Canadian Musician magazine along with Steam Whistle Brewing are offering music fans a chance to win a prize pack to the June 1^st edition of UNSIGNED, featuring Amos the Transparent, Wilderness of Manitoba, and Cai.ro. The prize pack includes tickets, refreshment tickets, and Steam Whistle swag (UNSIGNED shirt, opener, and Steam Whistle Pilsner glass). All you need to do is comment “I want to see ____ (band name) at Steam Whistle’s Unsigned #22” at the bottom of this post, or on Facebook by mentioning Canadian Musician followed by “I want to see ____ (band name) at Steam Whistle’s Unsigned #22”, or on Twitter by mentioning @Cdnmusician and tweeting “I want to see ____ (band name) at Steam Whistle’s Unsigned #22”. A winner will be randomly selected from all mentions.  Read the rest of this entry »

So our current issue of Canadian Musician has a feature written by the great David McPherson about properly using today’s social media tools to engage your audience and further your careers. For the piece, David was in touch with John MacPhee of PEI pop/rock band Paper Lions, who’ve had a string of interesting social media successes over the past few months – most intentional, but some totally coincidental. Check this out:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2012/05/15/pei-paper-lions-million-video-584.html

The band gets into more detail in the May/June 2012 issue, alongside others like Walk Off The Earth (’nuff said), artist-auctioning artist Jadea Kelley,  and Corin Raymond, the Trump of Canadian Tire money, so check it out! Figured we’d help the band practice what we preach…

Canadian Musician’s Chad Brown caught up with Roland Pemberton – aka Cadence Weapon – on a trek from Montreal to Toronto to perform some dates supporting his new disc Hope In Dirt City. Check it out…

Hip-hop is about painting a picture; it’s the process taking language and moulding it into something bigger than stanzas and simple rhymes. To be an MC, you need to not only be a cunning linguist, but also have a strong connection with who you are and where you come from – all the while showcasing originality in style and presentation. It’s a tough game, but one in which Roland Pemberton, aka Cadence Weapon, has been well seasoned as he gets ready to drop his third full-length, Hope In Dirt City, May 29th.

Following his debut release Breaking Kayfabe in 2005, Pemberton established himself as an unconventional artist. Steering clear of the derivative lyricism that has had a firm stranglehold on the mainstream side of the genre, Cadence Weapon carried a flavour of old school rap in a recipe fit for a new school audience. Sophisticated, silky-smooth baritone vocals laid over electro, sometimes Nintendo-sounding beats is what we came to expect from Pemberton between Breaking Kayfabe and his second release Afterparty Babies. Now set to drop Hope In Dirt City, Pemberton says he’s optimistic about the release though admits it does stray from the sound he’s established.

“I feel, ultimately, it’s the most mature example of my music so far,” says Pemberton, speaking with Canadian Musician while preparing for a trek from Montreal to Toronto. He adds: “I feel like it’s the clearest representation of Cadence Weapon.”

The 11-song release carries an evident connection to Pemberton’s hometown of Edmonton. When referring to the title track, the newly-established Montreal resident explains: “The end of the song, I’m doing the singing where I’m like, ‘I know you found someone new, I can’t get over you’ that’s kind of my way of saying goodbye to Edmonton. It was almost like a love song to Edmonton.” When you live in the same community long enough, it inevitably becomes part of your being. Needless to say, Pemberton had a strong connection to his city. “That song came in a part of my life where I was really disillusioned about Edmonton. It came together really quickly and was also tied to a poem I wrote while I was (Edmonton’s) Poet Laureate called ‘Dirt City (New Strathcona)’,” he explains.

After serving as Poet Laureate, Pemberton says he felt the need to step up and diversify his lyrical content – a conscious effort. Since some had been comparing his lyrics to more traditional and structured poetry, he says: “People are really going to be looking at my shit now. People, here and there, have given me props for my rhymes before but I wanted to be on the level of Black Thought or something. I want to be taken seriously as an MC, so with a track like “Get On Down,” I was going for the head, you know?” says Pemberton. And like the Method Man he “severed the head from the shoulders.” “Get On Down” explodes as the first track on the album into a flurry of alliterations, rich rhymes, and some criticisms of the rap game. Dope track.

