www.xiren.net/india
|
|
| Posted by admin at 06:30 PM |
No Comments |
Misadventures, Missed Turns and How Not To Be Famous On Tour: A passage to India: Part I |
Monday, October 19, 2009 |
|
Misadventures, Missed Turns and How Not To Be Famous On Tour: My opinion: Slum Dog Millionaire was the best movie of 2008 and proved fairly accurate – except you can’t smell Mumbai’s open sewer system in the theater. It is simply amazing what you can’t know from 8000 miles away… In the Spring of 2008, a company called WOA Records recruited me for a tour that promised to deliver a respectably broad 20 city tour of India with 10 other international acts. Fast forward to a brief history of hell: My 5 weeks in Southern India would include facing extortion, hallucinations, being thrown from a cab with a thousand pounds of music gear, losing my credit cards and – more tragically – losing my sense of humor. This is the story of a con man, sacred cows on the beach, and an Indie musician who set out on a hobbit’s (mis)adventure to learn life lessons. It always starts with flattery and the allure of success. For those of you who have been selected through a Sonicbids process it’s kind of like seeing a Sasquatch: other people have reportedly seen one but it’s rare; a personal sighting. If unfamiliar with Sonicbids.com, it’s a fee-based online gig resource allowing musicians to browse, search and submit to tours, clubs, festivals and other things in just about any corner of the world. After paying a $20 submission fee, WOA Records chose me for a 20 city tour in India leaving just after Christmas. Wow! Kick ass. As an avid Yogi I had always wanted to visit India, and what better way than on an international tour – it’s a big reason I signed up to be a musician! After assurance from Sonicbids that their vetting process was thorough, albeit “secret”, and after a few phone calls with the Indian Tour company, I was sold. I bought my plane ticket, started my malaria meds (warning: may cause hallucinations), and coordinated my backing band (a great group from New Zealand, Mana3, also on tour). Then, of course, came a thousand other details to wrap up including finishing my latest recording release, Trip-R. Lesson One: trust that feeling in your gut. In retrospect, there were many clues that this tour smelled funny. When WOA rescheduled the initial start due to the Bhutto assassination, I began getting phone calls from other bands around the world who were, like me, preparing for the tour. Through Myspace, Skype and dozens of emails, bands expressed clear concern about the lack of details around travel arrangements, contract concerns, and performance details. The great unknown of India loomed large, and these concerns played heavy into the general anxiety preceding any tour, just amplified about ten times. So, I anointed myself ambassador for the other bands and called the tour company in hopes of finding clarity for all. I remember Pete Saunders of WOA International saying “give me the names of anyone who has a problem and I will kick them off the tour”. Whoa, there big fella… I figured that Mr. Saunder’s response represented a typical overworked and underappreciated overreaction, combined with possible cultural differences. Therefore, I handled it with an appreciative comment and continued forward. (Note to self, anytime respectful, clarifying questions are met with brutal threats of termination, something ain’t right in the Shire). Oh Sonicbids, you beautiful little oasis for all musician’s booking needs. You bastian of value and champion of all things Indie, how hath thou forsaken me? Eventually, WOA appointed a tour manager, Alan Alvarez, who published tour itinerary, modified contract points and, along with Pete Saunders, gave reassurances that this is “how things work in India”. We were back on track and ready to roll, or so we thought. Lesson Two: Guns don’t kill people, cabdrivers do. The flight to India took over 24 hours and we arrived in Mumbai at about 1AM. A crowded city of 20 million people, humid 100 degree weather, 50% homelessness and an open sewer system, Mumbai comes on like a SEAL Team assault on your senses. After prepaying for the cab before leaving the airport and never, ever, taking my eyes off my stuff, I managed to load 2 guitars, a pedal board, my laptop & recording gear, a duffel full of gig necessities, my personal luggage and a 35 lb. power transformer without incident. Let me tell you, the taxis rides in Mumbai go toe to toe with any modern amusement park ride, bar none. My Mumbai cab looked like a car on the outside but lacked most of the “vehicle identifiers” typically associated with an American car like gauges, a radio, or any other interior comforts like seat belts! It was kind of a big, dated-looking bumper car powered by a lawnmower engine… but this bitch could zip. Wow! I found myself being transported back to my childhood visions of starring in Raiders of the Lost Ark. No rules, just rough roads and the mystery of the night. Instead of getting me to my destination, however, it turned out that cabbie had no actual idea how to get to my hotel and only spoke Hindi. Then, the yelling started. Whether it was his frustration over being stuck working the night shift, or that he was lost at 3AM with a foreigner in his cab or because I wasn’t acquainted with our hotel route, I got a yelling like I had propositioned