Live Events Review: Allen Stone & Timucua

There is nothing in life that is more enjoyable than sharing experiences with friends as well as strangers.  I have increasingly become aware of this realization over the past few years, and I have obtained a new outlook when attending live events.  I have attended two incredible events this past month, and their distinct differences are what make them so fantastic. 

On June 5th, I attended one of the best live performances I have ever witnessed.  Allen Stone, a soulful singer/songwriter from the Pacific Northwest performed at The Social, an intimate venue located in Downtown Orlando.  To begin, you must know that I am very biased when it comes to my all-time favorite concerts, but this performance was different and intriguing.  Allen Stone performed the whole set with passion as well as intensity, and I left the building feeling energized with a new outlook on life.  Additionally, I have never attended a concert where the whole crowd was singing, dancing, and smiling at the same time.  I honestly believe that everyone that night experienced something unique, and I am thankful that I got to be part of that.   

On June 11th, I attended the Jeff Rupert and Richard Drexler live CD recording at the Timucua White House in Orlando.  First, I must address how unique, warm, and welcoming this venue truly is.  When you arrive at Timucua, you get the feeling that you are attending a dinner party at a typical house, but this experience is so much more.  The Timucua venue is beautifully laid out with a stage, and three floors of comfortable seating.  Patrons that attend live events are encouraged to bring wine as well as food to share, which illustrates the welcoming nature of this community.  I decided to watch the performance from the third floor, which was equipped with comfortable couches.  The overall layout of the venue made this a unique experience, and the jazz music performed by Mr. Rupert and Mr. Drexler was second to none.  Consequently, I will attend a future event at Timucua due to its welcoming community and overall uniqueness. 

Upon analyzing these two events, I must say that I have little to no recommendations for the Allen Stone performance.  Some people may argue that the concert should have taken place at The Beachum next door, but part of this incredible experience was due to the intimate size of The Social. 

For Timucua, I would expand marketing to their target market throughout the Greater Orlando area.  The Timucua venue is a rare gem in this marketplace, but not many people are aware of its existence.  I would recommend placing event posters at local area museums, libraries, and coffee shops to increase awareness amongst the local demographic.  In fact, most of the income generated at Timucua is from its memberships and donations.  Therefore, raising awareness for the venue could be a positive endeavor in the end.  At this time, VistaPrint has full-page flyers (8.5" x 10.98") starting at $14.99 for a 25 count (Found Here).  It might be worth a test run to see if increased marketing helps bring in donations as well as new faces.  Additionally, there are releases on CDBaby that have been recorded at the Timucua venue in the past.  Therefore, it might be beneficial to have that type of information placed at the venue or even have a small merchandise table where patrons can purchase these particular items.  To conclude, I think it would be popular if Timucua held a catered, ticketed event, which included "big band" music and encouraged dancing the night away.  It is rare to see these types of events these days, and I think it would be popular.  Consequently, there would be some catering expense, but a lot of this cost would be absorbed by ticket sales:

Say the average dinner cost per guest is $25, so sell tickets to the event for $30 - $35.  Some additional catering pricing examples can be found here.

Though the aforementioned idea may never see the light of day, I do believe it would be a successful endeavor and a lot of fun.  Sometimes fresh ideas are great ideas!

Negotiating: The Power to Change the World

In analyzing videos on negotiations, it is interesting to see how some fundamental concepts are always being illustrated.  I think this is a great aspect to realize because it adds an element of continuity to the subject matter at hand.  Here are the following videos I watched on negotiations:

William Ury: The Walk from "No" to "Yes.”  Click here

Maria Ploumaki: The Art of Negotiation.  Click here

Real Men Real Style:  7 Ways to be a Better Negotiator. Click here

What I particularly love when listening to others speak about negotiating, is the common theme of human connectivity and how we present ourselves in these situations.  Many times, we want to react rather than act in certain types of situations, and it is this type of behavior that can be detrimental to the overall process.  The reason this type of behavior is damaging is because our reactions produce emotions and in turn make us blind to potential agreements.  In the video with Maria Ploumaki, she discusses how reeds are unusual plants in terms of how they bend in the wind but never break.  They are designed in such a way that they can mold themselves to the "unexpected," and it is this analogy that illustrates how we should carry ourselves throughout the negotiation process.  Additionally, these videos discuss how we should utilize perception in seeing any issue from the other side's point of view.  In the William Ury TED Talk, he explains how people tend to have this perception of the entire Middle East being very hostile.  He then goes on to discuss the "Abraham Trail Walk" he once experienced and how he met some of the most welcoming people in the world during this adventure.  It is critical that when negotiating, we remain kind to the people in the discussion but tough on the issue.  Think of what this world would be like if we all could understand the power of properly negotiating; it just might change the world. 

Streaming: Showing Growth, But Where Are the Profits?

They say change is ideal and required in order to progress forward, but could it become a hindrance to overall profitability?  In reality, progression should always be positive, but a recent financial report from Rhapsody, a well-known music based streaming company, has shed some light on the significant costs it takes to convert individuals into subscribers. This is an important trend to analyze for music industry professionals because streaming-based services has increased in popularity over the past decade and has been introduced as the next rung on the music distribution ladder.  This begs the question, if these companies keep losing money, how will they be able to survive in the coming years?

Click here to read the article.

When looking at the numbers, Rhapsody is looking strong with 2.5 million subscriptions reported in 2014.  Consequently, these numbers look great and speak to the popularity of on-demand streaming, but that growth is coming at a significant cost.  In order to obtain subscriptions, Rhapsody has reported that it lost $21.3 million in 2014.  These losses are stemming from the $8.53 cost to the company each time a subscription is acquired.  Before I proceed, it might seem like this post is out to get Rhapsody, however Spotify is illustrating similar losses, but on a much larger scale.  In 2014, Spotify reported $128 million in operating losses alone and there are no signs of this negative trend getting any better.

What does all this mean for the overall future of streaming?  That is hard to say, but the music industry professionals of today just cannot seem to get it right.  There is always a way to cut down on operating costs and these companies need to find the recipe to do just that.  Additionally, if I were running one of these companies, I would be very concerned over the new on-demand music services being launched by YouTube and Apple later this year, because they just might have the golden answer.

Ryan Holladay: To Hear This Music You Have to Be There. Literally.

Ryan's TED Talk Link: https://www.ted.com/talks/ryan_holladay_to_hear_this_music_you_have_to_be_there_literally

Some of the best ideas in the world take a lifetime to tell, but it only took Ryan Holladay six minutes.  Holladay, a musician turned entrepreneur, has created an amazing endeavor with his brother, that is combining technology with the art of music.  To begin, Holladay received his inspiration from the Christo and Jean-Claude art piece that was temporally placed within New York’s Central Park entitled, “The Gates.”  Large orange flag-like objects flowed through the park like a river of creativity and inspired Holladay to create something of similar magnitude.  

With this inspiration in hand, Holladay and his brother decided to compose musical landscapes for specific locations in the world and these pieces would be made available via a mobile app.  On Memorial Day 2013, Holladay and his brother released, “The National Mall,” a musical composition that is mapped specifically for the National Mall located in the heart of Washington D.C.  Users of the app are able to listen to a specific composition that is created from the areas in which the individual walks.  This creates an interactive experience with the location by utilizing the art of music.

So, why is this so important?  This type of thinking is critical when it comes to the future of the music industry.  Innovation needs to be at the heart of every endeavor and industry professionals need to start embracing technology.  The “old guard” of the music business world has always had a tendency to see technology as the enemy, but in reality, it is keeping music alive.  Think about what Holladay and his brother just created, they created an app that translates the world around you into a symphony of sounds.  Think of what this technology could do for the blind as they walk through the areas that have been mapped with this engaging music.  Not only are they receiving a visceral experience, but an audible painting of the world around them.

I love when music can be implemented into aspects of the world you least expect.  It speaks to us in a universal language and is one of the few aspects that we all can relate to as humans.  That is why this specific TED talk by Ryan Holladay has made such an impact on me, because he has proven to me that the music world is becoming more prominent with technology like this.

Coldplay's Farewell?