Crafting your own beats is always a bonus in rap music. This time around, Cadence Weapon’s sound originated from the desire to have a more organic feel, drawing influence from specific artists of whom he’s fond. “Specifically Game Theory by The Roots, or some of the UGK records – Outkast, Devin the Dude, DJ Quik for sure. A lot those albums are so musical, just so much live instrumentation but done in a way with the kind of grit and texture of drum machine and sampling. That’s an unbeatable combination,” explains the artist and fan. His method of crafting the beats was definitely a significant undertaking. He first made a composition of beats and samples. Next, he took those to Chemical Sound Recording Studio in Toronto and started a band. He then sampled the results of those recordings and turned them into beats. The hard work and attention to detail is noteworthy.

Collaborations have always been a steady constant in hip-hop. Cadence Weapon albums have been scarce in that respect. “I feel like when it comes to albums, I like to collaborate on other people’s tracks more often,” says the Canadian rapper. “In my future albums I think there’s a way to do it in which I don’t have to limit my voice or give up too much sonic real-estate but I guess I’m just a control freak when I comes to my records,” he muses.

Starting this month, the Cadence Weapon experience will entertain crowds with rock duo Japandroids in the UK, east and west coast United States, as well as some shows in Eastern Canada, eventually ending in Edmonton. “I’m probably going to be touring this record for the rest of the year,” he figures.

At the end of the day, for Pemberton, it’s about staying power. He wants to be forever etched in the memories and multi-disc changers of his fans. “I just want to create a sonic document that outlasts me. I want to create something that will be timeless. I believe it’s possible to do that in 2012 and I want to be the person who does it. I want to create something like Rumors by Fleetwood Mac, you know? Something with real permanence,” concluded the always hungry Roland “Cadence Weapon’ Pemberton, and indeed, if you had to compile a list of candidates that could achieve the feat, his name wouldn’t look out of place on it.

www.cadenceweaponmusic.com

My girlfriend and I are currently amidst a little hobby project reading the five titles nominated for the 2012 CBC Canada Reads competition. The actual contest ended a few months ago, with Carmen Aguirre’s Something Fierce taking the title, but better late than never. We’re planning on reading them all and then “joining in” on the debates that were presented during the competition.

One of those five titles, this year’s theme being non-fiction, was Dave Bidini’s On A Cold Road: Tales of Adventure in Canadian Rock. The book chronicles Dave’s memories from The Rheostatics (his band)’s 1996 tour across Canada opening for The Tragically Hip, then the biggest rock band in the country.

The prose relays Dave’s insightful, often funny, sometimes heartbreaking experiences – from that tour and some before it – while also sharing carefully-curated anecdotes from those that came before him in the game – Randy Bachman, Kim Mitchell, and others among them. It’s a great read, particularly for the avid music fan or, better yet, a musician familiar with what being “on the road” really means here in Canada.

I’m not sure yet if it’ll be my favourite of the five titles, but at this point, having only completed one other (and one that outlasted Bidini’s in the competition), it just might be, and in either case is definitely worth the read if you made your way to this particular blog…

It really is an event like no other.

The North Lakes by Mikey Wasnidge

Each year, the music makers and industry shakers from the four Atlantic provinces come together to celebrate just what it is we do under the ECMA Week & Awards banner, and each year, the host city and even the list of showcasing performers do little to influence our decision as to whether or not it’s “worth” attending, as the event has come to be more than the sum of its individual moving parts.

As long as you can reasonably get there (why so far away, Corner Brook?), you’re there, and you’re there with the local city’s faithful music fans and those that, like a yellow camper van with haze sneaking out its cracked front window behind the Grateful Dead tourbus, will follow the event wherever it decides to park itself that year.

For 2012, the host city was Moncton, NB, and what a great one it ended up being. Here’s my ECMA diary:

Alert The Medic by Moi.

I pulled in Friday evening a little later than I’d hoped, meaning my leg was shaking with some extra vigour while waiting to get checked in. The moment I had my room key, bags hit floor and the room barely had time to breath as the door opened and closed like an uninterrupted pendulum.

I made it into the Oxygen club in time for my interview with Radio Radio, only to find the band amidst the chorus to “Cargue dans ma chaise” from Belmundo Regal (such a fun record) as part of their soundcheck. I got my first fill of music, however brief, before getting out into the sun with the band to ask some questions. The vid will be posted soon!

