Tag: Blog

RAJIWORLD’S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

help wanted

RajiWorld has two spots open for interns. We hire for school credit or future employment AND are currently seeking one 20 hour a week Austin based intern and one to work remotely (any state). Responsibilities for the remote position will include drafting a variety of external communications & social media posts, as well as special event support-oriented responsibilities that may involve a knowledge of graphics and each social media platform. The local position requires a current understanding of the music business and the ability to be onsite from now until just post SXSW. A longer term is also possible. This job will require some office hours, some remote hours, interaction with our clients and media, managers and labels. There will be some weekend and nighttime work but the schedule can work to meet your needs as well. Please email your interest and resume or skill set to roggie@rajiworld.com

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How Music Helps Our Mental Health

Music Helps

I wish I had this list of resources for every city in the world, PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU KNOW OF ONE I CAN ADD AND KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND ALL OFYOUR FANS.

Musician and neurologist Dr. Joe Barnby studies how the pandemic affected the mental health of music-makers alike. Here’s what he found…

by Jessica Letkemann from Spotify For Artists

This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for health advice. You should consult your own advisors and/or mental health professionals before making any personal decisions.

Making music has always made for an intense career, often full of the kinds of uncertainties — from money to time — that can stress you out. On top of that, the effects of the ongoing pandemic threw a monkeywrench into many artists’ lives that continues to be felt. Dr. Joe Barnby, a musician and neuroscientist in the field of mental health, checked back in with Spotify for Artists to share what he’s observed about how Covid has added to the unique stresses of the profession.

“Data that has come out during the pandemic has highlighted who is more vulnerable to depression and anxiety,” Barnby says. “The one thing that stands out about musicians compared to other professions is that they [often] haven’t got that security of financial stability… and that unfortunately means that when something like Covid happens where there’s a huge change in the way that we need to adapt to live, it can be very difficult to carry on being a musician in those circumstances.”

Almost two-thirds of the respondents to MusiCares 2021 “Wellness in Music” survey felt financial stress every day. Meanwhile, over a quarter reported moderate to severe depression.

“No sort of economic parachute for people with inconsistent incomes makes stress all the more exaggerated and magnified. Musicians feel that they can’t really afford to exist doing what we love doing, like writing music or producing music, combined with trying to afford an apartment, and trying to afford food.”

Isolation is one major risk factor for musicians that multiplied when lockdowns and restrictions interrupted the social and support networks that are vital to good mental health. While that has eased this year, Barnby has seen that, “We were still not able to talk to people and interact with people in the same way. We didn’t have that social spontaneity we were used to.” To combat that, he says, it’s important to, “have people around you that you can rely on to be there for you to talk things over and be there with you emotionally.”

Your need for a like-minded community of fellow musicians is also key, as other stresses have piled up. “Having a forum where you can discuss that among yourselves is so powerful,” Barnby says. “Talking through problems that you’re all facing gives you the benefit of group ideas. It’s not just you thinking about it on your own.”

In addition to having people to rely on, the other “normal things recommended for good mental health — good exercise, nutrition, and sleep” also apply.

“We know the importance of sleep in regulating things like cognition, our emotion, and our ability to deal with stresses during the day,” he says. “If you have a completely uneven sleep schedule, we know that that is predisposing people to have poorer mental health and to find dealing with normal life stresses a lot more difficult.

“There’s emerging evidence about the relationship between the gut and brain, and how the things we eat affect our psychology. Our social environments can encourage poorer or better eating. If you’re constantly on a tight schedule, you haven’t got the time to prepare food that’s really nutritious. We know that eating food that doesn’t encourage healthy gut microbiota will predispose you to having poorer mental health.”

“Art and culture is so important to a healthy, functioning society,” Barnby says. And he feels that points to the need for mental health “alleviation for struggling musicians that otherwise could contribute massively to society.”

Alana Bonilla on 09/16/2022

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2021 with client JOLYNN J CHIN

Many artists beloved to us each spent 2021 creating and we each have emotions that connect easily with art. Well, I am very blessed that June of 2021 brought me the riches of JJC and I cannot wait to return the favor! Ya’ll this doll has got TALENT and my Austin AMG office would love to bring her to each and every city in North America in 2022. Enjoy~This is a performance at NAMM 2020, we cannot wIT FOR 2022!

VOTE FOR DIVINE HORSEMEN TODAY!

Vote For Your Favorite Albums Released In August 2021

August 2021 Favorite album poll: Vote for three. (Mine were Divine Horsemen, Cruzados and Willie Nile! You have to scroll half way down the page to see poll..

Poll is open until the end of the day September 30.  Top winners will be featured in our playlists.

Albums Of The Week: Divine Horsemen | Hot Rise Of An Ice Cream Phoenix

Chris D. & Julie Christensen saddle up & hit the ground running after 33 years.

By Darryl Sterdan

 2021-08-27

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UPDATE: Here are a few current motivators;)

ALL MUSIC – review, 9/1. Link here

AMERICAN SONGWRITER – song/video premiere (“Handful of Sand”) and news break, 6/17. https://bit.ly/2SA647U

AMERICANA HIGHWAYS – Bill Bentley will review in Bentley’s Bandstand; probably other reviews as well, 6/17; John Apice reviewed, 8/17.  Link here

ANTI-MUSIC – Julie wrote Singled Out column, 6/28; Kevin Weirzbicki to review, 8/23; Singled Out ran 8/26.  Link here

BEATSVILLE – review, 8/25. Link here

BROOKLYN VEGAN – premiered “Stony Path” audio on 7/1 https://bit.ly/3huw5hn ; and posted later that same day in New Songs Out Today roundup, 7/1. Link here

COACHELLA VALLEY WEEKLY (Palm Springs/Joshua Tree, CA) – Eleni P. Austin to review, 6/17; review ran on 9/9

COLORADO SPRINGS INDEPENDENT – Loring Wirbel reviewing, 8/13

DAGGER ZINE – Tim Hinely will review and raved about it on Facebook, 7/19; review ran 8/26. Link here

DESERT STAR WEEKLY (Palm Spring/Desert Hot Springs) – Robert Kinsler reviewed, 8/16. Link here 

EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE – review, 9/3. Link here

GIMME COUNTRY – Jimi Palacios to interview, 7/29

GILDE – interview feature by Hannah Means-Shannon, 8/24

GOLDMINE – Lee Zimmerman reviewing, 8/14; also Peter Lindblad reviewed, 8/25. Link here

JERSEY BEAT – Jim Testa reviewed, 8/27. Link here

JP’s MUSIC BLOG – review, 8/17. Link here

KCSN 88/5 FM (Los Angeles/SoCal) – Kat Griffin interviewing on Americana show, 8/20

MICHAEL DOHERTY’S MUSIC LOG – to review, 6/17

PASADENA WEEKLY – review by Bliss Bowen, 8/25. Link here ; and online version, 8/26. Link here

PUNK GLOBE – review/feature, 9/7. Link here

REVENGE OF THE ‘80s RADIO – Chris Cordiani interviewed Chris D, 9/3. Link here

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TRUTH – Robert Kinsler reviewed, 8/8. Link here

STAGE 1 PRESS – Bill Samaras to interview Chris 7/30

TAKE EFFECT – Tom Haugen will review, 6/17

THE ALTERNATE ROOT – posted “handful of Sand” video, 6/21. Link here

THE BIG TAKEOVER – Michael Toland reviewing (also pitching feature), 7/29; also Marcel Feldmar reviewimg, art sent, 816; Toland review ran 8/26. Link here ; premiere pitch for video, 8/27

THE SCHMOOZE BUTTON – video podcast, 9/3. https://youtu.be/-C3UFne73Vo

TINNITIST – “Handful of Sand” video posted in Thursday Mixtape, 6/17. Link here ; and “Stony Path” posted in Thursday Mixtape, 7/1. Link here ; Album of the Week, 8/27. Link here ; and doing Zoom interview, 8/27

TWANGVILLE – Q&A feature ran 8/10. Link here

Divine Horsemen, the fiery, eclectic ’80s group that rode the unique vocal chemistry of Chris Desjardins (aka Chris D.) and Julie Christensen, return to the musical stage with Hot Rise Of An Ice Cream Phoenix. Co-produced by Desjardins and Craig Parker Adams (who engineered I Used To Be Pretty, the 2019 release by Chris D.’s groundbreaking ’70s punk band The Flesh Eaters), the new 13-track album comprises the first new music by the Horsemen in 33 years.

