BiGiAM's Guide2Brighton Column August 2012

Guide 2 Brighton Column - August

Well, we fast tracked it back into Brighton last night to catch the Charlotte Church gig at the Green Door Store so that we could report events directly to you, dear reader. Well I can report that the gig was great, featuring some ambitious, adventurous - experimental even - genre defying material. Charlotte sang, as you might imagine, like something out of this world. In a good way. She was also (shock, horror!) charming, complimentary about the venue and Brighton generally. Now, the important facts...she didn't bother to brush her hair, dye her roots nor over worry about dressing facilities, advising that 'she would change in the toilet'. Google the tabloids for pictures and fashion commentary! As someone reportedly worth £25m and, presumably, someone who could buy her way onto any TV show, venue and/or other publicity outlet possible, I couldn't help but warm to her down-to-earth, 'do it for real' indie attitude. Of course, cynics will say it's all an act, a cunning plan, but I don't see it that way. Maybe she is merely trying to normalise her life as a 26 year old Cardiff girl - as difficult as that may be - particularly after such an abnormal (in some ways, anyway) childhood? Either way more power to her and doubters beware. Anyway, in the words of The Terminator, she vill be back!

After the wettest summer of earth, I'm now ordering the man upstairs to provide unprecedented good weather for the whole of August and September. We demand some kind of summer, right? For one thing the festival experience has been something of a wash out this year so I for one am aiming for a big party at 'Blues On The Farm' Festival near Chichester on 7th-9th September. International acts such as Average White Bands Freddy V, and Paul Jones Blues Band line up alongside other top class acts from the world of blues, roots and more in a something-for-everyone family friendly celebration, established 21 years and with a cast iron reputation and awards a plenty. www.bluesonthefarm.co.uk; some day and weekend tickets still available.

Also on the BiGiAM radar:-

- Laura Vane and The Vipertones - a debut mini UK tour from this Anglo-Dutch outfit included a gig at Laura's home town venue of The Komedia. What a fine, fine show it was...a representative (if not actual) clip of said show is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCwt0yecp9c

- The demise of Rounder Records, a Brighton treasure and institution, after 46 years of business is a very sad sign of the times. In more ways than one indeed.

- on that point, check out the excellent editorial in this months Source magazine which puts further perspective on the situation and the plight of the independent (in this case, retailer)

- Yellowfish Director Ross McCracken (and friend Josie Dade) is really off on his charity bike ride, all 1500 miles of it, from London to Gibraltar this month so, please, last plea to you all to support the cause http://www.yfhfoundation.com

- Final word from (fine) guitar player with the Motives, Matt Taylor. 'I once gave a bass lesson to a guy who had just bought a bass so in the first leson I taught him how to play A, D and E. He never came back for the second lesson as he got a gig'. Matt claims it's a true story - i'll let you judge.

14 ways to promote your music online

If you want your music to reach the wider listening world, the internet can be your best friend. However, if you're going to have a presence online, you need to make sure that you do things right.

1. Join a social network
Social Networks act as a one-stop band advert where you can upload anything you want: photos, songs, video, text and more. Everyone seems to be on some kind of social media site these days, so you'd be mad not to!

2. Set up a website
As good as Soundcloud/Facebook/Twitter and the rest are, having your own website too looks more professional. Websites are cheap to host and easy to build so there are no excuses. Remember to update it as often as your social network profile though...

3. Keep your website/profile current
Make sure that you post regular updates and news stories. Add new photos frequently and generally keep your profile looking busy. That way you'll be seen as a serious, enthusiastic, up-and-coming act. Regular profile/website updates will also keep things interesting for returning fans.

4. Write a decent biography
An artist biog should be concise, informative and interesting. People (particularly venue staff) don't want to know that your band was formed "in the first year of uni by songwriter Joe Bloggs and producer John Smith" – cut out the background and write something that's a bit different.

5. Get some good photos
Top-notch imagery is crucial if you want to be noticed online. Try to present a uniform 'look' that fits with your music. There are plenty of aspiring photographers about who will be willing to take press or live photos of you and/ or your band for little or no money. Take advantage of them!

6. Offer your songs for free download
If you're an independent act, your goal is to get your music heard as much as possible. Be aware that people are much more inclined to listen if you offer the occasional track for free. If you do decide not to give away your music then at least offer streaming full-length versions of your tracks rather than short clips.

7. Interact with other artists
Networking with other artists and bands by keeping in regular contact and giving feedback on their music means you're likely to find gig partners and be asked to play support slots. Musicians are also generally more interested as fans when it comes to independent music like yours.

8. Dedicate some time to your fans
Replying to mails and friend requests can sometimes be a chore but try to avoid blanket "thanks for the add" messages. If you keep things personal you're far more likely to be remembered and if your audience likes you, they'll be predisposed to like your music.

9. Avoid spamming
While it's important to keep in touch with your fans, repeated spam is annoying, so reserve mass messaging for special events. It's far more effective to tailor your messages and gig invites to individuals or small groups of people – there's no point telling someone from Land's End that you're gigging in Dundee.

10. Make sure your social network friends are valuable
It can be tempting to add every person you come across, but make sure you add only valuable friends who you think will like your music and visit your profile.

11. Do something to stand out from the crowd
The sad truth is that the quality of your music won't always be enough to get you noticed. Try doing a blog, a quiz, a gimmick – anything that will make your website or profile a bit different and interesting.

12. Get a short, snappy URL
Your website and your social network profiles will need a short snappy URL (web address) that's easy to remember. Bear in mind that you might be shouting your URL through the PA at a noisy gig to apathetic, drunken punters – keep it fairly obvious and make sure the spelling is logical.

13. Get your songs on iTunes
Nothing says professionalism like having your songs available to buy on the world's largest online music store. Websites such as CD Baby can get your tracks online for a small charge – you can then link to your songs in the store from your website/profile.

14. Keep your social profile concise
There are all manner of widgets and plug-ins available for social networks, but while they may look flashy, having too many may obscure the important info on your profile. They can also make your profile slow to load – remember that people generally don't have much patience on the net.

Via Music Radar
http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guitars/14-ways-to-promote-your-music-online-182713/2