This is where live music is headed. Or should be.
Music venues need to be more about experiences and art, and less about places to sell alcohol.
One of the things that has to change, though, holding your audience captive. Bands will have to let go of the idea that people will stand and watch an entire set. Sometimes they may wander in, catch a song, and leave. (But hopefully they'll buy a T-shirt on their way out.)
800 Very Unsquare Feet - New York Times: "Free City also functions as a gathering place. ...
“'Surfers will come in and just load their pockets with oranges.' She grinned. 'It’s totally great.'
"...fashion executives ... may even have to ask why the fashion industry has not been able to create a new shopping experience equal in its fun and sense of surprise to that of Whole Foods or Apple, but which is available in 800 square feet in a strip mall in Malibu. ...
"Ms. Garduno paused. 'It’s about the experience. I’m interested in having someone walk out of Free City and having had an experience. That’s what matters. They could buy a cheaper bicycle or T-shirt anywhere.'”
live music
clubs
creative class
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Create Denver: The building blocks for a creative community
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has been a strong advocate of developing Denver as an arts and culture center. He has made frequent reference to Richard Florida's "Rise of the Creative Class."
I just attended a meeting on Monday in conjunction with the release of "Space Matters: A Report from the Mayor's Task Force on Creative Spaces."
Here are some of my thoughts on the challenges of creating creative spaces for music.
1. With so much of music tied to alcohol venues, it becomes very age-specific. There are relatively few places for all-ages shows. At the same time, some of the clubs are not particularly welcoming of anyone over the age of 30, particularly those with kids and jobs. Families can't bring their children, and the shows start too late for anyone who has to get up for a job or kids.
2. The report addresses zoning and regulations, and how to make it easier for the arts community to develop affordable space. Regulations are a particular problem with club/bar owners. Given that they need to meet more regulations than other types of creative spaces, maybe it would be easier to develop performance spaces than to try to help more club/bar owners to open those types of spaces.
3. The music community is more a collection of sub-communities -- cliques, in some cases -- than an united group. The close ties between some of the indie music bands and their counterparts within the visual arts and film communities reinforces a "hipster image" that discourages participation among a wider demographic. In other words, perceiving themselves as outside the "mainstream," some bands have bonded together with young creatives in other media, which has created an artist "elite" which can be exclusive rather than inclusive. This actually might be very good in terms of marketing Denver to the rest of the world, but can discourage some people from becoming involved.
4. At the same time, much of the music community does not participate in resources even when they are available. Workshops, meetings, community planning programs are often poorly attended by musicians. Progress in the music community is likely to come from a few individuals who take an initiative than from broad committees where everyone is welcome. It is hard for me to imagine any music program that can achieve a buy-in from wide group of musicians. Further compounding the problem is that quality in music varies greatly. Some performers are going to be excluded if activities are meant to promote the best in local talent. So you need to divide music resources between participatory spaces for the hobby musicians (who may never attract audiences but may be strong supporters of the local scene) and performance spaces to showcase the areas best talent (who will attract audiences and attention).
You can find a number of resources and a downloadable report here:
Create Denver: Art & Economic Development - Space Matters: A Report from the Mayor's Task Force on Creative Spaces
denver music
music scene
economic development
creative class
Create Denver
Denver
tourism
clubs
I just attended a meeting on Monday in conjunction with the release of "Space Matters: A Report from the Mayor's Task Force on Creative Spaces."
Here are some of my thoughts on the challenges of creating creative spaces for music.
1. With so much of music tied to alcohol venues, it becomes very age-specific. There are relatively few places for all-ages shows. At the same time, some of the clubs are not particularly welcoming of anyone over the age of 30, particularly those with kids and jobs. Families can't bring their children, and the shows start too late for anyone who has to get up for a job or kids.
2. The report addresses zoning and regulations, and how to make it easier for the arts community to develop affordable space. Regulations are a particular problem with club/bar owners. Given that they need to meet more regulations than other types of creative spaces, maybe it would be easier to develop performance spaces than to try to help more club/bar owners to open those types of spaces.
3. The music community is more a collection of sub-communities -- cliques, in some cases -- than an united group. The close ties between some of the indie music bands and their counterparts within the visual arts and film communities reinforces a "hipster image" that discourages participation among a wider demographic. In other words, perceiving themselves as outside the "mainstream," some bands have bonded together with young creatives in other media, which has created an artist "elite" which can be exclusive rather than inclusive. This actually might be very good in terms of marketing Denver to the rest of the world, but can discourage some people from becoming involved.
4. At the same time, much of the music community does not participate in resources even when they are available. Workshops, meetings, community planning programs are often poorly attended by musicians. Progress in the music community is likely to come from a few individuals who take an initiative than from broad committees where everyone is welcome. It is hard for me to imagine any music program that can achieve a buy-in from wide group of musicians. Further compounding the problem is that quality in music varies greatly. Some performers are going to be excluded if activities are meant to promote the best in local talent. So you need to divide music resources between participatory spaces for the hobby musicians (who may never attract audiences but may be strong supporters of the local scene) and performance spaces to showcase the areas best talent (who will attract audiences and attention).
You can find a number of resources and a downloadable report here:
Create Denver: Art & Economic Development - Space Matters: A Report from the Mayor's Task Force on Creative Spaces
denver music
music scene
economic development
creative class
Create Denver
Denver
tourism
clubs
Web-TV to promote local scenes
Here's a clever project that is a great way to promote local music, hangouts, and advertisers. However, it's labor-intensive, without much income so far.
You Oughta Be In Webcasts: "Scene six, take two. Action. 'I love the skulls on your shirt,' says a snooty designer. 'It's very Pol Pot chic.' On a recent Saturday in Brooklyn, the 11th episode of Web sitcom The Burg is being filmed in the Bushwick Country Club bar. A satire about the hipsters of the Williamsburg neighborhood, the show in five months has developed a small but hard-core group of fans, many of them the same arty twentysomethings the show skewers. Cast and crew may be working for free, but they aren't rookies. One is All My Children actress Kelli Giddish, and this shoot has all the trappings of a professional production....
"The Burg, for instance, already has viewers paying close attention to the bars the characters hang out in and to the songs on the show's sound track, which are produced entirely by local Brooklyn bands. Advertisers, including Dewar's, have approached the show's creator, Kathleen Grace, about running video ads ahead of the episodes. The rates are competitive with those of rich media ads offered on other sites, she says, but since they're based on the hits a site gets and her audience is only about 10,000 per episode, any ad revenue generated won't even cover her bandwidth costs, let alone pay the cast and crew. (The show is currently self-financed.)"
music scene
YouTube
tourism
music promotion
creative class
New York
Brooklyn
Williamsburg
You Oughta Be In Webcasts: "Scene six, take two. Action. 'I love the skulls on your shirt,' says a snooty designer. 'It's very Pol Pot chic.' On a recent Saturday in Brooklyn, the 11th episode of Web sitcom The Burg is being filmed in the Bushwick Country Club bar. A satire about the hipsters of the Williamsburg neighborhood, the show in five months has developed a small but hard-core group of fans, many of them the same arty twentysomethings the show skewers. Cast and crew may be working for free, but they aren't rookies. One is All My Children actress Kelli Giddish, and this shoot has all the trappings of a professional production....
"The Burg, for instance, already has viewers paying close attention to the bars the characters hang out in and to the songs on the show's sound track, which are produced entirely by local Brooklyn bands. Advertisers, including Dewar's, have approached the show's creator, Kathleen Grace, about running video ads ahead of the episodes. The rates are competitive with those of rich media ads offered on other sites, she says, but since they're based on the hits a site gets and her audience is only about 10,000 per episode, any ad revenue generated won't even cover her bandwidth costs, let alone pay the cast and crew. (The show is currently self-financed.)"
music scene
YouTube
tourism
music promotion
creative class
New York
Brooklyn
Williamsburg
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Beautiful people to promote your club
I've often thought bands should do something like this -- pay pretty women to show up at their shows to generate some energy in the audience.
Promoters Deliver Elite Crowd For Nightclubs | New York Resident - Resident.com: "Promoters these days often take the club's cover charge at the door as well as 20 percent of gross sales at the bar, or about $50,000 on a good night, according to Tanaka.
“'The list promoters are crucial to a club now,' said Richard Unger, a 50-year-old nightclub consultant based in Sarasota, Fla., who has worked around elite clubs since he was a teenager. 'It's a whole different world.'
"With the exception of one or two clubs, like the famous Bungalow 8, which has a capacity of only 80 people and a celebrity-studded Gold Card list of more than 500, all of the top clubs in New York use promoters, Tanaka said.
"Lists fill a marketing gap left by the decline of radio advertising, due to the popularity of iPods for music listening, and the ineffectiveness of flyers and other forms of advertising, Unger said. The elite club industry also is becoming increasingly competitive for the same small group of on-list hipsters.
"And while exclusivity has always been part of the scene, club spending on outside promoters has really taken off in the past few years, Unger said.
'It's not like the old days of Studio 54,' he said. 'It's very tough for clubs to reach people on their own now.' In the old days, a bunch of flyers, word of mouth and a hot reputation was enough."
clubs
New York
Promoters Deliver Elite Crowd For Nightclubs | New York Resident - Resident.com: "Promoters these days often take the club's cover charge at the door as well as 20 percent of gross sales at the bar, or about $50,000 on a good night, according to Tanaka.
“'The list promoters are crucial to a club now,' said Richard Unger, a 50-year-old nightclub consultant based in Sarasota, Fla., who has worked around elite clubs since he was a teenager. 'It's a whole different world.'
"With the exception of one or two clubs, like the famous Bungalow 8, which has a capacity of only 80 people and a celebrity-studded Gold Card list of more than 500, all of the top clubs in New York use promoters, Tanaka said.
"Lists fill a marketing gap left by the decline of radio advertising, due to the popularity of iPods for music listening, and the ineffectiveness of flyers and other forms of advertising, Unger said. The elite club industry also is becoming increasingly competitive for the same small group of on-list hipsters.
"And while exclusivity has always been part of the scene, club spending on outside promoters has really taken off in the past few years, Unger said.
'It's not like the old days of Studio 54,' he said. 'It's very tough for clubs to reach people on their own now.' In the old days, a bunch of flyers, word of mouth and a hot reputation was enough."
clubs
New York
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Scotland's Music Scene Is Booming
Sold Out How Scotlands Music Scene Is Booming (from Sunday Herald): "SCOTLAND'S LIVE music scene is in the middle of a boom period according to industry experts, with a higher than ever number of sold-out gigs taking place across the country in the next few months.
