A small town in Texas Hill Country, about 30 miles from San Antonio, is seeing an expansion of venues, which might make it a significant stop for Texas music lovers.
'Cowboy Capital' could be a new Branson -- San Antonio Express-News, July 22, 2007: "... the self-proclaimed 'Cowboy Capital of the World,' long known for live country music in rustic venues and a picker's paradise for its come-one-come-all jam-session attitude, is busting out all over....
While Bandera County is one of the fastest growing in Texas, the farm and ranch community's official population is 957 ..."
Showing posts with label country music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label country music. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Mixing country genres
Here's an interesting review of the first day of the Stagecoach Festival and the challenge of getting audiences to come for both modern country, and traditional country, alt-country, and bluegrass.
Although I wasn't there (friends including The Railbenders and Angie Stevens were -- the text message I got from Angie watching Willie Nelson was "Wow"), I'm going to guess it's just growing pains. Other festivals are able to successfully mix genres and this one will likely do so too as its reputation spreads.
Orange County Register, 5/6/07 - A hootenanny divided: "There were those who came to spend the day - the whole day, from noon till 11 p.m. - clogging up the Empire Polo Field by sitting in their camping chairs at the main (aka Mane) stage, patiently waiting for stoic cowboy icons Alan Jackson and George Strait to perform. ...
Out of roughly 25,000 attendees, this group accounted for at least 20,000. And they seemed to have a big boozy blast, because they had exactly the county-fair kinda day they had hoped for. ...
... some music lovers who came to this hoping for a completely different festival - a diverse, all-inclusive, history-appreciating bash....
Yet these people at most accounted for 5,000 of the total attendance. Spread them out among three stages and their numbers seemed even smaller.
... the overall failure to bridge gaps between these two camps, alt-country fans and the Nashville-controlled crowd, suggests that Goldenvoice's dream of a cross-pollinating über-country fest is a ways away from becoming a reality."
Although I wasn't there (friends including The Railbenders and Angie Stevens were -- the text message I got from Angie watching Willie Nelson was "Wow"), I'm going to guess it's just growing pains. Other festivals are able to successfully mix genres and this one will likely do so too as its reputation spreads.
Orange County Register, 5/6/07 - A hootenanny divided: "There were those who came to spend the day - the whole day, from noon till 11 p.m. - clogging up the Empire Polo Field by sitting in their camping chairs at the main (aka Mane) stage, patiently waiting for stoic cowboy icons Alan Jackson and George Strait to perform. ...
Out of roughly 25,000 attendees, this group accounted for at least 20,000. And they seemed to have a big boozy blast, because they had exactly the county-fair kinda day they had hoped for. ...
... some music lovers who came to this hoping for a completely different festival - a diverse, all-inclusive, history-appreciating bash....
Yet these people at most accounted for 5,000 of the total attendance. Spread them out among three stages and their numbers seemed even smaller.
... the overall failure to bridge gaps between these two camps, alt-country fans and the Nashville-controlled crowd, suggests that Goldenvoice's dream of a cross-pollinating über-country fest is a ways away from becoming a reality."
Coachella and its debt history
Financial risk has played a role in the Coachella Festival. (And according to one account, the first year of the Stagecoach Festival, the country music version that is being held this weekend in the same location, will also start its history with a loss.)
Alexander Haagen III - Coachella - Music - New York Times, 5/1/07: "[Owner of the Empire Polo Club, Alexander Haagen's] first encounter with accommodating a big rock concert was in 1993, when Goldenvoice helped arrange a performance on the polo grounds by Pearl Jam. Six years later, Mr. Tollett sought out Mr. Haagen again when he needed a locale for Coachella. But the first festival posted a loss, forcing Goldenvoice to the edge of financial ruin.
AEG Live, a bigger concert promoter, acquired the company in 2001 by absorbing its debt, which exceeded $1 million, according to executives involved in the deal. Goldenvoice had been unable to mount a festival in 2000, but returned to the polo fields with Coachella in 2001 and has every year since.
... the Haagens ultimately made their reputation by building retail shopping centers in the inner city.
By the late 1990s, though, the company was laden with debt. An affiliate of the investment bank Lazard agreed to purchase a stake in the Haagens’ company for $235 million in 1997, and then bought the family out."
