The End of an Era

Courtesy of American-Statesman

It is with sadness that I report that the University of Texas campus might have gotten just a little less weird this week.

On Monday night, November 8, the campus bid adieu to the longest running music program on TV, Austin City Limits. Lyle Lovett was on hand to perform one last time in Studio 6A before the show moves to Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater downtown to start its 37th season in February.

The 320-capacity theater was full to the brim with fans on Monday night and, with no day-of tickets available, a simulcast was playing at Hogg Auditorium for the show's most in-demand taping, according to ACL producer Terry Lickona.

While the UT community is sad to see the show go after 36 seasons, the move is logical considering the show's growing popularity and ACL Festival affiliations. The new theater on West 2nd Street will allow for 800 music lovers to enjoy every taping of the show, more than doubling the present capacity, and will remain open throughout the year for other performances and concerts.

ACL has brought to us music from all genres, featuring performances by Arcade Fire, Gnarls Barkley, The Avett Brothers, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, The Flaming Lips, and many, many more musical legends. Lovett was a fitting end to an era, rounding out his setlist with the appropriate "Closing Time."

ACL may be moving on to bigger things, but here at UT, we'll always remember our time together.

It's That Time of Year Again...

South by Southwest is coming to Austin!

Well... not quite yet, but everyone college student I know is definitely ready for it to be Spring Break.

While it may not be time for interactive, film, and music industry professionals to begin their annual descent upon our city, the folks running the SXSW Festival are full swing into preparation, and have been for some time now. Subscribers to the SXSW Twitter feed have been constantly been receiving updates about the 2011conference, and today it was announced that the initial batches of discussion panels for the music portion of the festival have been released.

As a festival volunteer last year, I was kept busy during SXSW Music with working the showcases at night, and trying to catch as many free shows during the day. However, I was lucky to be able to sit in on one of the music panels (on the future of PR in music, what else?!) at the conference center. As a student hoping to work in the industry, it was a great opportunity to hear professionals speak on the issues facing music PR and take questions.

After browsing the initial list of panels, I'm happy to say that there are already quite a few that will appeal to PR and advertising enthusiasts:

• Branded: Label Identity and the Music Marketplace-- Stephen Bower of Vanguard Records
• Brands as the New Labels-- Mike Boris of McCann Erickson
• Critics vs. Publicists: Why Must Things Be Contentious-- Heather West, Western Publicity
• Direction of the Touring Industry-- Jeffrey Chabon of AEG Facilities at the AT&T Center
• Marketing Your Music in an Overloaded World-- Carmen Rizzo of Electrofone Music
• What it Takes to Get and Promote Gigs-- Lou Plaia of ReverbNation.com

These panels are just a few of the topics covering all aspects of the music industry. Not only do these panels provide a greater understanding of how the industry operates, they provide many students a networking opportunity with professionals.

However, the panels are only open to SXSW badge holders, and those are not extremely accessible on a student's budget. But have no fear! Many volunteers get the opportunity to earn badges by working a certain number of shifts at the festival. SXSW began taking volunteer sign-ups on Nov. 1, so make sure to visit their website for more info!

Kids Are People Too

Hello and welcome to the (unintentional) second part of my observations into how musicians are changing the world.

N.E.R.D. at UT
Credit: Julia Shatilo

I don't mean to keep posting on this topic but an article caught my eye on Austin360.com about the new website being launched by Pharrell, of N.E.R.D. and the Neptunes fame. I usually would not be as interested if it weren't for the fact that N.E.R.D. were kind enough to come by UT last Friday before opening for the Gorillaz at the Erwin Center, and do a brief Q&A session with some students. During the session, we got to listen to the new album, Nothing, coming out next month, as well as ask questions not only about music, but also about other ventures the band is involved in, and the political and social aspects of their work.

This is where the new site, Kidult, comes in. In the interview for Austin360, Pharrell describes the project as a news and entertainment site geared toward the 12- to 18-year-old demographic. The idea came about after he noticed the increased interest in politics among young adults, and the lack of sites catering to them.

