As more bands emerge every day and venues continue to close, opportunities to play better shows become fewer. In addition, the overhead costs of running shows have seemed to increase along with the risk of low turnouts. As a result, an increasing number of promoters are turning to a new business plan. Anyone who has been in a new/local band within the past 5 years or so has probably encountered the rising phenomenon of pre-sales.
Here’s how it works. Bands who want to play a show are asked by the promoter to sell a certain amount of tickets before the show to ensure their spot on the bill. Rules change for different promoters, depending on how lenient or strict they are. Sometimes, the pre-sale requirement is just a suggestion with no consequences if the requested amount is not sold. But often, the promoter expects a certain amount of money from the band regardless of whether or not they can sell all of the tickets. If the band does not pre-sell their share, they run the risk of having to pay to play or drop from the show.
From a business perspective, this makes perfect sense to a promoter. By getting bands to pre-sell tickets, you can guarantee attendance, thus covering certain venue costs and eliminating some of the risk involved with putting on a show. However, too many promoters are taking advantage of and abusing this system because it allows them to work less while the bands are required to work more for the same pay or even none at all.
Over the past few years, Instagram has worked its way up through the ranks of social networking apps and websites, earning itself a place of significance alongside Twitter and Facebook (which happens to own Instagram). Needless to say, when companies like these reach such a level, every little change they make to their product or rules falls under strong scrutiny by our society.
Therefore, as you can imagine, Instagram users did not take too kindly to the company’s new terms of service adjustment, which, according to the L.A. Times, stated that “Instagram had the right to turn images into advertisements without any approval from or compensation for users starting Jan. 16. ” part of Facebook’s drive to make money from the service it bought this year for $715 million in cash and stock.”
Backlash from users has been rampant, with threats to delete their accounts and move on to similar photo apps like Hipstamatic. In respond to the uproar, Instagram founder Kevin Systrom was quick to try and quell everyone’s concerns by publicly stating, “Instagram does not claim any ownership rights over your photos,” he wrote. “We respect that your photos are your photos. Period.” While somewhat reassuring, this does not change the fact that the company tried create such a dubious policy. Some might say that the app service is on thin ice right now, as users will be on their toes, keeping an eye on Instagram’s next move.
More Like This:
In case you missed it last week, Nirvana reunited and Paul McCartney is the new Kurt Cobain… Okay, maybe not quite, but Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic did perform together for the first time in 20 years, joined by Pat Smear on guitar and Macca on vocals. The group had been jamming together just for fun and ended up writing a song called “Cut Me Some Slack,” which they premiered at last week’s 12/12/12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert at Madison Square Garden. Apparently the song was also written and recorded for the soundtrack of Grohl’s Sound City documentary. I have to admit, it’s not the most impressive work by these musicians. Listen to it below and see what you think:
More Like This:
12/12/12 Sandy Relief Concert: Performances By Springsteen, Kanye, Members Of Nirvana, And More
Watch The Official Trailer For Dave Grohl’s Sound City Documentary
Courtney Love (Ew) Says Nirvana Musical (Gross) Isn’t Happening (Thank God)
Last month we held a competition offering OurStage artists a chance to open for multiple dates of the “Rock Yourself To Sleep” tour with Dance Gavin Dance, A Lot Like Birds, I The Mighty, Hail The Sun, and The Orphan, The Poet. Judging from the following video, it looks like the tour was a blast. A Lot Like Birds seem to have taken the theme of the tour pretty seriously, ending their set on the last date with an all out mosh pit pillow fight on stage and in the crowd. Check out the comfy carnage below:
If you like A Lot Like Birds, then you might also like OurStage’s own The Origin Animate.
More Like This:
Stream A Full Live Set From Dance Gavin Dance
Dance Gavin Dance’s Bus Catches Fire
Boston posi-core fans, dawn you now your gay apparel, for tonight Glamour Kills clothing company is hosting one of the biggest alternative/pop-punk shows of the season, A Very GK! Holiday Festival. According to the festival Facebook page, the lineup and estimated set times are as follows:
10:15 – END = The Wonder Years
9:30 – 10:00 = A Loss For Words
8:45 – 9:15 = Transit
8:00 – 8:30 = The Dangerous Summer
7:20 – 7:45 = Hit The Lights
6:50 – 7:10 = With The Punches
6:20 – 6:40 = Brian Marquis
5:50 – 6:10 = Hostage Calm
4:50 – 5:10 = State Champs
4:20 – 4:40 = Kid Jerusalem
3:50 – 4:10 = Premiere This is actually the third out of four dates in the U.S. this month. The first one, headlined by Set Your Goals, was on December 2nd in Oakland, CA, and the second was on December 8th in Chicago, IL, headlined by Chiodos. After tonight, the festival will close out the season with one last show this Sunday December 16th in Poughkeepsie, NY. The lineup will be very similar, with Matchbook Romance, Anadivine, A Loss For Words, Hit The Lights, With The Punches, State Champs, The Dangerous Summer, Kid Jerusalem, Young Statues, Brian Marquis, and Class Of 92.
More Like This:
Indie label No Sleep Records have released the first of a series of compilations just in time for the holiday season. No Sleep till the Holidays contains five songs, four of which are by artists off their roster. Click here to listen now and download the compilation for free! Tracklisting is as follows:
1. Long Lost – “You Can Always Come Home” (Joe B of Transit)
2. Allison Weiss – “December”
3. TS and The Past Haunts – “I Eat You”
4. Major League – “This Holiday”
5. Young Statues – “I Don’t Wanna Know What’s Under Your Tree”
More Like This: