Summer Festival Season
Summer festival season is upon us. It always puzzles me that JoCo seems to be
strangely not present in any of the go to festival lineups. What on earth is up with that?
It's possibly one of the best cross-marketing opportunities for independent artists possible.
We need to get JoCo to get down with the festival scene. It just makes sense.
strangely not present in any of the go to festival lineups. What on earth is up with that?
It's possibly one of the best cross-marketing opportunities for independent artists possible.
We need to get JoCo to get down with the festival scene. It just makes sense.
Comments
It's too late to book this year but maybe we could make it happen for next summer. If camping is an option, JoCo groupies can all arrange to camp together. It would be like the cruise, only way WAY cheaper. Plus you'd have the added benefit of possibly finding out about a whole bunch of awesome new artists as well. THOUGHTS HERE, PEOPLE? JOCO? ANYONE???
Huey Lewis and the News
Bobby Rush
Mike Farris and The Roseland Rhythm Revue
Tommy Castro
Walter Trout
Lil Bryan and the Zydeco Travler’s
Reba Russell
The Stone Foxes
Basmati
The Soul Rebels
The Gloryland Pastor’s Choir
The Carl Weathersby Band
Another Kind of Magick
Billy Branch
The Steepwater Band
Tony Lucca (Second Runner-up on this season’s The Voice)
Susan Gibson (wrote the song “Wide Open Spaces” recorded by The Dixie Chicks)
Michael Hurwitz
BlindDog Smokin’
Cleome Bova
Big Jim Adam
John Stillwagon
Taylor Scott
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
Rich Ackerman with Carl Weathersby
Dr. John & The Lower 9 -11 featuring Jon Cleary
Macy Gray
...and there are still a few slots open for this year.
Anyway, I disagree very strongly with the notion that JoCo
Fits into cons better than festivals. I come to JoCo's music
From the singer-songwriter angle and, I can tell you that he
Is one of the very best around today. There are numerous
Festivals whose audiences would embrace JoCo and his
Music. Frankly, they need to know about him.
The way I found out about JoCo was by attending the Falcon
Ridge Folk Festival in upstate NY, something I have done for
Years. I caught Paul and Storm back there in 2005, I think.
I really dug their stuff and followed their website postings for
Awhile. They were just starting with JoCo so that's how I got on
Board with him. However, I would nevereverevereverever attend
A con of any kind. It's just not my thing. I have limited resources
And what I do have I have to spend on music stuff. For this
Reason, I would also never attend a JoCo cruise. Much as I'd
Like to, I simply couldn't afford it.
I feel very strongly that JoCo is limiting himself very much as
An artist by embracing the "geek thing" too much. Sure, that
Is where he has found kinship and strong support, but my
Feelings are that this particular demographic is not wholly
Representative of the only "type" of person that might
Embrace his music. Fuck, I barely even passed pre-calculus
In high school.
So, while his current group of supporters might feel cozy and safe,
If he is to grow as an artist and continue to encourage his career
To develop, he is simply going to have to step out of his comfort zone somewhat, take some chances and learn to embrace
Different situations, different venues, and different "types"
Of people. Once he does, I think he will be warmly
Embraced and both new and old fans will benefit, as will he.
However, I really think it's time for him to start moving in this direction. But, that's just me....
JoCo, if you're reading this and need some help with any of the
Above, hit me up, okay?
Any other thoughts??? Xoxo, b
But in any case, I'm not worried about Jonathan. He's gonna do what he's gonna do, and he's gonna try what he's gonna try. And neither we nor he will know for sure what will succeed brilliantly or what will fail miserably. Let's just give him some space to create.
That being said, he might enjoy performing at a festival or two, so if you'd like to see this you should have the promoters of your favorite one give him a call. That's usually the way the process is driven: by fans asking for the acts they want.
Yes, I usually recommend JoCo as a new featured
Artist for upcoming seasons for most of the festivals
I attend. However, it's possible that I might be the
Only one doing this, in which case the likeliness
Event management will book him is probably
Pretty small. Ticket sales often drive these
Events and they want to be sure they are
Putting their money behind an artist with
Enough name recognition within their audience
That they will recoup their expense.
Oftentimes, artists have to apply in advance to be
Considered as a featured artist at any given
Festival. This process usually takes place in the
Fall and it is a very competitive one. Part
Of the reason I posted here was to see if anyone
Had any ideas of festivals JoCo might fit in well
In so that maybe he'd consider throwing his hat in
The ring for one or more of them for the festival season
2014. As I mentioned before, it might make it an
Easier way for some new fans to catch him live, he might
Make new fans/friends along the way and beyond all
That, it would just be fun. : )
Here's hoping!
Xoxo, AD
While not a summer fest (it's in November but it's Austin so it feels like summer), I think he'd fit in nicely at Austin's FunFunFunFest. Weird Al played there a few years ago. He'd be great on the yellow stage!
http://funfunfunfest.com/artists
When JoCo started he used a site called demandit where fans could tell him what cities they wanted him to come play at. That way, he knew he had an established fan base and knew he'd have an audience for a show. He rarely has had to play at a place where he wasn't already known and anticipated.
I'd be happy for him to play at other kinds of events and get a larger audience of less-geeky people; he sure has plenty of non-geeky songs. He already does this, I'm sure... all I can think of off the cuff is NPR's Ask Me Another (although they do imply that it's nerdy to listen to public radio quiz shows; I dispute that) and that concert for Obama's campaign, but I'm a little out-of-touch here in Europe.
Personally I prefer to see bands I like on their own rather than at festivals; I enjoyed discovering new music and eating junk food and meeting a few other fans (fewer than I'd meet at a normal concert, though) at the three festivals I've been to (each to see one specific artist) but I like sitting down and I like being in the front row (especially if I'm not sitting down, since then I have something to lean on) and it's a tad inconvenient waiting through all the other bands in the front row, unable to really leave to go to the toilet or get a drink unless I've made friends with someone who can save my place and think I can manage to push my way out of the crowd and back. Also, there was one festival featuring one of my favourite bands (and conveniently at a time and place exactly in between two JoCo concerts) which I planned to go to but which was cancelled through no fault of the group I wanted to see. So I wouldn't be particularly pushing for JoCo to do festivals. But maybe he could open for some non-geeky, non-comedy bands? I don't know, it seems he gets enough gigs as it is, so there'd be no real need for it. But if he opened for someone in a place I could get to, I'd probably go. It wouldn't be the first time I've gone to a concert for the opening band.