"Bands and promoters using the internet to alert fans to gigs, more capacity for live music - especially in Glasgow - and a revived culture of audiences experiencing live music are being credited for the increase in the number of concerts being held in Scotland....
"Concert capacity in the west of Scotland and Aberdeen has increased in recent years, with new venues such as Glasgow's ABC and Carling Academy now holding a number of busy events each week....
"[Geoff Ellis, chief executive of DF Concerts] said 'Mainly the product is very, very good at the moment. You can't beat the experience of being at a gig, and venues are much better than 10 years ago. The ante has been raised in terms of venues giving value for money and instead of clubbing, live music is really at the fore now.'"
music scene
live music
Scotland
"Bands and promoters using the internet to alert fans to gigs, more capacity for live music - especially in Glasgow - and a revived culture of audiences experiencing live music are being credited for the increase in the number of concerts being held in Scotland....
"Concert capacity in the west of Scotland and Aberdeen has increased in recent years, with new venues such as Glasgow's ABC and Carling Academy now holding a number of busy events each week....
"[Geoff Ellis, chief executive of DF Concerts] said 'Mainly the product is very, very good at the moment. You can't beat the experience of being at a gig, and venues are much better than 10 years ago. The ante has been raised in terms of venues giving value for money and instead of clubbing, live music is really at the fore now.'"
music scene
live music
Scotland
Saturday, November 25, 2006
How to attract the hip, the affluent, the well-educated
I moved to Boulder in 1991, so I have been living the lifestyle written about in this New York Times article for more than 15 years. Boulder is all about smart people working and playing hard.
And it has always been this way. People come to Colorado during the boom times: gold and silver in the 1800s; oil and real estate in the 1980s; high tech in the 2000s.
And when the inevitable busts come, people like it here so much they decide to stay, even if they have to switch careers to do so. Denver Mayor Hickenlooper is just such an example. He came to Denver in 1981 as a geologist working for a petroleum company. When the oil bust came, he stayed and started Wynkoop Brewing Company, the first brewpub in the Rocky Mountains. The Wynkoop group grew to eventually include seven Denver restaurants and a brewpub in Colorado Springs. Then in 2003 he became Mayor. (You can read more about it here).
In 1999, I started writing about the Colorado venture capital/high tech/start-up scene for Courtney Pulitzer's CyberScene, ColoradoBiz magazine, and eMileHigh.
One of the founders of eMileHigh was Brad Spirrison. He came out from Chicago to start it and hired me. When the dot-com bust hit Colorado and the money ran out, we folded eMileHigh and he returned to work at the parent company in Chicago.
Still, we always had a vision of mobilizing Colorado's wealthy young entrepreneurs into a lifestyle/cultural/business/political force. Brad called them "the progressive leisure class."
It's happening now. Colorado went Democratic this year in part because young dot-com millionaires funded progressive agendas.
As for lifestyle, the action/winter/outdoor sports part of Colorado has been part of the culture for decades, but the music scene is now exploding as well.
Personally I haven't seen a lot of cross-pollinization between the wealthy young entrepreneurs and the local indie music scene yet (they are more likely to go to SXSW than go to the local clubs), but having a hip local scene is still good to have to draw others to the area.
The next step is to have more money following into the local music scene to support and grow it. The rich Colorado movers-and-shakers who made their money in the 1960s-1980s bought sports teams as hobbies. I'm hoping the rich from the 2000s buy clubs and sponsor bands instead.
Cities Compete in Hipness Battle to Attract Young - New York Times: "Mobile but not flighty, fresh but technologically savvy, 'the young and restless,' as demographers call them, are at their most desirable age, particularly because their chances of relocating drop precipitously when they turn 35. Cities that do not attract them now will be hurting in a decade. ...
"They are people who, demographers say, are likely to choose a location before finding a job. They like downtown living, public transportation and plenty of entertainment options. They view diversity and tolerance as marks of sophistication....
"In addition to Atlanta, the biggest gainers in market share of the young and restless were San Francisco; Denver; Portland; and Austin, Tex. The biggest losers included Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles."
creative class
Denver
Atlanta
music scene
economic development
indie
clubs
live music
And it has always been this way. People come to Colorado during the boom times: gold and silver in the 1800s; oil and real estate in the 1980s; high tech in the 2000s.
And when the inevitable busts come, people like it here so much they decide to stay, even if they have to switch careers to do so. Denver Mayor Hickenlooper is just such an example. He came to Denver in 1981 as a geologist working for a petroleum company. When the oil bust came, he stayed and started Wynkoop Brewing Company, the first brewpub in the Rocky Mountains. The Wynkoop group grew to eventually include seven Denver restaurants and a brewpub in Colorado Springs. Then in 2003 he became Mayor. (You can read more about it here).
In 1999, I started writing about the Colorado venture capital/high tech/start-up scene for Courtney Pulitzer's CyberScene, ColoradoBiz magazine, and eMileHigh.
One of the founders of eMileHigh was Brad Spirrison. He came out from Chicago to start it and hired me. When the dot-com bust hit Colorado and the money ran out, we folded eMileHigh and he returned to work at the parent company in Chicago.
Still, we always had a vision of mobilizing Colorado's wealthy young entrepreneurs into a lifestyle/cultural/business/political force. Brad called them "the progressive leisure class."
It's happening now. Colorado went Democratic this year in part because young dot-com millionaires funded progressive agendas.
As for lifestyle, the action/winter/outdoor sports part of Colorado has been part of the culture for decades, but the music scene is now exploding as well.
Personally I haven't seen a lot of cross-pollinization between the wealthy young entrepreneurs and the local indie music scene yet (they are more likely to go to SXSW than go to the local clubs), but having a hip local scene is still good to have to draw others to the area.
The next step is to have more money following into the local music scene to support and grow it. The rich Colorado movers-and-shakers who made their money in the 1960s-1980s bought sports teams as hobbies. I'm hoping the rich from the 2000s buy clubs and sponsor bands instead.
Cities Compete in Hipness Battle to Attract Young - New York Times: "Mobile but not flighty, fresh but technologically savvy, 'the young and restless,' as demographers call them, are at their most desirable age, particularly because their chances of relocating drop precipitously when they turn 35. Cities that do not attract them now will be hurting in a decade. ...
"They are people who, demographers say, are likely to choose a location before finding a job. They like downtown living, public transportation and plenty of entertainment options. They view diversity and tolerance as marks of sophistication....
"In addition to Atlanta, the biggest gainers in market share of the young and restless were San Francisco; Denver; Portland; and Austin, Tex. The biggest losers included Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles."
creative class
Denver
Atlanta
music scene
economic development
indie
clubs
live music
Thursday, November 23, 2006
A Must-Read: The Rise and Fall of CBGB and What It Means to Local Music Scenes
There have been a number of articles on CBGB (some of which I have linked to in this blog). This is the best one -- particularly if you want to understand club culture. Developing a club that survives and becomes a cultural landmark is not easy. A number of factors are involved, which this three-part article explores.
PopMatters Music Feature | CBGB: "... Kristal not only let the bands pick the opening acts to share the bill with them, but also what songs were going to be on the jukebox and even who was collecting money at the door. The groups would even swap members or break off into new bands. A scene developed where the ‘punk’ label was slapped on it even though you’d have to search hard to find a more disparate group of bands; an amazing role-call of talent which included Television, the Patti Smith Group, the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Other than the success and / or recognition they achieved, what also made these groups unique were that they were enormously influential, even today. You might even call them visionaries. New York had built up a music scene that wasn’t just getting national attention but also international recognition, especially in England, whose own punk scene would have been unimaginable otherwise."
PopMatters Music Feature | Part 2: Adapting to Change: "... while CBGB’s was an undeniable part of history, it was no longer as vital as it once was to the local music scene. Simply, there wasn’t a scene there anymore and too few shows booked there drew in anyone but the rabidly faithful. To many, CBGB’s became a living relic."
PopMatters Music Feature | Part 3: Burn It Down "As such, maybe CBGB’s memory will stand as a cautionary example. It’s a reminder for the rest of the clubs to be savvy instead of too complacent or cocky—especially with ever-skyrocketing rents and an increasingly adversarial local government constantly threatening their lives. Having a website, MySpace page, 100-CD jukebox and newsletter / mailing list should be second nature by now for any club. Even along with a prosperous merchandising business, that alone wasn’t enough to keep CBGB’s going.
"As one-time CBGB’s denizen David Byrne noted, concerts are the one thing that cyberspace isn’t able to co-op (at least yet), but that doesn’t necessarily mean that fans will flock to a venue no matter how strong its rep is or how far back it goes. The Lounge/313 area was a good start but that wasn’t enough, either. You also need more outreach, not just to other music organizations but also to your own neighborhood and the larger city area including other clubs, arts organizations and civic groups for starters and to always restlessly look for and try out new opportunities and ideas, even if some of them flop. Also, in a harsh, dog-eat-dog environ like Gotham, you also have to put aside some pride and egalitarian spirit to pack in the patrons with known musical entities, at least sometimes, while preserving a unique identity if you want to stay around. Highbrow institutions from the ever-innovative BAM to the more traditional Lincoln Center know this too well and struggle with this problem every year. If smaller rock venues don’t do the same, they’ll wind up like CBGB’s, only they may not have a city out West to relocate to....
"Talk to any NYC club owner and they’ll regale you with the same problems: the dreaded cabaret laws, the housing crunch, liquor licenses, noise laws, getting visas for musicians from overseas, health care for their employees and many other considerations and headaches. No matter how many new clubs open up (and close down), the same kind of forces that helped usher CBGB’s off the local map are still in play and still threaten the vitality of the music scene in New York. There are groups like the New York Nightlife Association and a burgeoning NY Music Commission (which I’m involved in) who want the music scene to thrive and grow, but that will only work if a network of club owners, musicians, promoters, labels and fans can convince the city (not just the government but also the constituents) that it’s in everyone’s best economic, social, and cultural interest to keep Gotham a music-friendly locale."
cbgb
New York
live music
clubs
music scene
economic development
music promotion
PopMatters Music Feature | CBGB: "... Kristal not only let the bands pick the opening acts to share the bill with them, but also what songs were going to be on the jukebox and even who was collecting money at the door. The groups would even swap members or break off into new bands. A scene developed where the ‘punk’ label was slapped on it even though you’d have to search hard to find a more disparate group of bands; an amazing role-call of talent which included Television, the Patti Smith Group, the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Other than the success and / or recognition they achieved, what also made these groups unique were that they were enormously influential, even today. You might even call them visionaries. New York had built up a music scene that wasn’t just getting national attention but also international recognition, especially in England, whose own punk scene would have been unimaginable otherwise."
