Live Music?? (NDYC's)

[McSwede]

I don't often bother with support acts as they're usually shite

An exception was AC/DC at Milton Keynes bowl supported by The Offspring and Queens of the Stone Age. Motorhead supported by Saxon was another.

[Richard]

A couple of friends have seen The Who recently and said they weren't great, but it's a night out!

Perhaps, if you’re lucky Pete Townsend will be selling copies of his book about kiddy fiddling

[Richard]

I don't often bother with support acts as they're usually shite

Sometimes a support act can be surprisingly good, and then become a favourite new band of yours

[NotoriousREV]

I saw Royal Blood supporting Foo Fighters in 2017 and thought they were awesome. Iggy Pop supported them at Milton Keynes. James Brown supported the Red Hot Chilli Peppers years ago at Maine Road. Van Halen supported Bin Jovi when I was forced to go with a girlfriend in the 90s.

[dinny_g]

James Brown supported the Red Hot Chilli Peppers years ago at Maine Road.

Now there’s a gig...

[NotoriousREV]

James Brown supported the Red Hot Chilli Peppers years ago at Maine Road.

Now there’s a gig...

We also got told off by Anthony Kiedis for booing the other support act off the stage. They were terrible.

[Jobbo]

Finally remembered the last gig I went to: The Ska45s, a really excellent Midlands covers band. Well worth seeing even if you only slightly like The Specials and The Selecter.

Going to see Frisky and Mannish next month, though that’s as much comedy as music. I tend to find music gigs overpriced and not intimate these days so don’t bother.

[evostick]

Last one I went to was Nick Cave, a couple of years ago now I think. It was alright but made me feel very middle-aged.

Before that it was METZ somewhere in Bristol. Proper riotous mosh pit type stuff. Was great fun.

[unzippy]

Bands take the piss nowadays for live ticket prices.

Touring and merch is the only way to make money nowadays.

This is from Moog, one of the MCM chaps:

So how much do artists REALLY earn from streaming their music?



There's a lot of talk these days about online streaming of songs. People often ask me my advice on how they should release their own music and they also ask me what my preference is as to how they buy my music. "We want to buy it from the place that gives the most money back to you!" It's a kind sentiment. Should they buy it on iTunes, or directly from the artist website as a direct download, stream the music on Spotify or just listen to an audio rip on YouTube?



Lets start with a focus on the streaming side. While there are a lot of bloggers theorising about how much artists actually earn from streaming, I thought I'd share some real world figures with you.



Over a 4 week period last year, my song 'Smoke&Fire' had 517 streams on Spotify. My total earnings for that song from Spotify was $2.40. From this we can work out that each time someone listens to the song, the artist (in this case me) has earned $0.0046



If the same number of people had purchased the song from iTunes for $1.69AUD, after Apples commission this would have equated to around $567.92.



Buying directly from the artist and bypassing digital stores like iTunes and Amazon still incurs PayPal transaction fees and costs associated with downloads and upkeep of the artist website, but buying directly from the artist usually puts the most money in the artists pocket. (This is assuming the artist is independent) The downside of this, is that sales made outside of the approved digital sales systems are not recognised in relation to the official charts. You could sell 100,000 songs from your own website and you would never appear on the charts because nobody knows they've been sold. And hey, who would be complaining if they sold 100,000 songs?



So is it really that important to be on the charts? Yes and no. The truth is that its rare that many artists would sell anywhere near 100,000 songs, which is why being on the charts is a good thing. Exposure! Being on the charts means more people will see the songs and want to listen to them, whether it be the iTunes charts or the ARIA charts. My album 'KEI TO THE CITY' went to #1 on the iTunes charts in multiple different countries and landed at #30 on the official ARIA Digital charts on its week of release. This certainly meant more exposure.



Direct sales equate to more income for the artist on a per song basis. iTunes means less income per song to the artist, but the higher likelihood that more songs will actually sell due to easier access meaning more profit for the artist overall because they've sold more singles.