his daughter. After my initial Hindi scolding, he pulled over and had me show my iPhone screen to 2 men sleeping on an abandoned car, and then proceeded to yell at them. Apparently he asked for directions from these gentlemen and, though the car sleepers appeared confident in their reply, cabbie didn’t get what he wanted. So, we stopped several more times so the “rich American” could wave his iPhone out the window at a couple more people to ask for directions. Somehow, around 4AM, we arrived at the hotel where I met up with the cavalry – my backing band, wonderful people who had been here before and could show me the ropes. After a day in the big city we excitedly headed south to Goa, India’s coastal version of LA. In GOA, we would rendezvous with the other bands and finally meet face to face with all of our tour coordinators that we had been communicating with online. I think all of us expected that this trip would capture a bit of the exotic, but none of us predicted what would happen next. Stay tuned for next month’s installment, A Passage to India: Part II. Here’s a primer: Q: What do Pete Saunders, Alan Alvarez and Prometheus have in common? A: They only exist in mythology. Follow along with this article on www.xiren.net/india
|
|
| Posted by admin at 06:22 PM |
No Comments |
Breaking the 4th Wall: Prologue |
Monday, October 19, 2009 |
|
Breaking the 4th Wall: Prologue I’m writing this article as guitarist Jake Goldman and I barrel towards Denver on our return from shows in the Midwest. Tickling my mind is the debate between artistic mystique and fan accessibility. Stevie Nicks supported the mystique camp in a recent issue of Rolling Stone magazine when she said “I don’t have a computer or a cell phone because I don’t want to be that available to anybody. I’m all about mystery.” I counter that this notion held true in the glory days of Fleetwood Mac when recording a record was filled with mystique and exclusivity. We now live in a time when a decent recording waits to be made on any Apple computer or PC. For many years I’ve modeled my marketing after my musical heroes with their high quality photos, slick packaging and concise calendar emails. However, the results made me question my approach. I realized the folly of following that pattern: I modeled my plan from those whose albums already grace millions of households. I realized that I needed to relate to fans while OFF stage as much as ON stage. Meese released web video of their spoils in major label-land. MUSE’s Matt Bellamy writes blogs while Moby writes album credit manifestos – even Rush have an online forum where fans can ask the band personal questions. CDs come packaged with DVDs documenting band recording processes, sharing stories, emotions, and a general inside look at their lives. More and more, bands today are revealing the people behind the music. Musicians are breaking the fourth wall and now, so am I. The artist with the largest audience tends to be the one with the least distance between their fans. I’ve started an experiment to see how revealing, related and personal I can be with mine. Stage 1: Changing the direction of gig promotion to a more personalized style, including quickly edited short video blogs of our road adventures. With Best Buy camera and crude editing I shared such moments as my discovery that in certain truck stops The French Tickler has been renamed The Freedom Tickler, or my road side interactions with Police in 3 different states and even a peek into rehearsals full of band banter and interviews. You know what? If show turnout remains a crucial measurement of success – It worked. Without printing a flyer or hanging a poster we had a great enthusiastic showing at The Walnut Room. The following show in Detroit did even better and we managed to play to a quite full house. Our audiences want to know that we are people they can support and access and, more importantly, contribute to. Music is inclusion. While talking to Ariel Hyatt, a good friend and social media evangelist, she reinforced that many bands aim for the audience that they don’t yet have while forgetting to nurture their current supporters. I’ve been guilty as charged and I’m making up for lost time. - Through this monthly article I plan to continue this experiment and would love to hear from you (xiren.net/contact)
|
|
| Posted by admin at 06:11 PM |
No Comments |
Booking a Venue for the First Time |
Friday, October 16, 2009 |
|
Booking a Venue for the First Time… and Hopefully a Second Show… Let me ask you this… why are you out doing the tour? I don’t care if this is your first tour or years in the business. I’m writing this for musicians that want to develop a long term and profitable relationship with venues. Begin with an introductory email. I personally don’t ever read press packets mailed to me, or take phone calls from bands that I don’t know. I don’t care if you draw 2 million people in your home town, I don’t care if you say you have friends in our neighborhood and you can get 50 people to a show… I quickly dismiss these emails because it shows you’re new and full of optimistic bullshit. Get real… you’re coming to play a new town where nobody really knows you. So why should I take my time to even read your email if your not going to be honest, and provide relative information in the most concise manner possible? Think of your approach as a