The Looming Opportunity for Music Managers

The opportunity that has been created for talented musicians by the internet cannot be denied.  It is increasingly becoming easier for a talented musician to make their talent known thanks to social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.  Depending on how much marketing a budding artist is able to do; they can go from obscurity to household name in a very short span of time thanks to the internet’s especially social media’s ability to go viral.  Under these circumstances it can sometimes take simply a good idea, a little marketing and amazing talent for a superstar to be born.

MusicPunk

The Hidden Disadvantage:

While the internet has made it easier for most musicians to let the world know they have talent, there is a downside that is more often than not overlooked. It is very difficult for the musician to gain the attention that they deserve at lease attention enough to make album sales and to hold sold out gigs.  This means that no matter how talented a musician, if they are not somehow able to put together great live performances, they are pretty much screwed as they will only remain popular on paper with no “paper” to show for it.

This is where managers come in because they can help an obscure band book live shows that are the only way to rise from obscurity and become something huge. Because very many artists have found an easier way to put themselves out there and make it known that they are talented, the industry has all of a sudden felt the need for more managers.

Traditionally a crowded field:

In an age where it is no longer important to go out and seek a traditional recording contract, managers are becoming more and more prominent and important in the business. This is because the manager’s role is to develop the raw talent and make sure that they are able to book as many live shows as possible. In this day and age a band’s ability to play live is certainly what will raise them from the unknown to superstar status.

In this sense the “traditional manager” who used to get a cut of the income has evolved to a manager who owns equity in an artist’s company and is essentially the artist’s partner.  The very same way that technology has made it easier for the artist to showcase their talent, technology has also made it easier for the artist and their manager to be able to communicate and interact with their fans directly.

Apps such as MusicPunk that allow the band to upload their gigs with immediate listing can ensure that all the social media attention that a new band has gained can easily be translated into concert tickets and eventually album sales meaning that the artist and manager can be able to make money off of their craft. The right music manager can make or break a band in an era where live gigs are the lifeline of a band.

MusicPunk app

Indie Bands Riding Success with MusicPunk

An Indie band is a musical group that is neither controlled nor allied to major record labels. In many times, Indie bands record and produce their music chiefly by themselves. Indie bands are commonly small in size and tend to perform in small to medium sized clubs and such like events that suit their nature. Indie bands produce a variety of music genre. Indie does not refer to a specific sound, but is usually synonymous to non – mainstream groups. However, Indie bands may influence one another and in consequence may have a similar sounding jingle, unintentionally.

Local Live Bands

Indie bands do not sign for the large mainstream entities such as Atlantic and Warner Bros. instead; Indie bands may make music for the independent or indie labels such as Merge Records, Touch and Go, Sub Pop Records and many others. Indie labels are meant to provide the much needed distribution of indie bands music records. They are a means by which the music of the indie bands reaches the desired audience.

While some indie bands have been able to use the indie labels as their launch pad to greater heights and much more mainstream achievements, others are contented to continue being attached to the indie labels so long as the label can meet the band’s circulation needs.

A majority of indie labels function on a very different model when compared to the major corporate entities.  While the major labels almost always sign bonuses, the same is a rarity with the indie labels and thus the indie bands signed to them do not take delivery of huge sums of cash up front. Indie bands and indie labels usually share out the expenses and profit on a fifty by fifty percentage.

Indies produce quality records too:

Signing for major labels or for indie labels isn’t an indicator that one is producing sub – quality records. In fact, many indie bands produce very quality work that most audience search for in vain due to distribution hitches. Most of them tend to rely on their performance proceeds which are well attended in most cases.

Online Bands on MusicPunk

MusicPunk is the springboard for indie bands:

MusicPunk app is the new haven for indie bands to explore and reap from the full extent of their talents. Indie bands who post their quality works on the app are sure of a wide exposure and increased contacts for performances. A lot of music lovers across the globe use MusicPunk to find events and gigs in which their favorite bands and musicians are performing. The audience gets to see YouTube video of their favorite bands on the app.

Many musicians are out there composing excellent songs and piecing quality albums that may hardly get noticed. Millions of audience across the globe are however appreciative of the massive indie talents that are available at MusicPunk. The many indie bands who have posted their videos are now enjoying many live performance invites and riding all the way to the bank, thanks to MusicPunk.