Founded after the dissolution of The Flesh Eaters and launched with the 1984 album Time Stands Still, billed as Chris D./Divine Horseman, the band released three albums and an EP on SST Records, all of which featured the searing harmonies of Desjardins and Christensen, who were married at the time. The couple split professionally and personally just prior to the release of their January 1988 EP A Handful of Sand. However, the two musicians remained in touch over the years, and Christensen contributed vocals to five tracks on I Used to Be Pretty, which reunited the 1980 “all-star” edition of The Flesh Eaters heard on the Ruby/Slash classic A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die. By then, the idea of reviving Divine Horsemen was already percolating.

“Julie had asked me about six or seven years ago about doing Divine Horsemen again,” Desjardins says. “I told her I wasn’t quite ready yet, though I did want to do it eventually. Then in 2015 The Flesh Eaters started doing reunion shows. In 2018 we did it some more, and we recorded the album, released it in early 2019, and we went out on tour and supported it. Since the beginning of 2018, Julie and I had been talking about Divine Horsemen again.”

Christensen — who had moved on to work with Leonard Cohen in the 1990s and release seven albums of her own work — adds, “We recorded I Used to Be Pretty in April of 2018. Previous to that we had started plans for a Divine Horsemen tour in the fall, playing older stuff. Chris had song ideas and cover ideas for a studio album — it was just kind of forming in his head. I started looking for covers, too. I did some of The Flesh Eaters ‘live’ gigs the first three months of 2019, and found out that we were getting along really well.”

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The singers’ plans called for reuniting with such onetime Divine Horsemen as guitarist Peter Andrus (who had appeared on A Handful of Sand and the 1987 album Snake Handler) and bassist Robyn Jameson, who had worked with Desjardins on the majority of his recordings between 1982 and 2004. However, Jameson tragically died in 2018 following a street assault; Bobby Permanent, Andrus’ longtime musical collaborator, was recruited to take the late musician’s slot on the new recordings. Andrus is also a veteran of bands Crowbar Salvation and Detroit’s The Volebeats. Permanent (under the name Robert Pollard) has also contributed to various movie soundtracks, most notably John Cassavetes’ final film Love Streams.

The 2021 Divine Horsemen lineup is completed by drummer DJ Bonebrakeof the incomparable L.A. band X; he also was a member of the 2018 recording and 2019 touring editions of The Flesh Eaters (which also included X’s John DoeDave Alvin and Bill Bateman of The Blasters, and Steve Berlin of Los Lobos). Keyboardist Doug Lacy, another veteran of the Snake Handlersessions, returns to the fold; he and Christensen both later sang backup for the duo of Gaby Moreno and Van Dyke Parks, and Lacy has appeared on several of Parks’ other projects.

The release of Hot Rise Of An Ice Cream Phoenix was prefaced in late 2020 by the release of the vintage recordings Divine Horsemen ‘Live’ 1985-1987 and two Bandcamp singles: Mystery Writers, a new composition by Desjardins and Andrus, and Mind Fever Soul Fire, a song that originally appeared on Love Cannot Die, a 1995 Chris D. solo album. (A new rendition of that set’s title song is also heard as the concluding track on the new album; a high-intensity re-recording of Handful of Sand, the 1988 EP’s title number, is also featured.)

The new material on the album reflects a diversity of sources. “I wanted to mash up some European folk material,” Desjardins says of No Evil Star, a madrigal-like composition. “There are a whole bunch of sites on the internet that have public domain folk songs from Europe, specifically England, Scotland, and Ireland. These are all from the 1700s and 1800s. The music for the verse is from one folk song I found on a Celtic folk site. The words are all original. But the chorus music is not Celtic, it’s more Latin — they also had a few Spanish folk songs on there. Peter joked when we were working up that tune that it was our Jethro Tull song.”

Like Ghost Cave Lament — the sprawling number that concluded I Used to Be Pretty — both Barefoot in the Streets and Stony Path= reflect Desjardins’ ongoing fascination with Spanish flamenco. “Those songs are linked lyrically,” Desjardins says. “Stony Path is a continuation of Barefoot in the Streets. They’re both murder ballad-styled songs. The lyrics of Barefoot in the Streetsis flamenco-inspired, but the music is not really Spanish — Julie came up with the music.” Christensen says the writing of the latter number came late in the recording of the album: “Chris called and said, ‘You know, I’ve just been remiss. I feel like we should write a song together, and I have this “barefoot in the streets” idea.’ He’d already written the lyrics. He had a little bit of a melody idea, too, but not much of one — there was just the scan of it.” She adds that singing Stony Path presented some unique vocal challenges: “Flamenco singers break their voices in order to do what they do.” The song was left for the end of the album sessions, and she nailed her demanding part in a single take. Christensen is represented as a co-writer on another song, Falling Forward, written with Lathan McKay. “He’s an actor and musician who lives in Austin,” Desjardins says. “He’s also the foremost authority on Evil Knievel!”

Beyond her writing, Christensen served an invaluable function by finding outside compositions for the album. “I found a couple of covers from Tennessee writers,” the former Nashville resident says. “Any Day Now is byTim Lee and Susan Bauer Lee. They used to have a band called Tim Lee 3, he was also in a band called The Windbreakers, and now Bark. They used to get hold of Divine Horsemen LPs and hand them out to people – ‘Here, you’ve gotta hear this.’ We got to be fast friends, and their song Any Day Now just floored me. Strangers is by another Tennessee writer named Johnny Duke — he wrote it with Will Kimbrough. I originally heard it acoustically, just him and a guitar. I spoke to him after I heard him play it, and I said, ‘I don’t know if you’d be into this, but I have this band, and I’d love to try doing it with them as a Neil Young and Crazy Horse kind of thing.’”

Hot Rise Of An Ice Cream Phoenix is rounded out by a typically diverse selection of covers. 25th Floor is a Patti SmithIvan Kral original, heard on the 1978 album EasterIce Cream Phoenix was a vehicle for the vocal harmonies of Grace Slick, Marty Balin and Paul Kantner on Jefferson Airplane’s 1968 LP Crown of Creation. But the album’s greatest curiosity may be the raucous, profane Can’t You See?, an oddball tune that had obsessed Desjardins for years.

He says, “That’s a song written by Charlie Cuva and Robert Downey Sr., for Downey’s movie Pound. I’d heard that song at the Fox Venice Theatre in 1972, in the intermission of a double feature. Robert Downey Sr. had pressed up 100 or so copies of five songs from Pound to send out to independent theaters, as a promotion. It was never commercially released as a record. I had not heard it in years, and the guy who put out my book A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die sent me an MP3 of it. When the prospect came to do this album, I thought, we’ve got to do this. I played it for Julie and Peter, and they went through the roof over it.”

In all, Hot Rise Of An Ice Cream Phoenix stands as a bracing new achievement by a distinctive musical partnership that has always marched to the beat of its own drum. Like The Flesh Eaters’ recent reunion, it’s a welcome return that plays to the group’s historic strengths. “It was really good for both of us,” Desjardins says “and we really enjoyed it. There’s also — unintentionally — context in some of those songs about what happened between us as a couple.” Christensen adds, “One thing Chris has always been adept at is taking a song, and you hear the raw bones of it, and then he casts the band so well, and he runs a rehearsal like a tight ship. We would fashion these gems of songs out of rocks. He’s always been really good at directing a song toward what it’s supposed to do.”

It should be noted, in addition to producing (or co-producing) all of his Flesh Eaters and Divine Horsemen efforts, Desjardins has a modest but important legacy as an A&R man/in-house producer at Slash/Ruby Records from 1980-1984, co-producing with Tito Larriva seminal work by The Gun Club(their debut album Fire of Love), producing The Dream Syndicate (Days of Wine and Roses) and Green on Red (Gravity Talks), and mixing with Glenn Danzig and The Misfits (Walk Among Us). He also shepherded The Lazy Cowgirls on their eponymous debut. Last but not least, Desjardins produced Soulsuckers on Parade, a wildly unhinged, never-available-before-to-the-public 1984 session by Jeffrey Lee Pierce (with a backing group of then-BlastersDave AlvinBill Bateman, and Gene Taylor, and Green on Red’s Jack Waterson) that is only now being released in 2021 — 36 years later!”

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STAEHELY

Al Staehely is the only person on the planet who has both played Carnegie Hall and provided legal services for Stevie Ray Vaughan.

“I was in a band at the University of Texas with two law students who were older than I,” says Staehely. “We played good-paying gigs every weekend, and when it was time for me to graduate and go to med school at a college in another city, the two law students in the band said, ‘You can’t do that! You’re our lead singer and bass player. So, I started law school to keep a rock band together. I had no intention of becoming a lawyer, so when I graduated, I put the law degree in a drawer and headed to California to pursue my musical dreams.”

