Raising money for kids – with kazoos

Last week, we hosted an experience with Thao of The Get Down Stay Down at the Hotel Utah, which raised $1000 for Magik Magik’s music for kids program.

The experience brought thirty fans to the Hotel Utah, where they were taught an arrangement (for kazoo!) to Thao’s song ‘We the Common’ by Magik Magik’s amazing Musical Director, Minna Choi. Beer was consumed during the rehearsal.

Soon, Thao arrived and performed with these fans. It was so unique and fun and intimate. She generously played another three songs and then signed everyone’s musical transcripts (Minna had printed out the parts) and took pictures.

Everyone went away floating on the experience. It was so precious and amazing. Keep up with Thao and The Get Down Stay Down and you could be a participant in her next experience!

Choosing Experiences to Offer

We’ve compiled a list of tips for determining what to offer your fans with Experiences:

• Come up with multiple Experiences that appeal to different levels of fans – your casual listeners looking to learn more versus your superfans.
• Set different price points and combine physical and digital offerings to appeal to different types of fans in all locations.
• Include a tangible good – a physical item to help fans mark the occasion, like a setlist, unique photo opportunity, or exclusive, signed merchandise.
• Incorporate things outside of music that you’re passionate about to engage fans in a new and exciting way. Are you interested photography, art, design, or food? Include an opportunity to share this passion with your fans.

Anything we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments!

Guest Post: A House show with fans

Lia Rose is an indie folk artist based in San Francisco, who recently played some shows in Southern California. Here’s her take on House Show Experiences.

I love playing shows of all kinds, but there is something very special about performing in someone’s living room for a room full of people who are listening intently.

photo credit: Max Solomon

It’s a very different experience from playing in a hugely amplified venue with quite some distance between the audience and the stage.

I hope to always do both, but I certainly hope to fill out my calendar with more and more of the special intimate acoustic experiences.

We’ve posted about intimate fan shows before. Want to try them out? Let us know and we’ll set you up with Experiences.

Guest Post: Nothing Else Matters

Aaron Zimmer is making a name for himself in NYC and across the country not only for his brand of pop/rock, but also for his engaging one-man live show that includes a multitude of instruments, percussion and loops.

Through my partnership with Bandpage Experiences, Diana in Chicago commissioned me to record her all time favorite song, “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica. The premise is simple: You pick the song, I’ll arrange and record my rendition of it at my little studio here in Brooklyn. I’m also doing custom cover art for all of the songs too, which is fun.

Recording cover songs for my friends and fans is great for lots of reasons. First, I get to spend the day (or 2) working on music that might not necessarily be in my wheel house. Its good exercise and practice for me as an artist. And, you get a brand new version of a song you already love. Most of all though, I get to work one-on-one with other music lovers to create something that’s one-of-a-kind.

Never in a million years would I have considered recording my own version of a Metallica song. Because of Bandpage’s “Experience” platform and Diana’s input, I got the opportunity. And, my version didn’t come out too bad, I hope!

More info about my experiences can be found here.

Meet your Idols

One of the best outcomes from Experiences is hearing the amazing stories of fans meeting their favorite artists in real life. It’s even better when it benefits a great charity like Road Recovery.

Here are a few pictures from the Ozzy Osbourne backstage meet and greet:

Take a look at our newest Experiences for the opportunity to get backstage or meet your favorite band!

Guest post: First Ever Bananabeat Weekend with Chris Sergent

Below is Cisco Adler’s post describing his first Bananabeat weekend, hanging in the studio.

A few weeks ago our good buddy and long time #bananabeater Chris Sergent embarked on a trip out west for the first ever Bananabeat Weekend in conjunction with our friends at Bandpage and the Bandpage Experience Program. Chris got to see what it is like to hang with Cisco and co. for an entire weekend of studio sessions, events, and chillin’ in the Bu.

On Friday, Cisco scooped up Chris and brought him over to Bananabeat Studios for a little one on one hang session and a let him be a fly on the wall as he mixed an up coming track for a session with an amazing new artist D-WHY.

