Hi Guys,
Like all musicians out there, I love to play live, I love to perform to a crowd and feel their appreciation or at the very least see them enjoying the music.
I've been in bands for a good few years now and decided to go solo (with a little push) after the demise of my last band "Avatar Original" in 2010.
Whilst sitting at a dining table in the early hours of 1st January 2013 in Germany I decided that 2013 was going to be the year that I came flying out the blocks and really got myself out there, gigging, performing, gaining more experience and trying to get as many new fans as possible.
Since Jan I've had somewhere near 20 shows, about 11 confirmed to come and quite a few more in the pipeline, whilst holding down a 9-530 job (man, we need a P.A. for this) and I feel that I've accomplished the next step as I set out.
Over the last few days I've had an epiphany..... what is the industry powers that be looking for from unsigned artists? A product if you will, I used to say that you have to be a "can of coke" a polished product that people will buy and you have to have a following already, (It's a numbers game is what I've also heard too).
Now, playing gigs in different locations is good, great to get new fans but what I've realised is, in my haste of coming flying out the blocks I've been playing all over the place but I've missed something quite simple. "Create a Buzz" in your local area first.......I live in Marlow and the music scene while being in the background is there. I'm also part of the Maidenhead scene centered around The Hobgoblin in Maidenhead and the great Carly Wurly who supports us unsigned musicians no end with busking days in Maidenhead town centre, Maidenhead festival etc......
What I wanted to discuss with other musicians is how can we create more of a buzz in our local areas? And, instead of us all individually going at it majority of the time alone, I figured, if a few of us started network gigging together..... or putting on events locally and pulling local musicians closer then the noise we can collectively make will be far greater than on our own.
Open discussion? There's plenty of amazing talent out there, I played a gig at Hall of Sound in Pangbourne, intimate because it was set up for all ages, all types of talent and I did find myself sitting there at a table surrounded by families with me on my lonesome....... Some of the other performers, not even out of their teens were just amazing......
When it came to me to perform just dry acoustic and singing, no PA. I was the most nervous I'd ever been. Got great feedback though.......
I've decided (whilst still grabbing any other opportunity that my music nose smells out) to push more locally also. Marlow being my home town so Marlow venues "O'Donoghue's" (that I was at last night investigating their Ëvery Thur Open Mic Night" which I will be playing at this Thursday - incidentally Kenneth Branagh was in there a few weeks ago) and The Ship that have live music every Wed (albeit, I think they're quite booked up)......
So, I just wanted to share and see what you guys thought????
Thanks for reading.
Carl
Reply
Carl Komuro / Blog
Creating a buzz around Unsigned Artists
Hi Guys,
Like all musicians out there, I love to play live, I love to perform to a crowd and feel their appreciation or at the very least see them enjoying the music.
I've been in bands for a good few years now and decided to go solo (with a little push) after the demise of my last band "Avatar Original" in 2010.
Whilst sitting at a dining table in the early hours of 1st January 2013 in Germany I decided that 2013 was going to be the year that I came flying out the blocks and really got myself out there, gigging, performing, gaining more experience and trying to get as many new fans as possible.
Since Jan I've had somewhere near 20 shows, about 11 confirmed to come and quite a few more in the pipeline, whilst holding down a 9-530 job (man, we need a P.A. for this) and I feel that I've accomplished the next step as I set out.
Over the last few days I've had an epiphany..... what is the industry powers that be looking for from unsigned artists? A product if you will, I used to say that you have to be a "can of coke" a polished product that people will buy and you have to have a following already, (It's a numbers game is what I've also heard too).
Now, playing gigs in different locations is good, great to get new fans but what I've realised is, in my haste of coming flying out the blocks I've been playing all over the place but I've missed something quite simple. "Create a Buzz" in your local area first.......I live in Marlow and the music scene while being in the background is there. I'm also part of the Maidenhead scene centered around The Hobgoblin in Maidenhead and the great Carly Wurly who supports us unsigned musicians no end with busking days in Maidenhead town centre, Maidenhead festival etc......
What I wanted to discuss with other musicians is how can we create more of a buzz in our local areas? And, instead of us all individually going at it majority of the time alone, I figured, if a few of us started network gigging together..... or putting on events locally and pulling local musicians closer then the noise we can collectively make will be far greater than on our own.
Open discussion? There's plenty of amazing talent out there, I played a gig at Hall of Sound in Pangbourne, intimate because it was set up for all ages, all types of talent and I did find myself sitting there at a table surrounded by families with me on my lonesome....... Some of the other performers, not even out of their teens were just amazing......
When it came to me to perform just dry acoustic and singing, no PA. I was the most nervous I'd ever been. Got great feedback though.......
I've decided (whilst still grabbing any other opportunity that my music nose smells out) to push more locally also. Marlow being my home town so Marlow venues "O'Donoghue's" (that I was at last night investigating their Ëvery Thur Open Mic Night" which I will be playing at this Thursday - incidentally Kenneth Branagh was in there a few weeks ago) and The Ship that have live music every Wed (albeit, I think they're quite booked up)......
So, I just wanted to share and see what you guys thought????
Thanks for reading.
Carl
Reply