One of the biggest names in rock and roll history could be taking their final bow later this year.  Coldplay, the Grammy award-winning quartet from England, have stated that they are treating their next album as a completion of sorts.  You can read the full statement from front man Chris Martin here.  Martin, who turns 38 this March, has recently explained that Coldplay's new album entitled, “A Head Full of Dreams,” could be the finish line for what has been an unbelievable journey.  With these recent rumors floating around, fans of the band seem to be speculating if there is any truth behind the potential finalization of this world-renowned group.   

From an artist management standpoint, this is an interesting way to market your next album.  Do you really want your fans to know you are calling it quits before the album even hits the shelves or is it better to wait?  Personally, if you are in a group as successful as Coldplay, you are setting fan expectations extremely high for this forthcoming album. In fact, this album is required to surpass everything you have done in the past and it must leave a final impression that is not only positive, but also unforgettable.

Perhaps this is all part of Coldplay’s strategic plan?  They could be pretending this is indeed their final album and place everything they got into its creation. This type of tactic could definitely work or blow up in their face because expectations are already running extremely high. If I were their manager, I would have them think of this album as their last, but wait and release a statement closer to release date.  That way if the album is sub-par, the group will not be standing in the public’s eye with egg on their face.

Coldplay recently released their sixth studio album entitled, “Ghost Stories,” which has earned them three Grammy award nominations.  You can read the album’s full review here. 

                                                         Coldplay_-_Ghost_Stories.png

2014 Pomplamoose Tour: Epic Fail or Genius Marketing?

I tend not to get myself fired up about many issues; in fact, I would describe myself as being pretty laid back. However, over the past couple weeks I’ve found myself becoming agitated in regards to this sob story posted by Pomplamoose, an indie rock group based out of the bay area. Jack Conte, one of the group’s members, released a lengthy article explaining how the indie group ultimately ended up losing $11,819 after one of their more recent tour stints. You can read the full article here.

Now, how does an established group end up in that deep of a hole? Don’t get me wrong; it’s great this group is all about the “indie” culture but where’s the line between making smart independent decisions and throwing your whole career away? Luckily for us, Pomplamoose was gracious enough to publish their expenses incurred over this entire tour and I must say I’m baffled. More importantly, where was their manager and who was approving these costs?

Let’s start by looking at the $26,450 spent on production costs; this includes their van rental expense. 

Please see exhibit A:

Photo by Jack Conte

This is a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter - the luxury in van travel. Pomplamoose decided it would be advantageous to use this as their mode of transportation. For a little fun, go ahead and Google image search the interior of one of these. Need I say more?  Let me be clear, I'm not saying to go out on tour and live like you're playing the Oregon Trail but there's far more cost effective options out there. 

I’m also positive the group could have found ways of trimming back some of their actual production expenses. If you’re going out on the road on your dime, it’s crucial to only spend on what you absolutely need.  As a small indie rock group, I doubt they needed some of the lights as well as equipment they rented specifically for this tour - a lot of venues tend to have these accommodations in house.   

Let’s also take a look at the $17,589 in hotel and food costs for eight people.  The elephant in the room is the fact that they spent money on four hotel rooms, which allowed each member of the crew to have their own bed.  If I were their manager, I would have cut this down to two rooms. My goodness, it won’t kill you to sleep with another person in a king size bed and it’s even better when you think about how much money you’re saving! Additionally, if I was managing a group touring in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, I would be sleeping in that every night and implementing the peanut butter sandwich rule. *

Needless to say, this has created quite the uproar among fellow musicians within the music industry but this article released earlier in the week has stated it may have been a marketing stunt on Conte’s part.  

Now, I’m not going to get into how this may have been a shady plug for Conte’s crowd funding company because lo and behold I'm actually talking about Pomplamoose. This group hasn’t been relevant for a few years now and if this was truly a marketing stunt, I commend this group!  If this wasn't, then they really need to hire a better manager and one who will teach them self-discipline when it comes to monetary spending out on the road.               

 

* The peanut butter sandwich rule is a must for touring bands on a budget.  It consists of a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, which allows for sustainable energy while on the road.  On those good days, be sure to add fluff or a sliced apple on the side.