Amplify singapore's music industry.. Whos with me?

[Elroy]

hey.. i guess this has been quite a problem for local bands nowadays.. same old gigs at same old places like music garage, jamming studios and etc.. i was wondering if this will ever change at all? we have to build up the music industry and i dont think gigs like this are gonna improve anything.. furthermore.. most of the bands dun like the idea of having to sell tickets in order to perform.. i understand that organisers have to have that starting capital to rent the equipments and stuff but im quite sure if we brainstorm, we can come up with a solution to have free wicked gigs... at good places.. like the scape youth park(weekend trip), esplanade outdoor stage(baybeats)
or anywhere else any1 can think of!! so come on people.. im calling on any1 with a brilliant idea to share their thoughts on how to improve this.. and im damn serious! lets make a team if there are a few of u who are committed and determined in this mission! thank u!

 

[soft]

We can actually do better. Let's get more audience to attend gigs by PAYING them! Free drinks, free food and still got Red Packet take.

Any idea how we can do this?

 

[Elroy]

...

hey thanx james... i dunno if u know me.. but i auditioned for salad days last year.. i am the vocalist with the red fred perry polo t.. wayne was my guitarist..

anyways.. come on guys... suggest something.. maybe all the organisers like screamevents, lightsout, ultrasound can come together and crack heads!

 

[shinobi]

well my idea is not really to 'pay' them per se, but still essentially to give something back.

i'm a musician, not a gig organiser of any sort... my idea is for the musicians to have a bigger stake in performances. in other words, i think the band and musicians have to provide their share of backline equipment.

it seems to me that in bigger (and more successful) markets like the US, the norm would be for the band to provide their own personal equipment unless there is some kind of specific arrangement otherwise.

if we could provide basic equipment like our own amps, (entire drumset may be a bit of a stretch) and support personnel like a soundman, there could be more gigs.

logically we would increase the number of venues by easing the equipment constraints. providing equipment would be regarded as an investment on the part of the venue operators, who sometimes do not even have the expertise to do so. and the bigger this investment gets, the more reluctant they will be to give bands an opportunity to perform, because they will stand to lose more if it doesnt payoff i.e. the risk gets higher. i don't think local musicians are doing enough to change that.

i think the most important attribute a musician needs is the passion, which cannot be calculated in dollars and cents. but i also believe that if we are to claim that our passion is strong, we need to make a commitment in monetary terms as well.

no deadbeat musicians. its time to put your money where your mouth is.

 

[Elroy]

so in other words.. ure saying.. we provide our own equipment.. and just rent a place? but renting would certainly cost alot... how about the organisers collect some cash from bands? like 30 bux per band.. i think its quite affordable.. coz there are still no tickets involved

 

[biopromax]

as mentioned above, the ideas is there. but the idea is brought up again and over again
Now gigs are doing the idea now.

 

[CITY_MUSIC]

Need any help?

 

[theunknown]

paying the organisers are like selling tickets already no? cant sell tickets? pay for them yourselves!

as a serious band, gathering fans needs some investment. cant pay the organisers? organise your own gig where only u perform. whatever it is, u cant really escape from paying. if you're good, u have fans, u get ten folds your investment.

my opinion. i cant walk the talk cause i dont have a serious band. heh

 

[biopromax]

City music we may need your help in our future shows after I ord. WhatLah! is really silent now. After I ord, i will make good use of 2009.

 

[Elroy]

...

well paying 20-30 is definitely cheaper than having to pay for the tickets.. coz tickets are usually SELL 20 AT 8 BUX EACH.. OR SELL 10 AT 5 BUX EACH.. i dun think bands will mind paying 20 bux.. and furthermore dun have to worry about tickets.. btw.. keep the suggestions coming guys

 

[bigblackbear]

maybe those who have exposure to overseas music scenes should share with us how it is done there

 

[theunknown]

well paying 20-30 is definitely cheaper than having to pay for the tickets.. coz tickets are usually SELL 20 AT 8 BUX EACH.. OR SELL 10 AT 5 BUX EACH.. i dun think bands will mind paying 20 bux.. and furthermore dun have to worry about tickets.. btw.. keep the suggestions coming guys

oohh i was assuming the amount pay at one shot is the same as total amount of tickets worth. my bad. sorry.

EDIT: longest post in soft's history. by someone everyone knows.

http://soft.com.sg/forum/music-kopi-tiam/84588-longest-post-soft-history.html

lots of ideas there. hehe

 

[shinobi]

we have to analyse the idea of venue rental...

when you rent a 'studio' or whatever to hold your gig in, you are paying for the equipment provisions. the room will be relatively small and there isn't even a need for a PA except to amplify the mic.

but if you can already provide a backline, what's the benefit of renting a large studio over other possible venues? the studio does not earn any revenue from you holding your gig there other than through rental fees.

now, a quick lesson in finance

this is as opposed to say, a pub, where the main revenue stream is from the patrons. if a band can convince a pub that they can increase the patronage of the place, it is rational for the venue operator to allow the band to perform IF he thinks that he can PROFIT. by 'profit', meaning the increased patronage will AT LEAST offset the cost of setting the band up to perform.

