Other Musical Blogs

A friend of mine is big into metal.
She has started up a blog on her Thoughts of the metal music scene in Edmonton Alberta.

Lots of cool things she covers and talks about. From some of the shows to venues for great shows.

As well as many other related things. Very interesting and a great read.

Head here  http://randommetalmusings.blogspot.ca/ and check it out!

Upcoming Shows

So I have a few shows coming up in just under 2 weeks.
On September 5th, 2013 I will be playing live at The Studio Music Foundation in Edmonton.
Should be a blast! Doors are at 8 pm show rolls at 9 pm. Tickets are $10 and there are 5 bands on the bill this night.
You should be able to get tickets online through www.yeglive.com  and at Blackbird Myoozik on Whyte Ave in Edmonton.

The second show that is coming up is September 8th, 2013 I will be on the Rabbit Hole Stage at The Mad Hatter Art and Music Festival. A 3 day event just outside Ponoka Alberta. I believe tickets are $100 each for the 3 day event. Info for this weekend event can be looked up here http://www.madhattermusicfestival.com

This should be a blast as it will be the first festival I have played at. Usually around 1000 people come out for this weekend.

For now that is all I have. I will get back here soon and bring some more ideas and shows your way.
Cheers

Stage It

Well over the last month I have been trying out a new to me kind of setup. I have been doing a few live webcast shows. basically I used a site that lets you stream live and text chat in real time. It was very exciting at first and the thoughts we endless on how it could go and be a big help to artists and bands that can not get to all the place fans would like them to come to.

I used a web site called www.stageit.com they have a great set up to get you going quickly. A very easy layout lets you see upcoming shows, artist information, who's been online and the likes. There are tips and tricks for the artists and bands to read through if you need some help and ideas. You can set show prices, get tips, offer rewards for tips.
Lots of easy to use features through out the artist side, like quick links to promote your shows directly to Twitter and Facebook. They also provide a page of reports for each show that you play.
They run each show based on tokens. These tokens are credits you buy so that you can get a ticket to a show and use for leaving tips. Each token is worth $0.10, so 10 tokens would be a whole Dollar. The artists and bands can set ticket prices for each show they do. You can have as low as pay what you want to say 100 tokens for a ticket. This is where the site helps the artist and themselves going.

There is a split on the tokens/ credits at the end of each show with the artist getting the bigger share. They use part of what they make from your show to pay for the credit card fees and the paypal fees they incur for transaction on the site.

They help you get rolling in about 5 to 10 minutes. You build you band profile, add a photo or 2, store links, web site links, they even ask you for your YouTube link. And the great idea to use your YouTube for a quick promo video to help push your shows.

This could be a very powerful tool in between your regular shows to help keep connected to fans.

I had a great time trying it out. All I needed was a webcam hooked up to my computer. No fancy anything. I did put up a background to help the overall look while I was playing.

Over all I think it is a very good site and tool for any performing act.

The only thing i had problems with was getting people to come and watch. That is not the fault of www.stageit.com , more me not being pushy enough through my online networks.

Give it a shot. Let me know what you think and how it has worked for you.

Or have you tried a similar site to www.stageit.com?

Live On Line July 30, 2013

Well I will be back on line for a streaming show tomorrow evening or July 30, 2013.

I will be back on the www.stageit.com site for one more July show ... and then I will do up a review of my thoughts and stuff.

If you want to come and watch follow this link
 http://www.stageit.com/kevin_frey/tuesday_night_jam/26623

The show will be basically way what you want the reserve ticket price is set to 1 token / credit
That is only $0.10 you can leave tips as we go, live text chat to me as I roll through a few songs.

Bets part .... (don't let them know I said this) when you sign up they give you a few credits to start with.

Hope to see you there!

Cheers and rock on!

Live on Line

So Tomorrow evening I will be playing live once again on line.
I'll be hitting the digital stage about 8:05 pm local time to do a quick little show. I'll be playing 3 to 4 of my songs.

This is the link to the live show.

http://www.stageit.com/kevin_frey/tuesday_night_busking_from_home_3/25862

It is very easy to get going.

Here is a quick run down from Stageit.com

Here's how it works according to the Stageit folks: Go to [ http://www.stageit.com/kevin_frey/tuesday_night_busking_from_home_3/25862 ], click signup to set up an account and then click the BUY button.You will then have an opportunity to purchase credits (which Stageit calls "Notes" ; 10 Notes = $1.00). Notes allow you to pay for tickets to see shows and to tip performers during the show. This show is "Pay What You Can," which means you can pay whatever you can afford (minimum 1 Note). Once you have Notes, they can be used for any show!

See you on the stage!

Very simple. Great place to see some very good acts.
Hoe to see you there!