PopMatters Music Feature | Part 2: Adapting to Change: "... while CBGB’s was an undeniable part of history, it was no longer as vital as it once was to the local music scene. Simply, there wasn’t a scene there anymore and too few shows booked there drew in anyone but the rabidly faithful. To many, CBGB’s became a living relic."
PopMatters Music Feature | Part 3: Burn It Down "As such, maybe CBGB’s memory will stand as a cautionary example. It’s a reminder for the rest of the clubs to be savvy instead of too complacent or cocky—especially with ever-skyrocketing rents and an increasingly adversarial local government constantly threatening their lives. Having a website, MySpace page, 100-CD jukebox and newsletter / mailing list should be second nature by now for any club. Even along with a prosperous merchandising business, that alone wasn’t enough to keep CBGB’s going.
"As one-time CBGB’s denizen David Byrne noted, concerts are the one thing that cyberspace isn’t able to co-op (at least yet), but that doesn’t necessarily mean that fans will flock to a venue no matter how strong its rep is or how far back it goes. The Lounge/313 area was a good start but that wasn’t enough, either. You also need more outreach, not just to other music organizations but also to your own neighborhood and the larger city area including other clubs, arts organizations and civic groups for starters and to always restlessly look for and try out new opportunities and ideas, even if some of them flop. Also, in a harsh, dog-eat-dog environ like Gotham, you also have to put aside some pride and egalitarian spirit to pack in the patrons with known musical entities, at least sometimes, while preserving a unique identity if you want to stay around. Highbrow institutions from the ever-innovative BAM to the more traditional Lincoln Center know this too well and struggle with this problem every year. If smaller rock venues don’t do the same, they’ll wind up like CBGB’s, only they may not have a city out West to relocate to....
"Talk to any NYC club owner and they’ll regale you with the same problems: the dreaded cabaret laws, the housing crunch, liquor licenses, noise laws, getting visas for musicians from overseas, health care for their employees and many other considerations and headaches. No matter how many new clubs open up (and close down), the same kind of forces that helped usher CBGB’s off the local map are still in play and still threaten the vitality of the music scene in New York. There are groups like the New York Nightlife Association and a burgeoning NY Music Commission (which I’m involved in) who want the music scene to thrive and grow, but that will only work if a network of club owners, musicians, promoters, labels and fans can convince the city (not just the government but also the constituents) that it’s in everyone’s best economic, social, and cultural interest to keep Gotham a music-friendly locale."
cbgb
New York
live music
clubs
music scene
economic development
music promotion
Beware of stage mothers: kid core
I'm all in favor of all-ages shows. It gives teens a place to go and supports live music.
I also like the fact that musicians are starting to make music for the toddler set because (1) it extends the careers of the musicians and (2) encourages family-friendly shows.
However this article disturbs me. This isn't about kids making music on their own. It's about grooming kids for show business and sounds just like the adult-run cultures of children's sports, kids' modeling, and child actors. The idea of stage mothers in the rock business brings to mind all the worst of the above and more. The music business can be exploitive enough as it is, so the idea of families getting into this in a big way is not a pretty picture.
Sure, it's not new that we've had parent-run rock families (The Jackson Five and the Cowsills come to mind), but we've treated those families like freaks. I don't want it to be normal for ambitious parents to groom their kids for tours and MTV showcases and the like.
Agents, managers, record deals for 10-year-old kids. No. Please, no.
Mama Was a Riot Grrrl? Then Pick Up a Guitar and Play - New York Times: "...New York’s burgeoning under-age music circuit, where bands too young for driving licenses have CDs, Web sites and managers.
“'Oh my god, there’s like a huge, huge kid-rock scene here,' said Jack McFadden, known as Skippy, who booked the show at Union Hall. 'It’s really very indicative of Park Slope, since so many of the parents who live around here are hip and have these hip little kids that they dress in, like, CBGBs T-shirts.'
"It makes sense: in this family-friendly part of Brooklyn every other brownstone seems to house creative professionals who urge their children to march to — or become — a different drummer.
"Nearly every weekend 10- to 17-year-olds play shows in the afternoon at bars like Union Hall, the Liberty Heights Tap Room in Red Hook and Southpaw in Park Slope, which has begun a teenage rock series, the Young and the Restless. In Manhattan there are all-ages shows at the Knitting Factory in TriBeCa, Arlene’s Grocery and afternoon Death Disco parties at Cake Shop on the Lower East Side."
Meet Park Slope Kid Band Care Bears on Fire -- New York Magazine: "A windblown bar on a desolate corner in deepest Red Hook seems like an ideal place for New York’s next big rock scene to be germinating—until you notice all the Subarus and Volvos parked on the street....
"Welcome to the age of the rocker mom. Kids who might otherwise have their parents ferry them to the soccer field are now being enthusiastically chaperoned to dive bars. Rock, once the realm of outcasts and dangerously attractive miscreants, is practically a curriculum choice. In Park Slope, after-school classes are offered at private and public schools, and Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls (an offshoot of Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Oregon) is in its second year. On the syllabus are the classics: Ramones and Clash and Pixies songs that youngish parents revere, and that their offspring have been hearing since birth.
"Rather than being cause for rebellion, grown-ups are rock mentors. Several, in the great tradition of Jack Black, have even become coaches, teaching teens and tweens the rudiments of rocking that normally take several alienated years to fumble through. Nowadays, punk isn’t just sanctioned by parents and school teachers; it’s good, clean fun."
music scene
New York
MySpace
music promotion
all ages
kid core
I also like the fact that musicians are starting to make music for the toddler set because (1) it extends the careers of the musicians and (2) encourages family-friendly shows.
However this article disturbs me. This isn't about kids making music on their own. It's about grooming kids for show business and sounds just like the adult-run cultures of children's sports, kids' modeling, and child actors. The idea of stage mothers in the rock business brings to mind all the worst of the above and more. The music business can be exploitive enough as it is, so the idea of families getting into this in a big way is not a pretty picture.
Sure, it's not new that we've had parent-run rock families (The Jackson Five and the Cowsills come to mind), but we've treated those families like freaks. I don't want it to be normal for ambitious parents to groom their kids for tours and MTV showcases and the like.
Agents, managers, record deals for 10-year-old kids. No. Please, no.
Mama Was a Riot Grrrl? Then Pick Up a Guitar and Play - New York Times: "...New York’s burgeoning under-age music circuit, where bands too young for driving licenses have CDs, Web sites and managers.
“'Oh my god, there’s like a huge, huge kid-rock scene here,' said Jack McFadden, known as Skippy, who booked the show at Union Hall. 'It’s really very indicative of Park Slope, since so many of the parents who live around here are hip and have these hip little kids that they dress in, like, CBGBs T-shirts.'
"It makes sense: in this family-friendly part of Brooklyn every other brownstone seems to house creative professionals who urge their children to march to — or become — a different drummer.
"Nearly every weekend 10- to 17-year-olds play shows in the afternoon at bars like Union Hall, the Liberty Heights Tap Room in Red Hook and Southpaw in Park Slope, which has begun a teenage rock series, the Young and the Restless. In Manhattan there are all-ages shows at the Knitting Factory in TriBeCa, Arlene’s Grocery and afternoon Death Disco parties at Cake Shop on the Lower East Side."
Meet Park Slope Kid Band Care Bears on Fire -- New York Magazine: "A windblown bar on a desolate corner in deepest Red Hook seems like an ideal place for New York’s next big rock scene to be germinating—until you notice all the Subarus and Volvos parked on the street....
"Welcome to the age of the rocker mom. Kids who might otherwise have their parents ferry them to the soccer field are now being enthusiastically chaperoned to dive bars. Rock, once the realm of outcasts and dangerously attractive miscreants, is practically a curriculum choice. In Park Slope, after-school classes are offered at private and public schools, and Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls (an offshoot of Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Oregon) is in its second year. On the syllabus are the classics: Ramones and Clash and Pixies songs that youngish parents revere, and that their offspring have been hearing since birth.
"Rather than being cause for rebellion, grown-ups are rock mentors. Several, in the great tradition of Jack Black, have even become coaches, teaching teens and tweens the rudiments of rocking that normally take several alienated years to fumble through. Nowadays, punk isn’t just sanctioned by parents and school teachers; it’s good, clean fun."
music scene
New York
MySpace
music promotion
all ages
kid core
Monday, November 20, 2006
The arts and culture can drive small-town economies
This was written in 1999, but it gives a very good overview of how arts, culture, and outdoor recreation have transformed small rural towns into tourist destinations. The author specifically asks that no excerpts be used without permission, so I'll just provide the link.
ART-RELATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN SMALL ART TOWNS: Impacts on Downtown Economic Revitalization
music scene
economic development
tourism
ART-RELATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN SMALL ART TOWNS: Impacts on Downtown Economic Revitalization
music scene
economic development
tourism
The limits of Internet star-making
I have this theory that there's no money in Internet fame, which is going to shoot a lot of business models.
The standard music story these days is that some unknown band or artist posted songs on MySpace or videos on YouTube, generated a million plays, and got signed to a major label deal.
The thinking behind this is that all of this visibility is a sure sign that the masses have spoken: that they really like this band/artist. Labels are interested because the band/artist has already been test-marketed. The same concept was embraced in the early days of MP3.com, but people found out that rising to the top of those charts meant relatively little in the real world.
What we have seen both in the past and now is that when fans are able to listen to music for free or watch videos for free, they often do not then go out to buy an album or go to a show.
In fact, I will postulate that Internet visibility is a negative when compared to more traditional forms of music marketing.
The very fact that there are unlimited opportunities to showcase yourself on the Internet means that the barriers to entry doing so are nil. Sure, only a few attract the attention of millions so it is a small group, but since videos featuring geeky/weird/bizarre subjects can outdraw those involving better bands/artists, avid MySpace/YouTube patrons already know there is often a disconnect between talent and visibility.
Here's an example: Marbles Lost Blender Co Mixes Up YouTube "If anyone doubted the wild, wonderful things a marketer can do with a phenomenon like YouTube, they can suspend that disbelief by turning to Blendtec. A $50 demonstration of sheer blending power attracted six million viewers in just five days.
"After all, who wouldn't want to watch a man in a lab coat and goggles drop 50 marbles, or golf balls, or a crowbar, or a rake handle, into a blender while teasing the viewer with questions about whether those things can really be blended. "
In contrast, appearing on television or radio is not an option open to everyone. Those bands/artists who get the opportunity have added to their status level by having access to a relatively scare commodity.