It didn’t take long for Staehely to begin making those dreams a reality. He arrived in Los Angeles in 1971, and a few months later he and his brother John were asked to join the critically-acclaimed band, Spirit. With Al as the band’s new lead vocalist, bass player, and chief songwriter – and with brother John taking over lead guitar duties from Randy California – Spirit recorded their fifth album, ‘Feedback,’ in November of 1971.

“John and I brought a little Texas flavor to the band that didn’t exist before,” Al told the Houston Chronicle’s Andrew Dansby. “It wasn’t anything we tried to do. It’s just the way we were. The way we were writing, the way he played, and the way I sang.” Critic Joe Viglione defined the band’s new sound as “a fusion of pop/jazz/rock with a dab of country.” He also called ‘Feedback’ “a phenomenal reinvention of Spirit.”

When Spirit splintered (but not before a successful tour that included the aforementioned performance at Carnegie Hall), Al and John formed a group appropriately named the Staehely Brothers, releasing the album ‘Sta-Hay-Lee’ on Epic Records in 1973.

It was another album that received good reviews, but the act was short-lived. When his brother John got an offer to join Elektra Records act Jo Jo Gunne – a band whose albums had consistently hit the charts – Al decided it was time to go it alone.

Having written the majority of the songs on both ‘Feedback’ and ‘Sta-Hay-Lee,’ Al began focusing on his writing talents, getting cuts by Bobbie Gentry, Marty Balin and Keith Moon, among others.

Not giving up on his dreams of releasing an album under his own name, Staehely recorded many tracks in LA between 1974 and 1978, working with a collection of first-rate musicians that included Steve Cropper, Jim Horn, Snuffy Walden, and Pete Sears.

Between sessions, Staehely headlined clubs in L.A. and NYC, opened concerts for The Moody Blues and Hot Tuna, did sessions for Keith Moon’s solo LP, and toured with Chris Hillman.

In 1980, Staehely returned to Texas and pulled his law degree out of the drawer Lawyer by day- musician by night, Al did shows with Roy Orbison, Jefferson Starship, Emmy Lou Harris –two European tours with John Cipollina and Nick Gravenitis (of Quicksilver Messenger Service and Electric Flag, respectively) documented by the LP, ‘Monkey Medicine,’ recorded in Hamburg which featured three of Al’s songs. Back in Texas, he even played a show with Rodney Dangerfield! Just as he was beginning to build his practice, Polydor Records came calling, and in 1982 ‘Stahaley’s Comet,’ Al’s long-awaited solo record, was released – but only in Europe.

His impressive array of music industry clients and fatherhood kept him busy for a couple of decades, but the urge to make music has never left.

In 2011, SteadyBoy Records oversaw the first US release of the Polydor LP, with the new title, ‘Al Staehely and 10k Hours.’ In 2013, ‘Cadillac Cowboys,’ an EP by Al Staehely and the Explosives, was also released on SteadyBoy. In more recent years, he has returned to the studio, as well as playing live – frequently with his brother John, Freddie Steady Krc, keyboardist Mike Rosenbaum. and sax player Evelyn Rubio. At long last, Al Staehely the lawyer is once again Al Staehely the singer/songwriter/bass player – back to give the world his music from the past, as well as the music he continues to make today, including a new album recorded in Marfa with Fran Christina (drums), Scrappy Jud Newcomb (guitar), and Chris Maresh (bass)

This fall, Al will release solo recordings from his days in Los Angeles descriptively titled ‘Post Spirit 1974-1978 Vol. 1.’ The initial focus track is the recently unearthed gem “Wide Eyed and Innocent”, along with a new version of the song- a sneak preview from the Marfa sessions.

The Song Will Be Featured On Upcoming Release Of Rare Solo Recordings ‘Post Spirit 1974-1978 Vol. 1.

While being known as the primary songwriter and singer of the rock act Spirit and The Staehely Brothers, Staehely had a lengthy career writing songs for acts such as Keith Moon, Bobbie Gentry, Patti Dahlstrom, Nick Gravenites, John Cipollina, Marty Balin, Peter Cox and Hodges, James & Smith and many others. And of course, Staehely is still writing and performing music to this day and looking forward to touring.

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THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

I am honored to share that I will be working as the Event Producer at my favorite venue in Tucson which is my favorite city in the US and where my career began!

Booking and producing safe and exciting performances for this magical space. I am grateful to continue my favorite work as we evolve into Live Events2.0 (the 2021 version). My first event is one month from today! and a BIG (TOP) one with 31 shows! Check it out with this video and come visit us sometime, cold beer/ great tacos but with cactus and mad beautiful sunsets.

I am able to expand the vision of spectacle clients, husband and wife Technical Director and Artistic Director of Flam Chen The MSA Annex is an expansion of the Mercado San Agustín, bringing 13 new locally owned small businesses, many women and minority-owned, for a total of 26 along the Mercado District’s Avenida Del Convento. The shops and eateries at the MSA Annex are housed beautifully inside modified shipping containers. The containers, designed by Tucson Architect Paul Weiner, are architecturally compelling and modern in Nature. The juxtaposition of the Spanish Colonial style Mercado San Agustin and new modern Annex together create a dynamic experience as seen in great cities around the world.

Join RajiWorld as a Live Event Intern (safely)

COVID_lammy

Hello! I am looking for a Tucson based intern to start right away from home. Any in-person work will maintain the highest in COVID19 safety protocols.

The ideal candidate must be highly organized; possess time management skills; have a computer and cell in good working order that they can successfully ZOOM from as needed. They shall have strong attention to detail; be experienced in working with databases to coordinate events; do well in a changing and multi-tasking environment with numerous deadlines; be able to handle difficult customer situations; can adapt to changes quickly and efficiently; and possess excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills. 

This position is for college credit, future paid employment or both.

Please send your cover letter and resume to roggie@rajiworld.com

Good Luck!

BLACK FRET BALL 2020

Virtual Black Fret Ball this Saturday, December 12th, at 7pm CT streaming on BlackFret.org! There’ll be performances from all of our 2020 nominees and *$160,000* in grants given to them. Why not get dressed up and have some fun with it from home? ⧓ ?

We can reminisce about shows from the past or we can make the most of what we have now (which is all we really ever have anyway:)

A Virtual Awards Ceremony is a Great Morale Booster

Let’s dress up and toast our peers from the safety and comfort of our home? We’re all prisoners to the couch these days. We all miss each other! If we have to be apart, let’s make an effort to make it fun.

I have so much respect for this year’s nominees. I have heard from many of them and they each have creative ideas on staying present and vibrant in this current space we share. Tune in and learn more.

Our shared vision is to build an endowed institution capable of sustaining over a million dollars a year in grants to the finest musicians in cities around the world. To achieve that we’re looking for a limited group of dedicated local music fans to become members.

Over the next decade we will fund hundreds of exceptional bands to create thousands of new songs while building a new institution capable of supporting the sustained artistic, cultural and economic growth of our cities (currently Austin and Seattle) and the artists who call our cities home. We hope you will join us in building a legacy of beautiful music.

AKINA DELIVERS “BROKE”

Fans of the one-of-a-kind, pure-voiced DIVA (in the good way), Akina Adderley, wait no longer for the KUTX Song of the Day

October 13 was a big day for the song, it was also the Single Spotlight on Austin 360: 
Austin360 On The Record: Singles Spotlight with Akina Adderley, Folk Uke, Willie Nelson, more…

Austin360 On The Record is a weekly roundup of new, recent and upcoming releases by local and Austin-associated recording artists.

SINGLES SPOTLIGHT- With the Nov. 3 election looming, our monthly singles spotlight not surprisingly includes several sociopolitically oriented songs.

Akina Adderley, “Broke.” Adderley gets lots of work locally as a backing singer — she taped “Austin City Limits” last week as part of Jackie Venson’s band — and has recorded in recent years with the band Nori, but this is the first song she’s released under her own name since 2012. She says it’s “a call to action for people to acknowledge their complicity in systems of oppression and their moral responsibility to actively engage in the process of dismantling injustice.” The single will be released Monday; here’s a live version of the tune from a 2019 Black Fret Concert on the Long Center lawn


BLACK FRET SEATTLE 2020!!

Black Fret believes local music deserves our community’s support.

Like the opera, symphony, ballet or theatre, our local music is art. And as art, Black Fret believes our music is worthy of support from those whose lives are touched by it.

Black Fret provides those who love their local music with the opportunity to become a Patron of Local Music.

Together our Members, Advisory Board, volunteers and musicians are creating a vibrant community to support local music, now in both Austin, Texas and Seattle, Washington.

BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON

production workshop

The pandemic has reached every corner of our lives and although it cancelled out my dreamy summer plans, it also gave me the gift of so much time alone that I have had the luxury of “going back to school” myself and safely.

I have taken an incredible COVID-19 tracing course online via Johns Hopkins and brushed up on my spreadsheets and Google Suite and my favorite, Festival and Event Production which was socially -distanced and very (sanitized) hands on. I can’t wait to share (not spread) my new knowledge on your next event!!! (PS a few coming soon with ALL of the attention to my fave subject SAEFTY!)

BLACK LIVES MATTER!

RajiWorld has always stood proudly in the belief that BLACK LIVES MATTER. We have worked with a racially diverse roster since our beginnings and followed the lead of our clients on how to demonstrate this core value. We hope that you feel the same way.

Black Lives Matter began as a call to action in response to state-sanctioned violence and anti-Black racism. Our intention from the very beginning was to connect Black people from all over the world who have a shared desire for justice to act together in their communities. The impetus for that commitment was, and still is, the rampant and deliberate violence inflicted on us by the state.

Enraged by the death of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent acquittal of his killer, George Zimmerman, and inspired by the 31-day takeover of the Florida State Capitol by POWER U and the Dream Defenders, we took to the streets. A year later, we set out together on the Black Lives Matter Freedom Ride to Ferguson, in search of justice for Mike Brown and all of those who have been torn apart by state-sanctioned violence and anti-Black racism. Forever changed, we returned home and began building the infrastructure for the Black Lives Matter Global Network, which, even in its infancy, has become a political home for many.

Ferguson helped to catalyze a movement to which we’ve all helped give life. Organizers who call this network home have ousted anti-Black politicians, won critical legislation to benefit Black lives, and changed the terms of the debate on Blackness around the world. Through movement and relationship building, we have also helped catalyze other movements and shifted culture with an eye toward the dangerous impacts of anti-Blackness.

These are the results of our collective efforts.

#THESHOWMUSTBEPAUSED

On Tuesday 2 June, 2020 RajiWorld LLC is wholeheartedly supporting #TheShowMustBePaused. We will not be conducting any business in observance of Black Out Tuesday. It’s time to pause, reflect, learn and act for long term change. Enough is enough. #BlackLivesMatter

“In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”

(Angela Y. Davis)

Black Lives Matter

Witnessing the tragic murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer under our very eyes has been paralyzing to say the least. As uncomfortable and numbing as this tragic event is, it is our responsibility to speak out. It’s on all of us.

There is no gender justice until there is racial justice. No one is free until everyone is free. Staying silent is not an option; it is a passive stamp of approval for racist behavior.

We stand in solidarity with the black, brown and indigenous lives that have been lost and voices that have been silenced in the US and beyond. On this particular occasion, we stand with the black community who has been a victim of overt and covert forms of oppression for hundreds of years. We stand in solidarity with #GeorgeFloyd #AhmaudArbery #BreonnaTaylor #BellyMujinga #RegisKorchinskiPaquet #TonyMcDade and the many before them.

We urge all members and allies of the shesaid.so community to take a proactive stand against racism and speak out. If that’s all you can do at the moment, please speak to your friends and relatives, express your outrage and provide resources so they can engage in further. If you can take the extra step, please donate. If you live in the US, call your local authorities to take a stance. Together we can make a difference. Staying silent is not an option.

Below is a list of resources anyone of any gender or ethnicity can use to familiarize themselves further with this urgent issue, including mental health resources and ways to support social and racial justice.

Funds, petitions and collectives for taking action:

George Floyd Memorial Fund

Donate to the Minnesota Freedom Fund

Sign the Color of Change Petition

Sign the Change.org Petition

Sign the NAACP Petition

Donate to Reclaim the Block

Black Visions Collective website

Find your Black Lives Matter chapter [USA + Canada]

Black Lives Matter UK

An extensive list of Anti Racism Resources

Mental health resources:

Talk Space infographic: How To Cope With Traumatic Racial Events

Liberate Meditation– Meditation for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour

Therapy For Black Girls Podcast

Self Care Tops For Black People Struggling From A Painful Week [Vice article]

For white people wondering how to engage in anti-racism:

1. Pass the mic: Join the conversation but be careful not to centre yourself within it.

2. Use your white privilege to ensure Black, Brown and Indigenous voices are heard.

3. Endeavor to be color-conscious, rather than color-blind.

Further resources on being an ally:

Guide to Allyship

Infographic guide on white privilege

Your Guide to Bystander Intervention

For further reading about intersectionality, read; The Intersectionality Wars

Courtney Ahn Design — A guide to white privilege

Books on the subject of racism in the US (recommended by Yasmin Lajoie, shesaid.so Intersectionality Chair)

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindnessby Michelle Alexander

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

How To Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy, and the Racial Divide by Crystal M. Fleming

Other recommended authors: Audre Lorde, bell hooksAngela Y. DavisMaya Angelou or Toni Morrison.

From a British perspective:

Natives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

The Metro newspaper runs a series called ‘The State of Racism’ on race in the UK today, examples from which you can read below:

The way you define racism may stop you from seeing it.

Institutional racism is more harmful than individual racism.

Current articles on US racism:

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?

The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying

Podcasts:

The New York Times — 1619 on how slavery transformed America

NPR’s Code Switch


“WHAT ABOUT AGENTS AND PROMOTERS?”

concert

I have been an agent for a long, long time but thankfully for even longer, I have been an agent of change. It could be the EST  of my youth or my fascination with reactions (Chemical and otherwise) or all of the time alone in my work but I embrace, adore and welcome change.

I have streamlined my agency over the past 5 years to include mostly corporate gigs, house concerts, galas and festivals with very little touring so although we did not loose tours we did have 100% of gigs cancel the second week in March. A few paid which will be appreciated for all time as this quarantine, virus and the way those around us react will certainly go down in history and eventually be studied.

the laminate I don now 😉 made by my new festival worker bee friend Conor Rayder.

Over the past 10 weeks I have participated in and listened to many industry forums and roundtables on WHAT NOW?! I am pleased to watch the coalitions made up of forma rivals get strong and unified, pleased to hear the demand for live music from fans and very proud of musicians themselves for learning new technology and performing in a way that shows it all. No one has asked me, but if they did I would say I prefer the mystery and magic of planning, anticipating and being present for a concert. It is a one of kind living breathing experience that nothing will duplicate it. But I just kept three very special and unique clients who are also about quality over quantity.

I want to share a different point of view that I read and respect this week. If this had happened in the days of my full touring roster I would have jumped on ways to make the most of this climate.

How To Work With Agents And Promoters In A Live Streaming World

Musicians and the entire music industry are scrambling to understand the wild wild west of live streaming. As each finds their own path forward, it’s important that they include all of the key players that drive live music.

By Melissa Garcia of Collective Entertainment

From day one of this pandemic, I, like many artist managers out there, have been working almost nonstop to navigate around the changes and uncertainty that lie ahead for our artists. The roller coaster ride that has been the last few months was stressful, to say the least. And while all this uncertainty leads to stress, anxiety, and maybe even depression, our job is to push through to find solutions not only for our artists but also for ourselves.

On the one hand, it can feel almost like doomsday. On the other, I think we can agree that we’re lucky in that our access to technology, and most importantly, to the fans, is unprecedented within our industry. I’m a firm believer that the music industry is resilient. It’ll change and morph and evolve. We’re seeing it happen as we speak. Numerous artists are resorting to live streaming and connecting with fans on platforms they’ve never used before (e.g. Twitch, TikTok, StageIt, NoonChorus, etc.). Some artists, like my client, Fox Stevenson, have seen growth in streaming due to an increase in engagement online.

Even though we’re finding ways for artists to keep moving forward and maintain their careers, the live industry is left behind. We’re seeing reputable venues shutting down (Great Scott in Boston for example). The main revenue stream for our agency partners has all but diminished.

The other day one of my client’s agents emailed me asking my thoughts on how agents can play a role in the live streaming world. It was a great question and something that we all need to really talk about.

“The live industry is getting left behind and it’s important that we work together to come up with solutions.”

An agent’s main role is to work with promoters, venues, and festivals to book gigs. For their work, they receive a commission based on the artist’s pay. So if the only shows that are happening are live streams, what does that mean for them? If an artist can put on their own live stream concert, where can an agent or even a promoter fit into this equation?

Is there money in streaming?

Absolutely. Fox Stevenson streams regularly on Twitch and receives direct contributions from fans. (The highest single donation he received was $3,000 USD from a fan!). Another client, TORRES, streamed live on Instagram and promoted her PayPal, Venmo, and Patreon accounts.

