Countless idealistic, fresh-faced musicians move to NYC every year, and far too many of them are preyed upon by shady bookers who cancel last-minute, take unreasonable cuts of the door, and bill them with other bands who share no genre or potential audience reach. One of the first shows I booked in the city required…
As an artist, performer, band member, bandleader, or however you want to label yourself and your pursuits, you are a company. Congratulations! The good news is that you are chief in charge of your destiny. The bad news reads much the same way. You are your business. Meaning you are now solely responsible for carving…
A couple of weeks ago, I spoke with a group of musicians to discuss the essentials that first-time touring bands often forget. During those conversations, another topic came up: the things they used to bring on tour that just ended up taking up space. If it’s your first tour, your mind is racing at a…
By Rachel Grimes The quality of the sound in an environment is always so captivating to me, and seems to be something that either makes me comfortable or uncomfortable immediately. Here are some of my favorites around Louisville, Kentucky. This morning I walked outside early and heard the sound of a long, low barge horn…
By Mike McDearmon Got your band’s new album on Spotify? Great! That’s the easy part… You are a musician, and perhaps you’re in a band that already has music available through all the major stores and streaming services. Getting to this point is actually pretty simple and most distributors/aggregators can hook you up in short order (for…
In the course of performing with many different artists, over many years, all across the country, I’ve learned what a great equalizer the soundcheck can be. It can beget the onset of screaming matches, the end of friendships, and the refusal to perform as contractually obligated. It can also create a warm, welcoming environment for…
Entrepreneurship in Music Series: 006 ENVELOP Co-Founder, Christopher Willits, with help from Alingo Loh ENVELOP is both an immersive media space in San Francisco (featuring 28.4 channels of audio, HD video projection and synchronized LED lighting) and a software toolkit that will provide listeners with a next-level experience of music and give…
Remember Captain Planet? If not, I recommend taking a moment to familiarize yourself with the eco-friendly super hero. The point is, he had this amazing team of friends who brought different powers to the table that allowed them to start tackling crises before the big guy even showed up on the scene. Well, I’m going…
All bands come to an end. Tiger Speak’s bandleader shares everything he’s learned and what he’ll carry on with him into his next project.
Entrepreneurship in Music Series: 005 MUZEEK Co-Founder/Managing Director, Danny Fiorentini Sometimes the only difference between a locally-unknown band and a nationally-recognized band is the quality of shows they’re playing. Streamlining and professionalizing the booking process, and being wholly available to live opportunities is just the beginning. Building a better band…