This then filters down to fans. The higher the status of the band, the better the bragging rights to those who attend the band's concerts. For a fan to say he/she went to a concert of band with 200,000 fans on MySpace means less than to say he/she went to a concert of a band who has been seen/heard on TV. Getting your song in a popular TV soundtrack greatly trumps racking up lots of Internet plays because only a limited number of songs can get played on TV.
The lack of recognized filters for popular Internet bands lowers their cachet. And since increasingly fans seem to go to concerts to increase their own status (through taking photos, sending text messages to friends, and through blogging), they want to associate themselves with high status bands.
So when labels sign popular Internet bands on the assumption that those bands will become gold and platinum sellers, they have it backwards. They need to break bands the old-fashion way (through radio and TV and touring) and then use the Internet to enhance the marketing of those bands. If the Internet popularity comes first, it's likely the fans won't be inclined to take the next step and buy in significant numbers either albums (they'll just listen online or find a way to get the music for free) or concert tickets (because the cool factor won't be there). They will be aware of those bands, but won't necessarily be motivated to spend money in pursuit of them.
In other words, bands that generate attention in an entirely free medium do not necessarily maintain that attention when people are asked to part with their money. Not only has the Internet devalued recorded music (by training people to expect it for free), it is now devaluating status. If anyone can become a "star" on the Internet, it doesn't mean much.
The Internet is for exposure. But exposure without filters just turns the product into a commodity.
MySpace
music promotion
YouTube
radio promotion
indie
live music
record labels
fame
internet marketing
The standard music story these days is that some unknown band or artist posted songs on MySpace or videos on YouTube, generated a million plays, and got signed to a major label deal.
The thinking behind this is that all of this visibility is a sure sign that the masses have spoken: that they really like this band/artist. Labels are interested because the band/artist has already been test-marketed. The same concept was embraced in the early days of MP3.com, but people found out that rising to the top of those charts meant relatively little in the real world.
What we have seen both in the past and now is that when fans are able to listen to music for free or watch videos for free, they often do not then go out to buy an album or go to a show.
In fact, I will postulate that Internet visibility is a negative when compared to more traditional forms of music marketing.
The very fact that there are unlimited opportunities to showcase yourself on the Internet means that the barriers to entry doing so are nil. Sure, only a few attract the attention of millions so it is a small group, but since videos featuring geeky/weird/bizarre subjects can outdraw those involving better bands/artists, avid MySpace/YouTube patrons already know there is often a disconnect between talent and visibility.
Here's an example: Marbles Lost Blender Co Mixes Up YouTube "If anyone doubted the wild, wonderful things a marketer can do with a phenomenon like YouTube, they can suspend that disbelief by turning to Blendtec. A $50 demonstration of sheer blending power attracted six million viewers in just five days.
"After all, who wouldn't want to watch a man in a lab coat and goggles drop 50 marbles, or golf balls, or a crowbar, or a rake handle, into a blender while teasing the viewer with questions about whether those things can really be blended. "
In contrast, appearing on television or radio is not an option open to everyone. Those bands/artists who get the opportunity have added to their status level by having access to a relatively scare commodity.
This then filters down to fans. The higher the status of the band, the better the bragging rights to those who attend the band's concerts. For a fan to say he/she went to a concert of band with 200,000 fans on MySpace means less than to say he/she went to a concert of a band who has been seen/heard on TV. Getting your song in a popular TV soundtrack greatly trumps racking up lots of Internet plays because only a limited number of songs can get played on TV.
The lack of recognized filters for popular Internet bands lowers their cachet. And since increasingly fans seem to go to concerts to increase their own status (through taking photos, sending text messages to friends, and through blogging), they want to associate themselves with high status bands.
So when labels sign popular Internet bands on the assumption that those bands will become gold and platinum sellers, they have it backwards. They need to break bands the old-fashion way (through radio and TV and touring) and then use the Internet to enhance the marketing of those bands. If the Internet popularity comes first, it's likely the fans won't be inclined to take the next step and buy in significant numbers either albums (they'll just listen online or find a way to get the music for free) or concert tickets (because the cool factor won't be there). They will be aware of those bands, but won't necessarily be motivated to spend money in pursuit of them.
In other words, bands that generate attention in an entirely free medium do not necessarily maintain that attention when people are asked to part with their money. Not only has the Internet devalued recorded music (by training people to expect it for free), it is now devaluating status. If anyone can become a "star" on the Internet, it doesn't mean much.
The Internet is for exposure. But exposure without filters just turns the product into a commodity.
MySpace
music promotion
YouTube
radio promotion
indie
live music
record labels
fame
internet marketing
Sunday, November 19, 2006
A train-based music festival
Music cruises have become popular. So have music holidays at beach and mountain resorts. Here's a variation.
Roots fans find home on the rails: "Roots on the Rails is a moving music festival, seven extra cars attached to a Via Rail passenger train.
"Music promoter Charlie Hunter booked the first train in 2001, when 65 friends filled the cars with music on their way to the Folk Alliance Conference in Vancouver.
"Then Fred Eaglesmith, a roots musician with album's worth of train songs to his credit, convinced Hunter to book an extra set of cars in 2003 and Roots on the Rails was born. This year, Hunter ran four sold-out festivals, with the last train, including the Cowboy Junkies, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, the Skydiggers, Over the Rhine and Fred Eaglesmith, arriving in Vancouver Tuesday.
"On Hunter's trains, passengers live roots music. Bands jam together and in concert several times a day. Many fans bring their own guitars for the open mike and late-night song circles.
"But it's more than the soothing click-clack of the rails and the loneliness of the whistle that make a train uniquely fit for a roots music festival, Hunter said, leaning on the window frame as the railyard in Edmonton slipped away.
"'You need people with a developed career, whose audience adores them, and whose audience is at a time in their lives where they have the money.'"
music festival
music promotion
roots
Canada
train
Roots fans find home on the rails: "Roots on the Rails is a moving music festival, seven extra cars attached to a Via Rail passenger train.
"Music promoter Charlie Hunter booked the first train in 2001, when 65 friends filled the cars with music on their way to the Folk Alliance Conference in Vancouver.
"Then Fred Eaglesmith, a roots musician with album's worth of train songs to his credit, convinced Hunter to book an extra set of cars in 2003 and Roots on the Rails was born. This year, Hunter ran four sold-out festivals, with the last train, including the Cowboy Junkies, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, the Skydiggers, Over the Rhine and Fred Eaglesmith, arriving in Vancouver Tuesday.
"On Hunter's trains, passengers live roots music. Bands jam together and in concert several times a day. Many fans bring their own guitars for the open mike and late-night song circles.
"But it's more than the soothing click-clack of the rails and the loneliness of the whistle that make a train uniquely fit for a roots music festival, Hunter said, leaning on the window frame as the railyard in Edmonton slipped away.
"'You need people with a developed career, whose audience adores them, and whose audience is at a time in their lives where they have the money.'"
music festival
music promotion
roots
Canada
train
The music really was better then
Bought the Shirt - Los Angeles Times: "'What if it really was once-in-a-lifetime music?' he says. [Bill Sagan, CEO of Wolfgang's Vault] estimates that two-thirds of the music his children listen to (ages 19, 21 and 25) is the same music he listened to at their age.
"Strangely, says Sagan, the counterculture of the '60s and '70s seems to have become counterculture again, a rebellious echo from a previous era of war and repression. One of the company's better-sellers is a replica of a T-shirt Graham had made up for a Jefferson Airplane show at the Fillmore East in New York City: On the front are the words 'Jefferson Airplane Loves You'; on the back, a peace symbol."
classic rock
1960s
"Strangely, says Sagan, the counterculture of the '60s and '70s seems to have become counterculture again, a rebellious echo from a previous era of war and repression. One of the company's better-sellers is a replica of a T-shirt Graham had made up for a Jefferson Airplane show at the Fillmore East in New York City: On the front are the words 'Jefferson Airplane Loves You'; on the back, a peace symbol."
classic rock
1960s
How to get on college radio
This article isn't directly related to music scenes or live music, but it is the best discussion I have seen on the workings of college radio.
I've never been quite sure why you have to pay a promoter to get your music on radio, and whether paying one will produce tangible results. This article suggests that radio airplay is hard to come by unless you have the right label support behind you.
The Bwog: "A band or label employs a promoter to push its albums to radio stations and handle press. Promotion comes at a steep price—around $1,000 a month on the cheaper end—and bands that can't afford it don't have anyone sending free CDs and records to stations, and thus aren't getting airplay before their albums are released.
"WBAR doesn't have the money to buy 50 or even 10 new records a week, and neither does almost every other college radio station in the country. Instead, they rely on freebies bestowed by the promoters. In short, the stations need the promoters to be able to play music and the promoters needs the stations to play their music. It seems like a happy symbiosis, but it depends totally on a third party—CMJ.
"Chris Baio, C'07, and Chas Carey, C'08, are the college rock directors at WBAR. They sort through up to 100 albums per week, deal with nagging promoters who want their artists to move up in the charts, and process the new acquisitions. When I asked Baio how he chooses what to add, he told me it's often a 'superficial choice' based on cover art, press releases, a few minutes of listening, and a feeling of what the DJs will want to play. As for unsigned or unpromoted bands? 'There is a glimmer of hope, but it's unlikely,' he said."
cmj
music promotion
radio promotion
college radio
indie
I've never been quite sure why you have to pay a promoter to get your music on radio, and whether paying one will produce tangible results. This article suggests that radio airplay is hard to come by unless you have the right label support behind you.
The Bwog: "A band or label employs a promoter to push its albums to radio stations and handle press. Promotion comes at a steep price—around $1,000 a month on the cheaper end—and bands that can't afford it don't have anyone sending free CDs and records to stations, and thus aren't getting airplay before their albums are released.
"WBAR doesn't have the money to buy 50 or even 10 new records a week, and neither does almost every other college radio station in the country. Instead, they rely on freebies bestowed by the promoters. In short, the stations need the promoters to be able to play music and the promoters needs the stations to play their music. It seems like a happy symbiosis, but it depends totally on a third party—CMJ.
"Chris Baio, C'07, and Chas Carey, C'08, are the college rock directors at WBAR. They sort through up to 100 albums per week, deal with nagging promoters who want their artists to move up in the charts, and process the new acquisitions. When I asked Baio how he chooses what to add, he told me it's often a 'superficial choice' based on cover art, press releases, a few minutes of listening, and a feeling of what the DJs will want to play. As for unsigned or unpromoted bands? 'There is a glimmer of hope, but it's unlikely,' he said."
cmj
music promotion
radio promotion
college radio
indie
Everyone wants to be a star
Here's a long, but very good rumination on the significance of YouTube.
What it means, for musicians, is that people are now more interested in being stars themselves than in passively watching other people become stars.