business deal, because that is what you’re dealing with… a business. Give all your real pertinent information in the most concise manner… remember this key word: “brevity”. Get to your point, show some highlights of what you’ve done, what you have coming up. I want to see video clips, live video clips. And here is something to think about when posting your videos… have some good lighting, decent sound, and use fingerprinting in your videos. Fingerprinting is putting your band name in the video, and identify who you are and where more of your music can be found in a non-obtrusive manner. Get some audience response shots, but not drunk idiots telling us that this band F’n rules… This is what I look for from your email: Myspace link, iLike, Sonic Bids or Reverb Nation and of course your website. My favorite thing to first look at is your MySpace page… it’s a one-stop shop. I can see how active you are as far as people checking your site, people playing your songs, and where else you’re playing at… Try to build some rapport. Sure you may make $500+ minimum dollars at your local venue, but now you’re going to bring your show on the road and you’re going to have to start off from scratch just like when you began. The best way to get introduced to a new venue is through a trade off with another band that has a local presence. But if you try to go it on your own try asking a band you know for a referral. A referral will always ease your way into a venue. If you must cold call a venue then get ready to work hard and be under paid for it! First time shows for even established bands will usually yield gas money, a couple drinks and maybe some food. When booking a show try to get a penciled in follow up show, with a higher guarantee following up your successful first show. Before you play PROMOTE!!! Here are some ideas that venues would love to see! Posters & Fliers including show date, and website info Email MySpace Links, Website Links, blogs,.. Sign up on the venues MySpace Link, Blogs, Podcasts, Facebook Pages Send in a copy of your music on CD Remember this one thing when fliering… no one really cares what you look like… they care more about what your music will do to them! People’s favorite things are themselves, so inform your new audience of how they might enjoy your show. Ask your new venue for a couple of comps for cover charge and you’ll design your own free entrance tickets for your band. Then hop on something like Yelp and promote to local like minded shops, coffee shops, hair salons, CD stores, clothing stores and anything else that might float your boat. Send them some promotional materials, such as fliers, posters, a burned CD of your music and a couple of those custom made free entrance tickets that you personalized to their business and invite them as your guest for helping you promote your show. Doing something way above and beyond like this might cost you an extra $10 in materials and 30 minutes in work but it might help you look like gold in your new venues eyes! Now let’s promote with your Facebook and MySpace page… does the venue you are about to play have any of these? Do they have their own website or blog? Promote, promote, promote! Hop on the other bands on your bills website and say how you’re looking forward to playing with them, and hey check out our music as well, but always compliment them! Kill with kindness at every turn! Utilize every free medium you can including but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, Facebook Fan Pages, iLike, Reverb Nation, YouTube, iGoogle Calander, Blogs Vimeo, Sonic Bids and anything else you can think of… promote, promote, promote everywhere you can! Start with these few things and you’re sure to be demanding bigger dollar guarantees at more venues… and here is another thing with all this promotion, it might increase your merch sales! Also here is a quick thing to think about when negotiating your first show. Here are negotiable points: 1. Merch Sales 2. Food 3. Drinks, Free drinks? Or at least a percentage off… 4. Comps at entrance 5. Tracking system at door to verify how many come to see you (however this could also backfire on you)
|
|
| Posted by admin at 11:19 AM |
No Comments |
Insurance for Musicians |
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 |
|
Insurance for Musicians Insurance is a guarantee against loss or harm and secures compensation in the case of loss, damage, or death. Having insurance of any kind covers the what-ifs in life, offers peace-of-mind, and you just have to have it. HEALTH INSURANCE When I finally made the plunge and left my day job to be a full-time musician, I also left my health insurance behind. But just because you might not have an employer covering your health insurance doesn’t mean you have to go without it! Just call up any health insurance company and ask to apply for individual coverage, and they’ll walk you through the steps to apply. I know, you’re thinking — I can get by without it for a little while. I definitely know some people who’ve been self-employed and gone for years without health insurance, and that’s fine as long as you’re lucky enough to avoid anything happening to you during that time. But having health insurance, or insurance of any kind, covers the what-if, and offers peace-of-mind, and you just have to have it. Paying out-of-pocket can be pricey, but catastrophic coverage — the