My burning question: Are you aching to perform live? I know some of you are experiencing some cold weather now in November, and if you are, then go back to my first blog and consider doing a live virtual song connection on facebook or zoom.
Here in Los Angeles, I have been noticing musicians really getting creative and connecting with their community to help host regular outdoor events like: Farmers Markets, Food Truck events in parks, Drive-in theaters and even partnering with restaurants with ‘take-out only’ who have big parking lots, to perform live. Another inventive promoter started a “Concert in your Car” series using the Ventura County Fairgrounds parking lot to host music concerts….entry fees are per car. People are loving these new concert ideas and I think these new performance events will stick around long after we can all go back to seeing concerts at the Roxy or The Greek Theater.
If your city is not hosting events yet, this is your chance to be the first musician or band to play their street fair, monthly art walk or April Earth Day celebration in the spring. Cities like to hire musicians from the area, and then use your talents again for their summer concert series, anniversary celebrations and holiday events throughout the year. Just google “City of XXXXX(your city)” and find the Department of Recreation contact and give them a call or email. Also, almost every city has a Chamber of Commerce; research their past community events. Some libraries & local community centers are hosting virtual events OR maybe you can help organize one!
Other musicians are contacting music venues in their area to host a virtual concert, social distancing between the musicians and allowing minimal number admission and then that event is posted on social media, while asking for a donation. Of course if the venue does not have cameras, you will have to explore that area, but you may be able to connect the video/sound company and the venue to see if they can find a sponsor to host the event. For smaller venues you can use your iPhone to go live to Facebook. Performing at the venue will bring notice to the venue itself and spreading kindness through music, will bring focus on you and your music!
You may be saying, “Hey, I have not rehearsed with my band in months…how can I play if we have not rehearsed?” Musicians are getting pretty inventive in this area too! Music people are jamming via zoom or writing via skype or even look into buying a Plexiglas divider/acoustic shield you can put up between you and another musician (or you and the audience). “Shop.Manhasset-specialty.com” is sporting their 2000 acoustic shield (I call it a spit guard on a music stand…HA!). This smaller acoustic shield is especially great if you want to do small private parties. There are much bigger shields that a venue could buy to cover the entire front of the stage to help them start opening their doors to creative, inventive musicians like yourself. Doing these type of events will bring attention to the venue and by donating some of your proceeds from the concert, this could save the concert venue from closing permanently.
It’s time for you to use these type of ideas to connect with your community, to not only save these concert venues, coffeehouses and restaurants from closing their doors but these type of events will bring attention to your music act with local TV news stations, regular weekly newspapers and music bloggers in your entire state! Tie your donations to a charity or back to a venue and your new fans will appreciate you even more by buying your music.
Go ahead, work up a performance idea! I am encouraging you to connect to your immediate community and bring more people to your website or add you to their Spotify playlist.
Let me know if you have other ideas that are pushing you through these COVID-19 times!
Leave a Reply