I wandered back to the Delta Beausejour, the host hotel, through Assumption Square, passing a few familiar faces on the way. Once I had my pass in-hand, I bumbled around the lobby for some hellos, handshakes, and hugs. My pal Colin from Paper Lions was being interviewed for ECMA Radio, so I stuck around to say hi, only to realize it was Music PEI’s fearless leader, Rob Oakie, conducting the interview.

Dale Murray & Christina Martin in the Members Lounge by Moi.

The scene nicely embodied why it’s close to impossible not to be wearing a huge smile as you make your way through the ECMA crowds: that, ay any moment, you’re not only bound to run into someone you know, but to also realize that someone you know knows someone you know and that these connections are so strong and webbed that your place in it is both integral and, at the same time, meaningless.

Our friends with SpinCount and Audio Blood Media were presenting the second annual “Suitecase” in the ECMA Members Lounge on the mezzanine, sponsored by some other friends of ours: Roland Canada. I stuck around and enjoyed a brew while catching bits and pieces of stripped-down sets by Halifax rockers Gloryhound, the velvet-voiced Coco Love Alcorn, Alert The Medic (“The Weatherman Pt. 2″ will thin your blood out), and The Stogies between catch-ups.

My next interview was with Fredericton-based singer-songwriter Andy Brown who’s been a friend of the magazine since being featured in our Showcase section a couple of years back, having kept in touch with updates on his (impressive) progress leading up to this point. Andy performed his new single “Tinman” on Sunday night’s gala and man, I really like the song. I think Grey’s Anatomy fans would lose it for this young man’s voice. Again, vid will be posted soon.

Two Hours Traffic by Mikey Wasnidge

From there, I made my way up to some room on some floor of the Delta where a tetra pack of celebrated songstresses were staying – Ashley Condon (look for her Vocal column in the May/June issue), Norma MacDonald (a Showcase alumnus), Kim Wempe, and Carmel Mikol. We shared some lagers, shared some laughs, and then took off to catch The Motorleague on the rock stage at Oxygen.

As a testament to how zoo-like this event can be, my good friend David, the drummer for PEI’s Paper Lions, and I spent about two and a half hours trying to sneak away to grab a bite, only to be swept away by mutual friends for chats and sips every time we approached the door. Finally, we snagged a couple of slices at Cutthroat Pizza (“Dear Lord!” delicious) before hitting O2.

Sets by The Motorleague (who presented Cystic Fibrosis Canada with a cheque for $3,000), Les Breastfeeders, and Radio Radio made the O2 feel like home before we snuck out for some fresh air. I got lost in a chat with Tian Wigmore and Brien McCarthy, members of Tim Chaisson’s band Morning Fold, about the feature I wrote on Tim in the March/April issue of CM before heading back in for Scientists of Sound and Whale Skin sets, for which we were joined by some beauties from the Island scene – some Lions and their ladies, some North Lakes, photographer extraordinaire Mikey Wasnidge, and a few others.

In-Flight Safety at the Tide & Boar by Mikey Wasnidge

Saturday started with some Vitamin Waters and beef jerky before heading over to the Moncton Lions hall for the Musicians Swap Meet. Being a left-handed guitar player is agonizing at these kind of events. A vintage Gibson Melody Maker a la John K. Samson for $1,000? Yes please, but no thank you.

Our first sets of the day came courtesy of Tim Chaisson and Morning Fold and Jimmy Rankin – a cool back-to-back if only because we had one of the Maritimes’ most impressively developing pop/country/roots/rock songwriters next to one of their most accomplished. I won’t tell you who I enjoyed more…

We slid over to the Tide & Boar Gastropub for lunch (very tasty) and then to catch Halifax’s fragile art rockers The Belle Comediennes (also very tasty) on the upstairs stage. Back at the Delta, we caught sets by Mo Kenney and Dale Murray, the latter of whom will be featured in the Guitar Special of our May/June issue, and who’s album Dream Mountain Dream has been muscling its way into regular rotation chez Andrew over the last few weeks.

Got a call from Roland Canada’s Caitlin Campbell who was onsite and we met up to take in some music. Another late dinner was in store, this time at the Delta’s restaurant, at which point another night of

Racoon Bandit (yeah, it's spelled that way) by Mikey Wasnidge

music began. Sets from ‘70s swagger-rock band The North Lakes, indie poppers Two Hours Traffic, and hometown rock hero Phil Flowers rounded out the night, after which we headed for the lobby bar to join CBC’s Bob Mersereau, Kim and Kevin Sinclair and Nikkie Gallant from SpinCount, Warner Music Canada’s John Poirier, and for a brief while, Andy Brown and his partner in crime Laura Noseworthy, for some laughs around the table (and some killer fries – thanks John). Maestro Fresh Wes was enjoying some fish and chips at the next table, which was pretty cool – the man that paved the way for Shad and Drake and k-os and K’Naan and Cadence Weapon and… A nice cap to a nice night.

The drive back to PEI the next day wasn’t as dreadful as the hour on the clock when we laid our heads the night before would have led me to believe. Instead, it was a pleasant drive on a pleasant day with the pleasant sounds of Steven Bowers reminding us of the weekend’s wonders.

As an industry event, it’s a top-tier production; yet it’s equally as (if not more) rewarding for the inner music fan, and its ability to appease the inner and outer circles of the music community out here is what makes it a winner year-after-year.

Catch you in Halifax for 2013.

I’m very proud to be a juror for the Polaris Music Prize of three years. In my first year, 4 of the 5 albums I chose as favourites made the short list, and then 3 of my next 5 made the short list. Last year, my picks didn’t fare as well (though Arcade Fire did take the prize, and The Weeknd would’ve if it wasn’t for the former mammoth of a record). In any case, I’m happy with my tentative ballot for this year, though I still have plenty of listening to do.

My question is: what are some of your favourite records to come out over the last 9 months that you’d think worthy of consideration for the “Best Canadian Album of the Year,” judged solely on artistic merit? My ears are hungry…

Writer Cassie Davidson and photographer Daniel Bray headed down to Austin to represent Canadian Musician at this year’s edition of the South By Southwest (SXSW) Music, Film + Interactive festival. Here’s the wrap-up from the last day of the festival.

The Balconies rocking Trinity Hall

The last day of SXSW was rather slow-paced for me, as I was really starting to feel the exhausting effects of festival life, so I headed back over to the Austin Convention Center to browse the Music Gear Expo with my friend Mark. The usual suspects were all there: a lot of high-end guitars, amps, and fancy pedals to covet. Mark was particularly impressed with the VAX 77 keyboard controller from Infinite Response, which boasts weighted keys, a colour touch screen, seamless integration with Apple’s MainStage, and polyphonic aftertouch. It also folds up into its own luggage case, a great feature for a touring musicians. Apparently Stevie Wonder is a big fan…

Meanwhile, I was keeping myself entertained with the Jasperbridge percussion guitar. A strange contraption that’s played on a stand, it’s made up of a standard guitar neck that brings the strings from the front of the instrument through a “tunnel” to the back of the

Vancouver's Living With Lions at Red 7

guitar body to then be played with a drumstick or mallet. It features modified pickups that allow for each note of a chord to be heard simultaneously, rather than successively. I’d be interested to actually see someone perform with it, as it looks somewhat awkward and unwieldy.

With the recent prevalence of so many musicians using new forms of electronics to create and record their work, the iPB-10 Guitar Pedalboard for the iPad was a big hit. Made by DigiTech, it features a digital library of 87 pedals, 54 amps, and 26 cabinets. The iPad’s touchscreen and the straightforward drag-and-drop layout of the program made it really easy to use, even for someone who has no idea what they’re doing with it (ahem).

Jacquie from The Balconies at the Canadian Blast

Before I knew it, several hours had passed so we headed back out into the fray to catch some shows. I closed out the night with some more Canadian music lovin’ at Trinity Hall for the Halifax Pop Explosion showcase. I hadn’t seen Wintersleep (Halifax) in ages, and it felt pretty good to be reunited in Austin. They played a lot of their newer material, which was great, but it’s their older stuff that still really does it for me so I was happy to hear a few songs from Untitled and Welcome to the Night Sky.

Overall I’d say my first time at SXSW was a great success. It was awesome to see so many bands representing Canada and connecting with tons of new fans. Between all the showcases and day parties, there are countless opportunities for musicians to reach out to broader audiences and gain a lot of exposure for themselves. Add all the industry reps and the strong media presence into the mix and you’ve got yourself one heck of a festival. SXSW 2013 will be here in no time and I can’t wait!

