You’ve Been Writing Song Lyrics Wrong

08-May-2018 By Guest Blogger

As musical styles progress and change with the times, one thing is for certain, writing song lyrics continues to play a vital part in what sets artists from being good to being considered a great. So for those of you currently in a creative drought, here is some advice from a few of the greats.

Jimi Hendrix on Artistic Liberties with the Facts

“Imagination is the key to my lyrics. The rest is painted with a little science fiction.”

–Jimi Hendrix

Many artists pigeonhole themselves by believing that every word written must be 100% accurate to their lives and story they are telling. Of course, speaking from your own personal experiences is vital in creating meaningful music. But the point is to get your message across in the best way possible. Sometimes, this might involve a little science fiction.

Dolly Parton on Throwing Yourself into the Process

“It’s therapy. It’s fun. It’s creative. I love getting on a big writing binge and staying up a couple days working on song and knowing at the end of those two or three days that I’ve created something that was never in the world before.”

–Dolly Parton

If this is your passion, don’t be afraid to throw yourself into your work. The stories of artists writing a hit song in 5 minutes’ time, on a napkin, in an airport is incredible! But most great songs come from hard work, dedication, and focus from the artist. This mean sitting down and wrestling with a song until it feels right.

John Mayer on Speaking Your Own Truth

“I hope that what it comes down to at the end of the day is that people believe that I believe what I’m singing. It comes down to being believable.”

–John Mayer

Authenticity is key in songwriting and producing. This may seem strange since the first piece of advice was to stretch the truth in the songwriting process. Don’t be confused, there is a difference between writing a nonfiction story to produce a personal truth, and writing a meaningless song for the sake of staying on trend. Be true to your artistic endeavors and creative process because the song will thus come across genuine to the listeners.

Now go on and be inspired to create and then when it comes time to perform, remember to sign up for youbloomConnect to get the chance to connect with your fans and other artists to grow not only your fan base but your connections in the industry. To get more information on how youbloom can help you book more gigs across the world and have the chance to play at #youbloomLA and #youbloomDublin, follow the link: http://www.youbloom.com/

House shows are the New Frontier of the DIY

02-May-2018 By Guest Blogger

There’s a new way to get your band out there: house shows.

Playing local clubs and venues is certainly a must for any emerging band. But the networking opportunity that might spring from throwing house shows is something not to sleep on. It might seem counter-intuitive that playing a house show is more fruitful than a local club. It’s not, and here’s why.

It’s Cheap

Playing a house show is a great way for your friends and fans to save a ton of money. No cover charge or overpriced drinks to deter potential guests! Sure they are going to want to drink, but let guests bring their own beverages. And everybody knows that a six pack from your local store is cheaper than a tall boy at a bar. And most importantly, it lasts longer. More people are encouraged to come, have a good time, and spend the few bucks they saved on some merch.

You’ll Definitely Fill the Room

Second, unless your marketing skills are extraordinary or you are playing your hometown, your band is definitely going to have a better time playing in front of a house show audience than a half empty room at a club. And if your band is coming up in the club scene, check out our tips on how to ace those live shows. It takes practically nothing to gather 50 people to a house party, the only thing you have to say is “Hey, there’s a house party”. You won’t even have to add “Bring your friends”. That’s a given.

It’s Easy

Third, you are way more likely to build a fruitful relationship with other bands at a house show than at a local club. A party is a familiar environment, even for someone who’s somewhat of an introvert or just doesn’t know anyone else except their bandmates.

It’s a lot easier to go up to someone and chat at a house party than at a club with loud music playing, people sticking to their friend groups, and bands always busy loading their gear or getting lost at the bar.

In an era where DIY is king, house shows must be queen.

youbloom is all about helping bands build relationships in unexpected places. If you could see yourself hosting a show in your own space, check out youbloomConnect to see what we can do to connect you to a CityRep and a band near you.

Luca is a freelance writer, blogger, musician and songwriter. Born and raised in Italy, his passion for Rock n Roll made him move to London where he lived for one year and gained a certificate in Songwriting from ICMP. Luca relocated in NYC in 2014 to pursue jazz music and liberal arts at the The New School from which he graduated in December 2017. Luca currently resides in Nashville, TN.