Fans are spending money on their favorite artists. They’re buying merch, subscribing to Patreon, and tuning into these streams.

We’re also seeing artists doing ticketed live streams. NoonChorus, for example, makes contributing to artists seamless. Not only can you buy a ticket, but links to the artist’s PayPal, Venmo, and any additional links are right on the streaming page.

Live streaming is an opportunity to not only create a revenue stream, but to offer: VIP ticket packages to a limited number of fans where they can request songs or ask questions, limited edition merch, listening parties, and more.

The fact of the matter is that live streaming, whether it’s a house show or Q&A with fans, is one of the best ways artists can stay engaged with their fanbase.

Live Music: Helping create new fans one gig at a time

I never considered myself a fan of Twenty One Pilots. Then I saw them at SXSW in 2012 and my mind was blown. I decided to see them again that week, and saw them 3 more times in NYC. Live concerts have always been a great way to gain new fans. Perform at a festival to an audience of thousands of people who have never seen you play. Open for a band that has listeners you want to reach. Join a friend at a local venue to see an artist you’ve never heard of before. Now you’re a fan.

Concerts have this innate way of creating a special fan experience and is easily one of the best ways to convert someone into a fan.

How do we make new fans from streaming?

I’m curious to know what other artist teams are seeing, but it seems that for most streamed shows, artists are reaching audiences that are already following them.

The Internet is oversaturated with almost every single artist doing a live stream. There’s a lot of competition. Some artists are limited as far as sound quality is concerned when it comes to a live stream. Moreover, unless you live together, bands are separated due to social distancing and are unable to perform together.

“there are ways artists can make new fans right now”

Fortunately, there are ways artists can make new fans right now. You can “open” for another artist and then stick around the chatroom to engage with the fans as you watch the “headliner” performer. You can do a live Q&A with each other or with a different member of your band where fans can also take part in the conversation. An artist can also make a surprise appearance on someone else’s stream, which is always a great way to get fans excited and curious.

Beyond these ideas, in order for artists to reach new listeners, we need to come together and collaborate not just within the industry, but also beyond.

That being said, I’ve put together some ideas that agents can start exploring in order to find revenue streams not only for their artists, but for themselves. While it’s easy to cut out the middle person by artists organizing live streams themselves, it should not deter an agent from seeking out other opportunities that will otherwise be missed by artist teams. That is essentially what they bring to the table when helping book live shows.

Idea #1: Curated Virtual Events

Trivecta recently performed for an event called Dreamworld, that reached 5mil+ viewers over 3 days. The fundraising event raised $45k for charity. Trivecta alone reached 7k+ people with his performance.

Although this was an unpaid event, the potential for him to reach an audience beyond his current following is invaluable. Since the pandemic, he’s participated in 3 virtual festivals. These performances plus his efforts to engage with fans have resulted in a steady growth of new fans across his social media platforms.

We’ll continue to see more and more virtual festivals curated by large and small entities as the summer progresses.

Idea #2: Branded Partnerships

This is something I haven’t seen as often as I’d expect, especially considering how festivals are turning to online streaming and seeing success with it.

I could see a brand taking more of a promoter approach in a lot of ways. Whether a brand or a promoter, I’d like to see what else they can bring to the table in terms of ensuring it’s a high quality stream. We’re mostly seeing people in their homes, but I think what we’re lacking is a makeshift stage with good lighting or some other efforts in terms of production. Or even adding visual effects in the background and multiple camera angles.

TORRES recently did a live stream on NoonChorus and with the help of her girlfriend and videographer friend, was able to create some DIY stage designs (mood lighting with candles and black lights) as well as costume changes. The result was a unique streaming experience that the fans enjoyed.

On a different level, we’re seeing charities and organizations hold events by curating a list of artists to perform. We’re also seeing entities such as Amazon Music partnering with artists to curate events and broadcast them on the company’s Twitch.

I’d love to see smaller companies, those with niche markets and a strong online presence, to consider partnering with musicians whether to put on their own version of an online event or to help promote their products by offering affiliate links or discounts that financially incentivizes artists. Not only does the company tap into these artists’ fan bases, but the artists are also exposed to an audience beyond their current fans.

Idea #3: Let promoters and venues do what they do best – PROMOTE!

First, why should an artist give up any of their ticket sales when they can cut the middle person out of the equation and self-promote?

It comes down to what new fans promoters or outside opportunities can bring to the table (whether that’s partnering with a venue or a brand that can expand exposure).

How do we connect this with the agency world in a way that all parties benefit? And how do we connect with promoters to maximize reach & sales in specific markets? (This was one of the questions I received in speaking to a client’s agent.)

When working on a local level, it makes sense to work with a promoter/venue if there’s an upcoming date with the artist on the books or if you know there will be one eventually (suffice it to say, who knows when live shows are making a comeback). That way you can use the live stream to also promote the concert.

If you’re working with multiple promoters to push one ticketed live stream, use affiliate links or promo codes to track sales. That way, an artist can justify giving a split of the profits with the promoter. And the artist can take advantage of the resources the promoter brings to the table.

Possible Solutions for Agents

With all these ideas in mind (and I’m sure there are plenty more this article doesn’t cover), an agent will have to evolve their role more to continue adding value to an artist’s career.

Agents can use these various ideas, mold them how they see will fit into an artist’s overall strategy, and find opportunities beyond what the artist or their team can bring to the table. They can actively seek out brand partnerships. They can help leverage their relationship with promoters to maximize exposure and sales for ticketed events.

Regardless, agencies and the live industry are vital facets to the music world. Let’s find ways to make sure they aren’t left behind.


THANK YOU IN ADVANCE, We are grateful

The coronavirus pandemic has left countless members of the music community facing an uncertain future, as festivals and tours are canceled, studio sessions are called off and business travel is restricted. To help music professionals and their loved ones navigate the crisis, Billboard has compiled a list of resources at both the national and state levels, including more than four dozen relief funds.

Texas:

Austin Community Foundation’s Stand With Austin Fund* Established in partnership with the Entrepreneurs Foundation, the fund was set up to support nonprofits assisting vulnerable individuals and small businesses affected by SXSW’s cancellation.

Austin Texas Musicians
The musician advocacy nonprofit formed by local artist, beloved friend, former RajiWorld client (and staff because that is how our dear little music town works), Nakia Reynoso is working to secure relief funds and resources for musicians. In the meantime, it has created a continually-updated resource list.

Banding Together ATX (GoFundMe)*
This fund was set up by the Red River Cultural District alliance specifically to support those in the Austin live music community who have been economically impacted by the cancellation of South By Southwest. That includes venues, artists, hospitality workers and others who rely on annual income from SXSW to make ends meet — those who fall under that category, may apply for funds here.

Housing Opportunities For Musicians And Entertainers
HOME provides financial housing assistance for needy aging musicians in Austin with grant assistance and other support, including referrals to additional available resources.

I Lost My Gig*
Designed to benefit Austin locals who lost work due to SXSW’s cancellation, I Lost My Gig is currently soliciting donations. As of Sunday (March 15), it had already received over 750 submissions representing over $4.2 million in lost income.

Health Alliance for Austin Musicians
HAAM provides access to affordable healthcare for low-income musicians living in Austin.

SIMS Foundation
Locals struggling to mentally and emotionally cope with the impact of COVID-19 may contact the SIMS Foundation, which provides access to mental health and substance use recovery services for Central Texas musicians, music industry professionals and their dependent family members.

Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
This centralized guide was created for small businesses and nonprofits in Texas who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and are looking to apply for SBA loans. Those who have suffered “substantial economic injury” from COVID-19 may be eligible for economic injury disaster loans of up to $2 million.

Texas Music Office
Though the office isn’t offering benefits itself, it can help music workers affected by the pandemic apply for the state’s disaster unemployment assistance, which extends unemployment benefits to those who don’t traditionally qualify.

Texas Workforce Commission
Texas residents can submit an application for unemployment benefits here.

Workforce Solutions Capital Area
WFS, the nonprofit governing body for the regional workforce, is offering layoff support both for businesses and workers in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

National:

The Actors Fund
The Actors Fund offers a variety of services for entertainment workers, including those in the music industry. Services include emergency financial assistance, affordable housing, health care and insurance counseling, senior care and secondary career development.

American Association of Independent Music
A2IM is surveying indie music companies about how the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting their businesses. The results will inform the organization’s discussions with the New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, as well as its investigations of federal assistance programs.

American Federation of Musicians
The AFM is calling on Congress to provide immediate economic relief on behalf of musicians and other working people in the midst of the crisis, including expanded unemployment benefits and a moratorium on evictions, foreclosures and utility shut-offs. The organization has a resource page providing more information. Additionally, disabled AFM members can apply for financial aid through its longstanding Petrillo Memorial Fund.