So this means that every entertainment offering must facilitate the audience and their aspirations of self-fulfillment. Listening to your music is likely not enough. You must enhance their lives in ways that they can discern: Make them feel more popular. More attractive. Smarter. Etc. Many of them would rather turn you into a greeting card that they can send to their friends than to listen to you on the radio.
Advertising Age - YouTube Grows Up -- But What Does It Mean?: "... aspirations of the everyman to break out of his lonely anonymous life of quiet desperation, to step in front of the whole world and be somebody, dude. A recent Accenture study of 1,600 Americans found that 38% of respondents wanted to create or share content online."
YouTube
What it means, for musicians, is that people are now more interested in being stars themselves than in passively watching other people become stars.
So this means that every entertainment offering must facilitate the audience and their aspirations of self-fulfillment. Listening to your music is likely not enough. You must enhance their lives in ways that they can discern: Make them feel more popular. More attractive. Smarter. Etc. Many of them would rather turn you into a greeting card that they can send to their friends than to listen to you on the radio.
Advertising Age - YouTube Grows Up -- But What Does It Mean?: "... aspirations of the everyman to break out of his lonely anonymous life of quiet desperation, to step in front of the whole world and be somebody, dude. A recent Accenture study of 1,600 Americans found that 38% of respondents wanted to create or share content online."
YouTube
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Music festival risk management
Someone in Denver has just floated the idea of staging a destination music and film festival at Red Rocks.
All sorts of questions come to my mind. Has anyone stepped forward to put up money in advance to cover costs and negotiate with artists? Where are all the attendees going to stay? (There are no hotels and few campgrounds nearby.) How will people get back and forth to Red Rocks if they aren't staying within walking distance? (There is no public transportation to Red Rocks.) And so on.
So I decided to look around for some info, starting with festival risk management.
Here's a good list of all the various types of insurance which needs to be in place for a well-run festival.
Backstage: Risk management planning for one of the nation's largest festivals
tourism
music festival
music promotion
Denver
Red Rocks
All sorts of questions come to my mind. Has anyone stepped forward to put up money in advance to cover costs and negotiate with artists? Where are all the attendees going to stay? (There are no hotels and few campgrounds nearby.) How will people get back and forth to Red Rocks if they aren't staying within walking distance? (There is no public transportation to Red Rocks.) And so on.
So I decided to look around for some info, starting with festival risk management.
Here's a good list of all the various types of insurance which needs to be in place for a well-run festival.
Backstage: Risk management planning for one of the nation's largest festivals
tourism
music festival
music promotion
Denver
Red Rocks
Independent record stores thrive in some cities
A good article on independent music stores in Austin and how they have done well by serving niche markets.
Independent music stores are an important component to a strong local music scene.
In Austin, niche indies rule: "It appeared to be the end of the era of the independents.
"But not in Austin.
"Waterloo Records & Video and Cheapo Discs, the big boys of the local independents, continue to thrive. Much of the CD traffic in Austin for Tejano and Latin music stayed at smaller stores, many of them also offering clothing, phone cards and Spanish-language movies.
"And during the past two years, Austin has seen an explosion of indies. Filled with vinyl, CDs, T-shirts and collectibles, half a dozen stores have popped up — Sound on Sound Records and Backspin Records in the north, Snake Eyes Vinyl in the east, and End of an Ear and Friends of Sound Records south of the river.
"What do all these shops provide? Old-school, music-nerd customer service. Few employees. Plenty of vinyl, both cheap and collectible. In-store performances that cater to a customer base that's built by strong word of mouth.
"And, most importantly, they each fill a niche that serves segments of the music-happy Austin population.
"Seattle, another city with a strong music scene, also is bucking the national trend of independent record store closings. Ruben Mendez, a former Waterloo employee now at the similar Sonic Boom Records in Seattle, says the indie stores are thriving in his town, citing business expansions and new openings since Napster launched the downloading craze in 2000."
music scene
indie
Austin
record store
Independent music stores are an important component to a strong local music scene.
In Austin, niche indies rule: "It appeared to be the end of the era of the independents.
"But not in Austin.
"Waterloo Records & Video and Cheapo Discs, the big boys of the local independents, continue to thrive. Much of the CD traffic in Austin for Tejano and Latin music stayed at smaller stores, many of them also offering clothing, phone cards and Spanish-language movies.
"And during the past two years, Austin has seen an explosion of indies. Filled with vinyl, CDs, T-shirts and collectibles, half a dozen stores have popped up — Sound on Sound Records and Backspin Records in the north, Snake Eyes Vinyl in the east, and End of an Ear and Friends of Sound Records south of the river.
"What do all these shops provide? Old-school, music-nerd customer service. Few employees. Plenty of vinyl, both cheap and collectible. In-store performances that cater to a customer base that's built by strong word of mouth.
"And, most importantly, they each fill a niche that serves segments of the music-happy Austin population.
"Seattle, another city with a strong music scene, also is bucking the national trend of independent record store closings. Ruben Mendez, a former Waterloo employee now at the similar Sonic Boom Records in Seattle, says the indie stores are thriving in his town, citing business expansions and new openings since Napster launched the downloading craze in 2000."
music scene
indie
Austin
record store
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Nashville Tourism and Music
The Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau has a new page up promoting the city's music.
tourism
Nashville
tourism
Nashville
Will MySpace take over live music?
My immediate reaction to this press release was that these online broadcasts will become another marketing tool for well-funded major and indie labels rather than anything that will benefit true DIY artists. Presumably there is a fee to use this service, a fee that is beyond any band with a limited budget.
On the other hand, if this turns into a money-making venture for all who are involved and, as a result, trickle-down opportunities are given to a greater number of talented bands, I will be pleased.
MySpace Launches Two Live Music Programs Spotlighting Video Webcasts and Instant Messaging: "MySpace.com, the leading global lifestyle portal, announced today the official launch of two new programs, 'MySpace LIVE!' and 'Hey, Play This…' incorporating live video web streaming, instant messenger, and user profiles to create unique, live experiences for the MySpace community. The launch of 'MySpace LIVE!' and 'Hey, Play This…' join MySpace’s existing community music and film programs including Secret Shows and The List which engage the global network by coupling site functionality with offline events.
“'With a diverse user community and massive social platform, MySpace is a natural fit for live, interactive content,' said Josh Brooks, VP of Content and Programming for MySpace. 'MySpace LIVE!' and 'Hey, Play This…' add a new dimension to our music community and we hope to develop future original programming and partnerships that focus on the live experience.”
"'MySpace LIVE!' will be the first live broadcast program on MySpace and allow users to submit MySpace messages to the fans and bands attending the performance. The first "MySpace LIVE!' event will feature Paul Oakenfold in Miami at Club Space on Saturday, November 18 and will be exclusively broadcast on MySpace at http://myspace.com/sidekick3.....
"'MySpace LIVE!,' will include an on-site message ticker allowing users at home to send comments and text messages in real time to on-site attendees. Event attendees are encouraged to take photographs and video from the evening to create their own 'mini clips' of their personal experiences to share in the MySpace Video community. Anyone interested in attending the event receives complimentary admission by clicking on the RSVP form at http://myspace.com/sidekick3.
"MySpace’s second live program initiative, 'Hey, Play This…,' will utilize MySpace instant messenger and a live webcast to give the opportunity for the community to interact with top artists at an exclusive music performance. The first 'Hey, Play This…' event was hosted by MySpace and featured Ben Folds live in Nashville on October 25 with a limited number of MySpace fans on-site at the unique, acoustic performance. Event attendees requested songs for Ben while the online community sent instant messages, comments, and requests for the artist."
MySpace
live music
indie
On the other hand, if this turns into a money-making venture for all who are involved and, as a result, trickle-down opportunities are given to a greater number of talented bands, I will be pleased.
MySpace Launches Two Live Music Programs Spotlighting Video Webcasts and Instant Messaging: "MySpace.com, the leading global lifestyle portal, announced today the official launch of two new programs, 'MySpace LIVE!' and 'Hey, Play This…' incorporating live video web streaming, instant messenger, and user profiles to create unique, live experiences for the MySpace community. The launch of 'MySpace LIVE!' and 'Hey, Play This…' join MySpace’s existing community music and film programs including Secret Shows and The List which engage the global network by coupling site functionality with offline events.
“'With a diverse user community and massive social platform, MySpace is a natural fit for live, interactive content,' said Josh Brooks, VP of Content and Programming for MySpace. 'MySpace LIVE!' and 'Hey, Play This…' add a new dimension to our music community and we hope to develop future original programming and partnerships that focus on the live experience.”
"'MySpace LIVE!' will be the first live broadcast program on MySpace and allow users to submit MySpace messages to the fans and bands attending the performance. The first "MySpace LIVE!' event will feature Paul Oakenfold in Miami at Club Space on Saturday, November 18 and will be exclusively broadcast on MySpace at http://myspace.com/sidekick3.....
"'MySpace LIVE!,' will include an on-site message ticker allowing users at home to send comments and text messages in real time to on-site attendees. Event attendees are encouraged to take photographs and video from the evening to create their own 'mini clips' of their personal experiences to share in the MySpace Video community. Anyone interested in attending the event receives complimentary admission by clicking on the RSVP form at http://myspace.com/sidekick3.
"MySpace’s second live program initiative, 'Hey, Play This…,' will utilize MySpace instant messenger and a live webcast to give the opportunity for the community to interact with top artists at an exclusive music performance. The first 'Hey, Play This…' event was hosted by MySpace and featured Ben Folds live in Nashville on October 25 with a limited number of MySpace fans on-site at the unique, acoustic performance. Event attendees requested songs for Ben while the online community sent instant messages, comments, and requests for the artist."
MySpace
live music
indie
Target marketing works to promote a performing arts center
Most failing music venues haven't done a good job of marketing themselves (bad locations and poor business practices are other contributing factors).
Here's an example of a performing arts venue that is using sophisticated tools, some of which might be adaptable to a broader spectrum of music. Of course, a rock club that brings in a wide variety of bands, not all of them good, may find it harder to presell tickets than an opera company that is staging a known performance which will play multiple nights.
Still, music venues do need to consider all "best practices" if they hope to survive.
Arts center sings multichannel tune: "The Brooklyn Academy of Music is the nation's oldest continuously operating performing arts center, with its first season in 1861.
"What does a 145-year-old theater have to do with online sales and marketing? Surprisingly, it employs some of the most cutting-edge technologies around, including video, thanks to a recent upgrade to its e-commerce site....
"The academy's facilities include a 2,000-seat opera house, a 900-seat theater, art house movie theaters as well as a cafe and a retail store....
