Say hi to Lake Michigan for me. I never write, I never call. It's been a long time, I know.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
FESTIVAL NEWS: Lollapalooza Festival 2007 Schedule Announced for Grant Park Chicago
The 2007 Lollapalooza, Perry Ferrell's now
annual festival in Chicago's Grant Park, is set for August 3-5.
Lollapaloozuelans, get out your calendar, cuz this year's lineup and
schedules have been posted!
Say hi to Lake Michigan for me. I never write, I never call. It's been a long time, I know.
Say hi to Lake Michigan for me. I never write, I never call. It's been a long time, I know.
CANCELLATION ALERT: Morrissey Cancels 6/30 Madison Square Garden Show
Get Well cards can be addressed to the Mozzer.
According to his people, "The singer was taken ill earlier this week 7 songs into his performance in Boston which forced the postponement of that show as well as shows in Northampton, Mass and Philadelphia... The artist's representatives are currently in the process of working on securing rescheduled dates and hope to make an announcement on Monday July 2nd. In the meantime Morrissey's performance July 6th at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel NJ is to proceed as planned. "
According to his people, "The singer was taken ill earlier this week 7 songs into his performance in Boston which forced the postponement of that show as well as shows in Northampton, Mass and Philadelphia... The artist's representatives are currently in the process of working on securing rescheduled dates and hope to make an announcement on Monday July 2nd. In the meantime Morrissey's performance July 6th at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel NJ is to proceed as planned. "
Saturday, June 23, 2007
HOT TIP: Take in Some of Summer's Best Shows at the Spiegeltent
There's a new venue in town. But careful, don't blink or you might miss it.
That's right, for the 2nd year running, NYC is playing host to the Spiegeltent. All
the way from Belgium to the South Street Seaport's Pier 17, this 1920s
masterpiece of velvet, teak, stained glass and a thousand (1,000!) mirrors is a
beautiful summertime romance for the city of NY.
From noon to the wee hours of the night, our Art Deco mistress plays host to a
diverse array of musicians, cabaret, and all sorts of outrageous feats of
derring-do. Get a load of who's playing this summer:
7/07: Lady Sovereign
7/16: Shout Out Louds
7/17: Weimar NY: The Spiegel Sessions
7/19: Shout Out Louds
7/24: DeVotchKa
7/25: DeVotchKa
7/31: Ute Lemper: 'Voyages'
8/07: Lila Downs
8/08: Lila Downs
8/13: Badly Drawn Boy
8/14: Badly Drawn Boy
8/21: José González
8/26: Paul Capsis
8/28: Weimar NY: The Spiegel Sessions
8/29: O'Death
8/02: Paul Capsis
9/05: An Albatross
9/09: Paul Capsis
9/11: Penny Arcade's "Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!"
9/16: Paul Capsis
9/18: Weimar NY: The Spiegel Sessions
9/23: Dan Zanes And Friends: Sea Music!
Check out the official site for more on the cabaret and high-flying thrills of
Absinthe and La Vie.
She was a shining star in last year's summer concert season, garnering both critical
acclaim and huge word of mouth buzz. But you better catch Ms. Spiegeltent by
9/23, because just like the disappearing summer, to paraphrase Verbal Kint,
"And poof. Just like that, [s]he's gone."
>>Badly Drawn Boy, a.k.a. Damon Gough - Webster Hall, NY 3/7/07. See Gallery
That's right, for the 2nd year running, NYC is playing host to the Spiegeltent. All
the way from Belgium to the South Street Seaport's Pier 17, this 1920s
masterpiece of velvet, teak, stained glass and a thousand (1,000!) mirrors is a
beautiful summertime romance for the city of NY.
