[NewMusic] Promotion of New Music scene

[Sarah - 21 Grand]

I think I've written about this at length before ...

A few quick observations from experience as a producer of shows and audience
member:
1. flyers do help - especially if you give them to people and express
enthusiasm about the event in question - yes, it's usually "preaching to the
converted" - but the key is reduce the number of people that would say in
retrospect, "Oh, I didn't hear about it. I would have liked to go." or "Oh
yeah, I was going to go but ... Who was playing again?"
2. shows should have time/space for socializing (the physical space of some
venues constricts this - I feel like our lobby and alley are conducive to
making people feel comfortable, the patio at the Uptown is cool, the
backyard at 1510 is nice, standing outside on the street at Luggage Store
and the former Jazz House - not so much, but this is just my personal
experience). The worse for me are the shows w/low audience attendance that
drag: start late, then take a lot of time in between sets, and the sets are
long. Banter with or addressing the audience can be helpful ... Phillip
Greenlief has done this well ...same with Mr. Walter.
3. there is not an exact science to determining whether someone is playing
out too much and detracting from one's draw, or whether too many shows are
booked on any given night.
4.there are people that won't stay (or show up) to shows that run past 10:30
on weeknights, there are others that won't show up until 10:30.
5. KALX promo is kinda flaky.
6. I feel like the internet, albeit it makes it easier to promote last
minute things, also tends to create groups/sites that are national or
international in scope, such that people lose track of the local.

sl


Matt wrote:

We simply don't have the stamina to do a major publicity push every week at
the Luggage Store, so we do the things that have been the most effective:
bayimproviser/transbay calendar, a few experimental music lists, and KUSF
events calendar. The least attended shows tend to be ones where the
musicians do no promotion of their own.