"Besides video marketing, BAM has had success with e-mail. Its 80,000-customer database includes 40,000 opt-in e-mail addresses, acquired through the bam.org e-commerce site or at a kiosk in the theater's lobby.
"'We have a very low unsubscribe rate,' [said Stephen Litner, senior manager of marketing for BAM.] 'Our click rates are 7 percent, and our open rates are 30 percent.'
"E-mail newsletters about planned performances are sent weekly. Additional e-mails on upcoming performances go to customers based on their preferences. And because these e-mails are so targeted, they have an even higher open rate than the weekly newsletters. E-mails offering discounts are used only to acquire customers, because BAM does not want to train customers to depend on coupons."
New York
classical music
live music
clubs
music promotion
Here's an example of a performing arts venue that is using sophisticated tools, some of which might be adaptable to a broader spectrum of music. Of course, a rock club that brings in a wide variety of bands, not all of them good, may find it harder to presell tickets than an opera company that is staging a known performance which will play multiple nights.
Still, music venues do need to consider all "best practices" if they hope to survive.
Arts center sings multichannel tune: "The Brooklyn Academy of Music is the nation's oldest continuously operating performing arts center, with its first season in 1861.
"What does a 145-year-old theater have to do with online sales and marketing? Surprisingly, it employs some of the most cutting-edge technologies around, including video, thanks to a recent upgrade to its e-commerce site....
"The academy's facilities include a 2,000-seat opera house, a 900-seat theater, art house movie theaters as well as a cafe and a retail store....
"Besides video marketing, BAM has had success with e-mail. Its 80,000-customer database includes 40,000 opt-in e-mail addresses, acquired through the bam.org e-commerce site or at a kiosk in the theater's lobby.
"'We have a very low unsubscribe rate,' [said Stephen Litner, senior manager of marketing for BAM.] 'Our click rates are 7 percent, and our open rates are 30 percent.'
"E-mail newsletters about planned performances are sent weekly. Additional e-mails on upcoming performances go to customers based on their preferences. And because these e-mails are so targeted, they have an even higher open rate than the weekly newsletters. E-mails offering discounts are used only to acquire customers, because BAM does not want to train customers to depend on coupons."
New York
classical music
live music
clubs
music promotion
Monday, November 13, 2006
Taking classical music to hipster venues like dive bars
Here's an excellent article about putting classical music in non-traditional venues. I've only excerpted just a bit of it, but check out the whole article to find out the reasons why people are doing this and what the successes and challenges have been.
Musical America - Classical Music Meets the Alternative Scene: "Spurred on by a growing number of offbeat performance venues and enterprising young classical musicians, New York is experiencing a boom in small, largely below-the-radar concert series. There are opera nights at a Lower East Side dive bar, chamber music concerts at a boxing gym beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, contemporary music at a cabaret in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and avant-garde fare in a silo on the banks of an industrial canal....
"Gleason's, a legendary boxing gym where fighters like Jake LaMotta, Muhammad Ali and Roberto Duran trained, will host its second concert by the International Street Cannibals, a chamber ensemble comprised of prominent New York freelancers, on Dec. 2. Boxers spar in one ring as musicians perform in another....
"SpiegelTent, a vintage European traveling tent that set up shop at the former Fulton Fish Market in August and September, presented string quartet Ethel, violinist and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain and the S.E.M. Ensemble (all programmed by Zach Layton of Darmstadt)."
live music
clubs
New York
classical music
music promotion
Musical America - Classical Music Meets the Alternative Scene: "Spurred on by a growing number of offbeat performance venues and enterprising young classical musicians, New York is experiencing a boom in small, largely below-the-radar concert series. There are opera nights at a Lower East Side dive bar, chamber music concerts at a boxing gym beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, contemporary music at a cabaret in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and avant-garde fare in a silo on the banks of an industrial canal....
"Gleason's, a legendary boxing gym where fighters like Jake LaMotta, Muhammad Ali and Roberto Duran trained, will host its second concert by the International Street Cannibals, a chamber ensemble comprised of prominent New York freelancers, on Dec. 2. Boxers spar in one ring as musicians perform in another....
"SpiegelTent, a vintage European traveling tent that set up shop at the former Fulton Fish Market in August and September, presented string quartet Ethel, violinist and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain and the S.E.M. Ensemble (all programmed by Zach Layton of Darmstadt)."
live music
clubs
New York
classical music
music promotion
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Why so many British bands showcase at SXSW
This is a really good article about governments which fund rock bands and other musical acts as part of their national economic development strategies. Festivals like SXSW and CMJ have turned into marketing opportunities.
Government-subsidized rock bands - New York Times: "In a little-understood chapter in the history of cultural exchange, nations from around the world have been choosing musical outfits and sending them to the biggest music markets abroad in hopes of raising their international profile and generating export sales. In a way, it makes perfect sense. ...
"From outward appearances, it might seem that the cultural compass just spins at random from one country to the next. But more and more the 'next big thing' title may reflect the deliberate efforts of government trade and culture officials, who routinely attend American music festivals, organize junkets for critics and record executives, and arrange coaching and subsidies for their homegrown acts. In Canada, which has one of the most established programs, artists can apply for an array of grants or loans to finance up to 75 percent of recording costs, advertising, marketing or touring expenses.
"Heather Ostertag, chief executive of Factor, the public-private Canadian agency that oversees music funds, said it controls a budget of roughly $12.4 million and handed out awards to one-third or more of the 3,800 applicants who sought support last year. Broken Social Scene and its label, for example, have been offered more than $140,000, she said. The Arcade Fire and Stars were also beneficiaries. ...
“'The government recognizes the importance of a cultural spend for a cultural identity,' Ms. Ostertag said. 'I think that we struggle as Canadians for our own Canadian identity. American dominance is so prevalent wherever you go.' Part of maintaining the nation’s place on the cultural map, she added, 'is happening through identifying ourselves through the success of other Canadians.'
"In Australia state and federal governments offer a series of programs. The country’s main export program offers to cover up to 50 percent of an act’s costs above the equivalent of $11,600. Over the last year trade officials provided roughly $1.8 million in grants to 80 recipients aimed at exporting their music. Past recipients included the Wiggles, the phenomenally popular music group catering to children.
"New Zealand has for several years helped cover recording costs, and recently created subsidies, overseen by music and broadcasting professionals, for artists and labels aiming to sell overseas. One recent grant went to Michael Tucker, who wanted to open a United States office for his independent label and marketing company, Loop Recordings. A fast-talking former hairdresser and fashion photographer, Mr. Tucker recently oversaw a show by one of his bands, the funk-reggae outfit the Black Seeds, at a swanky Los Angeles lounge. But not long ago he found himself at a government function hobnobbing with his government’s top ministers. 'I can shave,' he laughed. 'I can play that game.'"
economic development
sxsw
cmj
Government-subsidized rock bands - New York Times: "In a little-understood chapter in the history of cultural exchange, nations from around the world have been choosing musical outfits and sending them to the biggest music markets abroad in hopes of raising their international profile and generating export sales. In a way, it makes perfect sense. ...
"From outward appearances, it might seem that the cultural compass just spins at random from one country to the next. But more and more the 'next big thing' title may reflect the deliberate efforts of government trade and culture officials, who routinely attend American music festivals, organize junkets for critics and record executives, and arrange coaching and subsidies for their homegrown acts. In Canada, which has one of the most established programs, artists can apply for an array of grants or loans to finance up to 75 percent of recording costs, advertising, marketing or touring expenses.
"Heather Ostertag, chief executive of Factor, the public-private Canadian agency that oversees music funds, said it controls a budget of roughly $12.4 million and handed out awards to one-third or more of the 3,800 applicants who sought support last year. Broken Social Scene and its label, for example, have been offered more than $140,000, she said. The Arcade Fire and Stars were also beneficiaries. ...
“'The government recognizes the importance of a cultural spend for a cultural identity,' Ms. Ostertag said. 'I think that we struggle as Canadians for our own Canadian identity. American dominance is so prevalent wherever you go.' Part of maintaining the nation’s place on the cultural map, she added, 'is happening through identifying ourselves through the success of other Canadians.'
"In Australia state and federal governments offer a series of programs. The country’s main export program offers to cover up to 50 percent of an act’s costs above the equivalent of $11,600. Over the last year trade officials provided roughly $1.8 million in grants to 80 recipients aimed at exporting their music. Past recipients included the Wiggles, the phenomenally popular music group catering to children.
"New Zealand has for several years helped cover recording costs, and recently created subsidies, overseen by music and broadcasting professionals, for artists and labels aiming to sell overseas. One recent grant went to Michael Tucker, who wanted to open a United States office for his independent label and marketing company, Loop Recordings. A fast-talking former hairdresser and fashion photographer, Mr. Tucker recently oversaw a show by one of his bands, the funk-reggae outfit the Black Seeds, at a swanky Los Angeles lounge. But not long ago he found himself at a government function hobnobbing with his government’s top ministers. 'I can shave,' he laughed. 'I can play that game.'"
economic development
sxsw
cmj
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Making a living wage in music
This scenario only works if people buy music, which they may not.
Others can argue that it used to be a better time for full-time musicians because there were more and higher paying live music gigs in every town.
Digital production and distribution has allowed many more musicians to make a small amount of money, and thus reduced the opportunities for full-time musicians to get paid for what they do.
Pandora's Playlist :: Philadelphia City Paper: "Before going off to work, mommy and daddy will load the family station wagon with amps, drums and 2.3 children. On the way to school, there will be no fights over which radio station to play. An intelligent recommendation engine streaming over the ubiquitous Wi-Fi waves will choose music suitable to everyone's taste. Then mommy and daddy will practice at their bandmate's home studio and record music to be sold over the Internet at 25 cents a song, providing comfortable wages for each band member's 2.3 children.
"Is this the future? Probably not, but Tim Westergren, founder of the Music Genome Project and Pandora (a site that recommends and plays music based on your evolving preferences), doesn't think this is too far off the mark.
"'I think what we'll see is the beginning of the musicians' middle class,' he said last Thursday evening at a town-hall-style meeting in the University of Pennsylvania bookstore."
live music
clubs
Pandora
Others can argue that it used to be a better time for full-time musicians because there were more and higher paying live music gigs in every town.
Digital production and distribution has allowed many more musicians to make a small amount of money, and thus reduced the opportunities for full-time musicians to get paid for what they do.
Pandora's Playlist :: Philadelphia City Paper: "Before going off to work, mommy and daddy will load the family station wagon with amps, drums and 2.3 children. On the way to school, there will be no fights over which radio station to play. An intelligent recommendation engine streaming over the ubiquitous Wi-Fi waves will choose music suitable to everyone's taste. Then mommy and daddy will practice at their bandmate's home studio and record music to be sold over the Internet at 25 cents a song, providing comfortable wages for each band member's 2.3 children.