From noon to the wee hours of the night, our Art Deco mistress plays host to a
diverse array of musicians, cabaret, and all sorts of outrageous feats of
derring-do. Get a load of who's playing this summer:
7/07: Lady Sovereign
7/16: Shout Out Louds
7/17: Weimar NY: The Spiegel Sessions
7/19: Shout Out Louds
7/24: DeVotchKa
7/25: DeVotchKa
7/31: Ute Lemper: 'Voyages'
8/07: Lila Downs
8/08: Lila Downs
8/13: Badly Drawn Boy
8/14: Badly Drawn Boy
8/21: José González
8/26: Paul Capsis
8/28: Weimar NY: The Spiegel Sessions
8/29: O'Death
8/02: Paul Capsis
9/05: An Albatross
9/09: Paul Capsis
9/11: Penny Arcade's "Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!"
9/16: Paul Capsis
9/18: Weimar NY: The Spiegel Sessions
9/23: Dan Zanes And Friends: Sea Music!
Check out the official site for more on the cabaret and high-flying thrills of
Absinthe and La Vie.
She was a shining star in last year's summer concert season, garnering both critical
acclaim and huge word of mouth buzz. But you better catch Ms. Spiegeltent by
9/23, because just like the disappearing summer, to paraphrase Verbal Kint,
"And poof. Just like that, [s]he's gone."
>>Badly Drawn Boy, a.k.a. Damon Gough - Webster Hall, NY 3/7/07. See Gallery
Friday, June 22, 2007
BREAKING NEWS: The Cure Announce Full Fall US Tour - Tickets On Sale June 28
Yes, it's official. No more toying with us, making only random festival appearances here
and there, both few and far between. The Cure -- they of the badly drawn lipstick,
artfully disheveled tresses, and gift for bridging the goth gap between mope and merriment
-- are heading back to North American shores this Fall.
The Head On the Door. Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me. Disintegration. Standing on a
Beach, the Singles. The mere mention of any one of these landmark releases is enough to
send paroxysms of dreamy nostalgia through my entire being. Yes, I'm a dork. But what
can I say, The Cure were a defining force in music for more folk than just me. And that's
precisely why this tour is going to be big, baby, big.
The first round of tickets go on sale next Thursday, 6/28! Dates will continue to roll
out over the subsequent weeks, so keep your eyes peeled on the link below for your city.
BUY CURE TICKETS (Hold your horses til 6/28, Mr. Enthusiastic!)
Thu-Sep-13 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
Sat-Sep-15 Atlanta, GA Gwinnett Center
Mon-Sep-17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Wed-Sep-19 Washington DC Patriot Center
Fri-Sep-21 Philadelphia , PA Wachovia Spectrum
Sun-Sep-23 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Tue-Sep-25 Boston, MA Agganis Arena
Wed-Sep-26 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Thu-Sep-27 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Sat-Sep-29 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena
Tue-Oct-02 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu-Oct-04 Salt Lake City, UT E Center
Sat-Oct-06 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre - Download Festival
Mon-Oct-08 Seattle, WA Key Arena
Tue-Oct-09 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
Thu-Oct-11 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Sat-Oct-13 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
Sun-Oct-14 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
Tue-Oct-16 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Wed-Oct-17 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
The opening band will be 65 Days Of Static. And what you really want to know: Is this
really The Cure, or just a bunch of studio musicians accompanying Robert Smith?
According to their lovely publicity peeps, "Led as always by lead singer/guitarist Robert
Smith, the Cure line-up comprises longtime members bass player Simon Gallup, drummer
Jason Cooper and, back in the band for a third time, guitarist Porl Thompson." Oh happy
day!
Now go listen to The Head On the Door and think of six different ways to love The Cure.
Tags: the cure, robert smith, simon gallup, jason cooper, porl thompson, goth, britain, uk, british bands, us tour, touring, tickets, music, live music, concerts, tixgirl
and there, both few and far between. The Cure -- they of the badly drawn lipstick,
artfully disheveled tresses, and gift for bridging the goth gap between mope and merriment
-- are heading back to North American shores this Fall.
The Head On the Door. Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me. Disintegration. Standing on a
Beach, the Singles. The mere mention of any one of these landmark releases is enough to
send paroxysms of dreamy nostalgia through my entire being. Yes, I'm a dork. But what
can I say, The Cure were a defining force in music for more folk than just me. And that's
precisely why this tour is going to be big, baby, big.
The first round of tickets go on sale next Thursday, 6/28! Dates will continue to roll
out over the subsequent weeks, so keep your eyes peeled on the link below for your city.
BUY CURE TICKETS (Hold your horses til 6/28, Mr. Enthusiastic!)
Thu-Sep-13 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
Sat-Sep-15 Atlanta, GA Gwinnett Center
Mon-Sep-17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Wed-Sep-19 Washington DC Patriot Center
Fri-Sep-21 Philadelphia , PA Wachovia Spectrum
Sun-Sep-23 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Tue-Sep-25 Boston, MA Agganis Arena
Wed-Sep-26 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Thu-Sep-27 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Sat-Sep-29 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena
Tue-Oct-02 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu-Oct-04 Salt Lake City, UT E Center
Sat-Oct-06 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre - Download Festival
Mon-Oct-08 Seattle, WA Key Arena
Tue-Oct-09 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
Thu-Oct-11 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Sat-Oct-13 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
Sun-Oct-14 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
Tue-Oct-16 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Wed-Oct-17 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
The opening band will be 65 Days Of Static. And what you really want to know: Is this
really The Cure, or just a bunch of studio musicians accompanying Robert Smith?
According to their lovely publicity peeps, "Led as always by lead singer/guitarist Robert
Smith, the Cure line-up comprises longtime members bass player Simon Gallup, drummer
Jason Cooper and, back in the band for a third time, guitarist Porl Thompson." Oh happy
day!
Now go listen to The Head On the Door and think of six different ways to love The Cure.
Tags: the cure, robert smith, simon gallup, jason cooper, porl thompson, goth, britain, uk, british bands, us tour, touring, tickets, music, live music, concerts, tixgirl
Thursday, June 21, 2007
BROKEN NEWS: The Humans Are Dead say the Flight of the Conchords
Just because it's so, well... so... just because:
Submit to the Robo-Boogie.
This one goes out to The Kollektiv:
Bret and Jemaine, when are you bringing your mad selves to NY, you crazy Kiwis? At least I get to enjoy you freaky old bastards every Sunday.
Submit to the Robo-Boogie.
This one goes out to The Kollektiv:
Bret and Jemaine, when are you bringing your mad selves to NY, you crazy Kiwis? At least I get to enjoy you freaky old bastards every Sunday.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
BREAKING NEWS: Peter Bjorn and John Tickets On Sale Friday 6/22 for New Shows in NY & Atlanta
Friday is a very important day for NYers and Hotlantans. It's the day
that tickets
to Peter Bjorn and John go on sale. Yes indeedy, as every indie kid knows, these
guys are a must-see. And being from Stockholm, it's not like they're just going to
turn up on your local nabe's watering hole's doorstep with any convenient
regularity. So take this opportunity to catch these catchy tunes, and help them
whistle while they work.
Tickets for both NY & Atlanta go on sale Friday:
--New York: 9/6 @ Roseland Ballroom, on sale 6/22 at noon
--Atlanta: 9/12 @ Variety Playhouse, on sale 6/22 at 10am
Tickets are already on sale for dates in:
--Hollywood
--San Diego
--Boston
--Seattle
--Vancouver, BC
BUY PETER BJORN and JOHN TICKETS
>>L to R: Peter, Bjorn and who? Oh yeah, John. See Gallery from Coachella
No idea who these guys are? You're kidding! I know you've heard them whistle a
catchy tune at least once. Check out this vid I took backstage at Coachella (lucky
me!), and see how successfully they've wiggled into the American zeitgeist.
Now you remember? Yeah, thought so. And here's another from the photo pit...
to Peter Bjorn and John go on sale. Yes indeedy, as every indie kid knows, these
guys are a must-see. And being from Stockholm, it's not like they're just going to
turn up on your local nabe's watering hole's doorstep with any convenient
regularity. So take this opportunity to catch these catchy tunes, and help them
whistle while they work.