The next day Cisco and Chris headed into Hollywood for the SICKY SUNGLASSES Art In The Lot event at the incredible FAME YARD showcasing some of the best new artists in Los Angeles. Chris got to hang with Beardo and Tony Potato of Cisco’s o.g. band Whitestarr, check out some live art by Sicky Crew Members THIS MEANS MAR and GREGORY SIFF, and see what goes on behind the scenes of one of Cisco’s entrepreneurial endeavors. SICKY SUNGLASSES is the first high end sunglass brand that focuses on the creative arts and supporting the amazing scene surrounding them in LA and beyond.

On Sunday Cisco let Chris hang out and watch what goes on in the studio as D-WHY came in to finish up a new song produced by Cisco and co-written by New Hippy Pat Brown. This was an amazing experience for Chris and Cisco alike as it really connected the dots and blurred the lines between fan and artist which is something Cisco really tries to accomplish with Social Media and other avenues available in the new digital music world.

If you would like to participate in this or any other Bandpage Experiences check out all the fun stuff Cisco is offering. The future is BANANAS!

Highlighting Causes on BandPage

One of the best outcomes of Experiences is that artists not only get to meet and share awesome offers with fans, but that they can do so on behalf of causes they truly care about. Most recently, funds from Outside Lands Experiences went to a couple non-profits local to the Bay Area.

Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down worked with Air Traffic Control to raise funds and awareness for the California Coalition for Women Prisoners.  Air Traffic Control (ATC) provides strategy and support to musicians and their managers on their activism, advocacy and philanthropy work so that they can play an effective and vital role in the promotion of social justice. And CCWP is a grassroots social justice organization, with members inside and outside prison, that challenges the institutional violence imposed on women, transgender people, and communities of color by the prison industrial complex.

The remaining bands participating in the Outside Lands Meet and Greet raised money for The San Francisco Rock Project, “a non-profit, performance-based music school for kids age 7-17 dedicated to instilling confidence, inspiring creativity, and celebrating collaboration in a dynamic and supportive environment.”

What better way to raise a few thousand dollars for organizations making a difference in your community!

Outside Lands 2013: Bands and Fans

What a weekend! We had an amazing time at Outside Lands, with Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Dumpstaphunk, Fishbone and Camper Van Beethoven all stopping by to hang with fans at the PayPal Patio.

Photos and autographs were acquired, all to benefit local SF charities.

As a follow up, our friends Wild Child stopped by for an office show yesterday at BandPage HQ. What better way to start the week than with some amazing live music?

Festivals Galore: Engage Fans on the Ground

We’re in the midst of the magical music festival season and amped to see the creative ways musicians are using BandPage Experiences to engage with festival-goers and fans.

Last week, we saw the Sunset Strip Music Festival in Hollywood providing a venue for Street Drum Corps to have blast with fans – from side-stage access to face painting with the band.

With Outside Lands coming up in San Francisco, a few bands are taking the opportunity to meet and greet fans at the PayPal Patio. To top it off, they are offering proceeds from this Experience to benefit local charities like the San Francisco Rock Project.

There are still a few passes left – they are going quick so head over and grab one to get access to this awesome Experience this weekend!

Intimate Shows and 2 Reasons Why They Work

We just witnessed Wild Child’s successful intimate show Experience in Chicago, which was one of the band’s sold-out tour stops. Based on the popular demand, Wild Child decided to supplement the tour with a last-minute show at a small, secret venue, including a special meet and greet with the band after the show.

By all accounts, this was a hit (see image above of the happy fans post-show).

The BandPage team has also been bringing in artists for small private shows at our office. Lia Rose and Cello Joe were recently featured during our team gatherings.

Two great opportunities for bands outside of the regular tour circuit and they work well because they offer direct connections.

1. Last-minute secret shows target superfans that missed out on tickets to your sold-out shows.

2. In-person shows for companies and corporations offer win-win situations, culture and team building for companies, but the chance to build direct relationships for you with both old and new fans.

The best part? Both of these can easily be brokered by setting up Experiences on BandPage. If you’re interested in joining the beta, please let us know!