Here's more background. The Billboard Q&A: Paul Tollett
This article says that the first Coachelle in 1999 lost $800,000, and was still losing money after AEG bought it in 2001. This year, 2007, was the first year the event sold out far in advance.
It also mentions how the Stagecoach Festival came about:
"I had seen a small country show at Empire Polo Field in the '90s. It seemed like a fun local event. There were rumors last year that the polo fields were going to be sold, so I talked to the owners and said, 'If I commit to two big festivals, will that be enough incentive for you to not develop for now?' They said, 'Yes,' so we developed the country idea."
Alexander Haagen III - Coachella - Music - New York Times, 5/1/07: "[Owner of the Empire Polo Club, Alexander Haagen's] first encounter with accommodating a big rock concert was in 1993, when Goldenvoice helped arrange a performance on the polo grounds by Pearl Jam. Six years later, Mr. Tollett sought out Mr. Haagen again when he needed a locale for Coachella. But the first festival posted a loss, forcing Goldenvoice to the edge of financial ruin.
AEG Live, a bigger concert promoter, acquired the company in 2001 by absorbing its debt, which exceeded $1 million, according to executives involved in the deal. Goldenvoice had been unable to mount a festival in 2000, but returned to the polo fields with Coachella in 2001 and has every year since.
... the Haagens ultimately made their reputation by building retail shopping centers in the inner city.
By the late 1990s, though, the company was laden with debt. An affiliate of the investment bank Lazard agreed to purchase a stake in the Haagens’ company for $235 million in 1997, and then bought the family out."
Here's more background. The Billboard Q&A: Paul Tollett
This article says that the first Coachelle in 1999 lost $800,000, and was still losing money after AEG bought it in 2001. This year, 2007, was the first year the event sold out far in advance.
It also mentions how the Stagecoach Festival came about:
"I had seen a small country show at Empire Polo Field in the '90s. It seemed like a fun local event. There were rumors last year that the polo fields were going to be sold, so I talked to the owners and said, 'If I commit to two big festivals, will that be enough incentive for you to not develop for now?' They said, 'Yes,' so we developed the country idea."
Friday, March 16, 2007
Funding to promote local music history
TriCities.com, 3/15/07 - Birthplace of Country Music celebrates 80 years: "Assisted by a $5,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, in conjunction with the Bristol Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival, and Believe in Bristol’s Main Street program will work together during 2007 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the historic Bristol Sessions and encourage visitation to the area by drawing attention to the regularly recurring events and activities in downtown Bristol, highlighting the region’s living musical heritage.
'Our goal is to make residents and visitors aware of Bristol’s unique living musical heritage and encourage them to visit Bristol and experience this legacy firsthand,' commented Bill Hartley, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance. Hartley noted that the downtown area historically has been a site of great music, including Ralph Peer’s 1927 and 1928 field recordings, as well as live radio shows on stations WOPI and WCYB. 'We’re very fortunate in this community to still have that music being played in downtown at venues such as the Country Music Mural, jam sessions such as the Star Barber Shop, and at a major festival such as the annual Rhythm and Roots Reunion,' added Hartley
Among the efforts that the grant will fund include advertising campaign, a direct mail campaign to over 15,000 individuals, and electronic advertising targeted to fans of traditional Appalachian music. 'The demographics for this market match up well to the visitor profile for Bristol and the general heritage tourist,' commented Hartley. He added that these travelers are interested in an authentic experience and tend to stay longer and spend more in a community. Officials estimate that the marketing campaign will result in 7,770 new visitors to Bristol creating a potential economic impact $ 909,090 which helps to lower taxes and create a better quality of life for our residents."
virginia
crooked road
tourism
economic development
'Our goal is to make residents and visitors aware of Bristol’s unique living musical heritage and encourage them to visit Bristol and experience this legacy firsthand,' commented Bill Hartley, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance. Hartley noted that the downtown area historically has been a site of great music, including Ralph Peer’s 1927 and 1928 field recordings, as well as live radio shows on stations WOPI and WCYB. 'We’re very fortunate in this community to still have that music being played in downtown at venues such as the Country Music Mural, jam sessions such as the Star Barber Shop, and at a major festival such as the annual Rhythm and Roots Reunion,' added Hartley
Among the efforts that the grant will fund include advertising campaign, a direct mail campaign to over 15,000 individuals, and electronic advertising targeted to fans of traditional Appalachian music. 'The demographics for this market match up well to the visitor profile for Bristol and the general heritage tourist,' commented Hartley. He added that these travelers are interested in an authentic experience and tend to stay longer and spend more in a community. Officials estimate that the marketing campaign will result in 7,770 new visitors to Bristol creating a potential economic impact $ 909,090 which helps to lower taxes and create a better quality of life for our residents."
virginia
crooked road
tourism
economic development
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Promoting local music without radio
After holding the County Music Assocation Awards in New York last year, the CMA is moving them back to Nashville for the 40th anniversary of the awards. The challenge is how to stay visible in major markets when country stations are being eliminated.