Tickets for both NY & Atlanta go on sale Friday:
--New York: 9/6 @ Roseland Ballroom, on sale 6/22 at noon
--Atlanta: 9/12 @ Variety Playhouse, on sale 6/22 at 10am
Tickets are already on sale for dates in:
--Hollywood
--San Diego
--Boston
--Seattle
--Vancouver, BC
BUY PETER BJORN and JOHN TICKETS
>>L to R: Peter, Bjorn and who? Oh yeah, John. See Gallery from Coachella
No idea who these guys are? You're kidding! I know you've heard them whistle a
catchy tune at least once. Check out this vid I took backstage at Coachella (lucky
me!), and see how successfully they've wiggled into the American zeitgeist.
Now you remember? Yeah, thought so. And here's another from the photo pit...
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
FESTIVAL NEWS: River to River Festival Takes Over Manhattan All Summer Long
Agreed, all these 1-day festivals are fantastic. But what's a girl to
do with the rest of her
sunny summer days? Spend them sans music? I think not! And that's where the River to
River Festival comes in. With events spread out throughout the summer at a wide variety
of locations around the city, there's something to suit any mood, be it light and breezy,
heavy and angsty, deep and poetic, or sly and jazzy.
Here are just a few of the ones that sparked my interest. I mean, haven't you always
wanted to go to a Swedish Midsummer Festival?! Don't worry, it's a hipster paradise,
too, with shows from artists like Martha Wainwright, the New Pornographers,
Spoon and more! Read on...
>>Martha Wainwright at McCarren Park Pool 8/24/06. See Gallery
DATE: July 6, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: South Street Seaport, Pier 17
Check out the full summer lineup, courtesy of the official River to River Fest site,
for a listing of everyone and their brother participating in this year's fest.
sunny summer days? Spend them sans music? I think not! And that's where the River to
River Festival comes in. With events spread out throughout the summer at a wide variety
of locations around the city, there's something to suit any mood, be it light and breezy,
heavy and angsty, deep and poetic, or sly and jazzy.
Here are just a few of the ones that sparked my interest. I mean, haven't you always
wanted to go to a Swedish Midsummer Festival?! Don't worry, it's a hipster paradise,
too, with shows from artists like Martha Wainwright, the New Pornographers,
Spoon and more! Read on...
>>Martha Wainwright at McCarren Park Pool 8/24/06. See Gallery
BPC PARKS' SWEDISH MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL AND FAMILY DANCE
DATE: June 22, 2007
TIME: 5:00pm
LOCATION: Wagner Park
THE LIVING ROOM w/ MARTHA WAINWRIGHT
DATE: June 26, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: WFC Plaza
Seaport Music
Ra Ra Riot
DATE: June 29, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: South Street Seaport, Pier 17
The New Pornographers
DATE: July 4, 2007
TIME: 3:30pm
LOCATION: Battery Park
Shearwater
DATE: July 5, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park
DATE: July 6, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: South Street Seaport, Pier 17
Folks on the Island! A Governors Island Folk Festival featuring Odetta
DATE: July 7, 2007
TIME: 1:30pm
LOCATION: Governors Island
SambaSunda
DATE: July 10, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: WFC Plaza
Spoon
DATE: July 11, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: Rockefeller Park
Ron Sexsmith
DATE: July 12, 2007
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park
Check out the full summer lineup, courtesy of the official River to River Fest site,
for a listing of everyone and their brother participating in this year's fest.
FESTIVAL NEWS: Siren Music Festival 2007 in NYC is FREE
Nope, 4th of July isn't the only day of big public explosions we've got
to look forward to
here in NYC! Feast your eyes on the lineup for the 7th annual installment of the Siren
Music Festival, courtesy of the lovely folks at the Village Voice...
Headliners:
M.I.A.
CURSIVE
VOXTROT
WHITE RABBITS
Joined by:
NEW YORK DOLLS
WE ARE SCIENTISTS
MATT AND KIM
THE BLACK LIPS
DR. DOG
NOISETTES
LAVENDER DIAMOND
THE DETROIT COBRAS
ELVIS PERKINS
THE TWILIGHT SAD
+ more
Mark it on your calendar, boyz & girlz! Here's the details:
Date: Saturday, July 21st
Price: FREE
Open To: All Ages
Where: Just off the Boardwalk at CONEY ISLAND (See Festival Map)
>>M.I.A.
here in NYC! Feast your eyes on the lineup for the 7th annual installment of the Siren
Music Festival, courtesy of the lovely folks at the Village Voice...