How to Make Money as a Venue Owner

24-Apr-2018 By Robert Loustaunau

Whether you’re re-branding your old bar as a buzzing music hub or just getting into the game, the question is always, how do I make money as a venue host?

It really comes down to two things: 1), How you negotiate cost with artists and 2), booze sales.

Selling drinks is pretty straightforward. Estimating the potential cost-benefit of an unknown artist on any given night, is not. Here’s a few things you’ve got to know if you want to make money as a venue host.

A Flat Rate

Photo taken at youbloom Dublin Music Festival

For the indie artists that can’t promise a surge of fans, a flat rate is often in their best interest. This will guarantee the band they’ll get paid an agreed upon amount, regardless of ticket sales.

The number they’re asking for should be entirely based on the draw they can bring in. Remember the part about how important it is your selling beer? The concern over flat rate is not whether or not they’ll make you rich at the ticketing booth. It’s whether or not they’ll be keeping your barbacks busy.

You have to factor in operational costs, what similar acts are receiving in the area, and projected earnings. Don’t be afraid to turn bands away if you believe they’re asking for too high a price – Bands have money-making rules of their own to follow, and making friends with the local talent is not worth it if your venue can’t sustain itself.

Claiming the Door

Bands with a following will often want the opposite from their undiscovered counterparts. Instead of a flat rate they might demand 100% of the door sales as payment. These artists are anticipating their paying fans will follow them in.

If you’re not quite as confident as the band is about their ticket sales, be honest with them. Offer them a percentage of door profits for their first time at your venue. A door split of 80/20 with the artist taking the majority is not uncommon with lesser-known talent. Then, use that first night’s profits as a reference point. If the band brings in the audience they anticipated, you’ll feel more secure promising them 100% of the door next time around.

Stay in the Loop

d2.6_mh1464952221722.jpg While at times it may feel like that dive-bar down the street with the open-mic night is your competitor, this does not have to be the case. It pays to build a relationship with other venue owners.

To make money as a venue, hosts can provide each other valuable intel on the local talent: who’s worth hiring, how they conduct business, and what their draw really is, compared to what they’re asking for. Checking a band’s concert history on a hub like Pollstar is a good way to “feel out” what type of pull they have had in cities similar to yours.

Know your Market & Differentiate Yourself

An ideal crowd is packed with fans of a venue, not of the band playing. Get an idea of who your target show-goer is, and build your venue to draw them in. A venue that is consistently hosting artists of a particular style will build trust among fans, and promise a consistent stream of attendees even when the headliner is unknown.

Even though it can be tricky straddling the sidelines of a music scene, many third-party fan club ticketing platforms have sprung up to make it easy. While ticketing companies like Live Nation/Ticketmaster and Eventbrite partner with venues to pull in appropriate acts, they often disproportionately serve big-name acts. Meanwhile, weighty surcharges are enough to turn away potential concert-goers from seeing smaller talent.

For this their are splatforms like Songkick, Artist Arena, and youbloom Connect which link venues with lesser-known artists that are better tailored to a venues style and atmosphere.

Fan-club ticketing companies like these allot artists a percentage of tickets (usually 8 – 10%) for them to sell directly to their fans. Unlike the larger ticketing companies that make their revenue off hefty service charges, fan-club ticketing brands usually take their share from the artists’ profits at generally lower rates.

Giving artists a hand in their own ticket sales increases selling incentives for the bands. Companies like youbloom Connect have raised the stakes by also allowing fans to sell tickets, increasing selling power for the venue in exchange for discounted tickets. Plus, hosts get more security of a show’s success from increased pre-sale tickets.

Get Creative

While getting your bar or venue up and running feels mostly like a numbers game, there are also creative steps you can take to bring in some extra cash.

20160601_114918_mh1464778848785

As I’ve mentioned before, your ability to move booze will always be the staple form of income, but expanding your amenities to include a food menu will do more of the same. And you don’t have to get fancy – becoming locally-renowned for your bar’s half-pound blooming onions is a milestone in itself.

