First, I can't recommend any book more highly than The Tipping Point right now. Get it. Read it. Think about it. Good stuff.
Next, when I say radio, I don't neccessarily mean traditional broadcast radio. I know that is not where I find my stuff (and haven't for two decades). But there are places and people who still serve the same function for me as traditional radio. The place where people go to hear the latest music, the old classics, the talk about the scene. Online stations. Live365 broadcasts. shoutcast streams. podCasts. The iPod of the bartender at my local hangout. Mixed tapes from friends. My sister. You need to get the people that your people listen to and trust on the topic of music to talk about your show. Not because they have to, but because they want to pass the info on. I get the no traditional tickets, but there should be something that serves a similar purpose. Something I can throw on my bedstand and remember that I actually went out for a change. I think your key to success will be to get some people who are not regulars on the scene to augment the regulars. Probably 2 to 1. Or, instead of tickets, do something else. For example, at most shows I've been to, its all been about the hand-stamp. Do something with that. Have the image of the stamp be the codeword to get in to the show info on your site. Have multiple images each night that are pieces of a puzzle, or iconographs in a picture-sentence (think of the cap of a heffenreffer). Have a contest to see who can figure out the puzzle for the evening. (this would require people actually talking to other people to see their stamps) Use ink that only shows under a blacklight, and put a couple of blacklight lamps near the cd/tshirt table. Most of these ideas are stupid and won't help, but they might spark something. I know your audience will pretend they don't like such things, but I have found the punk audiences to be smarter than the average bear, and for the most part are willing to do stupid things in public. Give em a chance and a reason. I don't know what, though. Hold a karaoke contest at a karaoke bar featuring music from the set list. (imagine the sinatra singers and their surprise) Have an iPod station that lets you download a song right there at the show. Have a decent photog at each show, and take a few good pictures, write a decent short article about the show, and make it available to all your local press. (Do their work for them. They always need content, often don't have the resources to get it, and usually hear about the good stuff way after it happens.) Make PDF of flyers available on your site. Let your street teams print them and hand them out. Let your street team signup and coordinate online. Get a few bartenders or other service folk, give them free entry, and give them a few free passes to hand out. (Make them part of your street team). Send out your street team two hours before the show to all the surrounding businesses, and have them ask people who look like they might go "Hey, am I going to see you at the show tonight..." Since it is an all-ages venue (and therefore no booze), can people leave, go to another bar for a drink, and come back (I am not strait-edge, liked to drink a little when out, and typical dipped out now and then during long shows). If so, get the local bars to offer them a discount with the stamp during a show. Same with dinner if you can swing it. All-ages venue - how do you get the kids in? Article in school newspapers? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:194193 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