Headliners:
M.I.A.
CURSIVE
VOXTROT
WHITE RABBITS
Joined by:
NEW YORK DOLLS
WE ARE SCIENTISTS
MATT AND KIM
THE BLACK LIPS
DR. DOG
NOISETTES
LAVENDER DIAMOND
THE DETROIT COBRAS
ELVIS PERKINS
THE TWILIGHT SAD
+ more
Mark it on your calendar, boyz & girlz! Here's the details:
Date: Saturday, July 21st
Price: FREE
Open To: All Ages
Where: Just off the Boardwalk at CONEY ISLAND (See Festival Map)
>>M.I.A.
Monday, June 18, 2007
BREAKING NEWS: Amy Winehouse & Paolo Nutini Tickets Going On Sale Friday
Whether you think Amy Winehouse
belongs in rehab or not, chances are you've heard
the hard-partying, 60s soul-worshipping singer's story and are dying to see if she can
carry it off live. Well, if her stint at Coachella is any indication, the girl can sing... without
falling over.
See for yourself if she lives up to the hype. She'll be playing Central Park on September
12th at Rumsey Playfield. And she's brining along Scottish heartthrob Paolo Nutini, to boot.
Tickets go on sale for NYC & their full national tour Friday at noon!
BUY WINEHOUSE / NUTINI TICKETS
>>Amy Winehouse at Coachella 2007
the hard-partying, 60s soul-worshipping singer's story and are dying to see if she can
carry it off live. Well, if her stint at Coachella is any indication, the girl can sing... without
falling over.
See for yourself if she lives up to the hype. She'll be playing Central Park on September
12th at Rumsey Playfield. And she's brining along Scottish heartthrob Paolo Nutini, to boot.
Tickets go on sale for NYC & their full national tour Friday at noon!
BUY WINEHOUSE / NUTINI TICKETS
>>Amy Winehouse at Coachella 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
OVERHEARD IN NY: What I Learned at the In The City of NY Conference
The W Hotel
Union Square played host to In The City of NY on 6/13-6/14, for a series
of panels, seminars and master classes on the current state of the music industry and,
more importantly, where many of its key players think it's heading next. The event made
for some highly quotable moments.
Come, take a walk with me down soundbyte lane...
"Jonny Marr was talking backstage at the Modest Mouse show about being in The
Smiths, when they used to only record 3 songs at a time, because those were all the
songs they had at any one time. So they'd release each as singles, and then when they'd
released enough singles, they'd put out an album. And now the downloads business has
put us back into that model."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
>>Rodney Jerkins, the award-winning songwriter-producer of some of the biggest
R&B hits in the last 15 years, gave us a candid and innovative vision of the music
industry and what can be done to save it. As the man behind the music, you may
not know his name, but you'll recognize his track record of outrageously huge hits:
Brandy & Monica's "The Boy Is Mine", Jennifer Lopez's "If You Had My Love",
Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" and Beyonce's "Deja Vu", Mary J. Blige's "I Can
Love You" and "Enough Crying", and dozens more.
"What's going to save the music business? Real music. Real music. That's it. The hunger
for real music right now is bigger than ever before. The record companies haven't
embraced technology. Music execs coming out of school don't know music. They
wouldn't know a hit if it hit them in the head. We have people in position that shouldn't be
in position."
"In anything you do you have seasons. There are ups and downs and ups and downs.
Even when you have a hit song , instead of saying 'I'm going to St. Tropez', I'm going
back into the studio to get started writing the next hit. You can't rest on your laurels. You
gotta work harder than the next guy."
"You have to be careful with trendy music, cuz trendy comes and trendy goes. You don't
make real music that way. You need to be writing real music that becomes classic. I don't
understand it when they say 'you gotta give us a song that sounds like this other hit song.'