"Is this the future? Probably not, but Tim Westergren, founder of the Music Genome Project and Pandora (a site that recommends and plays music based on your evolving preferences), doesn't think this is too far off the mark.
"'I think what we'll see is the beginning of the musicians' middle class,' he said last Thursday evening at a town-hall-style meeting in the University of Pennsylvania bookstore."
live music
clubs
Pandora
MySpace and Live Music
The fact that MySpace has been bought by a major corporation isn't news. But suggesting that indie bands are a bit tainted by the association is an interesting spin.
I suppose that bands can retort that they are just using MySpace's resources for free, thus exploiting the system.
I think the bigger issue is the extent to which indie bands get shut out by bigger entities better able to pay for promotion on MySpace. But if they must relocate to be seen/heard, they take their "cool" with them, and another website becomes the music promotion site of the moment.
New York Press: "The scene is a comfort to fans of live music: an indie band with no major record contract making music its own way and generating an honest, we-want-more reaction from the crowd. It seems like a wonderfully independent, inspiringly corporate-free world of music. But then the music ends, and in the mess of applause that follows, the same piece of uninhibited, body-jerking eye candy who spent the last 30 minutes romancing the crowd with his pitch-perfect vocals drops the inevitable five words: “Check out our MySpace page.”
It then becomes clear that this beautifully independent music world is about as untouched as a Friday night hooker. The band might not realize it, but a dynamo in the corporate world of media company giants has already snuck into its seemingly pristine little world of song. There is a big business elephant in the room. ...
"The man that successfully wooed MySpace was none other than Rupert Murdoch, owner and CEO of News Corporation.
"Murdoch fits the profile of the ultimate conservative: The 75-year-old, white, male, billionaire, media mogul is like the equivalent of a living, breathing version of 'The Simpsons' Mr. Burns. Murdoch’s is a world of right-wingers, big business and FOX News, not indie bands and youth culture: So why MySpace?"
MySpace
indie
live music
clubs
I suppose that bands can retort that they are just using MySpace's resources for free, thus exploiting the system.
I think the bigger issue is the extent to which indie bands get shut out by bigger entities better able to pay for promotion on MySpace. But if they must relocate to be seen/heard, they take their "cool" with them, and another website becomes the music promotion site of the moment.
New York Press: "The scene is a comfort to fans of live music: an indie band with no major record contract making music its own way and generating an honest, we-want-more reaction from the crowd. It seems like a wonderfully independent, inspiringly corporate-free world of music. But then the music ends, and in the mess of applause that follows, the same piece of uninhibited, body-jerking eye candy who spent the last 30 minutes romancing the crowd with his pitch-perfect vocals drops the inevitable five words: “Check out our MySpace page.”
It then becomes clear that this beautifully independent music world is about as untouched as a Friday night hooker. The band might not realize it, but a dynamo in the corporate world of media company giants has already snuck into its seemingly pristine little world of song. There is a big business elephant in the room. ...
"The man that successfully wooed MySpace was none other than Rupert Murdoch, owner and CEO of News Corporation.
"Murdoch fits the profile of the ultimate conservative: The 75-year-old, white, male, billionaire, media mogul is like the equivalent of a living, breathing version of 'The Simpsons' Mr. Burns. Murdoch’s is a world of right-wingers, big business and FOX News, not indie bands and youth culture: So why MySpace?"
MySpace
indie
live music
clubs
Your music should sound like where it's from
Great Lakes Myth Society, a Detroit band, talks about place-based music.
Myth, mirth and fresh water (Metro Times Detroit): "'Music should sound like where it's from. Even if it's not entirely in the lyrics, it's about the dark and the light. Pop music is so wonderful and beautiful, but the girl songs have been written so many times over, and all the neat little pop themes, so it's kind of going back to folk music to where a certain sound seems more genuine.'[said Timothy Monger].
"Tim's older brother, vocalist-guitarist and songwriter James Christopher Monger, agrees. 'I think the further north you get, the more folk songs are just outright dark. It's just all laid out there, in British folk all the way through to Scandinavia. There's a reason why there are so many black metal bands in Sweden -- they're all based on folk music, because the translations of those folk songs, the titles themselves, are the entire story. Like, 'My baby was born with one arm; a monster ate it three weeks later.' It's all Beowulf.'"
music scene
indie
Detroit
folk music
Myth, mirth and fresh water (Metro Times Detroit): "'Music should sound like where it's from. Even if it's not entirely in the lyrics, it's about the dark and the light. Pop music is so wonderful and beautiful, but the girl songs have been written so many times over, and all the neat little pop themes, so it's kind of going back to folk music to where a certain sound seems more genuine.'[said Timothy Monger].
"Tim's older brother, vocalist-guitarist and songwriter James Christopher Monger, agrees. 'I think the further north you get, the more folk songs are just outright dark. It's just all laid out there, in British folk all the way through to Scandinavia. There's a reason why there are so many black metal bands in Sweden -- they're all based on folk music, because the translations of those folk songs, the titles themselves, are the entire story. Like, 'My baby was born with one arm; a monster ate it three weeks later.' It's all Beowulf.'"
music scene
indie
Detroit
folk music
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Another successful all-ages club
Here's another example of a club that has had success catering to teens.
A music mecca for the underage: "This is the scene at Chain Reaction, where 1,500 music fans pack the all-ages Anaheim music venue in an average week. A half-hour line snakes around the parking lot on nights when bands like Yellowcard and Thrice play sold-out shows....
"In 1996, Hill was running his profitable Santa Fe Springs electrical wiring business when a friend persuaded him to dump some money into a club venture. After the venue had tanked for three months, Hill bought the friend out for $10,000 and started putting on punk and metal shows. He hemorrhaged money for five years.
"'I always tell people that it takes a lot of money, and you can't need any money, because anything we made went back into improving the club,' he said. ...
"Chain Reaction is the scruffy, hipster uncle of the O.C. music scene. House of Blues Anaheim books the midsize tours and the reunion acts (see Cheap Trick), while the big artists settle for cavernous venues like Angel Stadium and the Honda Center. The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano is too far to drive for most fans. The Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana is a midsize venue for a more mature, over-21 crowd.
"Live-music junkies talk about Chain Reaction as if it were a sacred place, chosen by the rock gods for worship of all things loud. In Orange County, the scene is blooming on the shoulders of this dinky place in the middle of Mickey land."
club
live music
music scene
all ages
kid core
A music mecca for the underage: "This is the scene at Chain Reaction, where 1,500 music fans pack the all-ages Anaheim music venue in an average week. A half-hour line snakes around the parking lot on nights when bands like Yellowcard and Thrice play sold-out shows....
"In 1996, Hill was running his profitable Santa Fe Springs electrical wiring business when a friend persuaded him to dump some money into a club venture. After the venue had tanked for three months, Hill bought the friend out for $10,000 and started putting on punk and metal shows. He hemorrhaged money for five years.
"'I always tell people that it takes a lot of money, and you can't need any money, because anything we made went back into improving the club,' he said. ...
"Chain Reaction is the scruffy, hipster uncle of the O.C. music scene. House of Blues Anaheim books the midsize tours and the reunion acts (see Cheap Trick), while the big artists settle for cavernous venues like Angel Stadium and the Honda Center. The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano is too far to drive for most fans. The Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana is a midsize venue for a more mature, over-21 crowd.
"Live-music junkies talk about Chain Reaction as if it were a sacred place, chosen by the rock gods for worship of all things loud. In Orange County, the scene is blooming on the shoulders of this dinky place in the middle of Mickey land."
club
live music
music scene
all ages
kid core
Monday, November 06, 2006
Neighborhoods grow up and so do clubs
More evolution in the NYC club scene.
Having clubs fit a neighborhood does make sense if you want locals to drop in.
If your core audience has been pushed out by higher rents, or if they have changed lifestyles to afford to stay, the old clubs may not have anyone left to serve.
Still, if people are moving into the neighborhood because they like what's already there, then it's probably a loss for everyone when a club moves or changes.
Polishing the Grunge - New York Times: Northsix, "which was one of the first of a wave of music places to open in Brooklyn, and an early hub in the Williamsburg music scene in the heady days when bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were becoming famous, is getting ready to close — sort of. It is scheduled to shut for an extensive renovation at the end of January and reopen a few months later as the Music Hall of Williamsburg, owned by the Bowery Presents, the company that puts on music shows at the Bowery Ballroom, the Mercury Lounge and Webster Hall, all in Manhattan.
"Williamsburg is not losing a rock club, then, but gaining one that may be more suited to its current state of gentrification, to the 40-story condos being planned along the East River nearby. Where Northsix has distressed, paint-caked wood floors and rudimentary high-school-style risers, the Music Hall will have balconies and a big-city gloss."
The article points out that "Jeff Steinhauser, still in his 20s and armed with his inheritance money," who leased the space that became Northsix "will have a job in the management of the new club." He's a good example of how younger club goers sometimes outgrow their clubs. "'It’s weird,' he said. 'But you know, the way the neighborhood is changing, I don’t know that a place like this necessarily fits in with what the neighborhood is changing to.'”
live music
clubs
music scene
Having clubs fit a neighborhood does make sense if you want locals to drop in.
If your core audience has been pushed out by higher rents, or if they have changed lifestyles to afford to stay, the old clubs may not have anyone left to serve.
Still, if people are moving into the neighborhood because they like what's already there, then it's probably a loss for everyone when a club moves or changes.
Polishing the Grunge - New York Times: Northsix, "which was one of the first of a wave of music places to open in Brooklyn, and an early hub in the Williamsburg music scene in the heady days when bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were becoming famous, is getting ready to close — sort of. It is scheduled to shut for an extensive renovation at the end of January and reopen a few months later as the Music Hall of Williamsburg, owned by the Bowery Presents, the company that puts on music shows at the Bowery Ballroom, the Mercury Lounge and Webster Hall, all in Manhattan.
"Williamsburg is not losing a rock club, then, but gaining one that may be more suited to its current state of gentrification, to the 40-story condos being planned along the East River nearby. Where Northsix has distressed, paint-caked wood floors and rudimentary high-school-style risers, the Music Hall will have balconies and a big-city gloss."
