ION INDIE MAGAZINE September 2016, Volume 28 | Page 131

and not one person showed up. REALLY? NO KIDDING!!! Take a page from your SUCCESSFUL predecessors who created an event that was sponsor supported. It is not a hard thing to do. Of course I have to throw this in there: If you book a National artist to build an event, please get a local sponsor to offset your costs. DO NOT pass this responsibility to the artist to sell more tickets so you don’t have to work as hard in promotion or sales. To PROMOTE IS your job in this part of the equation. I am not a promoter, but I have worked hard to get National companies to sponsor small local events and I did not pass the responsib ility to the artist. In fact on all occasions, we all got paid more from my hard work. The artists have a stake in this as well. Things like arriving on time, being professional and leaving the rock star attitude for the stage, go a long way in helping the venue and staff work quicker to ensure you get the best out of your performance. The better your performance is, the better name you get, the better name the venue gets as bringing in top quality acts. The staff then is more excited for the evening and building an atmosphere going forward. I understand what a marketing education might do for the artists to help them a long way in promoting their event. One of the most important things is recognizing that your band might just might not be ready. Don’t rush. I HAVE seen artists that frankly talk a bigger game then their recorded or live performance supports. Just as the promoter and the venues have a responsibility to put the best product on the stage, you as an artist have to realize when you are REALLY ready. If not, you just give the average fan, especially a new concert goer, the experience that might support their notion that indie artists aren’t good. You ARE your brother’s keeper! The brighter the attitude, the bigger the growth for us all. By working together on all of these issues, there is no doubt in my mind that we can change the perception of people across the world who don’t want to support Independent artists and who have the concept in their head that if they are not signed, they are not good enough. If you don’t believe me, then why are the artists at the top of the charts STILL at the top of the charts, and not any of our beloved indie artists? On that note, please don’t get me going again on the complete falsehood and fallacy that is the internet radio charts and those who sell a package to promote and sell that line of bull. Please refer to my older articles in "Total Order" regarding the uncovering of this scam. Next month I will be giving FREE education to artists on how to spend their hard-earned dollars and the pitfalls to stay away from while growing their fan base. It is all FREE. There is no “manifesto” here. The same as a parent and elder is to pass on their learnings, so do we to the future generations. WE can REVIVE and BRING BACK ROCK to the mainstream--its RIGHTFUL PLACE! In closing, next month I will be discussing local benefit concerts and to whom the benefit really goes. This is a story you will have pay attention to. The stories are real and will shock you! Yours in Rock, God Bless, Peace! RTFX DJ RTFX is the host of “The Launch Pad Live”, airing every Wednesday from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. EST on Neue Regel Radio, where he serves as both Station Manager and Co-owner. You can reach him at: [email protected]. Learn more about Neue Regel Radio at: www.neueregelradio.com.