The growing popularity of First Night celebrations (a non-alcoholic alternative to the club scene) is another indication of the increase in family-friendly music events.
First Night: 15 venues, 70 performances, 13,000 people - Columbia Missourian: "First Night, a community celebration of the new year with music, art, performances and festivity, has come of age in Columbia. This year, the event boasts more than 70 performances and activities at 15 downtown venues....
"Karen Ramey, director of operations, said that about 12,500 people attended First Night last year and this year’s crowd is expected to be near 13,000. The economic impact, based on information about hotel bookings, shopping and restaurants from the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau Tourism Development fund, is estimated at $1 million, she said. ...
"A First Night admission button opens the door to a wide range of music and other entertainment that includes jazz, polka, swing dancing, rock, children’s performers, bluegrass, Irish dance, storytelling, rhythm and blues, magic and a venue just for teens.
"Buttons are $8 for those 8 and older and can be purchased online until 4 p.m. today. After 4 p.m., they will cost $10.
"Ramey said that only a quarter of the First Night organization’s $800,000 budget comes from button sales; donations and grants account for the majority.
"The event is part of First Night International, held in about 150 U.S. cities as well as Canada, New Zealand and England. The idea originated from a group of civic-minded artists in Boston in 1976, who began the tradition of bringing communities together to celebrate New Year’s Eve in an alcohol-free event filled with entertainment."
_____
Here are just a few other First Night celebrations as examples.
Burlington, Vermont
About 200 events featuring 1,000 performing artists in 25 venues throughout the city.
Spokane, Washington
Between 25,000 and 30,000 people expected at 40+ venues.
St. Petersburg, Florida
More than 30 venues.
_____________
And here is some info about the First Night that started it all:
cbs4boston.com - Fun Facts About First Night Boston 2007: "This year’s event features over 1000 artists in 200 performances and exhibitions at over 40 indoor and outdoor venues around Boston. Expected attendance is 1 million celebratory people.
Funding
•First Night is a private non-profit corporation, which is supported by private donations and corporate sponsorship and through First Night button sales. More than 70 percent of the annual budget funds artistic programming and production. First Night artists are paid for their work.
•The City of Boston is a major supporter of First Night Boston, providing many services. First Night could not happen without the generosity of the Mayor and the City. The budget for First Night Boston 2006 is 1.4 million dollars, which is about $150,000 higher than last year, and accounts for an expanded development effort – part of a new business plan to cultivate more individual contributions as corporate and government contributions continue to wane for us and other non-profit arts organizations.
•If the budget is 1.4 million and 1 million people attend, that means First Night’s cost per person served is just $1.40. Quite a value!
•Traditionally, First Night funding has been 1/3 button revenue, 1/3 corporate sponsorship and 1/3 foundation, individual and government support.
•According to a recent economic index, First Night Boston generates $47 million dollars for Boston businesses in the fourth quarter. This figure does not include the admission fee (button revenue)."
music scene
economic development
tourism
music festival
live music
clubs
all ages
First Night
Boston
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Local music support versus advertising
Here's an interesting article about how a radio station totally devoted to Texas music switched formats to increase ad revenue, and then hopes to use that to take the all-Texas concept to HD radio, which is better suited to upscale, niche broadcasting.
Caller.com: Local News: "KBSO 94.7 FM, which he had owned since 1992, began playing 100 percent Texas music in 2000 without discrimination - blues, rock, country, Tejano, English or Spanish - as long as the music was good, Davila said. The only exception was rap. ...
"Listeners were in for a shock when, on Dec. 1, Davila switched to 100 percent Tejano. ...
"Davila is building a nest egg for his next move in Texas music. Having worked in Tejano radio most of his life, Davila knew switching genres would generate the money needed to take his beloved Texas music station to the next level - high-definition.
"He hopes to raise the $250,000 to $300,000 needed to make improvements within the year, when he plans to keep his Tejano station on 94.7 and make 94.8 an HD Texas music radio station. ...
"Tejano music is a growing market for ad revenue, whereas Texas music is hovering around a core group of advertisers, said Ed Shane, CEO of Shane Media Consultants and Best in Texas magazine. ...
"For now, the station offers Texas music only through its Web site, HYPERLINK http://www.texasradio947.com www.texasradio947.com, where Davila plans to podcast studio interviews with Texas artists."
radio
Texas
Caller.com: Local News: "KBSO 94.7 FM, which he had owned since 1992, began playing 100 percent Texas music in 2000 without discrimination - blues, rock, country, Tejano, English or Spanish - as long as the music was good, Davila said. The only exception was rap. ...
"Listeners were in for a shock when, on Dec. 1, Davila switched to 100 percent Tejano. ...
"Davila is building a nest egg for his next move in Texas music. Having worked in Tejano radio most of his life, Davila knew switching genres would generate the money needed to take his beloved Texas music station to the next level - high-definition.
"He hopes to raise the $250,000 to $300,000 needed to make improvements within the year, when he plans to keep his Tejano station on 94.7 and make 94.8 an HD Texas music radio station. ...
"Tejano music is a growing market for ad revenue, whereas Texas music is hovering around a core group of advertisers, said Ed Shane, CEO of Shane Media Consultants and Best in Texas magazine. ...
"For now, the station offers Texas music only through its Web site, HYPERLINK http://www.texasradio947.com www.texasradio947.com, where Davila plans to podcast studio interviews with Texas artists."
radio
Texas
Why does opera have to be stuffy?
This is a good idea. I'm not an opera fan myself, but on the other hand I do like the current crop of performers (e.g., Dresden Dolls) who are very theatrical and draw inspiration from 20th century European opera-influenced cabaret.
Opera Boston brings 'informal cabaret' to the Lizard Lounge - The Boston Globe: "On Jan. 17 at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, the company inaugurates Opera Boston Underground, which it calls 'an informal, themed opera cabaret.' Appropriately, its first show will be 'Kurt Weill's World,' songs written and inspired by a composer whose music bridged high art and popular sensibility as well as any in the 20th century.
"'I think many young people feel that opera is expensive and stuffy,' wrote Opera Boston general director Carole Charnow in an e-mail earlier this week. 'Opera Boston Underground is primarily a fun night out where young people can experience opera in a place where they're already comfortable -- their local bar or club. It will be set up a bit like a jazz gig -- with an improvisational feel, and there's a set where singers from the audience can join in.'"
clubs
classical music
Opera Boston brings 'informal cabaret' to the Lizard Lounge - The Boston Globe: "On Jan. 17 at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, the company inaugurates Opera Boston Underground, which it calls 'an informal, themed opera cabaret.' Appropriately, its first show will be 'Kurt Weill's World,' songs written and inspired by a composer whose music bridged high art and popular sensibility as well as any in the 20th century.
"'I think many young people feel that opera is expensive and stuffy,' wrote Opera Boston general director Carole Charnow in an e-mail earlier this week. 'Opera Boston Underground is primarily a fun night out where young people can experience opera in a place where they're already comfortable -- their local bar or club. It will be set up a bit like a jazz gig -- with an improvisational feel, and there's a set where singers from the audience can join in.'"
clubs
classical music
Churches as venues: another example
STLtoday - Entertainment - Music: "It's certainly one of the region's most colorful venues. St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, 4431 Lindell Boulevard, is the center of worship for the Roman Catholic archdiocese. It's also the home of one of the area's most dedicated presenters, Cathedral Concerts.
"The concerts were the brainchild of archdiocesan music director John Romeri, who arrived in 1992 and promptly started looking for ways to bring more music — and more people — into the building. The series has had its financial ups and downs, but Romeri and the Cathedral staff have maintained their commitment to presenting "great music in a great space."
church
"The concerts were the brainchild of archdiocesan music director John Romeri, who arrived in 1992 and promptly started looking for ways to bring more music — and more people — into the building. The series has had its financial ups and downs, but Romeri and the Cathedral staff have maintained their commitment to presenting "great music in a great space."
church
Friday, December 29, 2006
Moving beyond casinos
An interesting spin on bring live entertainment to non-traditional venues.
Ex-showman books big-name acts at RV resort: "Viewpoint, a sprawling, gated complex just off University Drive near Sossaman Road, is situated around two golf courses, lighted tennis courts and other amenities that McGrath likens to a cruise ship in the desert.
"It has a 12,000-square-foot ballroom and a seasonal population that swells to nearly 4,000, said the resort's general manager, Stacy Deprey-Purper. Going celebrity started last year after a survey of Viewpoint residents to compile their wish list for resort services, she said. ...
"'We're trying to bring part of Vegas or Branson to the people without the plane trip,' [Joe McGrath, entertainment director at Viewpoint RV & Golf Resort] said."
live music
Ex-showman books big-name acts at RV resort: "Viewpoint, a sprawling, gated complex just off University Drive near Sossaman Road, is situated around two golf courses, lighted tennis courts and other amenities that McGrath likens to a cruise ship in the desert.
"It has a 12,000-square-foot ballroom and a seasonal population that swells to nearly 4,000, said the resort's general manager, Stacy Deprey-Purper. Going celebrity started last year after a survey of Viewpoint residents to compile their wish list for resort services, she said. ...
"'We're trying to bring part of Vegas or Branson to the people without the plane trip,' [Joe McGrath, entertainment director at Viewpoint RV & Golf Resort] said."
live music
The live music industry from the perspective of Live Nation and Wall Street
Music To The Street's Ears "Ticket prices have been rising at an annual rate of 7% over the past five years. Great news for the Gods of Rock, who, like most bands, make more money touring than selling cds or singles. But ticket sales have fallen 3% annually over the past five years, and it doesn't take a scalper to know that you can raise prices only so far before fans start staying home and watching concert footage on YouTube ...
"Still, Live Nation, which operates 172 venues around the world, isn't waiting around for big acts to become too creaky to tour. It is looking to bolster its business with smaller shows put on by younger bands. In 2006 it acquired rival House of Blues Entertainment, whose theaters and clubs seat fewer than 2,000. Thanks to a surge in smaller shows, the number of U.S. concerts held each year rose from 5,000 in 2000 to 14,000 in 2006, according to Goldman, Sachs & Co. (GS ) That's largely why Live Nation is focusing on music, shedding divisions promoting sports events, Las Vegas productions, and speaking tours. 'At the end of the day,' says ceo Michael Rapino, "we want to go much deeper into music at the local level."
"At the same time, Live Nation is looking at selling underperforming arenas, focusing instead on the halls in the top 20 U.S. cities."
live music
"Still, Live Nation, which operates 172 venues around the world, isn't waiting around for big acts to become too creaky to tour. It is looking to bolster its business with smaller shows put on by younger bands. In 2006 it acquired rival House of Blues Entertainment, whose theaters and clubs seat fewer than 2,000. Thanks to a surge in smaller shows, the number of U.S. concerts held each year rose from 5,000 in 2000 to 14,000 in 2006, according to Goldman, Sachs & Co. (GS ) That's largely why Live Nation is focusing on music, shedding divisions promoting sports events, Las Vegas productions, and speaking tours. 'At the end of the day,' says ceo Michael Rapino, "we want to go much deeper into music at the local level."
"At the same time, Live Nation is looking at selling underperforming arenas, focusing instead on the halls in the top 20 U.S. cities."
live music
Payola "benefits" live music
This is a great way to turn payments from major labels into a community benefit.
SUNY Cortland - News - $500,000 Grant to Energize Cortland Music Scene and Music Appreciation: "The New York State Music Fund was created when the New York State Attorney General Office's resolved investigations against major record companies that had violated state and federal laws prohibiting 'pay for play,' also called 'payola.'...
"An Advisory Panel comprised of recognized leaders from a cross-section of the music world evaluated and recommended applications based on criteria focusing on artistic merit and community impact, and recommended 218 of 402 applications the Fund received for its second cycle.
"Awards to the 218 grantees represent every region of New York State and range from $10,000 to $500,000. Diverse forms of popular or experimental music, including indie rock, salsa, electronic, fusion and reggae account for almost 37 percent of grants and more than 15 percent celebrate a spectrum of jazz; nearly 25 percent include new classical music. The state’s ethnic or racial minority communities are served by close to a third of all programs, while 28 percent specifically target rural communities. The Fund’s size and emphasis on music of our time in all its forms set it apart from other arts grant programs....
"The funding will support a series of concerts
and events incorporating a range of educational activities including composing workshops, master classes and the use of technology to enable 'on demand' electronic access through pod casts and broadcast....
"The arts coalition will discuss using some grant funding to reduce the cost of ticket prices so more people can attend performances ... They also will consider acquiring music equipment to improve performance quality and enhance existing venues for public performances."
live music
economic development
New York
SUNY Cortland - News - $500,000 Grant to Energize Cortland Music Scene and Music Appreciation: "The New York State Music Fund was created when the New York State Attorney General Office's resolved investigations against major record companies that had violated state and federal laws prohibiting 'pay for play,' also called 'payola.'...
"An Advisory Panel comprised of recognized leaders from a cross-section of the music world evaluated and recommended applications based on criteria focusing on artistic merit and community impact, and recommended 218 of 402 applications the Fund received for its second cycle.
"Awards to the 218 grantees represent every region of New York State and range from $10,000 to $500,000. Diverse forms of popular or experimental music, including indie rock, salsa, electronic, fusion and reggae account for almost 37 percent of grants and more than 15 percent celebrate a spectrum of jazz; nearly 25 percent include new classical music. The state’s ethnic or racial minority communities are served by close to a third of all programs, while 28 percent specifically target rural communities. The Fund’s size and emphasis on music of our time in all its forms set it apart from other arts grant programs....
"The funding will support a series of concerts
and events incorporating a range of educational activities including composing workshops, master classes and the use of technology to enable 'on demand' electronic access through pod casts and broadcast....
"The arts coalition will discuss using some grant funding to reduce the cost of ticket prices so more people can attend performances ... They also will consider acquiring music equipment to improve performance quality and enhance existing venues for public performances."
live music
economic development
New York
How many 1000-4000 capacity venues does a town need?
Austin is adding more midsized venues and this article suggests that it will be bad for the local music scene there because there aren't enough local fans to patronize them all.
What it will mean is that on any given night there will be more places for touring bands to play. That means you can have more big acts hit town simultaneously, and they can all land weekend slots, thus giving them less incentive to schedule midweek shows. But this also means it will be harder to fill up those clubs every night of the week.
Multipurpose venues can stay fully booked by combining sports, convention, and entertainment dates. But venues that only depend on live music don't have those options.
The article also says that local acts don't draw well enough to play these venues, so if the midsized rooms take all the available entertainment money from a town, the small clubs will close and local bands will be out-of-luck.
The battle of the bandstands: "In a few years, local music fans will enjoy many more concert options than ever before. But let's say they have only about $35 a week to spend on live music: Will they spend it seeing Brit songstress Corrine Bailey Rae at the Austin City Limits Studio Theater on a Tuesday night, or will they catch the Mother Truckers at the Continental Club on Thursday, check out the new garage bands at Beerland on a Friday, then traipse over to Emo's to see a group they read about in Whoopsy? ...
"That's the worry of Danny Crooks, the former Steamboat owner, whose son Sean is a bassist and vocalist bubbling under the pop band the Alice Rose.
"'All these new developments are going to be great for road shows, but how are the small clubs, who put Austin music on the map, going to be able to compete?' Danny Crooks said."
live music
clubs
Austin
music scene
What it will mean is that on any given night there will be more places for touring bands to play. That means you can have more big acts hit town simultaneously, and they can all land weekend slots, thus giving them less incentive to schedule midweek shows. But this also means it will be harder to fill up those clubs every night of the week.
Multipurpose venues can stay fully booked by combining sports, convention, and entertainment dates. But venues that only depend on live music don't have those options.
The article also says that local acts don't draw well enough to play these venues, so if the midsized rooms take all the available entertainment money from a town, the small clubs will close and local bands will be out-of-luck.
The battle of the bandstands: "In a few years, local music fans will enjoy many more concert options than ever before. But let's say they have only about $35 a week to spend on live music: Will they spend it seeing Brit songstress Corrine Bailey Rae at the Austin City Limits Studio Theater on a Tuesday night, or will they catch the Mother Truckers at the Continental Club on Thursday, check out the new garage bands at Beerland on a Friday, then traipse over to Emo's to see a group they read about in Whoopsy? ...
"That's the worry of Danny Crooks, the former Steamboat owner, whose son Sean is a bassist and vocalist bubbling under the pop band the Alice Rose.
"'All these new developments are going to be great for road shows, but how are the small clubs, who put Austin music on the map, going to be able to compete?' Danny Crooks said."
live music
clubs
Austin
music scene
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
An unusual festival cross-promotion
If you are looking for sponsors or exhibitors for a music event, you might not want to limit yourself to the usual energy drinks, high tech entertainment, and sporting goods companies.
Builders, rockers ‘hammer’ things out at music fest: "Members of the Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Apprenticeship Training Program attended PlanetFest, an annual music festival organized by FM-107.3 and held annually at the Fairgrounds, with one goal in mind: gain new young recruits.
