Part 2 – State of the Music Industry and Your Live Show

     You are the character. People come to see people they don’t come to hear just music.

     We need to leave space in your show so your personality can come out.  That’s all part of what’s inside your song.  It just needs to be rearranged so your personality can come out and by developing those themes and leaving space we now have made that show uniquely yours.

So FOUR things we want to do is:

1. Have a plan

2. Lay a foundation

3. Materials tools and skills: Make our show really creative

4. Develop those themes inside our songs and you are the character or your band members are the characters

     In the first part of this two part series, Tom was commenting on Lefewitz blog…continuing that theme…

Lefewitz says:  “Live is freedom.”

Tom: There’s a whole method to this.  And he’s right there is freedom if you understand what you’re doing.  Freedom and winging it are two different things.  And if you’re being honest with yourself, most of you are winging it.  You’re making it up as you go and you hope something good happens out there.  You can be intentional.  This is not canned.  This is not goofy.  …none of that stuff.  This allows you to pour your personality into it more……that was a long rant….

Next, Lefewitz:  “Talent is more important than ‘looks’.  ‘Looks’ sell newspapers.  They generate clicks but they don’t sell tickets and you’re in the ticket selling business.  MTV died and that paradigm died with it. Just because the media world has not caught on,  and trumpeted the results, that does not mean it’s not true.”  

Tom: Well I’m not going to comment too much on that.  Talent is obviously important here.   I’m looking at people I hope are talented.  You’ve been given a gift.  You’ve developed it.  To me when I talk about the talent part or the creative part, of the music industry.  I believe there are three areas: One is talent, one is your ability in songwriting, and one is your performing skills  If you can master all of those and bring them up to a certain level that is remarkable, you’ll be noticed.  

Lefewitz: “Live lasts: hits don’t.  Let’s be clear, a hit song lives on in people’s memories.” (Tom:…That’s true).. Lefewitz: “ But I challenge most of America to sing two songs from Taylor Swift’s new album.  For all the hype about Miss Swift, the truth is she’s someone everybody knows, but few know her music.  She’s a huge niche artist and she’s the biggest artist in the world.  It’s even worse for One Direction the other biggest act in the world.  Most people can’t even sing one song even if more than a few know who Harry Stiles is.”  

Lefewitz continues: “This is so different from the way it used to be when we had ubiquity.  When everyone knew Frank Sinatra’s ‘Strangers  in the Night’ both youngsters and oldsters.  With everybody in control of the remote we’ve learned that most don’t want any one thing.  That’s why a hugely successful TV show has ten million viewers and late nighters, like Fallon, only do a couple million. Disconnect from the hype network, none of these entities are that big which gives you a giant opportunity.  You can find your fan base and grow it.” 

Tom: Totally right!  If you are good, you can find your fan base and grow it.  I can’t help you with internet.  I can’t help you with any of that stuff.  But, my deal is, I can help you with developing fans when you’re at a show.  If you develop a fan at a show they will last longer than if you develop a fan on a radio hit.  

Continue listening for the rest of the commentary and teaching.  

Tom Jackson

Tom is uniquely talented and skilled at transforming an artist's live show into a magical experience for the audience; helping artists at every level create a live show that is engaging and memorable, teaching them to exceed their audiences' expectations and to create fans for life. Tom has taught indie and major artists of every genre. He has worked with Taylor Swift, Le Crae, Home Free, The Tenors, Shawn Mendes, The Band Perry, Francesca Battistelli, Jars of Clay, & many more. Tom also teaches at colleges, conferences and events worldwide.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me: