ATTN. PITTSBURGH BANDS & MUSICIANS: SICK OF TICKET QUOTAS/PAY-TO-PLAY WHEN OPENING FOR NATIONAL ACTS??? Then you can help make a statement and secure a brighter future for yourself and the scene. My band, Chip DiMonick, has been doing the ticket quota thing for years now. Its worked for us but, after years of it, we wanted to graduate to something better. We proposed an entirely different model for our next opening-for-a-national-act gig. And, despite the common thought process that bands wont draw if they are not forced to sell tickets or pay, a promoter agreed to give it a try. If the idea works - that is, if enough people show up to the show - you will have a model to follow to eventually get your own guaranteed payday when you open for national acts, without selling tickets. If it fails, YOU WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS BE FORCED TO SELL TICKETS OR PAY-TO-PLAY when opening for a national act. The show in question is next Wednesday, October 22 at 6PM when Chip DiMonick opens for Huntress at the Smiling Moose. If you want promoters to give your band a chance to open for national acts without you collecting advance money or physically distributing tickets or being held hostage by ticket quotas, you will be there. It doesnt matter if you dont like Huntress. It doesnt matter if you dont like Chip DiMonick. You will be there. Youll be there because youll be helping to prove that a new model for Pittsburgh bands can work. If youre there, see me at the merch booth and give me a business card, sticker, post-it note or something with your bands name on it. Ill plug your band on social media because YOU WERE SMART ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND WHAT A SUCCESSFUL TRIAL OF THIS IDEA COULD MEAN FOR THE SCENE (INCLUDING YOUR BAND). Youll be supporting the scene and thats the least I can do show you that the scene will support you back. There are two possible - and opposite - outcomes that I can see happening: 1. Pittsburgh bands will see this as a rare opportunity to support a new idea that can forever improve things for themselves and will show up in droves (well, at least enough to pack the smallish Smiling Moose) and there will be a proven model that bands can follow to rise up the ranks further than ever before ORRRRRRRRRRRRR... 2. Pittsburgh bands will choose not to show up and continue complaining about pay-to-play and how things will never change. Pittsburgh musicians have actually said that to me: Things will never change. Well, the fact that a promoter gave this a try is proof that THINGS CAN CHANGE. But it is in your hands whether this change will be a one-time deal or a new, enduring model. So, are you going to support this idea and be at the Smiling Moose on October 22 (or at least share this post if you really cant make it)? Or are you gonna find some excuse why your time is better spent elsewhere? If you dont believe in this idea and wont support it, PLEASE comment and tell me why. Id love to discuss it and address any doubts or concerns you may have. This is Pittsburgh musics chance to kick it up a notch and I dont want any assumptions to get in the way of our scene progressing. Im putting my neck out there with this idea and this show. Not for me or my band. But for all bands and musicians here in Pittsburgh - for YOU. I believe we can make a statement. Do you?
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 23:04:40 +0000
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