Show's back here, but CMA still savors Big Apple - Wednesday, 08/30/06: "The CMA Songwriter Series at Joe's Pub also has kept country artists and writers in front of New York audiences: Tuesday night's edition of that series featured Jon Randall, Lori McKenna, Jamie O'Neal and Jo Dee Messina.
"Despite — or maybe because of — the fact that New York still doesn't have a major FM radio station devoted to the country format, the CMA continues to develop East Coast media contacts that were sparked by last year's show....
"'We're going to beef up our marketing and advertising in New York and in Los Angeles because we don't have the normal outlet of communicating to country fans, which is radio,' [Country Music Association chief Tammy] Genovese said.
"L.A. country station KZLA recently switched formats, meaning that three of the nation's prime markets — New York, L.A. and San Francisco — have no major country station.
"'We hate that,' Genovese said. 'It's devastating to our format. L.A. and New York are top sales markets for our music, and it's astonishing that corporations would make the decision not to feature this music.'"
Show's back here, but CMA still savors Big Apple - Wednesday, 08/30/06: "The CMA Songwriter Series at Joe's Pub also has kept country artists and writers in front of New York audiences: Tuesday night's edition of that series featured Jon Randall, Lori McKenna, Jamie O'Neal and Jo Dee Messina.
"Despite — or maybe because of — the fact that New York still doesn't have a major FM radio station devoted to the country format, the CMA continues to develop East Coast media contacts that were sparked by last year's show....
"'We're going to beef up our marketing and advertising in New York and in Los Angeles because we don't have the normal outlet of communicating to country fans, which is radio,' [Country Music Association chief Tammy] Genovese said.
"L.A. country station KZLA recently switched formats, meaning that three of the nation's prime markets — New York, L.A. and San Francisco — have no major country station.
"'We hate that,' Genovese said. 'It's devastating to our format. L.A. and New York are top sales markets for our music, and it's astonishing that corporations would make the decision not to feature this music.'"
Monday, August 07, 2006
When an event takes over your town
Once a year the town of Sturgis, South Dakota, goes from 6,500 to over 500,000. That's when the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes over the town. As the article below indicates, it's become the main economic driver of the community.
The event has also become a massive music festival, Rock'N The Rally. This year's performers at the Festival and at the Buffalo Chip include:
Sammy Hagar, Big and Rich With Cowboy Troy, Keith Urban, Shooter Jennings, Steve Miller Band, Cheap Trick, Nickelback, Black Crowes, Gin Blossoms, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Joe Cocker, Georgia Satellites, REO Speedwagon, 38 Special, John Kay, Steppenwolf. Joe Walsh and the rest of the original James Gang, Edgar Winter, Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Montgomery Gentry, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gretchen Wilson, Kid Rock, Blue Oyster Cult, Ted Nugent, Alice in Chains, and David Lee Roth.
Kansas City Star, 8/6/06: Legions of bikers thunder into Sturgis
"This is the 66th year of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally...
"The bikers’ annual pilgrimage offers such a powerful financial charge that catering to the full-throttle crowd for a few weeks each year hollows out the town through all other seasons. Tiny storefronts in the not particularly scenic town can fetch nearly $1 million — and stand empty more than 11 months a year....
"The mayor, chiropractor and rally booster, Mark Zeigler, said the rally defines Sturgis. Mostly it’s a tremendous boon, but he concedes the drawbacks and the imperfect development that the rally leaves on Sturgis.
“'We tolerate a lot of inconvenience here,' he said. 'We look forward to the rally, but we’re glad when it’s over.'
"... the modern rally only became supersized in the past 20 years — growing from barely 30,000 bikers in the late 1980s to more than 500,000 scattered across the Black Hills this week.