American Guild of Musical Artists Relief Fund
Any AGMA member in good standing is invited to apply for financial assistance under the AGMA Relief Fund, which has temporarily doubled the amount of assistance available to those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Americans for the Arts Coronavirus Survey
This five-minute survey was created to collection information on the financial and human impacts of the pandemic on arts and cultural organizations.

Artist Relief
A coalition of national arts grantmakers (including Academy of American Poets, Artadia, Creative Capital, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, MAP Fund, National YoungArts Foundation and United States Artists) launched this $10 million relief fund, which will provide $5,000 grants to artists facing “dire financial emergencies” due to the pandemic. The coalition has also joined forces with Americans for the Arts to co-launch an impact survey to better identify the needs of artists and creative workers.

Artist Relief Project
Anyone pursuing the arts as a career (any discipline, any level of experience) can request financial support from the Artist Relief Project, which will provide applicants on a first-come, first-serve basis with a one-time emergency stipend of $200 and free resources and support to pursue alternative economic opportunities. The Artist Relief Project is an initiative by Artly World Nonprofit.  It is a registered nonprofit based in Austin, with the mission to empower children, families and communities through creative arts initiatives and opportunities.

Artist Relief Tree*
Anyone who is an artist can request funds from the Artist Relief Tree, which plans to fulfill every request with a flat $250 on a first-come-first-serve basis.The fund is currently not accepting new requests until it can secure more funding, but if you would like to be informed if and when the opportunity becomes available again, click here.

ASCAP Music Unites Us*
Performance-rights organization ASCAP has launched a site to help its songwriter, composer and music publisher members stay connected and financially stable during this uncertain time. It includes information on how to receive ASCAP royalties through direct deposit, an online works registration application, access to free mental health services for ASCAP members and more.

Audio Assemble*
Music education hub Audio Assemble has put together a list of online remote opportunities for U.S.-based musicians during the COVID-19 outbreak, including both short-term and long-term job opportunities. It is also raising money for its first live streaming music festival, PLUGGED IN, set for April 8-10. Musicians can apply for paid opportunities to perform during the livestream here.

Backline
Backline was established to connect music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness providers. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the organization has established a virtual support groupthat plans to meet regularly via the Zoom app.

Blues Foundation*
The Blues Foundation launched an emergency relief fund for full-time blues musicians whose revenue streams have been severely diminished by the pandemic. Find out how to request funding here. Meanwhile, the foundation’s longstanding HART Fund also helps underinsured or uninsured blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a range of health concerns.

Convertkit Creator Fund*
What began as a $50,000 fund for active creators experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 has now reached $154,000 in funding. The fund covers up to $500 per creator to help cover medical, childcare, housing or grocery needs. As of March 18, the fund has received more than 6,000 applications, and the website notes, “Our current fund will be exhausted well before we can get to everyone.”

COVID-19 Music Production Response Group*
A Facebook group meant as an “open forum for constructive debate about the effects of COVID-19 on music production industry professionals,” according to administrators. Its nearly 4,000 members (as of March 18) are sharing news updates, suggested actions, job opportunities and other resources.

COVID-19 Mutual Aid Fund for LGBTQI+ BIPOC Folks (GoFundMe)*
This more than $70,000 fund prioritizes LGBTQI+, non-binary, gender fluid and gender non-conforming people of color whose livelihoods have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The first round of funding closed on March 17, but organizers say they plan to continue to raise funds through mid-April.

Crew Nation*
Live Nation has donated an initial $5 million to launch this global relief fund for live music crews, and will match the next $5 million in donations as well. Check back here for the funding application to come.

Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund*
Equal Sound, an organization that strives to break down traditional genre boundaries through events and advocacy, is inviting musicians who have lost income due to the pandemic to apply for funds. Applicants must provide proof they had a confirmed concert cancelled over the coronavirus to receive the money.

Facebook Small Business Grants Program*
In response to the pandemic, Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses around the world, including music and live events businesses. More details to come (you can sign up for updates here). Facebook also has a new Business Resource Hub to help small businesses prepare for and manage disruptions like COVID-19.

Foundation for Contemporary Arts*
The New York-based foundation has created a temporary fund for experimental artists of all disciplines who have been adversely impacted by the pandemic. It is disbursing one-time $1,000 grants to artists who have had performances canceled or postponed. Apply here.

Freelance Coop Emergency Fund*
The Freelance Coop, which connects creative freelancers with business resources, created an emergency fund for freelancers adversely affected by the pandemic. Examples of funding usage are unexpected childcare costs due to school closures, client cancellations, and medical expenses due to the virus itself. As of March 18, the fund had $35,279 in requests and $5,299.69 raised, and is continuing to call for donations to keep up with demand.

Freelancers Relief Fund*
The Freelancers Union has set up a relief fund for freelance workers through its nonprofit subsidiary Working Today. The fund, which is accepting donations now, will provide grants of up to $1,000 per household to freelancers experiencing economic hardship as a result of the pandemic. Applications open on April 2.

Gospel Music Trust Fund
Individuals working in the gospel music field can submit a request for financial assistance to the Gospel Music Trust Fund, which grants funding in the event “of an emergency or major catastrophe, terminal or severe illness,” according to their website.

HealthCare.gov Special Enrollment
Though no emergency special enrollment period has officially been instituted by the federal health insurance exchange due to the coronavirus outbreak, uninsured people are being invited to inquire about their eligibility for a special enrollment in light of the virus.

Independent Venue Week*
Non-profit organization Independent Venue Week has compiled a list of indie music venues that have launched GoFundMe and other fundraising campaigns to stay afloat during the nation-wide closures.

International Bluegrass Music Association’s BlueGrass Trust Fund
Current or former bluegrass music professionals can apply here for financial grants and loans, which are generally between $500 and $5,000. The association has also created a coronavirus-specific resource page.

Jazz Foundation of America Musicians’ Emergency Fund
This fund offers financial support, housing assistance and pro bono medical care for musicians who have made a living playing blues, jazz and roots music.

Larrosa Music Group Financing Program*
Larrosa Music Group has set up a special financing program for music professionals affected by the pandemic. The maximum term is one year for a maximum amount of $20,000, with interest rates ranging from 7.5 to 10 percent. The program is open to session and live musicians; anyone who collects royalties through PROs or distribution companies; and agencies, producers, record labels and publishers who manage musicians and can provide proof of cancellations of shows, recordings or other remunerated activity as well as verify income of at least $2,500 in the last 12 months. Applications are open until May 1. (Note that the web page is in Spanish but can be translated.)

League of American Orchestras
America’s only national service organization devoted solely to orchestras, the League has set up a landing page of resources to assist affected orchestra workers during the pandemic, including advocacy campaigns, fundraising resources, a discussion group and more.

Leveler.info*
The “peer-to-peer wealth distribution” service is a tool for salaried workers to donate funds across a database of freelancers, service industry and gig economy workers who are impacted by coronavirus health and safety restrictions.

Missed Tour*
Artists and bands who have been displaced from touring due to the pandemic can list their merchandise on this site to help offset lost revenue — with zero charges or fees. Apply to be added to the site here.

MusiCares*
The Recording Academy and its charitable foundation MusiCares have committed $2 million in total to a COVID-19 Relief Fund, established to assist those in the music community who have been affected by the pandemic. People can donate and apply for assistance by navigating to the fund’s official web page.

Music Health Alliance
The Nashville-based Music Health Alliance provides healthcare support services to uninsured members of the music industry.

Musicians Foundation
The New York-based nonprofit established a new emergency grant program in response to the pandemic, offering all eligible applicants up to $200 each. After receiving an “immense volume of applications,” the foundation placed a temporary hold on all applications on March 13. Check this page for updates.

Music Maker Relief Foundation
The foundation, which provides ongoing support to American artists 55 and older who live in chronic poverty, also gives out emergency grants to artists in crisis. It is now soliciting donations to ensure the stability of vulnerable elderly musicians during the pandemic.

#MusicUnited
Music workers in need of financial help during the crisis can apply for assistance at this volunteer-run website, which was set up to facilitate peer-to-peer giving. Applications are reviewed and posted within 24 hours, and 100% of all donations go directly to the affected person. Musicians are also urged to list their virtual concerts on the site.

New Music Solidarity Fund*
This artist-led initiative is granting emergency funding to freelance musicians “working in new creative, experimental or improvised music” who have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus crisis. The fund has already raised more than $130,000 and beginning on March 31, eligible artists may apply for grants of up to $500.

NOMAD Fundraiser for the Touring Crew (GoFundMe)*
Touring manager Frank Fanelli is aiming to raise $20,000 for touring crew members and roadies who have lost income due to gig cancellations and postponements. Donations close at the end of March.

Patreon What the Fund Grant Program
The crowd-funding platform has set up a grant program to benefit select artists who have been impacted by the coronavirus. Patreon itself kickstarted the fund by donating $10,000 and is currently accepting contributions. Grant recipients will be chosen by a board of fellow creators.

Pinetop Perkins Foundation’s Assistance League
PAL provides financial assistance to elderly musicians for medical and living expenses. Preference is given to blues artists, though musicians in other genres may be eligible depending on available funds.

PLUS1 Covid-19 Relief Fund*
In response to the devastating COVID-19 outbreak, PLUS1 has launched a PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund to coordinate our efforts to support those in our community most at risk from the pandemic. PLUS1 is working with leading non-profit organizations and several local organizations around the country to provide immediate assistance to musicians and music industry workers for medical expenses, lodging, clothing, food and other vital living expenses to those impacted due to sickness or loss of work.

Record Union Wellness Starter Pack
In coordination with industry experts, the digital music distributor created this “toolbox for wellbeing” for overwhelmed music professionals. Thought not specific to the coronavirus, the Wellness Starter Pack includes guides to mindfulness, nutrition, positivity, sleep and exercise that can help lower stress, anxiety and depression levels during the shutdown.

SAG-AFTRA COVID-19 Disaster Fund*
SAG-AFTRA members who are in an emergency financial crisis related to coronavirus may request assistance to cover basic expenses like rent, mortgage, utilities and medical bills. To apply to the fund, members must have paid their dues through October 2019.

Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
The Small Business Administration has designated COVID-19 as a qualifying event for economic injury disaster loans. However, you must be located in a “declared disaster area” to apply for assistance. Check if your state qualifies here.

Soundfly
Online music course hub Soundfly has put together a free Guide to Learning Things Effectively Online for musicians in quarantine who want to continue learning or practicing skills virtually.

SoundGirls Coronavirus Relief Fund*
SoundGirls, an organization which supports women working in professional audio and music production, is offering $100 gift cards to live event production workers who have been put out of work due to the pandemic.

Sound Royalties*
In light of the crisis, music finance firm Sound Royalties is allocating $20 million to offer a no-cost royalty advance funding option through April 16. Songwriters, performing artists, producers and other creators with royalty income can apply for cash advances on a one-year repayment schedule, cost-free.

Sweet Relief COVID-19 Fund*
Sweet Relief has established a donor-directed fund to be used specifically for musicians and music industry workers affected by the coronavirus. Funds will go towards medical expenses, lodging, clothing, food and other vital living expenses for those who get sick or lose work due to the pandemic.

Tour Support*
Tour Support, a mental health nonprofit for the live music industry, is offering independent touring contractors whose tours have been postponed or cancelled one month of free online therapy through Better Help (apply here). In addition, Shading the Limelight is offering the Tour Support community two free weeks (March 17–28) of emotional wellness coaching (email shajjar@shadingthelimelight.com for an appointment). Check the Tour Support Twitter for more updates to come.

Viral Music — Because Kindness is Contagious*
Independent musicians are invited to use this more than 21,000-member Facebook support group to connect with music fans. “Use this joint to post links to your merch store, online shows, Patreon, or online music lessons,” organizers write. “If you’ve had a gig cancelled, post the city and your Venmo/PayPal — many of us would love to pass along our ticket refunds to you.”

WHAT DO THIEVES AND VIPS HAVE IN COMMON?

The answer is ME! In our ever-evolving world I continue to hold what is dear to me close like health and family and friends and I support the businesses I have faith in due to their practices, people, politics and protocols during this time and always.

I lost all of my brand new work with Circuit of The America’s as well as all of my client’s bookings for weddings, corporate events, festivals and weekly local shows in about 48 hours last month (as did so many in our industry and now most industries).

My mother and those who know me well have often joked about my ability to walk the line between high-society and nature, manual labor and red carpets and they are right. My arsenal is varied and unique and my greatest survival skill. So, while we wait and see where we land as a world with respect to the economy and entertainment business, the arts and being social, I am taking care as I do which includes plenty of happy thoughts, deep conversations, healthy homemade food , sleep, dog-walks and my ever-present Thieves Oil products. To make a little extra money to cover all I have lost and to share with my friends all over the planet the product I have used for decades I have joined the Young Living family.

If you have ever worked an event with me or attended one of my VIP backstages then you already know how I adore and trust Thieves as it is the basis for the sprays I make! Now you can purchase your own along with the entire and vast healthy line of essential oils from Young Living.. I am available to answer questions and take your orders at any time as I really hope that my friends in every corner of the globe can turn to something they feel good about using and sharing with their families and friends.

Be safe, be hopeful, have faith and please accept a big virtual hug from me!

Love, Roggie

MUSICFEST 2020

The Official 2020 MusicFest Lineup

With 200+ hours of live music, The MusicFest boasts a stunning roster that includes both legends and rising talents alike.

Warren Hood returns to one of our favorite ways to kick off the year!

The MusicFest draws thousands of ski-lovin’, music-lovin’ folks to the snow swept peaks of Colorado each January.

The largest group ski trip of its kind in the nation, the MusicFest brings the finest Texas and Americana music to the world-class ski resort of Steamboat, Colorado for a week full of sport and song. The festival boasts a stunning roster that includes both legends and rising talents alike.

Dickson Productions has over 30 years of experience as the premier travel package provider. With Dickson Productions working on your behalf, you can hit the slopes and also get tons of music favorites at wholesale prices. All lodging accommodations for the MusicFest are located ski-in/ski-out or within minutes of the mountain base, and participants personally choose all the options.

Want to walk out the front door onto the slopes? A hot tub on the back porch? A slope side luxury suite or a penthouse? A MusicFest stage in your lodge or steps away? No problem – it’s all part of building your exclusive MusicFest package, the vacation of a lifetime. There’s every level to choose from to satisfy your taste in lodging, music, and price for the ultimate Rocky Mountain vacation experience.

GLO with D.A.M.E. at CARSON CREEK RANCH on HALLOWEEN!

I am proud to announce my first booking for the brand new Carson Creek Ranch “Presents”! This will sell fast and we are adding more activities and VIP pampering for you daily! I love this team of D.A.M.E.s running the show!

CCR Presents Halloween with Ghostland Observatory. Expect dance party, laser light show, dancers, and the ultimate Halloween party!

BUY TICKETS NOW! GA AND VIP

About this Event

Date And Time:Thursday, October 31, 2019 Doors at 7:00 PM CDT

Genre:A Robot Making Love To A Tree

Band Members:Thomas Turner: all that is electronic and organic… Aaron Behrens: all that is………

Hometown:Austin, TX 

About:Ghostland Observatory is not a band, but an agreement between two friends to create something that not only heals their beat-driven hearts, but pleases their rock ‘n roll souls.

Biography:Ghostland Observatory’s entire approach to music – sonically, aesthetically, conceptually – is essentially a melding of the two distinctly different personalities of its two members, Thomas Ross Turner and Aaron Behrens. Whereas Turner, the producer/drummer/keyboardist of the duo, finds solace in the minimal, bleak cable-patch squawks of Karlheinz Stockhausen and the analog-disco-thump of Giorgio Moroder, Behrens’ interests lie more along the lines of psychedelia, rock and various country and blues artists.

The result is a shimmering, pulsing pop music that is at once kinetically alive with Behrens’ striking vocals and driving guitar work but also anchored firmly by Turner’s percussive beats and Moog-generated melodies and hooks. Common descriptions include “electro-dance rock,” “synth-funk” and “Freddie Mercury-helms-Daft Punk.”

Deciding to produce a style of music that as yet existed only in their collective consciousnesses; Behrens and Turner formed Ghostland Observatory in Austin in 2003 and haen’t looked back since. They now sell out prominent venues across the country, have played at Lollapalooza, Bonaroo, Coachella and the Austin City Limits music festival, which they headlined, and continue to play at various music festivals and venues around the globe to an ever increasing fan base, thanks to their now-famous live shows.

The duo has released four albums to date, all on Turner’s label, Trashy Moped Recordings: Delete.Delete.I.Eat.Meat…, Paparrazi Lightning, Robotique Majestique and their latest offering, Codename: Rondo, which was recorded in Turner’s Austin studio.

The ten-track Codename: Rondo is equal parts psyechedelia, minimal electronic, rock, funk and soul. It was recorded with what Turner calls a more “linear approach” in mind. Rather than layering sound upon sound to fill out a track, the band sought to use fewer sounds while striving to make each of them count.

