Danny Newport: Computer In My Pocket

Danny Newport has been an open mic night fixture at The Grape Room since almost the beginning. So much so, he even steps in as host once in a while. Newport, who usually starts the night off with a Long Island Iced Tea, will become everyone’s welcomed friend before taking his turn on stage. In recent months, he and Zach Lentine (aka Inner Astronaut) have been collaborating on a new song, Computer In My Pocket. The duo have just released the official video.

Danny Newport’s ‘Power of Love’ remix of doom:

What Are You Doing to Make Your Band a Success?

In the latest issue of JUMP Magazine you’ll find the debut of my DIY column for bands. Physical copies of the publication can be found throughout Philadelphia where all the cool kids go (including The Grape Room, yeah).
- Anthony

From JumpPhilly.com:
Performing live is a wonderful and rewarding experience. Any musician will tell you. There’s nothing quite like it. The bigger the crowd, the more invincible you feel. But herein lies the question – how big is your crowd?

There is this perpetual myth that venues are responsible for putting any and all bands in front of a packed club on any given night of the week. As impossible as this sounds, many bands cling to it like organized religion.

So, now what?

Oftentimes the problem is that neither party understands their role in the equation. Many venues expect instant financial results with only a minimal investment.

Read more HERE.

How to Switch Your Facebook Personal Profile to an Artist/Band Page

From diymusician.cdbaby.com:
If you’ve been using your Facebook personal profile to promote your music and engage with your fans, you may be wondering how you can switch your profile to a dedicated artist page without losing all your friends. This is a common problem, and now there’s a solution. With Facebook’s new “Profile To Business Page Migration” tool, you can turn your personal user profile into a “Business Page” (their fancy term for an official artist/band page), and all your friends will instantly be converted into “Likes.”

Read more HERE.

And bands…for the love of all that’s audible, PLEASE DO THIS.

ReverbNation’s Facebook app My Band gets a new name (Band Profile), new features, and it’s still 100% FREE

Any band that has booked a show at The Grape Room in the last 6 months knows how much emphasis we put on them to utilizing ReverbNation. And if you’ve been a music conference in recent years, chances are you’ve had a conversation with co-founder / not-an-Eagles fan Lou Plaia. Walking the walk, you’ll find their schedule widget right on the front page of this website.  - Anthony

From ReverbNation.com:
Today we’re announcing some major upgrades to our popular Facebook app, My Band. We’re giving it a new name (Band Profile) and some seriously powerful new features. More details are below, but to check them out right away you just need to login to Band Profile and click on the Appearance tab (if you haven’t upgraded your band page to Facebook’s new layout, you’ll need to do that too, but it’s as easy as clicking a blue ‘upgrade my page’ button upgrade your Facebook page).

Your App has Fan Boosters to grow your Fanbase

We know fans are critically important for an artist, and that’s why we wove Fan Boosters into the fabric of the new app. Fan Boosters help you grow your mailing list, build the Likes to your Facebook page or spread your music virally. They are super easy to activate, and they work automatically after you set them.

Read more HERE.

Viv Peyrat: “Heartbreaker” Live

Footage of Viv Peyrat and ECOMOG performing “Heartbreaker” at The Grape Room on Friday, February 25:

Viv Peyrat performing “Wonderful” acoustic from his new album:

How Musicians Can Use Facebook’s New Page Upgrades

From diymusician.cdbaby.com:
Pretty soon, all Facebook Pages (for businesses, brands, bands, and media) will resemble the newest redesign for Facebook profiles. But you can choose to upgrade now!

So what’s different? And how can I use the new Facebook Page functionality to promote my music?

Those are great questions, and we’d love to hear from artists who are already putting the new design to good use. But here is what we know so far:

1) No more tabs up top. Now there is a left-hand link panel beneath the profile picture. But there is a trade-off. While your tab names can be longer, the placement may mean less people click the tabs. Artists may need to put a little more thought into keeping their wall/posts engaging or make sure that the default landing tab displays the most interesting content.

2) Photostrip across the top allows artists to create a broader AND more immediate impression with the additional emphasis on the visuals. Put your best press shots and live photos up there!

Read more HERE.

Bandcamp sets its sights on conquering music industry, MySpace

From nydailynews.com:

Is the music age of the once-mighty MySpace coming to a close?

With the social-networking company on News Corp’s chopping block and half of the staff slashed last month, the site appears to be in a free fall.

In the fading light of the social network, there is a place musicians are turning to: Bandcamp. Taking up the DIY mantle, the company, launched in 2007, offers musicians the chance to sell and promote their tunes directly to the people. Founder Ethan Diamond describes the site as “a publishing platform for bands … your fifth, fully geeked-out Beatle — the one who keeps your very own website humming and lets you get back to making great music and building your fan base.”

Diamond’s mind-set may be just what independent musicians were looking for.

Click HERE to read more.

Read Ethan Diamond’s interview with AbsolutePunk HERE.

LAUNCH Music Conference: More panelists announced

The LAUNCH Music Conference has announced more panelists. Among them… Dan DeFonce (Love As Arson Booking Agency), Leah Urbano (Crimson Management), David Silbaugh (Grammy Chapter Board Advisor/Summerfest) and Josh Maloney (director of A&R for Dean Guitars and DDrum).

Click HERE for the most current list.

Seven Ways to Get Your Band Featured in the Local Press

Blondie with Origivation Magazine writer Danny Alonso

From themusiciansguide.co.uk:
Getting featured in the local press is easier than you might think. Journalists are constantly on the lookout for interesting stories about what’s going on in the community.

#3. Perform at Local Festivals and Venue Launches
Local festivals attract press like honey to a bee – if you can get on the line-up and arrange an interview talking about the festival then that can be a great way to nab a bit of coverage.

#4. Meet Your Local Journalists
It’s no surprise that journalists are biased to featuring people they know or like. If you’re wondering how to meet these people, I would start off by following them on Twitter or dropping an email. Start attending events they’re attending or see if you can help them in any way – they might then return the favour by helping you out with coverage.

Read the entire article HERE.

Thanks to Bob Baker for the original post.

Step 2: Build a Regional Following for Your Band by Trading Shows

From Gazzmic.com:
A local following gives your band serious leverage. While you can generate buzz for your band internationally by promoting online, ultimately, musicians must tour to create a real connection with people all over the world. However, independent bands have a difficult time getting gigs with stable promoters in other towns. Fret not, though! There is a time-tested technique with its roots in the Old School punk rock Do-It-Yourself tradition that was designed for just this very situation: trading shows. It is important to note that bands from any genre can use this technique.

Read more HERE.

Read Step 1 HERE.