Proposals, proximity, products
Is music a product? And: engaged!
Good afternoon! The vacation continues. Sunny day after brilliant sunny day. I proposed to Mo, and they said “Yeaaahhh!”
As per, I’ve been thinking about the “business” of “music”. Help me out here: What are we selling? Is it:
a) Audio recordings that you can hear on the radio
b) A written song on a page
c) A live show experience
d) Ourselves
e) Physical media, like CDs and records
f) T-shirts and tote bags
g) All of the above?
First of all, this list confuses revenue streams with products. The master recording on Sirius XM generates income with each spin, as does the written composition, but it’s all peripheral to the value of the product an artist offers.
The product is proximity. When I purchase Adrienne Lenker concert tickets, I am exchanging money for the chance to be close to her for a couple of hours and co-create something ephemeral and transformative. When I purchase her record after the show, I take a slice of that experience home with me.
Mo astutely points out here that the implications of proximity depend on the artist. With an emotional lyricist such as Adrienne Lenker or Sufjan Stevens (or Mo Kenney, for that matter), proximity promises connection and the comfort of feeling less alone. Proximity to The Cat Empire, an Australian party band I loved deeply from ages 16 to 19, invites you into cathartic hedonism. I needed things to feel a little less serious at that age.
As artists, it naturally follows that the most important question is: What do you promise? What do you embody so wholly that people can’t turn away?
Upcoming shows
June 20 - Full Circle Festival !! Can’t wait. Full band set. I think the festival is sold out, sorry.
June 26 - Sanctuary Arts Centre in Dartmouth, NS. Opening for Mo. Tickets here!
September 12 - TRURO, NS, MARIGOLD CULTURAL CENTRE! Weeeee! This is only softly announced (you heard it here first). I am so excited for this one. Tickets are not on sale yet, but I’ll let you know when they are.
You can keep up to date with my upcoming shows by following me on Bandsintown :~)
Lots of love,