“'We wanted to get young people to come up there so we could talk to them about the apprenticeship program,' said Keith Ward, executive chairman of the Apprenticeship Program for NEFBA. 'We wanted to generate interest in the construction industry, whether it’s electrical, carpentry, plumbing or heating and air.'
"The organization set up a nail-driving contest to lure young rockers in. NEFBA supplied the hammers, nails and 6-by-6 boards participants used and there were about a dozen volunteers from the apprenticeship program and area construction companies including Thomas May Construction, Aulden & White Construction, Haskell Company and Moore Electric."
music festival
music promotion
Builders, rockers ‘hammer’ things out at music fest: "Members of the Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Apprenticeship Training Program attended PlanetFest, an annual music festival organized by FM-107.3 and held annually at the Fairgrounds, with one goal in mind: gain new young recruits.
“'We wanted to get young people to come up there so we could talk to them about the apprenticeship program,' said Keith Ward, executive chairman of the Apprenticeship Program for NEFBA. 'We wanted to generate interest in the construction industry, whether it’s electrical, carpentry, plumbing or heating and air.'
"The organization set up a nail-driving contest to lure young rockers in. NEFBA supplied the hammers, nails and 6-by-6 boards participants used and there were about a dozen volunteers from the apprenticeship program and area construction companies including Thomas May Construction, Aulden & White Construction, Haskell Company and Moore Electric."
music festival
music promotion
More on pop-up stores
I've posted a few blog entries on this trend and here is another. I think it would work very well for music marketing.
Advertising Age: "Taking note of the success enjoyed by Nike, Sony and Motorola, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is transforming a bank building in New York's Union Square into a 3,600-square-foot pop-up store from Jan. 10-16 to tout the south Florida destination."
tourism
Advertising Age: "Taking note of the success enjoyed by Nike, Sony and Motorola, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is transforming a bank building in New York's Union Square into a 3,600-square-foot pop-up store from Jan. 10-16 to tout the south Florida destination."
tourism
Will this help live music?
2006: Year in Music: The Year in DJ Music (Seattle Weekly): "But it is now clear that the DJ craze is on the wane in the U.S. The huge throngs that once welcomed van Dyk, Carl Cox, and the ubiquitous Oakenfold have dried up, at least in the smaller major cities. Once people in places like Dallas and Atlanta figured out the headliner would show up at 3 a.m., play a 20-minute set, and split, it was all over; and from then on, guys like that were forced to retreat to tried-and-true markets such as Miami, New York, and San Francisco for hosting duties at superclubs."
live music
clubs
live music
clubs
More examples of art and music saving small towns
A number of small towns have turned to arts and cultural tourism as a way to survive in a era when jobs have migrated elsewhere.
Economist.com: "... tiny Colquitt (population 1,900) in southern Georgia, one of the poorest parts of America, has been revived by a storytelling festival known as 'Swamp Gravy'. In the early 1990s someone had the bright idea of performing local folk-tales as musicals. The idea grew, and now some 40,000 people come each year to the festivities, which are held in a converted cotton mill. Many new businesses have opened on the town square, and sales triple when the Swamp Gravy show is on, according to Jennifer Trawick, executive director of the local arts council."
economic development
tourism
music festival
creativity
creative class
Economist.com: "... tiny Colquitt (population 1,900) in southern Georgia, one of the poorest parts of America, has been revived by a storytelling festival known as 'Swamp Gravy'. In the early 1990s someone had the bright idea of performing local folk-tales as musicals. The idea grew, and now some 40,000 people come each year to the festivities, which are held in a converted cotton mill. Many new businesses have opened on the town square, and sales triple when the Swamp Gravy show is on, according to Jennifer Trawick, executive director of the local arts council."
economic development
tourism
music festival
creativity
creative class
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Think: Local, Local, Local
This blog is all about developing local music scenes. Noise:Floor is a multi-media concept about local music.
This blurb also talks about the future of local media.
Let me take this a step further. Local media needs to highlight their local talent as much or more than they do national/international talent.
It has been happening here in the Denver metro area. There is an unprecedented amount of coverage of local music.
And it is warranted. There's an explosion of local talent.
But there's still a bias toward bands that are going to break away from the local scene and make an impact nationally or internationally. There's more buzz about the bands that are being checked out by major labels and about bands being invited to the most prestigious festivals.
Perhaps a true local focus will equally tout talented bands that have no interest in leaving the area.
The Consolidation of Local Media - SeekingAlpha: "None other than The Kraft Group and Pallotta's The Raptor Fund have ponied up $20 million of investment capital in Plum TV, the network of local stations in high-powered markets like The Hamptons, Martha's Vineyard, Aspen and Vail -- 6 stations currently, with two more awaiting FCC approval.
"Media powerplayers Robert Pittman [Time Warner's (TWX) AOL] and Tom Freston [Viacom's (VIA) MTV] also led the round. While not yet public, a group this smart must know something. In the end, who really wants the 'pablum' of mass produced media in an age of consumer control and customization [think Starbucks (SBUX) and Apple's (AAPL) iPod, where the consumer controls everything about the end product]. And, who really wants the YouTube antics of candyies dropped in Coke bottles (except for momentary entertainment value and a good chuckle).
"Perhaps the future of media -- and the investment dollars that follow it -- will be refocused on local markets and local communities. Like MTV and Freston's vision earlier, Plum is really about influence, not reach. Do more 'eyeballs' matter? Or do the RIGHT eyeballs matter? Most savvy marketers vote for the latter. So do Kraft, Pallotta, Freston, Pittman.
"Consolidation of local media -- while keeping the local content -- may be what the likes of ClearChannel and others ultimately missed."
denver music
music scene
indie
economic development
music festival
live music
clubs
creative class
Denver
Colorado
This blurb also talks about the future of local media.
Let me take this a step further. Local media needs to highlight their local talent as much or more than they do national/international talent.
It has been happening here in the Denver metro area. There is an unprecedented amount of coverage of local music.
And it is warranted. There's an explosion of local talent.
But there's still a bias toward bands that are going to break away from the local scene and make an impact nationally or internationally. There's more buzz about the bands that are being checked out by major labels and about bands being invited to the most prestigious festivals.
Perhaps a true local focus will equally tout talented bands that have no interest in leaving the area.
The Consolidation of Local Media - SeekingAlpha: "None other than The Kraft Group and Pallotta's The Raptor Fund have ponied up $20 million of investment capital in Plum TV, the network of local stations in high-powered markets like The Hamptons, Martha's Vineyard, Aspen and Vail -- 6 stations currently, with two more awaiting FCC approval.
"Media powerplayers Robert Pittman [Time Warner's (TWX) AOL] and Tom Freston [Viacom's (VIA) MTV] also led the round. While not yet public, a group this smart must know something. In the end, who really wants the 'pablum' of mass produced media in an age of consumer control and customization [think Starbucks (SBUX) and Apple's (AAPL) iPod, where the consumer controls everything about the end product]. And, who really wants the YouTube antics of candyies dropped in Coke bottles (except for momentary entertainment value and a good chuckle).
"Perhaps the future of media -- and the investment dollars that follow it -- will be refocused on local markets and local communities. Like MTV and Freston's vision earlier, Plum is really about influence, not reach. Do more 'eyeballs' matter? Or do the RIGHT eyeballs matter? Most savvy marketers vote for the latter. So do Kraft, Pallotta, Freston, Pittman.
"Consolidation of local media -- while keeping the local content -- may be what the likes of ClearChannel and others ultimately missed."
denver music
music scene
indie
economic development
music festival
live music
clubs
creative class
Denver
Colorado
More art parties
Club (Museum) Hopping | New York Resident - Resident.com: "Welcome to First Friday, an evening art viewing and cocktail party at the Guggenheim Museum, where schmoozing and boozing to the loungey vibes of DJ Dina Regine in the famous Frank Lloyd Wright-designed rotunda on opening night took precedence over actually walking up the ramp to view the collection....
"The appeal of merging a museum’s elegance with nightlife culture may be a happy medium of class and crass. 'It’s better than going to a bar sometimes, because you get the mental stimulation as well, and it can be more sophisticated than hanging in a bar,' said Polina Froim, a native New Yorker who attended a Starry Night. 'It’s unique.'"
creative class
third places
creativity
New York
"The appeal of merging a museum’s elegance with nightlife culture may be a happy medium of class and crass. 'It’s better than going to a bar sometimes, because you get the mental stimulation as well, and it can be more sophisticated than hanging in a bar,' said Polina Froim, a native New Yorker who attended a Starry Night. 'It’s unique.'"
creative class
third places
creativity
New York
Monday, December 25, 2006
More on Third Places
This comes from a church blog. As I have been searching for blog entries about "third places," I've come across a number of references to developing churches as "third places."