kind that’ll help you in a time of GREAT need — is the most basic and affordable and it’s worth it to have that blanket underneath you. Depending how much you think you can cough up in a jiffy for a deductible in the (fingers-crossed) unlikely event that you need major coverage will determine your monthly cost. There are other things that’ll affect your monthly premium as well, like your sex, age, and health history. When I first applied, I was approved for a smoker’s rate (because I was a smoker and told them so), but 6 months after I quit smoking, I took a test at my Dr.’s office to prove I was nicotine-free, sent a letter along with the labs to my health care provider, and that knocked off almost 50% of my monthly premium. So it actually does pay to be healthy. (FYI, my monthly premium is currently $124 through Unicare – http://www.unicare.com/). Need some advice on where to start looking? The Future of Music Coalition’s HINT program, started in 2005, offers musician-friendly support and advice to musicians who need information on health insurance. They don’t offer insurance, but can advise you were to start your search. Go here: http://futureofmusic.org/issues/campaigns/get-hint Compare rates at eHealthInsurance – FREE Instant Quotes! GEAR INSURANCE Remember what I said about the what-if scenario? Well, in January of 2008, my roommate had invited over a new friend she had met on the internet. I was out-of-town for the night, working hard playing a gig, and came home to find that her new friend had managed to sneak out the door with my MacBook Pro (My $1700 Apple computer, my life, my love, my recording studio, my calendar, my contact database, my email!!). Of course, they guy was too new of a friend for her to track him down. My baby was gone. I then had to cancel that evening’s gig to start canceling my credit cards, changing my passwords, recovering what bits of my calendar where on my iPod, etc. etc. And I also called my Allstate agent to file the claim to try and recoup the cost of my computer, my mouse, all the software I downloaded online, all my iTunes purchases, etc. You may not think to consider you computer a piece of “gear,” but think of everything you do on it! What would life be without your daily login to Facebook?? The only reason this didn’t totally devastate me is because I have homeowners insurance. There’s also renter’s insurance that’ll cover your temporary pad. When I was in a 3-bedroom renting, it was about $200/year, and my condo insurance is closer to $400/year. This covers all the gear in my home (I had to put together an itemized list with pictures and what things were and how much they cost new — take inventory!) However, I also had my Allstate agent attach an addendum to that policy which also covers the equipment I oftentimes have to leave in my CAR overnight. Can you imagine if on tour, you’re halfway across the country, and your car gets broken into? I just got this email from a musician friend on his way through Chicago last week. He was going to show up at my open mic, but never made it because: “Funny story. Someone broke into my car in front of my friends place and cleaned it out. Left me my clothes and cds though. So I spent all day Friday running around Chicago getting my window fixed, new phone charger, guitar, mandolin, some accessories, etc… I feel like I got kicked in the nuts.” Please don’t get yourself in this situation! Pay the extra bucks and get covered! LIABILITY INSURANCE Do you want to front the bill when your speaker falls on someone and breaks their leg? No? Then you need liability insurance. And no, it’s not just for circus performers. What if a string breaks and pokes someone’s eye in the front row? That’s your fault, buddy. I didn’t realize this for years and only just got covered in early 2009 when my children’s band was asked to perform at Navy Pier. Uh, duh, yes! But we needed $1,000,000 in liability coverage in order to play. I ended up going with American Family Insurance policy (Allstate didn’t offer this type of insurance) for over $700 for the year for $2,000,000 in coverage. Then I was told about Specialty Insurance that can do the same for about $200. I may change to that next year… Insurance for Entertainers: http://www.specialtyinsuranceagency.com CAR INSURANCE You know you have to have it if you drive, so there. Earlier this year my car was rear-ended, a hit-and-run, but the guy’s license plate fell off. I filed the claim, but they never found the guy. However, I was able to get my car fixed and my deductible was only $200! Initially it was $500, but with Allstate’s good driver program, you get $100 knocked off for each year of safe driving! If you can manage to have more than one policy with one company, you can save money that way, too! I have my auto and homeowners through Allstate. If you’re in Illinois, feel free to contact my agent, Russ Angelbeck: http://www.allstateagencies.com/RussAngelbeck/ContactMe/SendEmail.aspx RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. One book you recommend “The Bad Girl’s Guide to the Open Road” – Cameron Tuttle 2. Your favorite piece of gear? Right now, I’d said my Kurzweil 88-key weighted keyboard. I had a dream the other night that I sold it, and immediately thought, “how stupid.” 3. One thing you can’t live without on the road. Bottled water and rest-stops, they kind of go hand-in-hand.