Canadian Musician‘s Mike Raine is in Toronto as CMW takes over the city and will be checking in daily with reports on the conference programming, the bands showcasing around the city, and more. See below for thoughts from Mike’s final day at the festival.

"Ask the Artists" panel

On the fourth and final day of the conference portion of Canadian Music Week the focus shifted back to the artists and, in particular, songwriters.

I started the day by catching some of the “Hello Halo: Getting Your Music in Games” panel, which had a bit of a misleading title since much of the discussion was about how videogame companies use songs and the related royalty deals and less about how unknown bands can get their songs in games; however, the panelists, including Activision Publishing/Blizzard’s VP of Music Affairs Tim Riley, agreed that you don’t have to be Jay-Z or Coldplay to get your song in a game. They’re solely interested in songs that match the mood of the game, regardless of

Newly-minted Canadian citizen Paul Rodgers

whose song it is. Because each company can operate differently, panelists warned, do your homework first. Go online or make some calls and find out who’s in charge of sourcing songs for the company’s products and contact that person directly. When you do, said Alex Hackford of Sony Computer Entertainment, know that most of them prefer hearing potential songs through streaming services because audio file attachments fill up an inbox and CDs become clutter. The less you annoy them, the more receptive they are to what you’re offering.

Next up was the “Elements of a Hit Song” presentation by Ralph Murphy and Jay Frank, who are both industry veterans and authors of books on how to write hit songs. I know many songwriters scoff at the idea of deliberately writing hit songs because music is supposed to come from the heart and soul, and in a way, I agree. Nonetheless, this was the most fascinating session of the day and, let’s be honest, it’d be cool to have a hit song. So if you’re in the market for a hit song, or just want some insight into the psychology of the modern listener, here are five tips:

Don Schlitz & Dan Wilson during the Kings of Songwriting session.

1. You have seven seconds to impress your audience. In the age of the internet, where a different song is a click away, research shows that listeners, on average, will give a new song seven seconds to hook them before they move on. In fact, 25 per cent of all songs sold in the U.S. last year had an intro of exactly zero seconds.

2. Get to the vocals. Interestingly, whether it’s speech or song, vocals are something people inherently don’t want to interrupt, so they’re less likely to changes stations or click away in the middle of a lyric, as Frank explained. As such, if the vocals kick in within the first seven seconds of a song, a listener’s more likely to listen to the whole tune, or at least more of it. That’s why first verses are often longer than the others. Who says manners are dead?

Kings of Songwriting session

3. Beware the “two minute fatigue wall.” If a song follows the same pattern and sound for two minutes, subconsciously listeners feel nothing’s going to change and they’ve essentially heard the whole thing, so throw in a something different around the two minute mark to regain the listener’s attention.

4. Be a winner. Whether the song is about a breakup or a street fight, very few hit songs portray the singer as the loser. As Murphy said, many songwriters have a tendency to whine, preach, or vent, but the listener doesn’t care.

5. The chorus should kick in around the 45 second mark. Interestingly, this isn’t a psychological tip but a practical one. The reason is that the 45 second mark is the default sample start time for any song sold on iTunes. Do you want people to only hear the chorus or part of a verse?

Don Schlitz performing his hit "The Gambler"

Moving on, I also attended the “Ask the Artist” panel, which was supposed to be a chance for unknown artists in the audience to ask questions of other young musicians that have graduated beyond the local bar scene. I expected this to be the most informative session of the day but no one asked questions and it transformed into a regular discussion panel. If you have the privilege of attending such a panel in the future, I’d suggest asking questions, because it felt like this was a bit of a wasted opportunity for many artists in attendance. The one point the panelists did drive home was to take advantage of the various government grants available to unsigned Canadian artists. Few countries offer artists so many opportunities to get some money to further their career.

On a more positive note, freshly-minted Canadian citizen Paul Rodgers, former singer of the classic ‘60s and ‘70s groups Free and Bad Company, gave a very entertaining interview and performance. In between amusing stories about how his advice made Robert Plant a lot of money and how he almost became the singer for The Doors, Rodgers did advise singers that one of the keys to preserving your voice as you age is knowing how to properly warm up. He must be onto something because his voice is as strong as ever. The same certainly can’t be said for a lot of aging rock singers I’ve seen live.

