3 posts tagged “saturday”
Hello,
Fox Cubs in Camden
Overall a fun-packed weekend, had a visit from the Foxcubs....well.... I went to see them first at the Purple Turtle on Saturday and they came over to Tommy's afterward. I was at Tommy's to see how the refurb had gone and I'm really impressed. The stage is great, as is the PA, house backline/kit and the new area around the back.
The gig was great, heard some new material that I was impressed with and I like the new direction the band seems to be taking.
If you're interested they're headlining my night on Saturday.
Final Lineup for Saturday Night
I'm getting this finalised today, one band couldn't make it and the venue manager has made room for one more slot, so that'll be five acts on.
I got loads and loads of responses to my appeal for acts, I've forwarded on a shortlist to the venue to help me decide. Thanks to all those who've contacted me.
It's Not Free :-(
As of Saturday I've found out that I'm not getting the venue for free as I have to hire backline and get an engineer in. I'd engineer myself but I'm going to be filming this aswell. Plus I'll be mingling :-). To cover costs I'm going to have to charge on the door but will keep it low as possible. I'm thinking £2 should do it. If there's any profit I'll stick it back to the bands or charity depending on what I agree with everyone. WIll let you know. It should only cost me about £85/90 to run.
Digital A&R Scouty Bods
I've had a big response to those wanting to do my job, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT! IT'S MINE, ALL MINE I TELL YOU!!! Actually, a little help is always appreciated as the best acts I come accross are usually on the recommendation of someone. I'm getting a core group of UK based people who I'm going to meet a few times a month. I will be contacting the person who is co-ordinating this today so further details later this week hopefully.
Beyond that, I want to build a small, possibly international network of those interested scouting.
You have to be really really passionate about new music as self-motivation is the key. If you spend all your time and myspace and youtube checking new stuff out anyway this is the sort of person I'm after. Have you been into a band and 12 months later they're huge? Happened more than once? Again, those are the sort of folks I'm after. I'll set up a group accordingly.
The way to approach me on this is:
Send me a PM entitled - RE: Digital Scout
Include links to two bands you know or have approached that you think are truely amazing and exceptional (that's actually quite hard). 'Sell' them to me as to why they would make a good signing. This would be very difficult without actually speaking to the band. Aswell as the music, what they're working on, who they're working with, radio/media exposure, current sales activity etc all count towards the desireability of a potential signing.
A short bio of yourself (100 words of less) so I know what music-y background you have.
Collaborations
Over the weekend I wrote my proposal for what functionality/interactivity I'd like to see between Vox and LastFM which I'll be forwarding on shortly. Again, as I have no real idea what I'm talking about when it comes to the more technical issues, I need to find out what's possible, how it works etc etc. I will keep you up to speed as things happen. I hope to have more developments by the end of the week.
Overall
I'm thinking about making some quite big changes to the community now I've got what seems like a good direction to take from the suggestions made. Ideally, I want a general facelift of the blogs and they way they are currently used. A lot more people will be publishing via them in the new year, which will mean a lot more posts rather than it being used mostly as a channel of communication for submissions. I see the central A&R 'group' being tied to, or becoming, the central portal for all submissions, and first port of call for artists, with a page directly attached to that to publish A&R-group-specific information.
The new year should be really interesting as regards what happens with this as as long as it's kept driven by the motivations and input of the community, I don't think we can go far wrong. If we do, I'm sure it would be sortable anyway. :-)
Hope all is well with you.
IB
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Gigs 26/11/2007
The Mattew Bennett are playing my hometown Stockport at The Venue. Starts at 8pm, maybe I'll ask my mum to go along.
Howdy,
All in all not a bad evening last night but I have important things to talk about. Namely getting you wonderful people playing. I'm all excited again at the prospect of putting on a gig using Vox people. There have been loads of suggestions regarding this on mine and the most recent Columbia post (thanks to those that have contributed so far).
So, KEEP SATURDAY 1st DECEMBER FREE!!!! Yes that's right. I GOT THE DATE WRONG AGAIN! It's actually the 1st of December. I fancy a big night out and getting some great film of the bands. It's going to be a free night with 4 bands. How often does that happen eh? Those who contributed to the flyers a month or so ago, I NEED YOU AGAIN. To that photographer bloke who contacted me, please contact again. I get so many emails it's been lost in the deluge of recent emails (I've still got about 90 to get through)
So who's playing that night? Well so far I've asked the below. But as I've just found out the date is different I've had to ask them again. Nob.
I really like the above bands and have a list of loads of others I want to see. So it's going to be good fun.
I haven't thought of a format for the evening other than loud music and filming. I might try and get a compare. Any takers? Either pretty or funny and can engage a crowd for a couple of minutes at a time. :-)
We Got Radio!
I was speaking to a chap called Phil that Marc introduced me to today who has a regional new music radio show and wants me to contribute talent from here for broadcast. Possibly recording my own slot/introductions. It's an community FM station. There's about 150 similar community radio stations around the country. So if I can get something going there I'm going to try punting the same thing to other reigons. I've been thinking about doing a new music podcast for a while (hence the night in Camden). I've got a mate who I think I could do it with so we'll see how it goes.
I'm also starting discussions with other unsigned sites that have great online tools to move towards sorting out the models for the Artist Services concept that came up in the discussions
I realised with all this talk of development and such I haven't been talking enough about music. Take a look at Vote Show Pony. Something that tickled my fancy as it was quite different to submissions I've received recently. Reminds me in places of Goldfrapp but a bit pop-ier.
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Gigs - 30/10/2007
NOTHING APPARENTLY. Loads on this week though.
Hope all is good with you.
Hello,
I'm currently working from home as I'm waiting on an estate agent to do a 'house inspection'. So far he's two hours late. I need to make it in for lunchtime as I have a meeting this afternoon. I wont mention which estate agent but it's one that is famous for being a pain.
I made a total t**t of myself on Friday whilst out at the work local. It's something I specialise in these days it seems. No harm done really, well, none that I know of.
However, Saturday was what my weekend was all about. For once everything pretty much came to plan. I spent most of the day bimbling (a new word I heard recently, look it up) and then called up a friend to see if they wanted to come along to the Fox Cubs gig. They did so we met for a quick meal and headed up to Camden. On getting there we had a gamble on how long it would take before we were offered some illicit substance or other. 8 Seconds.
Next time I will try and guess what I'll be offered first.
It's always fun trying to get into a venue on the guest list as there are several variations of my name, plus throw 'indieboy' into the equation and I have to reel off a list of possibilities at the door. I begin to wonder if they just think I'm just guessing at names.
The place was completely packed, though I am told that was for the headliners Imperial Leisure. However they won over the crowd easily with a series of belters. I pretty much enjoyed every song except one I haven't heard before which reminded me of Pearl Jam a little. Which was strange considering the sound of the band.
Towards the end of the set, one of the guitarist's pickups fell out and was madly searching on the floor for it. The band carried on and Tim (the singer) was faced with the horrified expression and the mouthed words "I can't find it!". Luckily it was found, pressed back into said guitar, just in time for the following chorus.
Beasts of England was really excellent as was their final tune 'I Could Be Wrong'. Despite any technical mishaps the gig was one of the best I've been to in a while.
I had a quick chat with them after. As usual, two pints later I was babbling on random subjects, mostly music or Vox based. They all seem nice chaps. One thing that did amuse me was their mailing list, a lifesize polystyrene head. Not something you see everyday and apparently they have a good supply. So be sure to sign the head if you make it to their gig tonight at the Fly.
Ooh, the estate agent guy just arrived. He was here for less than 10 mins. That was worth 2 hours wait.