That's wrong. You can't use the radio to tell you what music to make. You tell the radio
what music to play."
"I want to train my successor. I want to find the next Rodney Jerkins, and train them.
That's how you stay relevant in the game. The only person who has really done that is Dr.
Dre. He's 43yrs old, and he stays relevant in the game because he's got young people
under him that keep him current."
"Know your music history... We gotta get rid of the people who aren't music people. We
got to minimize to maximize."
"You can't trick the consumer. You can't just put somebody on TV and hope and trust
the exposure to make an artist. It comes down to the talent. If there's no hit song behind
them, no amount of exposure in the world is gonna help their career. That's why Kelly
Clarkson is where she is. Ruben Studdard and Fantasia had the same exposure, but they
couldn't sell a record. Kelly had 'Since U Been Gone,' and she blew up. Then she had the
follow up, and she was outta here."
--Rodney Jerkins, Songwriter-Producer, VP of A&R, Island Def Jam
>>David Massey, the man who signed Oasis, spoke with ITCNY Conference
organizer, Anthony Wilson about his experiences coming up as a manager in the
music industry thru his transition into a brilliant A&R EVP at Sony, and finally
landing in his current role as President of Mercury Records at Island Def Jam.
"Paying for music has become a choice that people make. And the technology has made
buying music a voluntary act."
--Jim Griffin, CEO, One House
"Records sold isn't the only measure of a band's success! There are six: Obviously the
bottom line - money, then ticket sales, merch, digital downloads, records sold, and also ringtone sales."
--Marc Geiger, SVP, William Morris Agency and Ex-Vice Chairman & President, ARTISTdirect Inc.
"The measure of success in breaking a band is ticket sales. For hip-hop, it's number of
ringtones sold."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
"Radio is still #1 for music discovery. Video is 2nd. Friend recommendations are 3rd. No
one uses iTunes to discover new music."
--David Card, Jupiter Research
"Viral recommendations are key for future momentum. It's about breaking bands.
Interoperability [of music files] is not the key to breaking bands."
--Rob Wetstone, VP Label Relations, EMusic
"iTunes is the biggest check the labels are going to get. EMusic is 2nd biggest."
--David Card, Jupiter Research
"Sony's new standard contract now asks for 30% of all ancillary activities of the artist -
that's 30% of publishing, merch, everything. But why would an artist want to sign that
when the label can't deliver?"
--Patrick Moxey, Ultra Records
"Record companies need to become music companies. The music has to be the focus.
Then the contracts can change entirely."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
"Music-the-product is in its last days. The case that's seeing growth is music-the-service.
So this is where we need to focus our monetization efforts. Music services are aplenty
and growing, so we need to focus on collecting the fees... We're in the midst of an
Exxon-Valdese disaster. And its our own fault. We created the situation. We poisoned
the well. We need to monetize music the service to make up for the revenue we've lost
from music the product."
--Jim Griffin, CEO, One House
"We need to focus on trying to monetize the casual listener who only ever downloads 200
songs, goes to 1 concert a year, and listens to Lite FM. They aren't the hardcore fan. We
need to try and monetize the casual listener in the over 25 demo."
--Adam Sexton, Groovemobile
"In Korea there is no such thing as a physical record anymore. The only consumption
model is via a subscription service over their cell phones."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
"The artist doesn't really need a record label anymore. The important part is the pricing
structure and the deal structures. They're trying new things all the time! Live Nation and a
label and a major corporation are banding together to go out and try and resign Pearl Jam!"
--Marc Geiger, SVP, William Morris Agency and Ex-Vice Chairman & President, ARTISTdirect Inc.
For more on the conference and its founding fathers in the UK, check out the official In The City blog.
of panels, seminars and master classes on the current state of the music industry and,
more importantly, where many of its key players think it's heading next. The event made
for some highly quotable moments.
Come, take a walk with me down soundbyte lane...