Things On My Mind

So with social media and what seems like a million and one new web sites, apps, videos, on line what ever you can think of, a person could go mad.
You set up a site and get things rolling, then promote it on line spend more and more trying to get people to listen, like, share, watch, and hopefully buy your music.
You set goals, you plan, re plan, change plans, make phone calls, book shows, fliers fliers and more fliers.
When is too much too much? You know, The burn out you get trying to hustle you shows, web site, facebook, iTunes, youTube channel, and your music.
What about the T shirts and CD? Didn't even start on that ... what now?
Well one of the most effective things you can do is start out with a simple band logo. Something clean simple and that says every thing about your music as you can in one quick flash. Sadly that that seems to be our ever shrinking attention span in this digital world.
Old fashioned hard work, hands one, one to one, in person interactions are what will make things happen.
 Some times, like I am in now, no matter how many phone calls or emails you send you just can not catch a break and line up a gig.
So what do you do when you hit a wall like this?
Start planning your own shows in or at nontraditional locations. At different times, with other groups or artist.
Hey, why not even plan on on line web cast shows.

When you are looking at odd places to play the best bet is go out with a hand full of demo CD's, a business card, a one page sheet with a quick write up on your act and even throw that on the back of a band promo photo printed off on a 8 X 10 page.
With all of these in Tow for setting up shows the most important things you need are very simple.

1. Act or artist name on every thing.
2. Contact name and phone numbers, email
3. Web site addresses (keep it simple 3 should be more then enough)
4. A quick list of your last shows. A simple list of place, date, time and if you have how many people came out (draw).
5. Always smile and say thank you! no matter the out come.

When you can go out and meet face to face you will get better response from Booker's, bar owners, venue coordinators and any one else that is a gate keeper to a place you want to play. It shows a more professional attitude and you just handed over more information to get you the show then and phone call or email will get you. The person you deal with or talk to will have something to go over, listen to, and have in hand or site on their desk to remind them you are serious. 

Its just like looking for a job. Your promo kit is your resume. Make it look good. Get it in their hands. Smile and be thankful of every ones time. 

Also one thing to think about if you get that show right then and there do you ask right of way if they know of any other places that are looking for bands to play? That is a hard one you never know they may see it as taking business away from them down the road. 

At the end of your show make sure you thank the person who let you in to play, and ask if you can come back again in the near future. Always good to try and play the same place a few times, you start building regular fans easier if they know where you are on a regular basis.

Any How things to think about. Things to try.

you may have a better spin on some of these.

Drop a line if you have something you could add to this!

Keep on Rockin!

   

Been way too long.

Life as we all know can get busy and complicated.
I've been away from this blog for a bit too long.

So what have I been up too.
Well I've played a few open mic nights, played a few shows, played a few battle of the bands, and set up a very quick fund raiser show on the May long weekend.

The battle of the bands I took part in was fun. I met a bunch of people and made a few very good contacts. One of those contacts was with a private studio owner. It was cool we've been chatting a bunch here and there. I got in for a quick session and recorded 2 of my songs. So i now have 4 songs done solo, one voice and one acoustic guitar. I am hoping I can get back there soon and pin down 2 more songs. The 4 i have done are up on my reverbnation web site / page. you can check them out here www.reverbnation.com/kevinfrey  You can also find one of them up on iTunes. Plus I have a second one on iTunes and half of each sale of that one is going to a Youth shelter group in my area.

The fund raiser show was kind of neat. I opened the show and had a good friend Jenessa Dawn play second, Followed by local country duo The Command Sisters, and local rockers REND Finished it off.
With only having about 4 days to get every thing in place I had a little help from The Town of Stony Plain, they let us use a great out door stage. The stage Hosts for the last number of year the Blueberry Bluegrass festival.
The sound gear was lent to us by Music Center Canada in Spruce Grove. Many thanks to Allen for helping us out and lending his banner for us to show he helped.

So not to sure what else to say right now. I don't want to bore the snot out of any one. I will try like mad to keep a bit more up to date on things.

Almost forgot, Been tinkering with live web casts. have done 3 shows so far and the only disappointment I have so far is trying to get people to stop in and watch for the 15 minute mini shows I've been doing. I'll be back at it for one more on Tuesday the 23 of July 2013. In the evening about 8 pm local time. Here is the direct link to the show information http://www.stageit.com/kevin_frey/tuesday_night_busking_from_home_3/25862
You can sign up and log in for free. I will be doing my show for the first while as basically free. Pay what you can and there will also be a tip jar if you think I'm doing good. (don't let them know I said this ... but they give you a hand full of tokens to start with) The tokens on the site is what you can buy tickets with or leave tips with for each act you watch. I'll try and do up a review on stageit.com as soon as I can and after I've gotten a better feel for the site.

Keep on Rockin!
Have a great Weekend!

Another song on iTunes

So I have been tinkering and got one more of my songs up on iTunes.

I put the song "I Want A Change" up on iTunes. It hit the online store on the last day of 2012 I believe. It is up there, on amazon.com and at cdbaby.

What I am trying to do with this song is help out a local charity organization. They are running way behind what they need to keep youth going with shelter and the basics like food and clothing.
The group is YESS, you can check them out at www.yess.org

So what I have started is $0.50 of each down load of the song will go to them. I will be doing this for the whole year of 2013.

This is the store link https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/i-want-a-change-single/id591050217
This is the cdbaby link http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kevinfrey2

Think of it as helping someone who needs a chance. The song will last with you for a life time, and costs less then that cup of fancy coffee that will only last 10 or 15 minutes.

Hope you all have a great day.

And many many thanks for helping out!

Cheers!
Kevin