house concerts and 21st century touring

Ignore Everybody,

a new book by Hugh MacLeod, is a terrific and highly original read, one that can help you get a fresh perspective on your art, and what it takes and means to be successful at it. I was asked by Derek Sivers to post a blog about the book, and how I think musicians/artists can benefit from it.

Here’s a list of chapters that inspired me and how I think they might apply.

1. Ignore everybody.
Few of us trust our instincts. We want to bounce ideas off everybody, and often those people are in no-way qualified to assess the merit of your idea, and definitely not able to understand the context (which you’ve spend your life building up) which makes your idea valuable.

2. The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours.
The American paradigm can lead many of us to think that something isn’t worth doing unless it achieves total world domination. In music, it’s playing stadiums and selling platinum. There are more creative (and satisfying) ways to define success. Try it.

3. Put the hours in.
Stop wishing for things to be easy. Maybe they aren’t supposed to be.

5. If your business plan depends on suddenly being “discovered” by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
Amen. Pay heed.

8. Keep your day job.
I hate this one. I’ve railed against this most of my life. It helped me justify playing horse-shit gigs that paid the bills, but robbed me of self (artist) esteem. It also drained my desire to create art, because the way I was sharing it was often annoying. Repeat after me: It’s OK to pay the bills with something else. It’s not OK to stop or pervert your artwork to meet someone else’s expectations.

If your music is your job, cop to it.

11. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
I made some money shooting pool when I was in high school. Usually off someone with a very shiny cue stick, that they took out of a leather case.

Are you putting off that next recording until you buy the $1500 microphone? Waiting until you get that $2500 Avalon mic-preamp? In the meantime, some high school kid with Garageband on his Mac is about to whip your ass while you watch another episode of “Biggest Loser.”

12. Don’t try to stand out from the crowd. Avoid the crowd altogether.
You still trying to get signed to a major label? You’re in the crowd, babe.

13. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
YOU MUST READ THIS CHAPTER. I can’t do it justice.

14. Never compare your inside with someone else’s outside.
If you are doing the right work, wordly rewards will never match the satisfaction you get from just doing the work.

17. The world is changing.
You can fight it (good luck) or use it to break through.

20. Sing in your own voice.
Your weaknesses can be the perfect tool to figure out what you are good at. Do you think Bob Dylan wonders if people like him for his vocal ability?

24. Worrying about “Commercial vs Artistic” is a complete waste of time.
Do what you do, sell a few copies, make a few friends. Otherwise, write a philosophy book.

25. Don’t worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
It will not drop in every time you ask it to. But if you make yourself available, inspiration will stop by once in a while.

33. Allow your work to age with you.
It’s OK if you want to start writing ballads. Really, it’s OK.

34. Being poor sucks.
There is no law that says you have to be dirt poor or fabulously rich if you are an artist. There is room in between. There is.

You can read this book in an hour, you can use it for a lifetime.

Thanks for reading me. — Fran Snyder

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Why would you want to play in someone’s home, instead of a bigger, more impressive venue?

1. The bigger venue is not impressive unless it’s full.
2. The bigger venue is not profitable unless it’s full.
3. The bigger venue is not fun unless it’s full.

If you can fill a bigger venue, then you should.

There is no substitute for playing a full room - no matter what the size. A full room symbolizes a fulfilled potential. Empty seats symbolize a missed opportunity.

For many artists, house concerts present the best opportunity for a full room.

However, there is something more important than a packed house - a listening audience. A respectful, engaged audience helps you develop self/artist-esteem, and it helps you notice which songs have the ability to connect deeply.

If you want to grow as an artist, seek venues that encourage (or insist on) a listening atmosphere.
i.e. House Concerts

Write on,

Fran

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Playing in restaurants…

forces you to be small. It not only limits the size of your group, your PA, your volume, but also your personality. Show business is not for small personalities. And if you’re not putting on a show, well, you’re just playing songs.

My guess is Ani DiFranco became successful by pissing off most of the clientele wherever she played. She was willing to be her BIG self wherever she played… and if that irritated some people watching the game, oh well. If the guy at the counter had trouble hearing a customer order, so be it.

But everywhere she played, she picked up a fan for life. After a while, she was able to play in places where those fans showed up, and allowed her to be her even BIGGER self.

If you play restaurants, do a gut check once in a while, and make sure they aren’t putting you in the habit of being small. Make absolutely sure that you are playing CONCERTS more often then restaurants. Otherwise, you are training yourself to stay small. How inspiring is that?

Finally, it’s not that you deserved to be listened to with respect. It’s that the audience deserves nothing less than your BIG self.

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