|
|
| Posted by admin at 08:47 PM |
No Comments |
Balancing Family and A Music Career |
Saturday, October 10, 2009 |
|
Balancing Family and A Music Career If you are single and sleeping around every night with a different girl (or guy), this is not the article for you. Go ahead and skip to the article on sexually transmitted diseases. If not, you have at some point had to try to balance music and family. This is a subject that I am very familiar with. I tour a lot. I play around 200 shows a year (150 college shows and 50 bar shows) all over the United States. My last CD was titled Always Touring. I am also married. Three years ago my wife and I adopted a baby girl from China and 2 months ago we adopted a baby boy from the United States. Before we had children my wife went on tour with me about half the time so this helped. Now that we have kids; that’s just not really an option for us. I think I have a big advantage because I tour solo, but whether you are a solo singer-songwriter or an 11 piece band, the fundamental problems are the same. How do you balance the two worlds? The keys to this for me are: 1) Routing Good Routing is pretty self explanatory, but it doesn’t always happen. When I first started touring I took any date my agent had no matter how far. I still am known for sometimes doing some crazy routing, but I try to make things route better when I can. I have one agent who books the East Coast, one who books the Mid-West and Far West, and one who books the South and South Central. They work in the same office so you would think that they would communicate with each other – NO. So it is my job to make sure that they are all on the same page and that we try to schedule when I will be in which region. Because of this I often have to turn down shows. It’s hard to say no but if you really want to make a profit and keep your family you have to be willing to say no sometimes. If you have an agent, make sure they focus on filling in dates and not adding dates to the beginning or end of a tour. If you do your own booking (which I did for a while) your job is to set a guideline of when you want to be on tour and try as hard as you can to fill in the holes. Your goal is to play as many shows in the least amount of time. I have done as many as three shows in one day and often play two shows in one day. This is easier to do in the college market because many schools are willing to do noon time concerts. You’re probably thinking, “That would be great if I had that many dates, but we’re only doing 2 shows a month so we have to take what we can get.” That may be true but it’s amazing what can happen when you really focus on filling in specific dates. When you call a venue and say, “I’d like to play a show for you in November” it doesn’t focus them on a specific time. They don’t really feel any sense of urgency to book you. If you call them and say, “I’m touring right near you and I could do a show for you on November 16th or November 18th” it focuses them on specific dates. It also makes it look like you are in demand so they should want to book you. They might say they can’t do those dates but they could do the 15th. If that works for you you might book a show. If not, look at other dates down the road. Even if they decide not to book you, they feel like they missed out and could be more inclined to book you in the future. The bottom line is you want to play as many shows in the least amount of time. Setting Priorities is extremely important. You must take time to be with your family or they will resent you and your music. Whenever I can, I go home. Sometimes I will drive 10 hours for one night at home. It is amazing what just one night at home can do. My kids need to know they have a father who loves them and my wife needs to feel like she is not alone. Sometimes I will fly home for a weekend. You have to decide if you can afford this. For me I look at what it would cost to fly home and compare it to what it would cost to stay in a hotel for those nights. Often the difference isn’t too much and it’s worth losing little money to be home. Many times it’s not how much you are home, but how often you are home that makes the difference. If you have a five week tour and you are gone for five weeks straight it is really hard on your family. If you have five week tour and you are able to be home at least one night a week for those five weeks, the strain on your family relationships is much less. Good Communication is essential. You have to make sure that everyone knows when you will be working and when you will be home. Keeping everyone on the same page ahead of time will make your life much better. When I am going to be gone for 2 or 3 weeks without coming home, my wife needs to know exactly when I will leave and when I will be back so she can prepare herself emotionally as well as organizing how things will get done. With cell phones there is no reason to be out of touch. I talk to my wife very often throughout the day. Most of the time it’s not for very long. Just a minute or two can make a big difference. Talking often throughout the day makes it feel more like I’m still home and part of her life. Time management is the most essential skill you need to master. Musicians are often flaky or in their own world. This has it’s place in the creative sense, but if you are serious about making a living and having a family you must get control of your time. Keep work away from home as much as possible. Work when you are touring and be with your family when you are home. As a solo musician I have much more freedom but also much more responsibility. In most cases, if I don’t do it – it won’t get done. There is always something that needs to be done. When you can afford it, have someone else do it. They will often do it better and you will have one less thing to worry about. Take advantage of all the time you actually have while touring. Your goal is to work as much as possible while you are away from home and as little as possible while you are home. I never knew how much free time I had until I had 2 kids. My free time at home is gone so I have to use my time on the road. Don’t make or take any phone calls at home that can be made on the road. All my friends and family know that I will not call them or take their call when I am at home unless it’s important. This sounds cold, but I drive over 80,000 miles a year. I have plenty of time to talk to them on the road. Take as much responsibility as you can off of your family. I handle the money and pay all the bills from the road. Get an account at Bank of America or another national bank so you can do all your banking on tour. You MUST have a good lap top. This goes without saying, but I can’t tell you the number of people who tour without a good computer. I have a wireless internet connection so I can access the internet from anywhere. This, along with a GPS and a cell phone, is one of the essentials I will not go without. Have any bills possible set up for automatic payment. It is amazing how much time is wasted paying bills. Utilize the down time in the hotels. Watching late night TV is a nice way to unwind, but ask yourself if you’d be watching it if someone woke you up at 7AM to watch it. It most cases you’d go back to sleep. Keep in mind when you’re wasting time watching late night TV you are cutting into your time to sleep in or cutting into your time to wake up and get things done. I do some of my best work late night but when I really break it down, I’m more productive when I get up early. This is hard because I am NOT a morning person. One reason I am a musician is because I don’t want to be part of the 9 to 5 world. If you must stay up and watch infomercials get your lap top out and get something done while you do it. This may sound way too structured or organized for a musician. It is. If you want to just get high and focus on your art, go ahead. You’ll sound great in your basement. I have made well over $1,000,000 touring in the college market and make well into the 6 figures every year. If you want to be a full time musician and have a family, you have to learn how to get organized. Maybe you’ll get lucky and be on American Idol and get a manager and never have to do anything for yourself. Good luck with that. The bottom line is whether you are married with 5 kids or just dating, you have to learn how to balance the two worlds or one of them will go away. John Rush
|
|
| Posted by admin at 11:40 PM |
No Comments |
Be Real, Be Honest, and Make Music Your Life |
Friday, October 9, 2009 |
|