now, we want more stages in singapore, more bands playing, a more diverse and vibrant music scene.

venue operators will not let bands play if they won't profit, or at the very least, break even. there are 2 factors that will determine profits: revenue and cost. because revenue - cost = profit.

so let us make the logical assumption that more profits for venue operators (resulting from bands performing) will lead to more opportunities for performers.

we want to convince venue operators that allowing bands to play will benefit them. we now have 2 ways of achieving this. the first way is one that we currently preoccupy ourselves with, which by trying to boost revenue. we try so hard to prove ourselves, to show off our talent, hoping that the demand for our music increases.

the second way is by lowering the cost involved for someone to give bands a gig. this is where we revisit my earlier post;

i believe that if a band can provide it's own backline, the 'cost' of allowing a band to perform falls. there needs to be more commitment from the bands. the burden has to be shared between the organiser and the performer. i think bands are not doing their part because they don't understand the business side of making a gig happen.

now that whole wall of text was the reasoning. how individuals like you and i can make such big things happen is actually very simple: if you play an instrument, have your own rig.

because if i told everyone that buying a big amp would solve the local music scene dilemma, everyone would think i was crazy.

 

[zaetxzero]

a loss for the organisers is a surething to make things happen.
if they don't mind.

in simple terms
we could chip in money , get a big place , with good equipments and stuffs.
create a festival sort of things
not just music , add other stuffs .
for example you could see people selling items at soft ,
so why not make stalls for them ? things like that.
you guys know what i mean
just gotta brainstorm for more creative ideas other than that.

and then find bands that's willing to pay probably 10-20 bucks to play.
invite different genres or bands and such.

get a group of people , form a hardworking street team.
spread the words arounds,invite friends , and eventually things might just work out

then slowly advance to be selling the tickets , and renting even better equipments and even bigger places
finding sponsors is the best thing ! XD though hardly possible
there,that's what i'd do to organise a gig / event / festival.

AND one more thing why local gigs never get enough people
there's not much advertisement around.
just trying to hithard on the street team idea, it's seriously important in my opinion.

 

[dearxarson]

i got one idea for you guys.
and that is to gather all the gig organisers, get them to commit to a calendar timing, so gigs wont keep clashing against one another. i realise that a lot of shows keep happening on the same day. get all of them to make a schedule of their future shows, and have someone to do the scheduling, so that maybe at any given point of time at the most there will be 2 shows happening.
alot of the abovementioned problems can be solved by this simple way, if you really think about it.

 

[Elroy]

...

haha.. ok shinobi.. i understand ure points.. but i cant disgest it.. its too lenghty... haha.. so in one sentence... describe ure solution again.. and i totally agree with dearxarson... and zaetxzero, thats sumthing worth thinking about...

 

[teleplayer]

I believe that everyone here is with you... or they won't come here and make friends with fellow musicians in singapore. lol.

 

[yesitsme]

might be a random note,
but was discussing with a friend not too long ago with regards to gigs in general today.
well unlike what we used to have say 2 years and before.
it's quite disheartening to see that in general, there are less attendees at gigs in general. especially in ticketed shows. sure u may say that certain gig venues have sold out and packed the place. but in terms of physical numbers, it may be a pale comparison. moreover, free shows at youth park seems to be gradually dipping in number too. =S
Is it a decline of local music support at the same time? i dont really wanna know man.
I don't like to think of singapore being a tiny island which contributes to the problem we have here. it's a unique problem, but i'm sure we can do something about it. work together as what u guys suggested.
we need something fresh and new. somebody mentioned that he's been a tad down and stuff with regards to less and less gig opportunities, whilst at the same time having played at all possible gig venues, from studios to esplanade. so what's next..
i feel at the same time, we should have a "THE" place to play. I'm not talking about esplanade, new york has it's cbgb. more like a club which caters to gigs and what have we. but the key's not to saturate the place with gigs week in week out, and to have key and established international acts perform there every once in a while. Imagine, (insert favourite international band) playing at place X in singapore. i reconk it'll spur more gig organisers to work harder to produce quality shows to churn out quality bands which will be good enough to play at place X?

sorry, too stressed at work, need to vomit out some excess baggage hahaha

 

[screamevents]

hi there !


please take note that
screamevents is not a P2P gigs . we won't and will not do p2p gigs

please take note


ScreamEvents is not a profit making crew. It is a Independent Non-profit
Event Management crew
which vow to bring live shows in a next level

yes .it's true everyone.. we are looking into this and we are trying every ardy to solve this problems



have a nice day

 

[dearxarson]

with regards to what i said beforehand, i think what we need to do is to create a REAL need and demand for shows. having too many shows at any given point of time kills the needs and demand for it. its getting to saturated. almost everyone can do a show nowadays, may it be a free or paying gig.

get the organisers to be ORGANISED themselves in doing shows. create a proper schedule for shows. this will increase attendance, cos the gig goers will have not much choice of which shows to go to. i know that sounded quiet crude, but think abt it: choices are good, but too much choices will lead to the death of demand.


also, quality of shows. the quality of bands. yes, new bands needs platforms as well. but try mixing em up. ive seen shows where at least 90% of the bands playing are "new". where's the crowd drawing factor in that?