It's an excellent idea. The challenge will be to get people who aren't members of that church to feel comfortable gathering there. (And perhaps that isn't what the church wants anyway.) But if it becomes the case, then churches may also be used as music venues, giving people an alternative to bars. What appeals to me about churches as music venues is that most of them also have daycare facilities, so adults can go to a concert and their kids can be watched in adjacent rooms.
MBCC Blog: the third place?: "Oldenburg sees the third place as the cure for American society’s fragmentation. He lists several characteristics that all third places share. First, the third place puts people on neutral ground. By this, he means that it is a setting where people can come and go as they please without obligation. Inherent in this is a contradiction that Oldenburg himself points out: “we need a good deal of immunity from those whose company we like best”. The second trait is that they are a leveler. In a third place, every one is equal. People of differing social status come together without distinction, to put in perhaps too idealistic terms. Next, third places are spots where the main activity is conversation. Fourth, it is accessible and accommodating at almost anytime. Fifth, third places have “regulars”, people who are always in the place and add to the environment (think Norm on Cheers). Third places tend to have a low profile. They are usually in buildings that have been around for awhile. Finally, third places have the feeling of a home away from home."
creative class
third places
church
It's an excellent idea. The challenge will be to get people who aren't members of that church to feel comfortable gathering there. (And perhaps that isn't what the church wants anyway.) But if it becomes the case, then churches may also be used as music venues, giving people an alternative to bars. What appeals to me about churches as music venues is that most of them also have daycare facilities, so adults can go to a concert and their kids can be watched in adjacent rooms.
MBCC Blog: the third place?: "Oldenburg sees the third place as the cure for American society’s fragmentation. He lists several characteristics that all third places share. First, the third place puts people on neutral ground. By this, he means that it is a setting where people can come and go as they please without obligation. Inherent in this is a contradiction that Oldenburg himself points out: “we need a good deal of immunity from those whose company we like best”. The second trait is that they are a leveler. In a third place, every one is equal. People of differing social status come together without distinction, to put in perhaps too idealistic terms. Next, third places are spots where the main activity is conversation. Fourth, it is accessible and accommodating at almost anytime. Fifth, third places have “regulars”, people who are always in the place and add to the environment (think Norm on Cheers). Third places tend to have a low profile. They are usually in buildings that have been around for awhile. Finally, third places have the feeling of a home away from home."
creative class
third places
church
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Rich People and Nerds
According to Paul Graham, "you only need two kinds of people to create a technology hub: rich people and nerds."
This is a very cool article on the why some cities can become Silicon Valleys and others cannot.
Having lived in Boulder since 1991 and having written about the local VD/technology/startup scene I agree with him that Boulder has the right stuff.
Graham mentions sunlight and until recently I didn't realize to what extent good city planning has played a role in making Boulder more liveable. The Pearl Street Mall in Boulder is a pedestrian mall and one of the best in the country. Lots of shops, outdoor cafes, places to sit, etc. There is a long-standing height limit on buildings in Boulder, which this means there is sun everywhere you walk, plus mountain views. Boulder feels more like a small town than a big city, even though we have many big city resources.
Paul Graham: How to Be Silicon Valley: "Nerds don't care about glamour, so to them the appeal of New York is a mystery. People who like New York will pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment in order to live in a town where the cool people are really cool. A nerd looks at that deal and sees only: pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment.
"Nerds will pay a premium to live in a town where the smart people are really smart, but you don't have to pay as much for that. It's supply and demand: glamour is popular, so you have to pay a lot for it.
"Most nerds like quieter pleasures. They like cafes instead of clubs; used bookshops instead of fashionable clothing shops; hiking instead of dancing; sunlight instead of tall buildings. A nerd's idea of paradise is Berkeley or Boulder."
economic development
creative class
third places
Boulder
This is a very cool article on the why some cities can become Silicon Valleys and others cannot.
Having lived in Boulder since 1991 and having written about the local VD/technology/startup scene I agree with him that Boulder has the right stuff.
Graham mentions sunlight and until recently I didn't realize to what extent good city planning has played a role in making Boulder more liveable. The Pearl Street Mall in Boulder is a pedestrian mall and one of the best in the country. Lots of shops, outdoor cafes, places to sit, etc. There is a long-standing height limit on buildings in Boulder, which this means there is sun everywhere you walk, plus mountain views. Boulder feels more like a small town than a big city, even though we have many big city resources.
Paul Graham: How to Be Silicon Valley: "Nerds don't care about glamour, so to them the appeal of New York is a mystery. People who like New York will pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment in order to live in a town where the cool people are really cool. A nerd looks at that deal and sees only: pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment.
"Nerds will pay a premium to live in a town where the smart people are really smart, but you don't have to pay as much for that. It's supply and demand: glamour is popular, so you have to pay a lot for it.
"Most nerds like quieter pleasures. They like cafes instead of clubs; used bookshops instead of fashionable clothing shops; hiking instead of dancing; sunlight instead of tall buildings. A nerd's idea of paradise is Berkeley or Boulder."
economic development
creative class
third places
Boulder
The history of Las Vegas as a rock town
I was doing some research on Peter Morton, the founder of Hard Rock. I went to school with him at the University of Denver. Though I didn't know him well, we were all the the business school together and I knew some of his fraternity brothers.
At any rate, I ran across these two 1997 articles about the Las Vegas rock scene. One talks about the challenges that venues faced in promoting local music and the other about the rise of Las Vegas as a stop on the national concert circuit. What the two articles together point out is that you can bring in lots of national acts and still have nothing to offer local bands.
Las Vegas SUN: To build a rock mecca, start from the ground up
Las Vegas SUN: Vegas rock finally on a roll?
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
music promotion
Las Vegas
At any rate, I ran across these two 1997 articles about the Las Vegas rock scene. One talks about the challenges that venues faced in promoting local music and the other about the rise of Las Vegas as a stop on the national concert circuit. What the two articles together point out is that you can bring in lots of national acts and still have nothing to offer local bands.
Las Vegas SUN: To build a rock mecca, start from the ground up
Las Vegas SUN: Vegas rock finally on a roll?
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
music promotion
Las Vegas
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Live music is doing well in Britain
London Calling - WSJ.com: "British rock has seen a resurgence across the country. By the end of the 1990s, British rock acts succumbed to the popularity of American hip-hop and pop. Promoters and booking agents say that they struggled to find enough quality local bands to fill London's venues, particularly due to the rise of dance music and rave culture where clubbers flocked to see DJs instead of guitar-wielding musicians.
"The pendulum is now swinging away from dance and pop and back to rock -- and British artists are on the rise again. This year, they made up more than half of the U.K.'s top 100 albums in the second quarter of the year -- a 20% increase since 2001. In the past five years, revenue from live music performances around the country doubled to $24.6 million, according to the Performing Rights Society.
"While other London neighborhoods like Brixton and Kilburn are also benefiting from the resurgence in live music, Shoreditch venues are becoming the crucible for up-and-coming British acts. The area's geographic boundaries are nebulous even to those who live there, but it's generally considered to be the 'triangle' bounded by Old Street, High Street, and Great Eastern Street."
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
"The pendulum is now swinging away from dance and pop and back to rock -- and British artists are on the rise again. This year, they made up more than half of the U.K.'s top 100 albums in the second quarter of the year -- a 20% increase since 2001. In the past five years, revenue from live music performances around the country doubled to $24.6 million, according to the Performing Rights Society.
"While other London neighborhoods like Brixton and Kilburn are also benefiting from the resurgence in live music, Shoreditch venues are becoming the crucible for up-and-coming British acts. The area's geographic boundaries are nebulous even to those who live there, but it's generally considered to be the 'triangle' bounded by Old Street, High Street, and Great Eastern Street."
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
Music fans aren't what they used to be
Census data points out some trends that make it harder to reach appreciative live music audiences.
Younger generations have lives that involve staying home alone, cruising the internet, and dreaming of becoming rich. Bonding with other people at a music event, or any event for that matter, is not as important to them as to, say, The Woodstock generation.
As someone who still believes in the importance of musicians as artists and who wants to see at least a few of them being able to devote their lives to music, it's a challenge for me to come up with ideas.
Who Americans Are and What They Do, in Census Data - New York Times
"'... over the last hundred years, technology has privatized our leisure time,' said Robert D. Putnam, a public policy professor at Harvard and author of 'Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.'
“'The distinctive effect of technology has been to enable us to get entertainment and information while remaining entirely alone,' Mr. Putnam said. 'That is from many points of view very efficient. I also think it’s fundamentally bad because the lack of social contact, the social isolation means that we don’t share information and values and outlook that we should.'
"...a shift in what college freshmen described as their primary personal objectives. In 1970, 79 percent said their goal was developing a meaningful philosophy of life. By 2005, 75 percent said their primary objective was to be financially very well off."
creativity
creative class
third places
live music
Younger generations have lives that involve staying home alone, cruising the internet, and dreaming of becoming rich. Bonding with other people at a music event, or any event for that matter, is not as important to them as to, say, The Woodstock generation.
As someone who still believes in the importance of musicians as artists and who wants to see at least a few of them being able to devote their lives to music, it's a challenge for me to come up with ideas.
Who Americans Are and What They Do, in Census Data - New York Times
"'... over the last hundred years, technology has privatized our leisure time,' said Robert D. Putnam, a public policy professor at Harvard and author of 'Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community.'
“'The distinctive effect of technology has been to enable us to get entertainment and information while remaining entirely alone,' Mr. Putnam said. 'That is from many points of view very efficient. I also think it’s fundamentally bad because the lack of social contact, the social isolation means that we don’t share information and values and outlook that we should.'
"...a shift in what college freshmen described as their primary personal objectives. In 1970, 79 percent said their goal was developing a meaningful philosophy of life. By 2005, 75 percent said their primary objective was to be financially very well off."
creativity
creative class
third places
live music
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Partying for "art" and maybe music?
Here's an article on the convergence in LA of the art, hipster, and entertainment crowds at various parties.
Local music events could probably learn a bit from this.
But throwing a good party is not easy.
The best parties I have every been to have been in conjunction with the University of Colorado's Conference on World Affairs.
Here's why I think they work:
1. Everyone who attends has been hand-selected and is considered a leader in his or her field. Every year the conference invites about 100 movers/shakers/creative types from diverse fields to a week-long conference where they are put on panels and discuss a variety of topics, all of which is free and open to the public.
Both the level of accomplishment and the diversity of backgrounds are important. This gives you quality interactions that aren't narrowly defined.
2. People are there because they want to be there. Since everyone who is invited to the conference pays their own way, they are interested in participating. This means they are open and eager to meet each other. Few, if anyone, is is standing around trying to be too cool or disinterested to talk to everyone else. And since they know everyone has been handpicked, they make the assumption that they will be engaged in quality conversations with anyone they happen to be standing next to.
3. The group is a mix of familiar faces and new faces. A certain number of invitees have been to the conference before, in some cases for many years. Others are there for the first time. So the old-timers know enough people to give the parties a family feel, but the newcomers trigger new conversations.
I've been to other parties/events that have not been as good and here are some of the reasons:
1. Not an interesting mix of people. If no one has much to say, there's no energy in the room.
2. Too in-bred. If it's a group of people all in the same industry, you pretty much know what to expect in terms of conversation.
3. Too cliquey. Some parties, particularly certain groups of elites/hipsters, are cold because everyone there is trying too hard to be cool. (No pun intended.)
4. No one knows anyone. When everyone is a stranger, there's too much time spent on introductions and trying to scope everyone out. People spend all their time trying to decide who to meet and how to break the ice rather than jumping into a good conversation.
Putting the 'art' in party - Los Angeles Times: "In recent weeks, however, several art-related events — in Hollywood, Elysian Park, West Hollywood and Culver City, respectively — have signaled an evolution in how Los Angeles will party in the name of art.
"Each event derived a cerebral glamour from differing points on the pop-art continuum, crossing time-honored social divides in the process and raising both money for and awareness about Angeleno cultural life in the process."
creative class
Conference on World Affairs
CWA
University of Colorado
Local music events could probably learn a bit from this.
But throwing a good party is not easy.
The best parties I have every been to have been in conjunction with the University of Colorado's Conference on World Affairs.
Here's why I think they work:
1. Everyone who attends has been hand-selected and is considered a leader in his or her field. Every year the conference invites about 100 movers/shakers/creative types from diverse fields to a week-long conference where they are put on panels and discuss a variety of topics, all of which is free and open to the public.
Both the level of accomplishment and the diversity of backgrounds are important. This gives you quality interactions that aren't narrowly defined.
2. People are there because they want to be there. Since everyone who is invited to the conference pays their own way, they are interested in participating. This means they are open and eager to meet each other. Few, if anyone, is is standing around trying to be too cool or disinterested to talk to everyone else. And since they know everyone has been handpicked, they make the assumption that they will be engaged in quality conversations with anyone they happen to be standing next to.
3. The group is a mix of familiar faces and new faces. A certain number of invitees have been to the conference before, in some cases for many years. Others are there for the first time. So the old-timers know enough people to give the parties a family feel, but the newcomers trigger new conversations.
I've been to other parties/events that have not been as good and here are some of the reasons:
1. Not an interesting mix of people. If no one has much to say, there's no energy in the room.
2. Too in-bred. If it's a group of people all in the same industry, you pretty much know what to expect in terms of conversation.
3. Too cliquey. Some parties, particularly certain groups of elites/hipsters, are cold because everyone there is trying too hard to be cool. (No pun intended.)
4. No one knows anyone. When everyone is a stranger, there's too much time spent on introductions and trying to scope everyone out. People spend all their time trying to decide who to meet and how to break the ice rather than jumping into a good conversation.
Putting the 'art' in party - Los Angeles Times: "In recent weeks, however, several art-related events — in Hollywood, Elysian Park, West Hollywood and Culver City, respectively — have signaled an evolution in how Los Angeles will party in the name of art.
"Each event derived a cerebral glamour from differing points on the pop-art continuum, crossing time-honored social divides in the process and raising both money for and awareness about Angeleno cultural life in the process."
creative class
Conference on World Affairs
CWA
University of Colorado
The company band
This article talks about companies that have bands/choruses made up of employees, who do this as an after-hours hobby.
Among the benefits:
1. A chance to get the company name out in the community when the music group performs at various local functions.
2. A bonding experience for the members.
3. A chance to blow off steam and have some fun.
Companies strike up their bands
Among the benefits:
1. A chance to get the company name out in the community when the music group performs at various local functions.
2. A bonding experience for the members.
3. A chance to blow off steam and have some fun.
Companies strike up their bands
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Third Places
Periodically I will touch upon the concept of the "third place," which is what I to see more music venues become.
We spend much of our lives at home and at work. Then there are "third places" where people can gather. Here's a good definition of them.
www.frwy.ca: "'Third places' are crucial to a community for a number of reasons:
* They are distinctive informal gathering places.
* They make people feel at home.
* They foster relationships and a diversity of human contact.
* They help create a sense of place and community.
* They invoke a sense of civic pride.
* They provide numerous opportunities for serendipity.
* They promote friendship.
* They allow people to relax and unwind after a long day at work.
* They are socially binding.
* They encourage sociability instead of isolation.
* They make life more colourful."
third places
creative class
We spend much of our lives at home and at work. Then there are "third places" where people can gather. Here's a good definition of them.
www.frwy.ca: "'Third places' are crucial to a community for a number of reasons:
* They are distinctive informal gathering places.
* They make people feel at home.
* They foster relationships and a diversity of human contact.
* They help create a sense of place and community.
* They invoke a sense of civic pride.
* They provide numerous opportunities for serendipity.
* They promote friendship.
* They allow people to relax and unwind after a long day at work.
* They are socially binding.
* They encourage sociability instead of isolation.
* They make life more colourful."
third places
creative class
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
These guys get it
I'm sitting here cleaning up my email and I find this.
__________
WHAT: THE CHARMIN RESTROOM, THE BIGGEST EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING PROGRAM OF THE SEASON
WHERE: NEW YORK CITY, 1540 BROADWAY NEXT TO THE VIRGIN MEGASTORE IN TIMES SQUARE
OPEN: Through December 31st
We invite the event marketing industry to see first-hand what everyone is talking about. Come visit the ultimate brand-as-destination/brand-as-hero experience, the Charmin Family Restrooms in Times Square!
Delivering surprise and delight at the crossroads of the world, the Charmin Family Experience is a 12,000 sq. ft. oasis of comfort complete with 20 stunningly luxurious and immaculate restrooms. Some highlights from our first three weeks of operation:
1. 191 million media impressions in the first 24 hours,
358 million media impressions in the first 10 days,
and 437 million media impressions in the first 20 days
2. Exposure in every major newspaper and on every
major network. ‘New York Times’ editorial: “The
Charmin Restrooms are the Disneyland of
Restrooms!”
3. Surprising and delighting 10,400 families per day
4. More daily visitors to the Charmin Experience than
attendees to the Statue of Liberty or skaters at
Rockefeller Center
5. Minimum family visit: 12 minutes; Average family visit:
22 minutes
6. Families from all 50 states and 110+ countries
7. More than 300 videos posted by visitors on
YouTube.com
8. 95% of all families take three or more pictures inside
the Experience
COME VISIT! Until now, the #1 most asked question to police in Times Square: "Where's a bathroom?" Outfitted with every amenity imaginable, from wainscoting, crown molding, hardwood floors, porcelain fixtures, cloud-motif skylights, fireplaces, a dance stage, topiaries, toboggan family photo opportunity, and plenty of overstuffed furniture for all those tired holiday shopping legs, the Charmin Family Experience gives New Yorkers and all those visiting New York the one thing the city has never offered: perfectly clean and abundant public restrooms!
It’s experiential marketing at its best, and the event industry has to experience it before it closes on December 31. Concepted, created, and executed by Gigunda Group.
___
I think I got the email because I am subscribed to some event marketing newsletters. And event marketing has always been near and dear to my heart.
What I like about this is that these folks have figured out how to turn a basic necessity (and usually an unpleasant experience -- do you like public bathrooms on street corners?) into something memorable.
So how come so many music venues can't deliver a quality experience? Sure, corporate America has a big marketing budget and can afford to do something like this, but bars could at least strive for fun CLEAN bathrooms if nothing else.
__________
WHAT: THE CHARMIN RESTROOM, THE BIGGEST EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING PROGRAM OF THE SEASON
WHERE: NEW YORK CITY, 1540 BROADWAY NEXT TO THE VIRGIN MEGASTORE IN TIMES SQUARE
OPEN: Through December 31st
We invite the event marketing industry to see first-hand what everyone is talking about. Come visit the ultimate brand-as-destination/brand-as-hero experience, the Charmin Family Restrooms in Times Square!
Delivering surprise and delight at the crossroads of the world, the Charmin Family Experience is a 12,000 sq. ft. oasis of comfort complete with 20 stunningly luxurious and immaculate restrooms. Some highlights from our first three weeks of operation:
1. 191 million media impressions in the first 24 hours,
358 million media impressions in the first 10 days,
and 437 million media impressions in the first 20 days
2. Exposure in every major newspaper and on every
major network. ‘New York Times’ editorial: “The
Charmin Restrooms are the Disneyland of
Restrooms!”
3. Surprising and delighting 10,400 families per day
4. More daily visitors to the Charmin Experience than
attendees to the Statue of Liberty or skaters at
Rockefeller Center
5. Minimum family visit: 12 minutes; Average family visit:
22 minutes
6. Families from all 50 states and 110+ countries
7. More than 300 videos posted by visitors on
YouTube.com
8. 95% of all families take three or more pictures inside
the Experience
COME VISIT! Until now, the #1 most asked question to police in Times Square: "Where's a bathroom?" Outfitted with every amenity imaginable, from wainscoting, crown molding, hardwood floors, porcelain fixtures, cloud-motif skylights, fireplaces, a dance stage, topiaries, toboggan family photo opportunity, and plenty of overstuffed furniture for all those tired holiday shopping legs, the Charmin Family Experience gives New Yorkers and all those visiting New York the one thing the city has never offered: perfectly clean and abundant public restrooms!
It’s experiential marketing at its best, and the event industry has to experience it before it closes on December 31. Concepted, created, and executed by Gigunda Group.
___
I think I got the email because I am subscribed to some event marketing newsletters. And event marketing has always been near and dear to my heart.
What I like about this is that these folks have figured out how to turn a basic necessity (and usually an unpleasant experience -- do you like public bathrooms on street corners?) into something memorable.
So how come so many music venues can't deliver a quality experience? Sure, corporate America has a big marketing budget and can afford to do something like this, but bars could at least strive for fun CLEAN bathrooms if nothing else.
Time's Person of the Year: You
TIME.com: Time's Person of the Year: You -- Dec. 25, 2006
I'm still trying to get a handle on what it will mean to music, video, writing, etc., when everyone is more interested in being a star themselves and putting on their own show than being a fan/audience.
Music reviewers are starting to point out the number of young fans at concerts who are on their cellphones rather than paying attention to the performers. They are either calling friends to tell them about the show, text messaging them, or taking photos and recording the show. Trying to turn that into a positive, some bands now allow their fans to send text messages from their seats to a giant screen at the show. Their goal isn't to watch the band but to see yourself on the screen.
The Fray, a Denver band that I know well, is using another technique to involve fans: getting them to sing along. Isaac Slade will sometimes stop singing, turn his microphone to the audience, and then let them take over. Video crews then film the fans and incorporate that into band videos.
I think The Fray is particularly attuned to fan involvement because of their backgrounds with worship music in church. Some of the best pop music being written today is written for the contemporary Christian market. Churches, in turn, are creating more interactive services which incorporate contemporary music and attendee participation, borrowing, and in many cases, improving upon what has worked in pop culture.
Getting back to the "It's all about me" movement in Web 2.0, I think increasingly creative types will be judged not on the quality of their art but their ability to involve others. What will be valued is when you present bits and pieces (songs, software, templates) that others can adapt for their own use. Your own particular creation will be less important than helping others express themselves.
This may be a hard trend to accept for bands who think their primary purpose is to create "art." All too often bands think all they have to do is write and perform great songs, and record companies will find them. Not only was this rarely true in the past, it is even more unlikely now. Fans want to know what is in it for them. And often music alone isn't enough anymore.
creativity
I'm still trying to get a handle on what it will mean to music, video, writing, etc., when everyone is more interested in being a star themselves and putting on their own show than being a fan/audience.
Music reviewers are starting to point out the number of young fans at concerts who are on their cellphones rather than paying attention to the performers. They are either calling friends to tell them about the show, text messaging them, or taking photos and recording the show. Trying to turn that into a positive, some bands now allow their fans to send text messages from their seats to a giant screen at the show. Their goal isn't to watch the band but to see yourself on the screen.
The Fray, a Denver band that I know well, is using another technique to involve fans: getting them to sing along. Isaac Slade will sometimes stop singing, turn his microphone to the audience, and then let them take over. Video crews then film the fans and incorporate that into band videos.
I think The Fray is particularly attuned to fan involvement because of their backgrounds with worship music in church. Some of the best pop music being written today is written for the contemporary Christian market. Churches, in turn, are creating more interactive services which incorporate contemporary music and attendee participation, borrowing, and in many cases, improving upon what has worked in pop culture.
Getting back to the "It's all about me" movement in Web 2.0, I think increasingly creative types will be judged not on the quality of their art but their ability to involve others. What will be valued is when you present bits and pieces (songs, software, templates) that others can adapt for their own use. Your own particular creation will be less important than helping others express themselves.
This may be a hard trend to accept for bands who think their primary purpose is to create "art." All too often bands think all they have to do is write and perform great songs, and record companies will find them. Not only was this rarely true in the past, it is even more unlikely now. Fans want to know what is in it for them. And often music alone isn't enough anymore.
creativity
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Tough love for arts organizations
Nonprofit arts face the music - THE ARTS - Los Angeles Times - calendarlive.com: "Russell Willis Taylor, president of National Arts Strategies, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit devoted to strengthening the management and finances of arts organizations, said she is leery of calls for making them 'more entrepreneurial.'
"'When you say you want these organizations to be run more like a business, I say, 'Which one? Enron?' she quipped.
"The be-more-businesslike message is nothing new, Taylor says. She sees it as an irony-laden gambit by arts funders trying to avoid facing a cold reality of the marketplace: that when too many competitors crowd into a single business -- arts sectors included — some inevitably will struggle or fold.
"Because California is a magnet for creative people, Taylor says, it generates more than its share of nonprofit arts start-ups, and not all can make it. Because arts donors are passionate and devoted to the programs and groups they support, she added, they tend to want to prop up flagging organizations when it no longer makes economic sense, turning to ideas such as mergers and bigger gift shops to stave off the inevitable. 'In any other field, the market takes over and brutally puts people out of business,' Taylor said."
creative class
"'When you say you want these organizations to be run more like a business, I say, 'Which one? Enron?' she quipped.
"The be-more-businesslike message is nothing new, Taylor says. She sees it as an irony-laden gambit by arts funders trying to avoid facing a cold reality of the marketplace: that when too many competitors crowd into a single business -- arts sectors included — some inevitably will struggle or fold.