Be Real, Be Honest, and Make Music Your Life In my first four years touring, booking, and performing my original music I have learned that there is more to making it in the music world than being the best musician. Although I received my education from a respected music college, I was still green coming into the music world. After college, I knew I wanted to perform the original music I was creating at home but, I still had no real playing experience in a live-setting or any idea about how to begin. I hadn’t been a part of any of the bands in college that got a name for themselves. So, I had to create a way to do music my own way with a limited set of tools. That being said, I have earned my living solely from performing and teaching music for the past two years without having to get a day-job! I have found that a lot of the players in college who were considered the best are having a harder time making rent than some of the more determined underdogs. Because I was not the best musician, I had to be REAL and HONEST about what I could offer a venue when booking a gig. For me, honesty has worked better than any trick out there! Hopefully, my experience will help you on your own path. When I call a venue, I try to tell the booking person exactly what I have to offer in a very short amount of time. A bartender or bar owner can see through any bullshit you might think to say. It really is best to tell them as succinctly as possible your situation: I am just starting out as a performer but would provide posters, contact the newspaper, perform certain *style of music that fits their venue and would perform 3-4 hours of music. This honest professionalism is enough to get you a gig in a smaller You do not need to tout your ability, pretend like everyone knows who you are, or lie about how many people you can bring through the door. Industry secret: If you can perform a halfway decent 3-4 hour show, show up on time, not get drunk at your show and be mildly-polite, a club will book you again and again. Here are a few examples: I am just starting to perform but I have positive, funky, rock roll songs that people like to dance to. I am booking shows for my own band. We are just getting started but have good songwriting, vocals and a really great drummer (or guitarist or bassist, whoever shines among the group as a player). We have performed only a few shows but can provide 3-4 hours of *________ music. For me, this honest and real marketing has turned into: I have been performing all over Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Utah & Arizona for the past 4 years. We draw amount of people and perform a professional, funky and danceable show. This is a great place to be! We perform both small and large venues and draw more and more people in all of the markets that we regularly perform. After four years, we are starting to receive calls from venues and that feels pretty good. Your musical ability is an amazing and powerful gift. Don’t short-change yourself with tricky booking tactics. Remember, if you are putting yourself out into the world as a musician, own it! This is your life! Be honest, be real, and I believe you can find success. Good luck out there! * The style of music you perform probably crosses a few genres. To book a venue that has never heard of you, do a little research and see what they advertise their bands as sounding-like. Some venues would rather have Hard Rock over Rock or World music but not Reggae All it takes is finding out how they describe their bands on their website or in local newspapers and then being able to perform a good show of whatever you do! Most people have pretty open ears even if the terms they use to describe their music is limited.
www.holdenyoungmusic.com
|
|
| Posted by admin at 01:12 PM |
No Comments |
Design Your Own Poster |
Thursday, October 8, 2009 |
|
Design Your Own Poster I am by no means a graphic designer; let’s get that clear right now. PDF what, TIFF what, Photoshop???? Just make my posters look cool, and send me the bill man. Well let me tell you that all adds up fast. So you are getting $150 for the gig, and having someone design your fancy show poster just put you $70 in the hole before you even sent them to the printer. I believe that promotion is key, and a professional looking show poster will help grab eyes that otherwise would not have been grabbed. Posters are a very important step that is often overlooked most likely because of the price. I found this little gem a few months ago, and have used it for a ton of things. I’ve used for myspace background, logos, and most importantly, show posters. The site is www.picnik.com. I upgraded to the premium package for two dollars a month, and then said goodbye to my design dude I have been getting a ton of attention on my posters, even from graphic designers, so I know that it is working. I don’t have time to give you a great big tutorial. Just play around with it, and try all the features and see what it can do for you. If I can do it anybody can. It does have some limitations for those that are completely picky, but I’ve found it has done more than enough for me. Here are a few tips I will give you.
Here is an example of something I created on Picnik with no design experience at all.