Final day of the conferece sessions.

As well, Jeff Price, CEO and Founder of TuneCore, a company that works with artists to ensure they’re getting all the royalties they’re owed, gave a very animated and well received presentation on the terribly complicated, unfair, and inefficient world of songwriter royalties in the age of the internet. The good news? There’s loads of money out there for anyone with an original song that’s available to the public. The bad news is that getting all the money you’re owed is nearly impossible.It’s also impossible for me to get into it all here –Price barely scratched the surface of it in an hour-long presentation, but songwriters might want to check out more from TuneCore here.

Lastly, here’s an interesting anecdote from the songwriter’s circle that has completely changed the way I hear a classic ‘90s tune. According to the song’s writer, Dan Wilson, the Semisonic tune “Closing Time,” the cap to just about any night out at the bar, isn’t actually about closing time at a bar; or at least not entirely. As Wilson explained, he went through a period where he was obsessed with making every song about two different subjects simultaneously. As such, “Closing Time” is partly about closing time at a bar, but it’s more about the impending birth of his child. But no one got the second part. Now go and listen to the song’s lyrics again, keeping in mind the part about the baby, and it seems so obvious that it’s hard to understand how anyone missed it in the first place. Funny how these things work.

Anyway, that’s all for this year folks. It’s been truly fun and interesting few days with far more useful information than I can pass along here. I would definitely recommend to anyone in the music industry that they attend in the future. Until next year, take care.

Writer Cassie Davidson and photographer Daniel Bray headed down to Austin to represent Canadian Musician at this year’s edition of the South By Southwest (SXSW) Music, Film + Interactive festival. Their adventures from Day 3…

Comeback Kid at Red 7

One of my favourite parts of the festival was Flatstock 33, presented by SXSW and the American Poster Institute. It was a great opportunity to check out the work of over 80 poster artists from around the world and see samples of their art. Gig posters are such great pieces of memorabilia and an attractive, effective way to advertise your band.

The two exhibitors I was most interested in seeing were Sonnenzimmer and Crosshair, both based in Chicago. The collaborative duo behind Sonnenzimmer,

Vancouver's Yukon Blonde at 512 Bar

Nadine Nakanishi and Nick Butcher, frequently pairs up with different artists to produce some beautiful pieces that are quite different from the posters you usually find at a show. With an emphasis on form over content, their delicate, detailed pieces have featured the likes of Yeasayer, Owen Pallett, Broken Social Scene, and The National.

Crosshair’s Dan MacAdam creates insanely detailed, photorealistic silkscreened posters, sometimes with as many as 17 different colours and layers. MacAdam uses the imagery of industrial landscapes and abandoned buildings to promote events for The Black Keys, Wilco, Blitzen Trapper, and Sonic Youth, among others. Both companies are definitely worth checking out.

Saskatoon's one-man-band, Jordan Cook, at Trinity Hall.

In between Flatstock and the evening’s shows, I took a break at my hotel and had the pleasure of meeting the one and only Reggie Watts, who was wonderful and a pleasure to talk to.

Day 3 was dubbed Canada Day for me, as my night was all about celebrating the homeland. I started out in the best way possible, with an intimate performance at the Rooftop Bar by one of my favourite songwriters, Montreal’s Charlotte Cornfield. Most of my night was spent at the Canadian Music Week showcase with Toronto bands The Balconies, Cuff

the Duke, Arkells, and Young Empires, as well as my top show of the day, Current Swell (from Victoria). It was just one amazing band after the other and it was definitely the place to be that night.

SXSW was almost over but wasn’t slowing down. Get ready for Day 4!

Canadian Musician‘s Mike Raine is in Toronto as CMW takes over the city and will be checking in daily with reports on the conference programming, the bands showcasing around the city, and more. Here’s the scoop from Friday, March 23rd.

First, I’d just like to say that Toronto’s own The Balconies played a hell of a show on Thursday night at Cabin 5. Check out a (very) recent interview with CM right here.

Lobby at the Royal York Hotel, the home of CMW.

Now down to business. Compared to the artist-centric day two, day three of Canadian Music Week was certainly more focused on business. But even among all the sessions for agents, managers, radio executives, and promoters, there were a few valuable discussion panels directed at the people that fuel the music industry: the artists.

