I've been to a couple of really great but pretty sparsely attended gigs recently, Jim Moray a Radio 2 Award winning folk star promoted by Musicport, and The Forefathers, 5x9 and Chris the Poet at the Rifle Club promoted by Rangam. I can think of loads of people who would have enjoyed one or the other and probably both... but, where were they and why weren't they at the gigs? Was it simply that they didn't know?How do people publicise gigs these days and is that publicity working? In this age of the internet the traditional poster is only really subliminal advertising, but is your poster easy to read? Do the important details (act, venue, date & time, price) leap out to be easily absorbed?
What about the internet? Do we need a 'popwatch' email list? Will people take notice if the information just pings into their inbox? Are we all using Myspace and Facebook to their full? It's not enough to just have a page, what about groups, events, targetted mailing (a close relative of spam!) of people in the locality, special offers for friends, cross posting on newsgroups, building your own mailing list, the list goes on and will keep on developing as social networking grips us all...
And then there's the press. Is the Whitby Gazette behind a vibrant and exciting Whitby scene? It has to be said that it can sometimes appear not... gigs confined to footnotes, articles run on odd days -either weeks in advance or the day before. Is this down to the paper or do the promoters need to be sharper? Are we courting the writers? Is the press release interesting? Is there a story? Will the artist agree to an interview? What about other press, the Link Magazine, Scarborough's High Tide, other local papers and the national guides like the Guardian which all have regional sections and are all free.
Or, deep breath... is it the audience? Are we simply unable or unwilling to go? What's stopping us? Is it because we assume gigs like the Rifle Club are full of drunken rioting teenagers or that gigs that Musicport put on are full of fusty dusty middle aged hippies? (neither is the case, under 18s are banned from the Rifle Club and Musicport attracts a very mixed age group). Are we all simply too old? Do jobs, children, mortgages and Coronation Street get in the way of beer and bands? What if there were a monthly gig with a creche? Or a rock'n'roll babysitting circle?
And what about the under 18s? I know I was definitely under age when I started going out to gigs (ah, the heady days of Sludge Ghaut and Futile Mass!), how can we encourage a scene where young, old and everyone in between can have a good night and
good music without endangering themselves or others or the licensee's business?So, ideas please?! If we crack this then just imagine the fun we can have!
I often think about going to (non Whitby Now) gigs but always chicken out in the end as I have no one in particular to go with - not many of my going out friends like the same things as me. So what I think would help is the Facebook function of Event invite (? is that what it is called) - people say whether or not they are going to attend, chances are you will know someone, can then message them and say - do you mind if I tag along! Whaddya think? Encourage all bands and promoters to use this feature?
ReplyDeletejean
I find advertising for gigs really hard. When I was doing Evie's Gig I tried everything I could to get tickets sold, but seem to get no reaction from people at all!! Thank god plenty turned up and we had a great night. Even when we play in pubs (this Friday at The Pier) I always wanna drum up as many people as possible to come down and make it a good night. Perhaps people just aren't interested anymore? No....it can't be that! I think people, especially Whitby people, have every intention to come to gigs/events/plays etc, but never do. If everything stopped, these people who want to come but don't, would moan that there was nothing on!!
ReplyDeleteI think the Event Invite on Facebook is a good idea, as is the one on myspace. Perhaps 3 or 4 people could all send the same invite to people. We all have different friends on there, so that may create more interest!
James
The Yabbas
I'm wondering if things are changing somehow because I have my fingers dipped in the local theatre scene and the audiences there seem to be growing. I do think alot of it has to do with advertising though and I'm not convinced that the internet works locally. I mean, I get invited to so many events on facebook and myspace that I rarely read them anymore... sorry but its true!
ReplyDeleteAt the theatre we tend to stick to traditional advertising, local papers, posters, the local advertiser, etc... I believe people do want to go out, but the internet, tv etc is making them want to stay in... its a crazy world we live in! So why do more people go to the theatre and less to see bands?
Leafy