The article points out that "Jeff Steinhauser, still in his 20s and armed with his inheritance money," who leased the space that became Northsix "will have a job in the management of the new club." He's a good example of how younger club goers sometimes outgrow their clubs. "'It’s weird,' he said. 'But you know, the way the neighborhood is changing, I don’t know that a place like this necessarily fits in with what the neighborhood is changing to.'”
live music
clubs
music scene
Live music is where it is at
Since there are so many tricks in the studio that just about anyone can be made to sound commercial, and since fewer and fewer people are spending money to buy recorded music, the focus is shifting to live performance. That's where one band can stand out from the rest.
The CMJ Big Break? Not Such a Big Deal - New York Times: "The do-it-yourself circuit was once a patchwork of live shows and sporadic college-radio exposure, but the Internet has changed that. Now, the most obscure band can put up a page on myspace.com and have its music streamed on any Internet connection, any time. So a showcase at CMJ or its springtime counterpart, South by Southwest, is no longer such a make-or-break moment.
"But a live performance, something more tangible, hi-fi and sloppy than a faceless MP3 file, can still make a band vivid."
cmj
indie
live music
The CMJ Big Break? Not Such a Big Deal - New York Times: "The do-it-yourself circuit was once a patchwork of live shows and sporadic college-radio exposure, but the Internet has changed that. Now, the most obscure band can put up a page on myspace.com and have its music streamed on any Internet connection, any time. So a showcase at CMJ or its springtime counterpart, South by Southwest, is no longer such a make-or-break moment.
"But a live performance, something more tangible, hi-fi and sloppy than a faceless MP3 file, can still make a band vivid."
cmj
indie
live music
Sunday, November 05, 2006
More music venues for Denver
Denver/Boulder has always been a great area for live music. While there aren't as many venues or musicians as the "music" cities like Nashville, NYC, LA, or Austin, the clubs here usually have good turnouts and musicians can actually make money playing gigs.
This article below indicates that even more music venues are coming.
DenverPost.com - Concert giant in need of a venue: "The Anschutz Entertainment Group is looking to build a new 2,500 to 6,000 capacity live-music venue in Denver as it tries to gain a larger share of the area's market, industry insiders said Tuesday....
"While acknowledging the glut of concert space in the metro area, legendary former concert promoter Barry Fey said it would make sense for AEG to build its own concert hall.
"'In this town now, you need your own space,' said Fey, pointing to Live Nation's contracts with the Paramount Theatre and the Pepsi Center, and its ownership of the Fillmore Auditorium....
"'Denver has had more growth in venue size in the last 20 years than any other major market,' [Dan Steinberg, founder of Seattle's Square Peg Concerts] said."
denver music
music scene
music venue
Anschutz Entertainment Group
AEG
This article below indicates that even more music venues are coming.
DenverPost.com - Concert giant in need of a venue: "The Anschutz Entertainment Group is looking to build a new 2,500 to 6,000 capacity live-music venue in Denver as it tries to gain a larger share of the area's market, industry insiders said Tuesday....
"While acknowledging the glut of concert space in the metro area, legendary former concert promoter Barry Fey said it would make sense for AEG to build its own concert hall.
"'In this town now, you need your own space,' said Fey, pointing to Live Nation's contracts with the Paramount Theatre and the Pepsi Center, and its ownership of the Fillmore Auditorium....
"'Denver has had more growth in venue size in the last 20 years than any other major market,' [Dan Steinberg, founder of Seattle's Square Peg Concerts] said."
denver music
music scene
music venue
Anschutz Entertainment Group
AEG
How Arts & Culture Transforms Neighborhoods and Women's Lives
This is a Miami-specific event, but I like the concept.
How Arts & Culture Transforms Neighborhoods and Women's Lives "These two panels feature local experts in the fields of art, architecture, social services, neighborhood development, and public relations."
How Arts & Culture Transforms Neighborhoods and Women's Lives "These two panels feature local experts in the fields of art, architecture, social services, neighborhood development, and public relations."
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Why music festivals are popular
Each year I monitor press coverage of SXSW and CMJ. Right now, with CMJ, I'm reading even more blogs.
And I've come to realize SXSW and CMJ are growing in popularity because they give endless numbers of bloggers reasons to write about themselves.
Lots of blogs with: "I went hear to this band." "I went to hear that band." "Here's a picture of me at this party." Etc.
Some long-time concert-goers have started to note that at some of today's concerts, fans seem to be more interested in calling or text-messaging their friends to tell them about the concert, and sending them photos of the concert, than to actually listen to the music.
The future of live music may be in giving fans more and more opportunities to turn themselves into stars. Give them ways to participate in the concert and generate their own publicity and they will come.
How about putting fans on the big screens rather than the band? Or at least one big screen devoted to the audience? There are already experiments in allowing interactive posting at concerts.
Perhaps a music festival should call itself, "F*ck the music. It's all about ME!!"
music festival
live music
cmj
music promotion
And I've come to realize SXSW and CMJ are growing in popularity because they give endless numbers of bloggers reasons to write about themselves.
Lots of blogs with: "I went hear to this band." "I went to hear that band." "Here's a picture of me at this party." Etc.
Some long-time concert-goers have started to note that at some of today's concerts, fans seem to be more interested in calling or text-messaging their friends to tell them about the concert, and sending them photos of the concert, than to actually listen to the music.
The future of live music may be in giving fans more and more opportunities to turn themselves into stars. Give them ways to participate in the concert and generate their own publicity and they will come.
How about putting fans on the big screens rather than the band? Or at least one big screen devoted to the audience? There are already experiments in allowing interactive posting at concerts.
Perhaps a music festival should call itself, "F*ck the music. It's all about ME!!"
music festival
live music
cmj
music promotion
Automating a club to provide more personalized service and options
This is a case study about the use of technology to create a members-only dance club. While this article is really more about the technology, it does put forth an idea about running a club.
PandCT.com News Room: "For the first time, the end-to-end solution enables Ministry of Sound to develop an intelligent customer database to make the bar an exclusive, members only venue. It will also help the company reward loyal customers and tailor promotions according to individual customer requirements.
"Davidson-Richards carried out bespoke work on the Microsoft RMS, to support the installation of eight state-of-the-art touch screen tills. This ensures that customers at the 700-capacity venue receive fast, efficient service. Additional built-in functionality allows managers to monitor exactly what each staff member is selling in order to offer a commission-based incentive - the first of its kind in a Ministry of Sound bar."
clubs
PandCT.com News Room: "For the first time, the end-to-end solution enables Ministry of Sound to develop an intelligent customer database to make the bar an exclusive, members only venue. It will also help the company reward loyal customers and tailor promotions according to individual customer requirements.
"Davidson-Richards carried out bespoke work on the Microsoft RMS, to support the installation of eight state-of-the-art touch screen tills. This ensures that customers at the 700-capacity venue receive fast, efficient service. Additional built-in functionality allows managers to monitor exactly what each staff member is selling in order to offer a commission-based incentive - the first of its kind in a Ministry of Sound bar."
clubs
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Something better than MySpace for local bands
A new music site is debuting at CMJ.
Listening Post: "Here's some of what artists get with a free account:
* An import tool for grabbing your fans emails from whatever format you have them in right now (Outlook, Gmail, etc.), so that you can get started easily. All bands keep email lists. All of them.
* An email list management tool for sending out show information, announcements, or thoughts on the human condition to all of your fans -- or just some of them. The example I saw demoed today was a message sent only to 'female fans within 5 miles of such-and-such venue.'
* The ability to network with other ReverbNation artists, cross-linking, and setting up shows and tours.
* A Yahoo Maps touring mash-up that works equally well whether your shows span the country or the city. Not only can you access it as an artist, but you can post it anywhere on the web to show a little line move across a map and hit each of your locations, with a little pop-up bubble indicating show details.
* Charts and graphs showing how your fans break down * demographically (age, location, sex, etc.)....
"I saw a lot of ReverbNation today, and it does more for bands than MySpace does in just about every arena, except for the one that really counts: audience exposure."
cmj
ReverbNation
MySpace
Listening Post: "Here's some of what artists get with a free account:
* An import tool for grabbing your fans emails from whatever format you have them in right now (Outlook, Gmail, etc.), so that you can get started easily. All bands keep email lists. All of them.
* An email list management tool for sending out show information, announcements, or thoughts on the human condition to all of your fans -- or just some of them. The example I saw demoed today was a message sent only to 'female fans within 5 miles of such-and-such venue.'
* The ability to network with other ReverbNation artists, cross-linking, and setting up shows and tours.
* A Yahoo Maps touring mash-up that works equally well whether your shows span the country or the city. Not only can you access it as an artist, but you can post it anywhere on the web to show a little line move across a map and hit each of your locations, with a little pop-up bubble indicating show details.
* Charts and graphs showing how your fans break down * demographically (age, location, sex, etc.)....
"I saw a lot of ReverbNation today, and it does more for bands than MySpace does in just about every arena, except for the one that really counts: audience exposure."
cmj
ReverbNation
MySpace
Lots of niche musical experiences
This article talks about the fact that music has splintered so much that you have many different sub-communities which don't overlap much with other sub-communities, but within those communities there are lots of bands, most of which sound pretty much alike. An indie band is an indie band is an indie band.
The big question for the music industry is whether having fans sub-divided so they can become connoisseurs of narrow genres rather than samplers of many genres is a good thing.
In a World of Cacophony, Experience for Sharing - New York Times: "The rock critic Robert Christgau gave an interview last month to the Web site popmatters.com. Mr. Christgau, who was recently dismissed from The Village Voice after 37 years, talked a little bit about recent history. But he also talked about an old obsession of his: the decline of truly popular music.
“'When I grew up, there was a monoculture,' he said. 'Everybody listened to the same music on the radio. I miss monoculture. I think it’s good for people to have a shared experience.'...
"That’s the mixed blessing of a 'narrower and deeper' age. For listeners willing to dive in, CMJ is probably easier to enjoy than ever before. And for listeners who don’t take the plunge, it is probably easier to ignore.”
cmj
indie
music festival
live music
music scene
The big question for the music industry is whether having fans sub-divided so they can become connoisseurs of narrow genres rather than samplers of many genres is a good thing.
In a World of Cacophony, Experience for Sharing - New York Times: "The rock critic Robert Christgau gave an interview last month to the Web site popmatters.com. Mr. Christgau, who was recently dismissed from The Village Voice after 37 years, talked a little bit about recent history. But he also talked about an old obsession of his: the decline of truly popular music.
“'When I grew up, there was a monoculture,' he said. 'Everybody listened to the same music on the radio. I miss monoculture. I think it’s good for people to have a shared experience.'...
"That’s the mixed blessing of a 'narrower and deeper' age. For listeners willing to dive in, CMJ is probably easier to enjoy than ever before. And for listeners who don’t take the plunge, it is probably easier to ignore.”
cmj
indie
music festival
live music
music scene
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