'New Music West' really says it all
The musical landscape keeps changing, which is why New Music West exists.
This year, New Music West runs from Wednesday through Sunday, with 265 acts appearing in 30 venues, from the Penthouse to the Chapel.
Bands, 75 of them, have come in from the U.S., U.K., Australia, the Netherlands, Iceland and Brazil. There are a few veteran acts but plenty of rookies.
They will be seen in person by as many as 40,000 people but, for the first time, they can be viewed online by millions more. Virtual Vancouver will telecast each night from a variety of clubs. This is just one of the ways the marketing of music has changed.
"Obviously, this is brand new," says Jory Groberman, CEO of 29 Productions, the company that presents New Music West. "They [Virtual Vancouver] recognized that this virtual online world was useful to the music industry."
Acts that can deliver a good live show and make a favourable impression on the screen have a better chance of surviving in a fickle industry. With the rumoured demise of the CD, it's now more important than ever to tour.
"Absolutely," exclaims Groberman. "Bands can sell 2,000 CDs in a year and that barely covers the cost of making them. But by touring, bands can earn thousands of dollars a night. Touring is a revenue generator."
And putting a physical presence to the name can spur what CD sales there are and ultimately break an act.
With that in mind, a substantial portion of NMW's panel time has been given to touring and management. Two of the most powerful management companies in North America, Nettwerk and S.L. Feldman, are based in Vancouver and will be at New Music West.
With 265 acts appearing, including showcases for the Dutch and Aussie bands, the world is opening up, even if it is opening up in unexpected ways.
One example of that is Rev Squad. The band appears Wednesday at the Cellar and could be successful in the huge Asian market. Rev Squad has an attractive pop-rock but its Oriental configuration could make it popular on the Pacific Rim. Otherwise, it's impossible to highlight the bands New Music West has on offer. Groberman recommends grabbing a program, circling the acts you want to see and heading off to a NMW venue. There is satisfaction in making your own discoveries.
Bands still showcase because they need exposure but their goals are different. There are still major labels, still commercial radio, still booking agents. The majors still have clout and far reaching power, airplay by commercial radio still is valuable and desirable, and a good booking agent makes touring easier. The difference now is that none of them is absolutely necessary. An aware band can market its records independently, has access to a worldwide system of Internet radio and, if it knows how to use a computer, can organize its own tour.
"We feel that's an important area this year," Groberman agrees.
"That's why I think management is so important. Bands now have far more marketing opportunities. The power is in their hands and, with a good manager, they can do a lot for themselves."
Those opportunities -- from exposure on YouTube to making your music available on iTunes to selling it via CD Baby to offering ringtones -- also reflect a changing attitude. Bands that already are doing a lot for themselves are proudly independent and therefore don't feel any allegiance to the music industry as it still exists today. They need direction and that's why New Music West remains relevant. As long as there are new bands and new information, there will be NMW.
This the fourth year New Music West has been produced by Groberman's 29 Productions. NMW started in 1990 and has gone through various owners of the name and various phases that also has affected its credibility.
With four years' experience, 29 Productions has brought some reliability to the event as well as giving it a chance to refine itself and grow.
"I hope that people are starting to get it," says Groberman. "We do our best to tighten the screws and do the best we can each year."
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