Finally, make your space rentable. More than ever, people are looking for a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that can double as a work-space, or be rented out for company retreats, rehearsals, or a recording studio. Platforms like youbloom Connect work for these types of events, making it easy for you to choose from a variety of acts that suit whatever private event you’re hosting.

By knowing how to properly negotiate with bands, and by innovating your space to draw a loyal niche of show-goers, you’ll be able to make money as a venue at a sustainable rate; and beer, don’t forget about selling lots and lots of beer.

5 Tips for Playing Successful Shows

19-Apr-2018 By Guest Blogger

Back To The Ocean Performing at Youbloom Festival

A few tips to playing successful shows

Imagine you just moved to a new town. No friends or musician pals, let alone connections with the local music scene. What do you do? The easy answer would be: get a band together and start playing successful shows , but that is not always the fastest track to local success.

When you’re trying to establish yourself as an artist in the local scene, your goal should not simply be to put a show together, but to put together a successful show. The difference is enormous. Here’s a few tips of how to make that happen.

1. Know your Target

As an artist, you should be crystal clear about what your skill set, goal and target is. An emerging artist should not count booking a show an end goal in itself.

The details are what matters the most: who is coming to catch your band play? Are you going to be performing for a near-empty room, with only your roommate and parents there to watch?

If you’re a rock ‘n’ roller, on the other hand, your natural habitat should be the DIY scene. Do your research. Who are the best local bands that gravitate towards your sound? Where do they usually play? Are they playing successful shows? Where do they go for a pint?

2. Be a Fan

Once you’ve gathered your data, take action. Go see their shows, follow them on social media, see what they’re up to and what their strategy is. Artists should learn from each others’ success as well as mistakes.

Back To The Ocean Playing successful shows at youbloom festival — If you’re a songwriter and producer you may wanna play acoustic rounds and hang out where the local songwriters are, rather than at a dive bar populated by rock bands.

3. Don’t be a Stranger

Most importantly, befriend these fellow rockers. Approach them after their show, buy them a beer and make friends. If you’re the shy type who likes to stand in the back and just enjoy the show, get another member of your band to be the social one. Or, fight yourself and make an effort to exchange a few words and perhaps a little booze with them.

Whether you’re a hit writer or an indie rocker, you never know where meeting new people may lead you. You might end up co-writing a number 1 hit on a chill afternoon session with a writer you met randomly at a show. Or, you might end up headlining a national tour with a small-time band that broke through – and all because you had the guts to go talk to them after a set at your local dive.

Don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone, because that is what’s going to change your perspective on things and ultimately lead you to a more efficient strategy for your career.

4. Offer Up your Skills

Take time out of your own life to make friends with those acts that already establish themselves in the local scene. Ask if they would like you to open for them. That way you will most likely play to a room full of people who are probably into music or musicians themselves.

5. Schmooze

Playing Successful Shows at youbloom Festival — Back To The Ocean and Anna Christie perform at the youbloom Festival

By opening for your new-found friends, you’ll be making a name for yourself as a new band around town, and you’ll be gaining their fans in the process. Throw a nice after-party after the show where you can properly hang out with your new fans and you’ll have a recipe for success.

Networking and making friends is crucial and takes a lot of work and dedication. If you’re looking for a simpler way to join these networks, check out youbloom Connect – where you can get partnered to perform with other local artists, build a steady fan-base, and even get your band on the road. Whether you reach out, or decide to do it alone, do yourself a favor: get out more and meet like-minded people. Many of them might not be your next musical partner in crime, but the worst that’ll happen is you’ll have more friends.

Luca a freelance writer, blogger, musician and songwriter. Born and
raised in Italy, his passion for Rock n Roll made him move to London where he
lived for one year and gained a certificate in Songwriting from ICMP.
Luca relocated in NYC in 2014 to pursue jazz music and liberal arts at the
The New School from which he graduated in December 2017. Luca currently
reside in Nashville, TN

How youbloomConnect Works

16-Apr-2018 By Robert Loustaunau

youbloomConnect is a global community of Artists, Fans, and Hosts – curating unique shows to create unforgettable experiences

No band is an island.