"... In 1979, nine vendors set up booths for the rally. This year more than 900 are on hand. They’ll pay over $300,000 in fees to the city."
The event has also become a massive music festival, Rock'N The Rally. This year's performers at the Festival and at the Buffalo Chip include:
Sammy Hagar, Big and Rich With Cowboy Troy, Keith Urban, Shooter Jennings, Steve Miller Band, Cheap Trick, Nickelback, Black Crowes, Gin Blossoms, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Joe Cocker, Georgia Satellites, REO Speedwagon, 38 Special, John Kay, Steppenwolf. Joe Walsh and the rest of the original James Gang, Edgar Winter, Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Montgomery Gentry, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gretchen Wilson, Kid Rock, Blue Oyster Cult, Ted Nugent, Alice in Chains, and David Lee Roth.
Kansas City Star, 8/6/06: Legions of bikers thunder into Sturgis
"This is the 66th year of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally...
"The bikers’ annual pilgrimage offers such a powerful financial charge that catering to the full-throttle crowd for a few weeks each year hollows out the town through all other seasons. Tiny storefronts in the not particularly scenic town can fetch nearly $1 million — and stand empty more than 11 months a year....
"The mayor, chiropractor and rally booster, Mark Zeigler, said the rally defines Sturgis. Mostly it’s a tremendous boon, but he concedes the drawbacks and the imperfect development that the rally leaves on Sturgis.
“'We tolerate a lot of inconvenience here,' he said. 'We look forward to the rally, but we’re glad when it’s over.'
"... the modern rally only became supersized in the past 20 years — growing from barely 30,000 bikers in the late 1980s to more than 500,000 scattered across the Black Hills this week.
"... In 1979, nine vendors set up booths for the rally. This year more than 900 are on hand. They’ll pay over $300,000 in fees to the city."
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Country Music in NYC
In November, the Country Music Association brought its awards ceremony to NYC for move visibility and to promote Nashville. (See my blog entry on July 23, 2006.)
Here is an article talking about the homegrown country music scene in NYC and the challenges of maintaining it without a local country music radio station.
village voice > music > by Kurt Gottschalk 11/08/2005: "When the country music industry touches down in New York this week for the 39th Annual Country Music Association Awards, Nashville execs might well be smirking as they arrive in a town never known as a haven for the genre. They'll find carefully orchestrated events designed to make New York Dixie-friendly, but what they're not likely to see is the vibrant, if small, local scenes....
"But anyone who looks between the cracks of this temporary official hoopla will find small but thriving pockets of homegrown country. The last two weeks in July saw the Second Annual Brooklyn Country Music Festival, a homegrown affair at Park Slope and Prospect Heights saloons. September 16 and 17 marked the Eighth Annual Park Slope Bluegrass Jamboree. On top of that, Yankee hayseeds can check Sean Kershaw and the New Jack Ramblers every Sunday at Hank's Saloon (along with Freddy's Backroom, the country HQ in the Borough of Churches), open bluegrass jams every Monday at the Parkside Lounge and Wednesday at the Baggot Inn, the 'CasHank' Johnny Cash/Hank Williams open mic at Buttermilk in Park Slope, as well as frequent gigs at Lillie's in Red Hook, Lakeside Lounge and Old Devil Moon in the East Village, and Rodeo Bar in Murray Hill. (In other words, don't look in Williamsburg.)"
Here is an article talking about the homegrown country music scene in NYC and the challenges of maintaining it without a local country music radio station.
village voice > music > by Kurt Gottschalk 11/08/2005: "When the country music industry touches down in New York this week for the 39th Annual Country Music Association Awards, Nashville execs might well be smirking as they arrive in a town never known as a haven for the genre. They'll find carefully orchestrated events designed to make New York Dixie-friendly, but what they're not likely to see is the vibrant, if small, local scenes....
"But anyone who looks between the cracks of this temporary official hoopla will find small but thriving pockets of homegrown country. The last two weeks in July saw the Second Annual Brooklyn Country Music Festival, a homegrown affair at Park Slope and Prospect Heights saloons. September 16 and 17 marked the Eighth Annual Park Slope Bluegrass Jamboree. On top of that, Yankee hayseeds can check Sean Kershaw and the New Jack Ramblers every Sunday at Hank's Saloon (along with Freddy's Backroom, the country HQ in the Borough of Churches), open bluegrass jams every Monday at the Parkside Lounge and Wednesday at the Baggot Inn, the 'CasHank' Johnny Cash/Hank Williams open mic at Buttermilk in Park Slope, as well as frequent gigs at Lillie's in Red Hook, Lakeside Lounge and Old Devil Moon in the East Village, and Rodeo Bar in Murray Hill. (In other words, don't look in Williamsburg.)"