Highlights on the new album include the first track, “Glitter,” with its loping, fuzzed-out bassline, tremolo-tweaked vocals and Spaghetti Western guitar break. “That’s Right” is a Cars-meet-ZZ Top ripper with the former’s signature synth breaks skipping across the latter’s overdriven, chugging guitar riffs. Another standout, “Miracles,” finds Behrens haltingly phrasing his lyrics in perfect syncopation with Turner’s raw keyboard melody before exploding into an irresistible, hand-clapping chorus that is soon chased by running swells of disco strings. “Codename: Rondo,” the album’s title track, is a perfect example of the band’s efforts toward minimal maximization: a surreal narrative recalling a series of nebulous incidents in Newark, New Jersey spoken over nothing more than a steady kick and some faint electronic warbling while, during the breakdown, deep space satellite transmissions blip intermittently over a loop of what seems to be a robot with hiccups and poor phone reception attempting to leave a voicemail.

With Codename: Rondo, Ghostland Observatory has taken a step in a new direction, both creatively and technically, while still maintaining the essential elements of their unmistakable sound: “sweaty, raw-boned, and direct from the future; committed to electronics, stuck on big beats, yet unmistakably powered by rock ‘n’ roll.”

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Lucky 11! JOIN ME AT UTOPiAfest Eleven!

I am writing from beautiful Whitefish Montana with an amazing November opportunity in TX. I would love to see friends from all over there! 

Entering into it’s eleventh year, UTOPIAfest is regarded as on of the the foremost experiential camping, music, and arts events in Texas and beyond. The UTOPIAn culture and community thrives around common values of family, the outdoors, wellness, and is built on a musical foundation. UTOPIAfest is three days of immersive connection, interactivity, and celebration.

Past performers include Charles Bradley, Dr. John, Patty Griffin, Lucas Nelson & Promise of the Real, STS9, Father John Misty, TATATAT, Victor Wooten and Lucious.

update: The Return of Shakey Graves!
    Even before his historic UTOPiA Sessions taping in 2013, we looked forward to hosting Alejandro Rose-Garcia at UTOPiAfest. In 2015, he along with drummer Chris Boosadha, joined us at Four Sisters Ranch for a surprise performance, ‘cranking up the gain on his amplifier and manhandling his guitar with brutal abandon in logging Utopia’s heaviest set,’ Austin Chronicle’s Kevin Curtin recalled. 
   Over the years, the Shakey Graves lineup and sound has evolved to bonafide fest headliner level, as many of us just witnessed last Saturday, at an incredible Whitewater Amphitheater show with fellow UTOPiAns Dr. Dog. Following an amazing run of selling out many of the biggest and best venues in the country, at last we’re thrilled to welcome Shakey Graves as a headliner of UTOPiAfest Eleven, joining the ranks of many of our favorite performers in Austin and beyond. 
    We’re also very happy to welcome our friend Matthew Logan Vasquez, of Delta Spirit and Glorietta, back to UTOPiA for a special performance at Goodtimes Grove late Thursday! Other late night additions include Joel Laviolette, who will DJ the silent disco ecstatic dance, Frontin’, who will bring instrumental hit hip hop grooves to the disco. 

I am honored to be partnering with them on the VIP experience at the Reveille Peak Ranch which features and exciting array of natural wonders and hand curated pleasure to explore.

I am the new Euphonic (VIP) Director at UTOPiAfest. I’m excited to help curate the Euphonic experience, and lead the team that will make the experience as streamlined and enjoyable as possible. 

We are currently opening up ticket sales and this is the one I recommend! We also sell a four year for an even better discount AND if your group or business wants to attend I can get you a unique discount code! 

https://tickets.vendini.com/ticket-software.html…

Here’s some of what you can expect in the Euphonic program at UTOPiAfest Eleven:

Early access – Euphonic Passes include entry starting Wednesday, November 13th. Passholers will also be invited to an ‘open house’ weekend in September to check out the space, and scope out campsites. I look forward to meeting you in person!
Ease of entry – You’ll have expedited entry into the fest, where you’ll be welcomed by a Euphonic Team Member to navigate you around the grounds, and lead you to Euphonic Camp. 
Euphonic Camp – Your camp will be located in a central location, with quick access to stages, and vending areas. You are welcome to bring any camping vehicle, or you can reserve a Hassle Free Tent or RV to be delivered to camp. 
Euphonic Lounge – There will be easy access from EC to the Euphonic, featuring prime stage views, and a dedicated bar with exclusive offerings from Real Ale, Zilker, and William Chris Wines. 
Concierge – From 8am-8pm, the Euphonic Team will be there to answer any questions or needs. 
Bathrooms and Showers – There will be dedicated, well maintained portable bathroom units in Euphonic Camp, and we will provide you with rides (or you can take a short drive) to the bathroom and shower building, where you will have free access and expedited entry.

More about UTOPiAfest Eleven

Two Main Stages Stages no Overlap. We’ll have bands Thursday evening, and all day Friday and Saturday on the Arrowhead and Cypress stages. There will be no overlapping sets, so you can catch every band. After the main stage ends around midnight, you can catch the silent disco (multiple channels of music transmitted to wireless headphones) and Goodtimes Grove (unplugged performances with a silent audience.) 
Activities. While music is the main event, there are many other interactive experiences to enjoy, including yoga, disc golf, mountain biking, workshops, and more. There will be special programming for kids. 
Food and Beverage – You can bring any food or beverage, anywhere. We’ll also have a diverse selection of food vending, and wine and beer available from Real Ale, Zilker Brewing Co, and William Chris Wines. 

We hope you’ll join us once again at Reveille Peak Ranch in Burnet! Euphonic Passes are on sale now at www.utopiafest.com. UTOPiAfest is always enjoyed best with a group! We’re offering Buy-5-Get-1-Free on all passes until September 13th. 

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions! 

At your service, See you in UTOPiA. 

Roggie Baer
Euphonic Director 
roggie@utopiafest.com

CARSON CREEK RANCH PRESENTS…

I am thrilled to partner with Carson Creek Ranch and DaDaDa Productions for a new live concert series.

RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AS A “TEXAS CENTURY RANCH” CARSON CREEK RANCH HAS BEEN RUNNING IN THE SAME FAMILY FOR OVER 150 YEARS AND IS A TRUE AUSTIN HERITAGE SINCE IT’S ESTABLISHMENT 1851.

WITH ALL KINDS OF SCALABILITY FOR EVENTS AND FESTIVALS, CARSON CREEK RANCH OFFERS RICH CAMPING  AREAS FOR FESTIVAL VISITORS RANGING FROM A FEW HUNDRED TO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS.

QUICK ACCESS FROM THE AIRPORT MAKES IT A 3 MINUTE RIDE FROM THE ARRIVALS GATE AT ABIA

WITH IT’S NATURAL OPEN-AIR AMPHITHEATER, CARSON CREEK RANCH HOLDS THE MOST UNIQUE STAGE IN AUSTIN RIGHT ON THE WATER.

EVENTS SMALL AND BIG, FROM OFFICE GATHERINGS TO LUXURIOUS FAMILY DINNERS, CONCERTS BY STAR LIGHT ALL UNDER THE TEXAS SKY AND CAN BE HOSTED ON THE RANCH GROUNDS AT CARSON CREEK.

TENT AND TRAILER CAMPING AREAS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO HOUSE ANY SIZE PRODUCTION CREWS WITH CAPACITY FOR UP 10K OVERNIGHT FESTIVAL ATTENDANTS.

ON SITE AND OFF SITE PARKING IS ALSO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST FOR UP TO 50K VEHICLES.

ALL FOR A TOTAL OF 60 ACRES OF RANCH GROUNDS, BORDERING THE COLORADO RIVER AND LESS THAN 10 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.

BLACK FRET SUMMER SESSIONS

Please join Black Fret and The Long Center in celebrating some of the finest of Austin’s own local musicians including performances by several Black Fret Artists.

The Long Center for the Performing Arts

701 West Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78704

Doors at 5pm, music starts at 6pm.  Bands for 6/7/19 include Akina Adderley, Carson McHone, Swimming With Bears and The Bright Light Social Hour.  Sign language interpreters will be onsite.

FREE ADMISSION. This is event is free and open to the public. Guests may sign in at the event to gain access. Once event reaches capacity guests will be allowed to enter as other guests exit.

Event is wheelchair accessible. Sign language interpreters will be onsite.  Event organizers kindly request at least 24 hours advanced notice to provide common accessibility aids including Assisted Listening Systems.  Please contact us at sustain@blackfret.org and provide us with necessary details on how we can assist. Thank you.