But a lot of the time they’re treated like they are. Whether you’re an artist, venue host, or just a fan of great music, we’re all looking for the same thing: each other. youbloomConnect helps you find what you’re looking for. When artists join youbloom, they enter a network of exceptional musicians to partner and perform with. Fans request their favorite bands to come play local shows while youbloom finds the venues to make it happen. By uniting fan, artist, and host on one platform, youbloomConnect makes it uncommonly simple for you to curate an unforgettable, live experiences.

Here’s how it works:

youbloomConnect For Fans

Connect works to deliver amazing experiences for fans by empowering them to create the shows they want to see. Fans can initiate a show with their favorite artists by requesting them. Connect works to make the show happen. Fans can also help the show to happen by becoming a Street Team Fan.

From the moment you request an artist, to the night of the show, youbloomConnect will keep you in the loop. You’ll receive weekly emails that show the stats for your requested artists, upcoming performances, and local shows we’ve hand-picked for you. When enough fans request the same artists as you, they are notified, and a show is organized. Once the show is set up, there is a 5 day period when fans who successfully brought a band to their city can buy tickets at a 15% discount, before being offered to the public. Updates on all requested artists, upcoming youbloom shows, and fan signup forms to share via social media, arrive in your weekly email from youbloom.

Request as a Fan

What is a Street Team Fan?

Exceptional fans have the opportunity to join the Street Team, working behind the scenes, with bands, and nabbing some extra perks in the process. Street Team fans promote their favorite artists across social media and increase fan sign ups locally. They help make the buzz around town when a youbloom band is on the way.

We will keep track of how many fans you get to sign up, and let you know how you’re doing in a weekly email. Street Team members will receive all the benefits of fans plus 1 free ticket to see their favorite artist for every 4 tickets sold for that artist. Once a show is scheduled, we’ll let you know so you can start promoting sales and earn your tickets.

youbloomConnect For Artists

Artists use youbloomConnect to maximize performance opportunities and in turn, ticket and merch sales. Once signed on as a youbloom artist, we search the entire youbloomConnect database to find you artists similar in genre, fanbase, and travel radius. We then provide you with artist matches in a weekly email that you can pair with and promote through social media and other channels. Connect works to get you performing together.

As an Artist, you’ll also receive updates from hosts who would like to host you! Usually, a show does not take place for at least a month after it has been set up to allow time for youbloom, artists, fans, street team fans, and hosts to market the show. When signing up as an Artist, you’ll have the option to host intimate youbloom shows of your own, by opening up your own home or studio as a Connect space. By different bands working together, it becomes easy to reliably plan a tour, fill venues, grow an audience, and sell more tickets and merch, sustaining music careers locally and globally!

Apply as an Artist

youbloomConnect For Hosts

A host can be a promoter or just a venue. They use youbloomConnect to book artists. With bands working together to produce a show, and fans/Street Team members confirming ticket pre-sales, hosts can book bands with better reliability that the show is going to bring in people and turn a profit. When artists have gained enough fan requests in a city, Connect notifies local hosts and begins organizing shows. Artist and hosts are brought together to foster new relationships and accelerate shows taking place.

What is a City-Rep?

Similar to the Street-Team fan playing a more dynamic role in requesting artists, the City-Rep can be a host or promoter who has established a relationship with youbloomConnect and plays an integral role in showcasing incoming youbloom talent in their city. For more information on how to become a City-Rep, email us at: cityreps@youbloom.com.

For more information on how youbloomConnect works, refer to our FAQ page. If you want to hear our story, visit the About Uspage.

Also, check out youbloom’s music festivals held in Dublin, Ireland and Los Angeles, California every year.

Our music summit and festival is where fans, promoters, and hosts discover and request upcoming talent. Artists can learn the essentials of navigating the industry while showcasing at nightly concerts and and meeting music industry leaders through seminars and networking.

See youbloomLA, youbloomDublin and youbloomConnect FAQs.

Our Mission

youbloom’s mission is to enable amazing experiences through a combination of curated shows, fan experience optimization, fan crowdsourcing, artist partnering and host matching.