"Because California is a magnet for creative people, Taylor says, it generates more than its share of nonprofit arts start-ups, and not all can make it. Because arts donors are passionate and devoted to the programs and groups they support, she added, they tend to want to prop up flagging organizations when it no longer makes economic sense, turning to ideas such as mergers and bigger gift shops to stave off the inevitable. 'In any other field, the market takes over and brutally puts people out of business,' Taylor said."
creative class
Integrating art into a community
This article talks about a neighborhood in Houston which has become a inner city artists' residency program. What makes it noteworthy is the way it is able to change lives -- both artists and local residents.
Project Row Houses - Rick Lowe - - Art - Report - New York Times: "The campus, as Mr. Lowe calls it, now includes eight houses for visiting artists, local and international. 'We give them a key,' he said. 'They come for anywhere from a week to five months. They can do whatever they want. There are a lot of other places for artists to prepare exhibitions for museums or alternative spaces. We encourage them to figure out how to be creative within this community.'
"...Project Row Houses has created the Young Mothers Residential Program, the brainchild of Deborah Grotfeldt, who worked with Mr. Lowe at the beginning. Since 1996, it has provided a year’s housing and support for single women struggling to finish school and get their bearings. It has been as successful as the artist residency program.
"Assata Richards was one of the first mothers to move in. 'Back then, I was 23,' she told me when I called her up in Pittsburgh, where she is now an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. 'My son was 6. I was financially struggling and having a hard time with housing. I was low on self-esteem. I had been a high achiever, but motherhood, working and going to school were taking a toll on me.'
"The program offered child care, classes in child rearing, workshops on spirituality and sexuality, and mutual support. 'We learned that we didn’t have to be single mothers, even if we weren’t married,' Ms. Richards said. “We didn’t have to do anything by ourselves.'”
Project Row Houses - Rick Lowe - - Art - Report - New York Times: "The campus, as Mr. Lowe calls it, now includes eight houses for visiting artists, local and international. 'We give them a key,' he said. 'They come for anywhere from a week to five months. They can do whatever they want. There are a lot of other places for artists to prepare exhibitions for museums or alternative spaces. We encourage them to figure out how to be creative within this community.'
"...Project Row Houses has created the Young Mothers Residential Program, the brainchild of Deborah Grotfeldt, who worked with Mr. Lowe at the beginning. Since 1996, it has provided a year’s housing and support for single women struggling to finish school and get their bearings. It has been as successful as the artist residency program.
"Assata Richards was one of the first mothers to move in. 'Back then, I was 23,' she told me when I called her up in Pittsburgh, where she is now an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. 'My son was 6. I was financially struggling and having a hard time with housing. I was low on self-esteem. I had been a high achiever, but motherhood, working and going to school were taking a toll on me.'
"The program offered child care, classes in child rearing, workshops on spirituality and sexuality, and mutual support. 'We learned that we didn’t have to be single mothers, even if we weren’t married,' Ms. Richards said. “We didn’t have to do anything by ourselves.'”
Friday, December 15, 2006
Musings on creativity
Some creative types on what enables them and prevents them from being creative.
Columbian.com - Serving Clark County, Washington: "'The key question,' American psychologist Abraham Maslow writes, 'isn't 'What fosters creativity?' But it is why in God's name isn't everyone creative?"
creativity
Columbian.com - Serving Clark County, Washington: "'The key question,' American psychologist Abraham Maslow writes, 'isn't 'What fosters creativity?' But it is why in God's name isn't everyone creative?"
creativity
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Outdoor recreation also lures the Creative Class
As it turns out, having outdoor recreational opportunities can be another way to lure the creative class (something we've already known in Colorado). It isn't just urban scenes.
According to a recent study:
"The creative class is growing most rapidly in areas that are mountainous, with a mix of forest and open area (but with relatively little cropland), and where winters are sunny."
"Counties with a relatively large number of bicycle and sports stores jobs per capita have gained more than their share of the creative class."
This should be reassuring to musicians who are more at home among action sports enthusiasts than among inner city hipsters.
According to a recent study:
"The creative class is growing most rapidly in areas that are mountainous, with a mix of forest and open area (but with relatively little cropland), and where winters are sunny."
"Counties with a relatively large number of bicycle and sports stores jobs per capita have gained more than their share of the creative class."
This should be reassuring to musicians who are more at home among action sports enthusiasts than among inner city hipsters.
You can download the study here.
creative class
economic development
tourism
Colorado
A massive theater project that promotes a sense of community
Late month, the national staging of Suzan-Lori Parks' "365 Days/365 Plays" began. She wrote a play for every day of the year and in 15 different regions around the country 52 different theaters per region will each be staging a week's worth of plays, involving more than 725 groups.
What has developed is both a sense of diversity and community, with ample room for local creativity.
Whether something similar could be done with live music across the country and whether the positive vibes would be the same, I don't know. But it's a thought.
DenverPost.com - 365 Days ... 365 Plays: "The festival's scope is boggling. The array of participants spans New York's Public Theatre to the Denver Center Theatre Company to colleges in England and Australia to the tiny Steel City Theatre Company in Pueblo.
"'But we are trying to dispel the thought that the Public Theatre is somehow doing anything more important than anyone else,' [Bonnie Metzgar, associate artistic director at Denver's Curious Theatre and producer of the 365 Days/365 Plays National Festival] said. 'They are one of 52 theaters in New York, the same as there are 52 in Atlanta and 52 in Colorado.' ...
"'This project does not build community,' Metzgar said, 'it reveals community where it already exists.'
"The plays can be performed in any manner or location the performers see fit. Parks' only stipulations are that they be free and performed in the order written. Some will turn up on sidewalks, in art galleries or in parks for passersby, 'just like they did it in the Middle Ages,' Metzgar said.
"Boulder's Naropa Institute will perform its plays inside a thick square of red yarn placed on a stage; the director will invite audiences to participate in the performance.
"'I can't wait to see what Colorado is going to do,' Parks said. 'I feel like I'll be visiting a lot because you guys are like, 'Woo-hoo, let's get wacky and wild.' It's the Rocky Mountain High, I think.'"
Denver
creative class
What has developed is both a sense of diversity and community, with ample room for local creativity.
Whether something similar could be done with live music across the country and whether the positive vibes would be the same, I don't know. But it's a thought.
DenverPost.com - 365 Days ... 365 Plays: "The festival's scope is boggling. The array of participants spans New York's Public Theatre to the Denver Center Theatre Company to colleges in England and Australia to the tiny Steel City Theatre Company in Pueblo.
"'But we are trying to dispel the thought that the Public Theatre is somehow doing anything more important than anyone else,' [Bonnie Metzgar, associate artistic director at Denver's Curious Theatre and producer of the 365 Days/365 Plays National Festival] said. 'They are one of 52 theaters in New York, the same as there are 52 in Atlanta and 52 in Colorado.' ...
"'This project does not build community,' Metzgar said, 'it reveals community where it already exists.'
"The plays can be performed in any manner or location the performers see fit. Parks' only stipulations are that they be free and performed in the order written. Some will turn up on sidewalks, in art galleries or in parks for passersby, 'just like they did it in the Middle Ages,' Metzgar said.
"Boulder's Naropa Institute will perform its plays inside a thick square of red yarn placed on a stage; the director will invite audiences to participate in the performance.
"'I can't wait to see what Colorado is going to do,' Parks said. 'I feel like I'll be visiting a lot because you guys are like, 'Woo-hoo, let's get wacky and wild.' It's the Rocky Mountain High, I think.'"
Denver
creative class
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Musicians and community outreach
Here's a program that recognizes that thriving local music scenes depend on not just talent but having musicians become active members of the community. If you want fans to feel involved and to support music and musicians, you need to give them relationships.
Carnegie Hall - Julliard - Report - New York Times
"Called the Academy, the program, run by Carnegie Hall and Juilliard, is a performance and education initiative for postgraduate musicians. In the first phase of this program, which begins on Jan. 7, 16 musicians will become resident artists at Carnegie Hall, where they will perform concerts and undergo additional professional training. They will also take master classes and study at Juilliard.
"In addition the Academy will collaborate closely with the New York City Education Department to develop the teaching skills of these high-powered players, who, during this pilot phase, will each spend one and a half days working in one of the 16 public schools across the city that have been selected so far. When fully in effect, the Academy will involve two-year fellowships for some 50 aspiring professional musicians....
"Through this program talented musicians on the brink of a career will be chosen as resident artists at Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School, America’s most prestigious concert hall and most prestigious conservatory, not because they have won fancy competitions or secured professional management, but because they are willing to work in public schools in New York....
"Joseph W. Polisi, the president of the Juilliard School] said in a recent interview that he envisioned an orchestra with such a vibrant presence in the community — with members so involved in teaching and taking music to schools and community centers — that 'citizens will feel it is unthinkable that this ensemble would go out of business.'"
New York
classical music
music scene
economic development
creative class
Carnegie Hall - Julliard - Report - New York Times
"Called the Academy, the program, run by Carnegie Hall and Juilliard, is a performance and education initiative for postgraduate musicians. In the first phase of this program, which begins on Jan. 7, 16 musicians will become resident artists at Carnegie Hall, where they will perform concerts and undergo additional professional training. They will also take master classes and study at Juilliard.
"In addition the Academy will collaborate closely with the New York City Education Department to develop the teaching skills of these high-powered players, who, during this pilot phase, will each spend one and a half days working in one of the 16 public schools across the city that have been selected so far. When fully in effect, the Academy will involve two-year fellowships for some 50 aspiring professional musicians....
"Through this program talented musicians on the brink of a career will be chosen as resident artists at Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School, America’s most prestigious concert hall and most prestigious conservatory, not because they have won fancy competitions or secured professional management, but because they are willing to work in public schools in New York....
"Joseph W. Polisi, the president of the Juilliard School] said in a recent interview that he envisioned an orchestra with such a vibrant presence in the community — with members so involved in teaching and taking music to schools and community centers — that 'citizens will feel it is unthinkable that this ensemble would go out of business.'"
New York
classical music
music scene
economic development
creative class
Saturday, December 02, 2006
The creative class isn't just artists!
CoolTown Studios: The creative class isn't just artists!: "Here's the official definition from the author that started it all with Rise of the Creative Class, Richard Florida: 'I define the core of the Creative Class to include people in science and engineering, architecture and design, education, arts, music and entertainment, whose economic function is to create new ideas, new technology and/or new creative content.'
As far as job creation, there are two main levels of the creative class:
Serving primarily local markets
- Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
- Architecture and engineering occupations
- Education, training and library occupations (ie universities)
Serving primarily national and international markets
- Computer and mathematical occupations (ie software engineers)
- Life, physical and social science occupations (ie scientists)"
As far as job creation, there are two main levels of the creative class:
Serving primarily local markets
- Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
- Architecture and engineering occupations
- Education, training and library occupations (ie universities)
Serving primarily national and international markets
- Computer and mathematical occupations (ie software engineers)
- Life, physical and social science occupations (ie scientists)"
Cool blog and good reading list
I just found this blog. It promotes bookstore tourism. I'm sure some of the same ideas could be used to promote music tourism.
This particular blog entry has a good reading list of books on tourism, cities, marketing, creative communities, and, of course, bookstores.
The Bookstore Tourism Blog: White Paper Bibliography Grows ... and Grows:
Bookstore Tourism:
• Promotes independent bookstores as a group travel niche;
• Supports cultural and heritage tourism;
• Makes a great addition to reading, literacy and arts programs;
• Offers book-related outreach opportunities to organizations;
• Provides cultural support to local business and economic development;
• Brings together people who share a love of books!
tourism
creative class
third places
economic development
This particular blog entry has a good reading list of books on tourism, cities, marketing, creative communities, and, of course, bookstores.
The Bookstore Tourism Blog: White Paper Bibliography Grows ... and Grows:
Bookstore Tourism:
• Promotes independent bookstores as a group travel niche;
• Supports cultural and heritage tourism;
• Makes a great addition to reading, literacy and arts programs;
• Offers book-related outreach opportunities to organizations;
• Provides cultural support to local business and economic development;
• Brings together people who share a love of books!
tourism
creative class
third places
economic development
Music and the Media Economy
This article doesn't address live music specifically, but since it is a quality-of-life contributor, it can be a population and creativity magnet.
The article also discusses the importance of "third places." Unfortunately many live music venues aren't conducive to this because they are so loud that no real conversation can take place. The ideal music venue would have areas for performance and other areas for conversation.
How Cities Compete In The Media Economy | Planetizen: "The Brookings Institution recently published a study documenting such a downtown population migration based on Census trends in 44 selected cities from 1970 to 2000. Company leaders not bound by the transportation requirements of a mass production company will choose cities that offer themselves and their employees the highest quality of life. While this explains the migration of jobs to states with sunnier weather, it also shows that for northern cities to remain competitive they need to be even more focused on implementing an infrastructure conducive to a thriving media economy....
"Third places: If you look closely, every 'cool' urban neighborhood has a 'third place' -- one that is outside of the home or workplace where people of all persuasions choose to congregate for various reasons. For some it may be a certain pocket park, a neighborhood diner, a church, or even a corner store. For the purveyors of the media economy it is typically coffeehouses, bars, cafes or some combination thereof. ... Third places are the favorite, trusted destinations for social interaction outside of the home and workplace. Without them, many of the best ideas in a knowledge-based economy never see the light of day. leaders in the media economy."
creative class
third places
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
The article also discusses the importance of "third places." Unfortunately many live music venues aren't conducive to this because they are so loud that no real conversation can take place. The ideal music venue would have areas for performance and other areas for conversation.
How Cities Compete In The Media Economy | Planetizen: "The Brookings Institution recently published a study documenting such a downtown population migration based on Census trends in 44 selected cities from 1970 to 2000. Company leaders not bound by the transportation requirements of a mass production company will choose cities that offer themselves and their employees the highest quality of life. While this explains the migration of jobs to states with sunnier weather, it also shows that for northern cities to remain competitive they need to be even more focused on implementing an infrastructure conducive to a thriving media economy....
"Third places: If you look closely, every 'cool' urban neighborhood has a 'third place' -- one that is outside of the home or workplace where people of all persuasions choose to congregate for various reasons. For some it may be a certain pocket park, a neighborhood diner, a church, or even a corner store. For the purveyors of the media economy it is typically coffeehouses, bars, cafes or some combination thereof. ... Third places are the favorite, trusted destinations for social interaction outside of the home and workplace. Without them, many of the best ideas in a knowledge-based economy never see the light of day. leaders in the media economy."
creative class
third places
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
Friday, December 01, 2006
AAA Radio and Local Scenes
Here's an article about how the AAA radio format is important in Austin but is non-existent in Raleigh, NC.
Some AAA stations actively support their local music scenes and others do not. The article explains some of the reasons why there aren't more AAA stations around the country.
newsobserver.com | Why the scene isn't heard on local stations: "After Scott Gilmore moved to Raleigh from Austin, Texas, four years ago, he scanned the radio dial in search of a particular kind of station. He was 30 years old, an active music consumer and club-goer.
"Gilmore wanted to find a commercial station reflecting that sensibility -- one playing a mix of local and national acts, plugged-in to the local music community. He was looking for a Triangle equivalent to KGSR (www.kgsr.com), Austin's flagship 'Adult Album Alternative' (Triple-A) station. KGSR plays current acts such as Beck and Gomez alongside Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Joe Ely and other Texas acts, plus adult-alternative standbys including John Hiatt and Shawn Colvin.
"He never found anything like KGSR in the Triangle, at least not on the commercial end of the dial.
"'The closest thing we have to that here is college radio, which is so minute by comparison,' says Gilmore, who works as local director of operations for Sonic Drive-In. 'When I go back to Austin, it's almost like you can get the current pulse of the live venues and music scene there just from listening to KGSR. ... This cool inter-dependency between the local scene and the radio, they both help each other out.'"
music scene
music promotion
Austin
Some AAA stations actively support their local music scenes and others do not. The article explains some of the reasons why there aren't more AAA stations around the country.
newsobserver.com | Why the scene isn't heard on local stations: "After Scott Gilmore moved to Raleigh from Austin, Texas, four years ago, he scanned the radio dial in search of a particular kind of station. He was 30 years old, an active music consumer and club-goer.
"Gilmore wanted to find a commercial station reflecting that sensibility -- one playing a mix of local and national acts, plugged-in to the local music community. He was looking for a Triangle equivalent to KGSR (www.kgsr.com), Austin's flagship 'Adult Album Alternative' (Triple-A) station. KGSR plays current acts such as Beck and Gomez alongside Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Joe Ely and other Texas acts, plus adult-alternative standbys including John Hiatt and Shawn Colvin.
"He never found anything like KGSR in the Triangle, at least not on the commercial end of the dial.
"'The closest thing we have to that here is college radio, which is so minute by comparison,' says Gilmore, who works as local director of operations for Sonic Drive-In. 'When I go back to Austin, it's almost like you can get the current pulse of the live venues and music scene there just from listening to KGSR. ... This cool inter-dependency between the local scene and the radio, they both help each other out.'"
music scene
music promotion
Austin
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