www.facebook.com/gunnandbordini
|
|
| Posted by admin at 04:12 AM |
No Comments |
Building Your Market |
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 |
|
Building Your Market If you play the same town every week, you’re over-saturating your market. You need to expand constantly. It’s unlikely to have a decent turnout at an important show if there is advertising for smaller shows in the vicinity that same week. Its simple, but so many musicians over look it. You have to consider every show an event- an event that you are going to take some time and creative thought into promoting. Jason (Violinist) and I used to play 9 shows a week. We would hit up a different bar as an acoustic duo during the week, while playing three happy hours as the house band at Chicago’s House of Blues. Every Friday and Saturday would be set aside for a full band show. We over did it. We didn’t advertise all of them (I’ll explain that later) but once we started to build an audience we were able to play bigger venues. These venues did not want us to have other shows in a 15 mile radius in order to get all our fans in their doors. These larger venue shows also charge a cover. The regular weekly gigs often did not. If you advertise all of your shows, especially the free weekly ones with the built in crowd, you are giving your audience options to not pay YOU! I had no choice but to extend my market. We were soon able to book Thursday through Saturday as far as 200 miles away in any direction as we slowly built a new fan base as we did in Chicago. First things first: I took a map and drew a 3 hour radius from the center of Chicago. This would be our new playground. I booked one week north, one week west and so fourth. I concentrated on anchor dates that paid enough for travel; I filled in the routing with other gigs to build an income. The further we went outside of our home base, the better the routing was to book more gigs per week. Second: Cruise the internet and local papers of the cities you plan on building a fan base in. Look for venues that have similar music to your own and are not looking for a hard copy promo kit. You don’t have time to send out promo kits and it’s too expensive. Most venues these days take internet submissions. Some sites that helped me with this are listed below. Reverbnation and Sonicbids are both great ways to look for new venues, especially if you are new at the game. You can’t beat a $2 music submission if you are not dealing with a booking agent of your own. However, I strongly suggest you finding all the contact info on that venue as well and proceed to follow up personally rather than let it be lost in Sonicbids La La Land. Third: Play, play, play. You should be playing 8 times a month at minimum to increase your fan base. I don’t care if its open mics, you should be playing out. Open mics provide a great platform to network and showcase your stuff in a new bar. This not only increases your fan base but your self esteem and command of your instrument and of the stage.
|
|
| Posted by admin at 05:48 PM |
1 Comment |
Sell Your Own Tix!! |
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 |
|
A great way to promote and regulate your market campaigns is to sell your own tickets to your shows and it won’t cost you a dime. Eventbrite makes this easy. We’ve used this service on a number of our shows from 100 tickets to 500. Eventbrite allows you to keep track of who is buying tickets as they are purchased and use those numbers to amp up your advertising efforts. They also make it easy to publicize your event through a number of social networks such as twitter, facebook, blogger, digg, linkeden, and more. LOOK WHO IS USING EVENTBRITE.COM
|
|
| Posted by admin at 05:46 PM |
No Comments |
Conversations Touring Smart |
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 |
|
Conversations on Touring Smart A fellow songwriter friend of mine wrote me this below after I told him about Martin Atkins and his book Tour:Smart: And Break the Band by Martin Atkins, Cynthia Plastercaster, Suicide Girls, and Henry Rollins (Paperback – Sep 1, 2007) In a message dated 8/14/2009 9:39:19 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, writes: Not bad. But it seems like a lot of the stuff you already know. I mean, if you’re planning your tour around other big bands, how the heck are you supposed to tour? Those bands are going crazy in the summer time and that’s your prime time except for college markets. I don’t know, there’sa lot to consider when it comes to that stuff. I’ve learned that, these days, in the hard economy, you can bank on the folks who can’t afford 80bucks for a ticket to spend 10 on you if you put on a good show. That’s all theory though. I mean, I toured a little for a couple of years and did just fine playing smaller venues who didn’t know who the heck I was. Places that look for no-namers, you know? Such a weird time we live in. Do you really think that the theories from the 80’s and 90’s still apply today? I don’t think they do. Bands were making the same amount then as they do now. Not much has changed. Oooh, call me a pessimist. This was my response: I think that you can always learn from those who came before you. Some fundamentals of touring, such as putting in as much effort to promote, advertise, market, and be human as you do to learn and play your instrument isn’t going to hurt you. 80s-90s did not have the technology that we do today. That’s why so many bands get over looked, the market is saturated. Take the time to be a people person and use some of the tools from the 80-90s, you’ll set yourself aside from the clutter; you’re real, not just another download or mp3. I’ve toured for 6-8 months out of the year from 2003 – 2008 I’ve played 48 states and have buried two cars. I’m sure if I knew what they knew and used my judgment to use and bend that information accordingly, I would’ve been a little further along. I can relate to almost all 61 points in that article. What are your thoughts on the book and the conversation above?
|
|
| Posted by admin at 05:14 PM |
1 Comment |