So whats the best way?



On a purely monetary level buying a song directly from the artist or from a digital service like iTunes is best.



The worst way financially for the artist is YouTube streaming and Spotify. But this is if you are quantifying your success based purely on income and to me that seems like an incredibly disappointing way to value your music. For me and most musicians I know, we do it because we love it - not because we have a grandiose delusion that streaming our music online is going to make us all millionaires. Even in the best case scenario of the iTunes income of $567.92, this amount may need to be split up with agents, managers, labels and this doesn't account for paying singers, mastering, session musicians, artwork and distribution fees all of which would cost considerably more than $567.



In reality my feeling is that the best way to have people hear your music, is to provide your music to the platform that is easiest way for people to hear it. Originally I didn't distribute to Spotify. But people kept asking me for it and requesting it so now all my releases go to Spotify. Why not give the people what they want?



So would I rather $2.40 from Spotify or $567.92 from iTunes? I'd rather 517 people listened for free than not listen at all. There's a lot of music out there and the fact that anyone would take the time to listen to your song when there are a billion other songs to listen to is pretty damn incredible in itself.



So if you're an artist, my advice would be to utilise the technology that we have right now so you can make it as easy as possible for people to find your music on a variety of different platforms. And then move with the times. You have to or you'll be left behind. When people are able to find and listen to your music easily, you have a chance that they will connect with it. And when people do connect with it and want it as part of their lives, hopefully they'll buy your song, or if you're lucky your whole album! But if they don't, just be thankful that you've been heard and remember why you're making the music.



If you're only doing it for the money then chances are that you're going to be disappointed. $2.40 doesn't go far these days, but connecting with people through music is something that can last a lifetime.





http://www.blairjoscelyne.com/



KEI TO THE CITY:

iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/kei-t ... d829016181

Direct http://www.mightycarmods.com/collections/music

Spotify

[dinny_g]

I've seen them 3 times but not since the Fear of the Dark tour... Brilliant Live band...

My friend got to go onstage with the crew for the Iron Maiden encore in Donnington 1988

Maiden Stamps:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/ ... -12-stamps









Although they'll no doubt be cancelled for the Cultural Appropriation of the Samurai one...

[Gavster]

Agree that Maiden are one of the tightest, most solid live bands. Seen them twice, unfortunately the first time was during the questionable Blaze Bailey days, the second time was with Bruce and they rocked the place from start to finish.

[Zonda_]

Going to see them again in June at Manchester.

[GG.]

James Brown supported the Red Hot Chilli Peppers years ago at Maine Road.

Now there’s a gig...

We also got told off by Anthony Kiedis for booing the other support act off the stage. They were terrible.

I missed this back when it was posted in 2019. I was also at that gig in (I think) 2004 - small world

ETA - I think Maine Road was demolished by then and it was actually at City of Manchester Stadium (now Etihad).

Hard to believe Keidis is now 60

[Gavster]

Now there’s a gig...

We also got told off by Anthony Kiedis for booing the other support act off the stage. They were terrible.

I missed this back when it was posted in 2019. I was also at that gig in (I think) 2004 - small world

ETA - I think Maine Road was demolished by then and it was actually at City of Manchester Stadium (now Etihad).

Hard to believe Keidis is now 60

Steven Tyler is also doing an incredible job of singing, performing and looking cool at 74. Also has a good plastic surgeon, which helps

[Delphi]

Last time I saw Maiden was Manchester on the Legacy Of The Beast tour. They were excellent as always.

Last band I saw live was Amon Amarth November 2019. I was supposed to see Katatonia in Manchester next month but the wife booked a holiday to Tenerife without checking the shared calendar.

[McSwede]

Agree that Maiden are one of the tightest, most solid live bands. Seen them twice, unfortunately the first time was during the questionable Blaze Bailey days, the second time was with Bruce and they rocked the place from start to finish.

I've seen them a few times and they are my fav live band ever. Rock Am Ring in 2005 was the best.

I've ordered the framed stamp set