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Nashville showcases in NYC
This article talks about leveraging the Country Music Award's 2005 appearance in NYC as a way to promote Nashville as a whole.
Nashville leaders play alluring tune for NYC - 11/13/05 - Tennessean.com:
"... about 130 Nashville executives, policy-makers and academics representing both the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce head to New York this weekend (paying their own way) to spread the gospel of Music City. Included in these groups are people such as Mayor Bill Purcell, HCA Inc. CEO Jack Bovender, and Vanderbilt University's vice chancellor for public affairs, Michael Schoenfeld.
"... Performers such as Kix Brooks and Sara Evans plan to attend a 'Music City' luncheon tomorrow at Gotham Hall in New York that will include a wide range of business-development consultants, national media and New York-based corporate executives."
"Vanderbilt's Schoenfeld said 10 or 15 years ago, the university considered Nashville's image as Music City a 'net liability' when it came to recruiting top faculty and students. Today, he said, Nashville has become an important selling tool for the school.
"That's been an experience shared by many others throughout the local business community, from law firms to health-care and insurance companies, [Convention & Visitors Bureau President Butch]Spyridon said.
"'About three years ago, as the CVB was going through a strategic planning process, we realized that we couldn't hide from this "Music City" brand anymore,' Spyridon said. From those discussions, the task became to tell the rest of the world what the average Nashvillian already knew: That "Music City" encompassed much more than just an outdated notion of country music. It includes rock, gospel, R&B, and classical, as well as numerous songwriters and studio resources.'"
Nashville leaders play alluring tune for NYC - 11/13/05 - Tennessean.com:
"... about 130 Nashville executives, policy-makers and academics representing both the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce head to New York this weekend (paying their own way) to spread the gospel of Music City. Included in these groups are people such as Mayor Bill Purcell, HCA Inc. CEO Jack Bovender, and Vanderbilt University's vice chancellor for public affairs, Michael Schoenfeld.
"... Performers such as Kix Brooks and Sara Evans plan to attend a 'Music City' luncheon tomorrow at Gotham Hall in New York that will include a wide range of business-development consultants, national media and New York-based corporate executives."
"Vanderbilt's Schoenfeld said 10 or 15 years ago, the university considered Nashville's image as Music City a 'net liability' when it came to recruiting top faculty and students. Today, he said, Nashville has become an important selling tool for the school.
"That's been an experience shared by many others throughout the local business community, from law firms to health-care and insurance companies, [Convention & Visitors Bureau President Butch]Spyridon said.
"'About three years ago, as the CVB was going through a strategic planning process, we realized that we couldn't hide from this "Music City" brand anymore,' Spyridon said. From those discussions, the task became to tell the rest of the world what the average Nashvillian already knew: That "Music City" encompassed much more than just an outdated notion of country music. It includes rock, gospel, R&B, and classical, as well as numerous songwriters and studio resources.'"
Friday, July 21, 2006
Kansas benefits from country festival
A summertime festival, the Country Stampede , helps Kansas attract a number of visitors the state would otherwise not receive. The event brings in about 150,000 attendees. Started in 1995, the festival has been a major to local tourism. "Some advice I received from a friend was you're going to lose money the first three years - and he was right," according to founder Wayne Rouse. "The first year we lost over a quarter of a million. But I was told if I lost less than half a million, it would be successful. And each year it gets a little better."
The festival contributes about $13 million to the Manhattan, Kansas economy. All 847 local hotel rooms have been sold out for months. There are also 2400 slots in the campground next to the stages.
Headliners this year are: Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, and Sara Evans.
Here's an article: Major music festival boon to state tourism
The festival contributes about $13 million to the Manhattan, Kansas economy. All 847 local hotel rooms have been sold out for months. There are also 2400 slots in the campground next to the stages.
Headliners this year are: Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, and Sara Evans.
Here's an article: Major music festival boon to state tourism
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