ION INDIE MAGAZINE September 2016, Volume 28 | Page 130

So, I must give credit to MSFX for always seeing the situation
as it is. One simply cannot look at things evenly when they are
in the midst of a place of uncertainty and trial. Instead of
completing the somewhat scathing review of how we can
improve the value for the Live Independent concert goer, while
I am waiting for my oncologist in the cancer center, I chose to
re-write in the comfortable confines of the headquarters of The
New Order.
Obviously, to verify if the article you are about to read has any
credibility, you first have to always know about the author, so
let me save you a little bit of trouble. I am the Owner and
Station Manager of NEUE REGEL RADIO and the creator of the
concept mission THE NEW ORDER. No, NOT the New WORLD
Order. That’s something completely different. I am a Creative
Director for over 25 years, specializing in EVENT MARKETING,
having worked in close concert with the likes of MTV, MTVU
and VH1 back in the heyday. We have helped elevate the
careers of artists such as Muse, Paramore, All American
Rejects, and yes, even Taylor Swift. What I am going to address
in this article are the issues and solutions of live shows and
how everyone could be doing everything better to increase the
VALUE of your local independent artists and venues. Now, as
an independent artist supporter (one who PAYS for the tickets
to local shows) no matter who is on the bill, I look for quality in
an event, something to keep me engaged, something to
change my perception from just going to a show, to making it
an experience. What is an EXPERIENCE? An experience is
when to the total package of sight and sound transport you to
feeling like you’re at a 20 thousand seat arena and getting
more VALUE for your dollar--one which always entices you to
pull out an extra 20 to buy a shirt and CD. People innately
don't invest in artists because they don’t see them going to
the next level. They are seen as LOCAL artists only, or they are
doing their FRIENDS a favor. As I tell all of the hosts for Neue
Regel Radio, IT’S ABOUT THE LISTENERS AND the FANS. These
are the ones who generate the support for artists. We support
artists in ways other stations cannot because we are MISSION
BASED and not for financial gain. In the same context, YOU DO
NOTHING for the artist if you are just playing to their fan base
to get your numbers and listeners up. Our job is to gain unique
listeners that turn into fans. The same goes for when you invest

in a local club or artist. Here is a quick synopsis of things we
ALL can do to improve the FAN and LISTENER EXPERIENCE.
Some of the most egregious offenses that turn off the concert
goer are high prices for alcohol, house lights on during a
change- over and live set, sound and light techs who don’t
care, and unapproachable facilities. A concert goer can and
will always be priced out of an event. I do not want to show up
at an event that just cost me $20--to quickly increase to $30
because of a need to increase their per pour margin. I will
easily spend over $50 in beer for me and my friends instead of
$20. Because the venue doesn’t make it cost effective for me,
my evening will end quicker and I have less interest to spend
4 hours in a club watching 5 bands while going broke. There is
nothing worse than heading into a venue that disguises it's a
poorly lit petri dish. You can be COOL, without being a health
concern. I am so tired of having the house lights on the stage
and watching these poor bands hook their gear up, running
around frantically. The essence of the rock and roll mystique
is gone at this point and ruins the experience. Could you
imaging watching KISS go on stage and hooking things up
without the Famous Kiss curtain? PUT up a retractable screen.
Create the illusion. Plus, you can use the screen to advertise
local businesses and pass the savings on to your concert
goers. If you treat your venue like garbage, that’s exactly what
your clientele will do. Invite the positive change.
ALL promoters should be required to have a business and
marketing degree, a general love for the music they promote
and at least 20 hours of counseling, because you have be nuts
to do that for a living. We all know your job is to get asses in
the seats (sad music in the background), and we all
understand the plight of too many other distractions to get
people into a venue. Again, you can make positive change in
your methodology by choosing better continuity in your lineup
for a show. I do not want to go to an alternative rock show and
be forced to listen to a pop/rock style band. You upset your
attendees and they are not apt to spend money in the venue
or even stay. An artist that musically doesn’t fit the style of a
show should not be added to offset costs just because they
are local or have a lot of “likes”. I recently went to a huge event
that was basically ALL alternative artists; Bush, Chevelle, etc.,
and they had a Slipknot style band go on at 4:30 on a Friday