Among them was “How to Get Booked on a Festival: Even if Nobody Knows Who You Are,” which included panelists from such esteemed events has England’s Glastonbury Festival, Iceland Airwaves Festival, Van’s Warped Tour, and Australia’s Big Sound showcase. The lesson that kept being repeated by the panelists was that landing a festival slot is all about two things: good songs and buzz.

Our friends @AUXTV onsite at the Royal York.

Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman explained that festival organizers talk to promoters, listen to fans, and search the web, so the bands that generate the most buzz and word of mouth reaction, even if it’s just in their own city, have a far better chance of getting booked. Lyman added: “Build a great story in your local market and we can’t ignore it.” Generally, the lesson was festivals are in the business of generating crowds and every band has to prove they can grab an audience’s attention.

As well, as Glastonbury co-promoter Martin Elbourne said if you want to make it to the bigger festivals, start with local festivals and showcases. Each of the 15 Canadian bands playing this year’s Great Escape Festival, he explained, was scouted at another smaller event, including Nova Scotia Music Week. Osheaga

The Festival Panel

Festival’s Nick Farkas added that if a lesser-known band does approach a larger festival, they need to have realistic expectations. They may have to play an early afternoon set on a side stage, but it could likely be a stepping stone toward a higher-profile set the following year.

Other points repeated throughout the panel: we’re in 2012, not 1995, so a pleasant looking website with videos and quality audio files has a better chance of getting a look than a press kit. Be persistent but don’t be a pest and have your pitch and/or story in order before you approach because organizers want to know why you’re right for their festival.

Next up, the “Agent vs. Manager: Who’s Got Your Back” panel was certainly the most boisterous of the day, with each high-profile manager and agent on the panel battling to get a word in. Tom Wilson of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – who played artist’s advocate and was often equal parts thoughtful, hilarious, and nonsensical – made the point that, ultimately, it’s all about the artist’s vision and the agent and manager are simply there to work out the details. Nothing good can happen when an artist loses control of their own career trajectory. This point was seconded by former Tragically Hip manager Jake Gold, who explained that tour partnerships and collaborations between artists often happen a lot easier if the artists approach each other instead of having an agents and/or managers approach another artist’s agent and/or manager. After that, the agents and managers can work out the details.

Agent vs. Manager - Who's Got Your Back?

Panel moderator Ron Burman, VP of A&R at Roadrunner Records, made an interesting point while answering an audience member’s question. If an artist is actively seeking out an agent, it’s sign that they’re probably not ready for one. The point being, if you’re at the stage of your career where you’re ready to hire an agent, agents will approach you. Otherwise it’s a waste of money. Frank Riley of High Road Touring added to Burman’s point, saying that when an artist approaches an agent, the power is now in the agent’s hands. The agent gets to ask the questions and set the parameters of the business relationship whereas when an agent approaches an artist, the artist is now the one in control, and that’s the better and more productive arrangement in the long run.

Moving on, the day ended with the “Club Tours: Small Rooms, Big Dreams” panel, consisting of venue owners, concert promoters, and band managers. One of the big lessons was that no venue or audience is too small for a band to make a lasting impression. Owners and promoters talk to each and to their staff so even an impressed bartender can lead to future opportunities.

As well, similar to the lesson easier in the day that small bands need to be prepared to play lesser time slots at festivals, they also have to be willing to play a Monday night at a tiny club. It’s not unusual for bands to have to work their way through the week, starting with an 8 p.m. Monday slot and building toward the 10 p.m. Friday headlining gig. Clubs are where word of mouth begins and if you can impress a small crowd, next time they’re bringing their friends.

Jason Grant, promoter at Live Nation, made a point that is particularly important in the age of internet hype. Just because a band can sell a 1,000 tickets in a particular city doesn’t mean they should. If a band plays a large show before they’ve honed their live performance, the negative reviews and audience reaction could actually set their career back.

And of course there was the Q&A with the legendary Slash, who stills looks like he just stepped out of a Guns n’ Roses promo photo from 1989. Unfortunately a ban on any questions about his former band means fans still have to wait and see if the real Guns n’ Roses will perform at their Hall of Fame induction.

All in all a very interesting day with far more to talk about than I can write about here, so I guess it’ll have to wait. See you tomorrow.