"Jonny Marr was talking backstage at the Modest Mouse show about being in The
Smiths, when they used to only record 3 songs at a time, because those were all the
songs they had at any one time. So they'd release each as singles, and then when they'd
released enough singles, they'd put out an album. And now the downloads business has
put us back into that model."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
>>Rodney Jerkins, the award-winning songwriter-producer of some of the biggest
R&B hits in the last 15 years, gave us a candid and innovative vision of the music
industry and what can be done to save it. As the man behind the music, you may
not know his name, but you'll recognize his track record of outrageously huge hits:
Brandy & Monica's "The Boy Is Mine", Jennifer Lopez's "If You Had My Love",
Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" and Beyonce's "Deja Vu", Mary J. Blige's "I Can
Love You" and "Enough Crying", and dozens more.
"What's going to save the music business? Real music. Real music. That's it. The hunger
for real music right now is bigger than ever before. The record companies haven't
embraced technology. Music execs coming out of school don't know music. They
wouldn't know a hit if it hit them in the head. We have people in position that shouldn't be
in position."
"In anything you do you have seasons. There are ups and downs and ups and downs.
Even when you have a hit song , instead of saying 'I'm going to St. Tropez', I'm going
back into the studio to get started writing the next hit. You can't rest on your laurels. You
gotta work harder than the next guy."
"You have to be careful with trendy music, cuz trendy comes and trendy goes. You don't
make real music that way. You need to be writing real music that becomes classic. I don't
understand it when they say 'you gotta give us a song that sounds like this other hit song.'
That's wrong. You can't use the radio to tell you what music to make. You tell the radio
what music to play."
"I want to train my successor. I want to find the next Rodney Jerkins, and train them.
That's how you stay relevant in the game. The only person who has really done that is Dr.
Dre. He's 43yrs old, and he stays relevant in the game because he's got young people
under him that keep him current."
"Know your music history... We gotta get rid of the people who aren't music people. We
got to minimize to maximize."
"You can't trick the consumer. You can't just put somebody on TV and hope and trust
the exposure to make an artist. It comes down to the talent. If there's no hit song behind
them, no amount of exposure in the world is gonna help their career. That's why Kelly
Clarkson is where she is. Ruben Studdard and Fantasia had the same exposure, but they
couldn't sell a record. Kelly had 'Since U Been Gone,' and she blew up. Then she had the
follow up, and she was outta here."
--Rodney Jerkins, Songwriter-Producer, VP of A&R, Island Def Jam
>>David Massey, the man who signed Oasis, spoke with ITCNY Conference
organizer, Anthony Wilson about his experiences coming up as a manager in the
music industry thru his transition into a brilliant A&R EVP at Sony, and finally
landing in his current role as President of Mercury Records at Island Def Jam.
"Paying for music has become a choice that people make. And the technology has made
buying music a voluntary act."
--Jim Griffin, CEO, One House
"Records sold isn't the only measure of a band's success! There are six: Obviously the
bottom line - money, then ticket sales, merch, digital downloads, records sold, and also ringtone sales."
--Marc Geiger, SVP, William Morris Agency and Ex-Vice Chairman & President, ARTISTdirect Inc.
"The measure of success in breaking a band is ticket sales. For hip-hop, it's number of
ringtones sold."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
"Radio is still #1 for music discovery. Video is 2nd. Friend recommendations are 3rd. No
one uses iTunes to discover new music."
--David Card, Jupiter Research
"Viral recommendations are key for future momentum. It's about breaking bands.
Interoperability [of music files] is not the key to breaking bands."
--Rob Wetstone, VP Label Relations, EMusic
"iTunes is the biggest check the labels are going to get. EMusic is 2nd biggest."
--David Card, Jupiter Research
"Sony's new standard contract now asks for 30% of all ancillary activities of the artist -
that's 30% of publishing, merch, everything. But why would an artist want to sign that
when the label can't deliver?"
--Patrick Moxey, Ultra Records
"Record companies need to become music companies. The music has to be the focus.
Then the contracts can change entirely."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
"Music-the-product is in its last days. The case that's seeing growth is music-the-service.