Live Music Tonight at MusicPunk app

Finding the Hottest Local live Music in any City

If I wanted to go out and see some of the hottest live music tonight, how do I find out where to go? If I am visiting from out of town and my hotel concierge recommends a place just up the street and even suggests they have jazz tonight, which is my cup of tea, what guarantee do I have of connecting with this band's music. After all, I have one good night in town to go out and enjoy myself... You don't want to chance your one night out. In the past, I've burned that one shot on misguided advice from a stranger. Hey, one good band may not be everyone's taste.

Local live Music

Now say the next time the hotel concierge recommends I download the MusicPunk app. I do this. It looks nice and simple at first glance and I notice I have a choice of entering the city where I want to find local live music. I choose the other option and have the app locate me via gps. In a few seconds I have a scrolling list of local live bands in the palm of my hand. Not just a simple directory of band names or venue names. There are band names and event names who are playing nearest to my current location and I can see now in the distance if I can walk or take a short taxi to my destination. But before I jump in a taxi across town to check out a band I know nothing about, I can view a live performance video of the band I chose to see. 

Live DJs Online

This all happens in a minute. I have chosen a local band from many that I absolutely want to see. I know how far away to go and I know what venue I am going to. I can call and make a reservation if I have to. OK, say that's one fan's experience with the MusicPunk app. Bands and DJs are the one's who add all those great gigs to the app so we music lovers don't have to ask a taxi driver or a stranger where to go. They add their gigs on the musicpunk.com website are straight from the app. That means you can probably find any type of live music in any size city from East to West Coast.

Let's say there are thousands of folks in any city, coast to coast looking to see live music tonight. Any band who has listed themselves on the app will benefit greatly.  There are thousands of live music searchers out there with the MusicPunk app in hand. The chances are incredible that people will see  a band's video and choose their club tonight. The MusicPunk app is designed to give you the best and as much as possible of what's happening tonight.

From Catering to Booking Live Music Events

I started out in special events as a typical catering director working for some pretty large companies, Wolfgang Puck, Patina and the Hollywood Bowl for a couple of years to name a few. I was doing normal catering duties like developing menus, decor, floral design, staffing and of course entertainment. That's when I started to book bands. I was auditioning the bands, sampling the music, helping with their setup and normal things that would entail putting on an event. Then I helped launch the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, That's when it all changed.  The Knitting Factory is originally based in New York. Then they opened the Hollywood venue in California and have since launched Knit Media. I started dealing with the bands on a much larger scale learning exactly what booking a band was all about and how much goes into a band going from the garage to the Greek Theater and everything in-between. 

Live Music Concerts Online

At the Knitting Factory I worked with big bands, little bands, pay-to-play and all sorts.  I don't care so much for pay-to-play by the way. Pay-to-play is a simple concept in that you have to guarantee a certain amount of people to show up to your gig. Let's say to play the stage at the Knitting Factory you had to guarantee fifty tickets sold, so if you fall short of those fifty tickets you actually have to pay the difference whether it's five dollars a ticket or fifty dollars a ticket. The bigger your band following the better it will work out. Anything over your minimum in ticket sales is your profit. That's the point, if you sell fifty-one tickets and you had a fifty ticket guarantee, you've only made one ticket sale even-though you've brought fifty-one people in. Once you get passed that point you start working with venues like The Troubadour, The Whiskey, The Roxy, and thus also have done pay-to-play as well. Download Free MusicPunk App from Google play store.

Free MusicPunk Apps

I went on to work for The Music Box also known as The Fonda in Hollywood. It is one of the most premier venues in California for its size. The theater holds about 1300 people. You are going from basically playing for your friends in your garage in venues that hold about fifty people like the club Loaded on Hollywood Blvd. Or Hotel Cafe down the street from there and those other  “hidden gem” places that you really want to play, but not too many people know about them for playing legendary places like The Troubadour, The Roxy, The Whiskey, the Viper room, places that hold 200 to 500 people. These places are well known for the legends who have played there, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Nine Inch Nails to name a few.  I've booked bands and promoted them for over a decade the hard way.  When I discovered musicpunk.com and the MusicPunk app it became apparent that bookers like myself were going to have an easier time helping bands self-promote themselves by uploading their own gigs in any city and gaining access to tens of thousands of new music lovers looking for live music. This is a big change in the live music industry. It truly benefits the fans, the bands and the venues in a big way.

Live music online anywhere in the world