Of course, after reading the interview and keeping in mind the political direction of the new album, I had to check the site out. I must admit, I was immediately engaged with the content and format of Kidult. The site features top news stories from around the world, interviews with entertainers and "Cool Job" profiles from various industries, user-generated blogs and videos. Couple the "little bit of everything" with the easy-to-navigate format, and you get a nice little package that goes beyond the targeted demographic, and proves to be insightful for many a college kid. Especially one on a job search. (I personally took note of a profile on a top PR executive in the entertainment industry, but the NASA one caught my attention as well.)

"Feed your curiosity" is the site's mantra and I think it's wonderful to see how high-profile artists are using their fame and power to encourage kids to not only find out more about the world but also to foster writing and independent inquiry through blogs.

Music for a Cause

Last week I had the privilege of hearing Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of "Milk" and gay rights activist, speak at UT. The lecture in its entirety was wonderful, but a point that really stuck with me was one that he made about the suicides of LGBT youth that have been in the news recently. He mentioned that this string of suicides was not an unusual increase, but a far too common tragedy that only now has been getting more media attention.

 People in the public eye are often looked to for advocacy on important issues. Musicians, singers, and songwriters are no exception to the rule. The non-profit To Write Love On Her Arms-- dedicated to giving hope to those struggling with depression, addiction, and suicide-- has long been affiliated with the music business, partnering with the VansWarped Tour and hosting benefit concerts around the country.

With the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" becoming a hot button issue recently, we've seen an upswing in celebrity endorsement of gay rights. On Sept. 20, Lady Gaga spoke out against the act during an impromptu appearance at a rally in Portland, Maine. Gaga has long been a outspoken supporter of gay rights, as reported by her friend, the celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.

But perhaps most poignant and heartfelt are the messages coming from well-known musicians for the It Gets Better Project, started by sex columnist Dan Savage after the recent suicides. The Project showcases videos of celebrities and ordinary people alike, sharing their experiences and letting bullied teens and youth know that it does get better. Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Chester Bennington (Linkin Park), Gloria Estefan, and Adam Lambert are just a few of the artists that have pledged their time and support.

No matter the message, no matter the issue, music has the power to change lives. And not always in the most obvious ways.

The State of the Music Industry

As an admitted music nerd looking to break into the music business, I find it only fitting to begin this blog of mine with an affirmation that the industry is not dead, despite popular belief.

Last night I stumbled upon an article in The Economist that deals with the evolution of corporate record labels, and how artists are making money in today's world of iTunes, and YouTube.

The Oct. 7 article doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to the grim facts out there.

"For the past ten years sales of recorded music have declined so steeply as to become a cautionary tale about the disruptive power of the Internet."

This is not the first time such whisperings have floated around. Ever since illegal downloading began with sites like Napster and Kazaa, people have talked of the end of the tangible, recorded album. People like instant gratification, and only buying their favorite songs. I know I do. It's as simple as that.

But the biz is not leaving without a fight. To be honest, you don't really have to look further than Lady Gaga's "Monster Ball" Tour statistics to see that the music world is alive and well. A few weeks ago when tickets went onsale for her tour date in Austin at the Erwin Center, I figured I'd try to snatch up a few before the show was sold out (as it undoubtedly would). I was astonished to log onto Texas Box Office and see prices that ranged from $86 to $1450 (before service fees and tax). But in retrospect, what astonished me even more was that people were willing to pay this much for a show.

Now, I don't know about anyone else who spent last weekend at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, but I for one was slightly bemused by the slight jump in T-Shirt prices from $20 last year, to a pretty standard $30 for almost all shirts. Now, don't get me wrong, the extra $10 was not about to stop me from wearing my Muse shirt with pride and labels are taking advantage of that to compensate for falling record sales.

In addition to increasing ticket and merchandise sales, musicians are turning more and more to sponsorships and licensing. Interestingly enough, The New York Times published an article last week about how bands are moving away from the strict contracts of record labels to sponsorships being offered by brands. This might seem counterproductive to "saving the music industry" but it just goes to show that it is imperative to find new ways to make the business work, whether it's turning to a new form of branded entertainment, or appearing on an episode of "Glee."

All in all, I think we can breathe easier. The industry isn't going anywhere.