So this is where we need to focus our monetization efforts. Music services are aplenty
and growing, so we need to focus on collecting the fees... We're in the midst of an
Exxon-Valdese disaster. And its our own fault. We created the situation. We poisoned
the well. We need to monetize music the service to make up for the revenue we've lost
from music the product."
--Jim Griffin, CEO, One House
"We need to focus on trying to monetize the casual listener who only ever downloads 200
songs, goes to 1 concert a year, and listens to Lite FM. They aren't the hardcore fan. We
need to try and monetize the casual listener in the over 25 demo."
--Adam Sexton, Groovemobile
"In Korea there is no such thing as a physical record anymore. The only consumption
model is via a subscription service over their cell phones."
--Andy Gershon, EVP, Epic Records
"The artist doesn't really need a record label anymore. The important part is the pricing
structure and the deal structures. They're trying new things all the time! Live Nation and a
label and a major corporation are banding together to go out and try and resign Pearl Jam!"
--Marc Geiger, SVP, William Morris Agency and Ex-Vice Chairman & President, ARTISTdirect Inc.
For more on the conference and its founding fathers in the UK, check out the official In The City blog.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
THE VIEW FROM MY SEAT: Rufus Wainwright @ Gramercy Theatre 6/5/07 AND 6/6/07
Rufus Wainwright, prodigy of the prodigious McGarrigle/Wainwright Clan,
brought his Release the Stars Tour to New York for a sold-out 4-night run at the
newly reopened Gramercy Theatre. A thrilled TixGirl caught his 6/5 and 6/6
shows, nights 1 and 2 of the residency.
"Going To A Town" "Beautiful Child"
A Chimerical Plan's Jonathan recapped our evening perfectly when he described
Night 1's show thus:
"the show consisted of a lot of music from his new cd - which makes sense - and
mixed in here and there were hits from previous cds - definitely crowd-pleasers. i
always like seeing him with a full sound including his amazing brass section - and
in that venue - wow - what an impact - intimate and brimming with quality."
READ THE REVIEW
Rufus was on his home turf for these shows... literally. And he made himself right
at home -- easily done, considering the former movie theatre is a stumbling
distance of a mere two blocks from his apartment.
Ever the family man, he brought his cousin Lucy along for the ride. Perhaps I
shouldn't be surprised, but of all the videos I took that night, Lucy's is one of the
most watched on YouTube:
Lucy covering Fleetwood Mac's "I Want to Be With You Everywhere" Rufus covering Judy Garland's "If Love Were All"
Night 1 was also a star-studded evening. Sprinkled among the family members in
the audience were Maggie Gyllenhaal and designer Betsey Johnson, plus guest
vocalist, Justin Bond of Kiki & Herb Fame.
It was another family affair on Night 2 of his run at Gramercy. Rufus was
joined by his mother, Canadian folk legend Kate McGarrigle, and his similarly
beloved sister of the stage, Martha Wainwright.
It was a poignant reunion, as Rufus pointed out, with his mother just having
recovered completely from a very serious illness. Even I recall the family's
emotional performance at Carnegie at Christmas, when it wasn't clear what the
outcome would be for her. So to see Kate McGarrigle back onstage, harmonizing
with her two accomplished children, was a pretty joyous sight to behold. She
looked fantastic, and happy as hell.
No matter what the surprise appearances or who the chatter-inducing audience
members, the most talked-about moments by far were Rufus' encore in drag. In
this instance, I'll let the photos tell the tale:
Saturday, June 9, 2007
NEW VIDEO: Keane @ Central Park Summerstage 5/30/07
At long last, some video from the landmark closing night of Keane's 2007 World Tour at
Central Park Summerstage, Rumsey Playfield, NY on 5/30/07.
Bend & Break Atlantic
See more videos from the show, including Nothing in My Way, Hamburg Song and
more from their first and second albums. Not to be missed. Seriously.
Central Park Summerstage, Rumsey Playfield, NY on 5/30/07.
Bend & Break Atlantic
See more videos from the show, including Nothing in My Way, Hamburg Song and
more from their first and second albums. Not to be missed. Seriously.
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