TOUR DIARY: Foreign Affairs NI at youbloomLA 2015

07-May-2016 By Shannon Duvall

Every time we at youbloom put on a music festival, we are humbled and awed by the insane variety of talented acts that manage to make their way to us from all around the world to share in a few days of the celebration of independent music.

In December, we were thrilled to welcome Northern Irish punk band Foreign Affairs NI to sunny Los Angeles for the youbloomLA 2015 Music Festival and Conference. They played a cracking set, brought amazing energy to the venue – La Cuevita – and were a top highlight in LA last year.

Foreign Affairs NI have since been busy writing and playing up a storm, so pay attention, punk fans, because this band have a lot going on in 2016. When we found out they’d written a tour diary about their time in the US of A, we just had to ask if we could share some of it.

It goes without saying that we are beyond sweatin’ to have them back again for the upcoming youbloomDublin 2016 Music Summit & Festival, going down this June 1-3.

In the meantime, check out what they had to say about their time with us under the palms out west:

Day 1, First Impressions

‘Everything in America is bigger! The size of their drinks, their airports, their buildings, all of it was on a much grander scale and it would be easy to get consumed by it all and feel lost. We made a pledge to make the most of every second we had in The City Of Angels as time was short and we didn’t know when we’d be back. With this in mind, after checking in we set off on our first ever Hollywood adventure! Not realising the scope of LA we learnt the hard way that taxis are not to be used unless necessary, especially during rush hour!’

Day 2, Permanent Memories

‘We had heard amazing things about American breakfast. The stories are true, believe the hype! In our hotel we had complimentary breakfast and the ability to make your own waffles was life changing. Fed and watered we would plan our day. Not losing sight of why we were here, we all crowded round Matt and his guitar and listened and played our songs together. We had an amazing feeling for the Music Festival and we were prepared! We decided after this to see if Santa Monica and Venice Beach lived up to the hype.’

Day 3, Amazing Sights

‘Most of Los Angeles was in our sights as well as the infamous Hollywood sign. A few band photos were taken and like always, the whole trek and experience was filmed. Inside and out the observatory was an amazing sight and it was overwhelming to realise that we were there taking it all in, and that was made possible by our music. We couldn’t take too much in for too long however as we were warned at night mountain lions venture up and down the mountain and we didn’t want to find out if that was lies or not.’

Day 4, Gig Day:

‘Gig day had arrived! We were to play an amazing venue, ‘La Cuevita’. We didn’t do very much in the lead up to this as our primary focus was putting on the best show we could and remaining focused.

On the way to the gig we exited the train with a few people and we all walked together towards the same area, however we all had different intentions. The man beside us ripped down a car window and broke into the vehicle. The alarm went off and the man scurried away. LA was a different breed entirely compared to anywhere else.

We entered the venue and watched the bands perform and noticed that every artist had great energy and crowd interaction! This is something we had targeted and improved! Armed with a wireless guitar system to run about the venue and crowd interaction worked into our set, we were prepared! An overwhelming experience at the venue was that people were asking, ‘When are the Irish band on?’. Thousands of miles away from home, people were asking for us. That was a feeling we’ll never forget.

9.15 approached and it was time for us to take the stage! We launched into the opening song from our new E.P., ‘Heartline’ and there was an instant positive feeling. People were listening, clapping with us and most importantly having a good time!

Moving through the set each song went down very well. We were premiering a brand new song at the show! One we had never played before. With nerves of how it would go down, Matt announced that, ‘Pennies’ was about to make its debut and we launched into the song. Quite possibly the best reaction of any song of the set was received here. This filled us with so much pride. Our current music had brought us thousands of miles away, and where we’re going in the future has been met with an overwhelming response, it was just a surreal moment and filled us with positivity.

As our set came to a close we ended with, ‘Television’. The song that had gotten us there in the first place. It was an emotional experience and we give (sic) it everything we had! Enjoying every second of it. After the set we had our photos taken by YouBloom (sic) and had drinks with the other bands and just enjoyed the vibe and experience.

A special thank you is needed for Kittenhead who helped us out with a bass and electric guitar. Without you we may not have been able to play.’

Day 5, YouBloom Conference:

‘We had the conference to attend now where we could interact with big music industry names and make connections.

The whole conference was amazing! Armed with a notepad and pen we documented so much valuable information. Attending talks from Tom Sturges, a man who signed The Smashing Pumpkins and has shook hands with The President Of The United States because of his musical achievements was surreal. We met with him directly and he was overly enthusiastic about us and music in general. A very inspiring man.

We were then interviewed by YouBloom and enjoyed that experience. Straight after that we attend a panel titled, ‘Making A Statement’. The panel was made up of: Joe Sib of Sideonedummies Records; Marko DeSantis of a band we look up to, Sugarcult; and Don Grierson who signed Celine Dion, to name a few. Again we learnt so much and made direct contact with both Joe and Marko which was surreal in itself to meet these people and talk about our music.

The trip was worth it just for this alone.’

Be sure to check out the entire tour diary over on ChordBlossom.

*If you’re a youbloom Festival veteran and have similar content you’d like us to share on our blog, get in touch with a link in the comments below.

WOKE UP THIS MORNIN’: youbloom | HEADROOM #1 with Featured Artists from the Dublin 2016 Music Festival

04-May-2016 By Shannon Duvall

We’re back, music friends! That’s right, the youbloomDublin 2016 Music Festival & Conference is fast approaching and that, rock and rollers, can only mean one thing: it’s HEADROOM time!

It’s the most fun, interesting, and probably bizarre place on the web to find out more about the future movers and shakers in the big bad world of the music industry.

As champions of DIY and independent music, we at youbloom like to take a little time to get to know all of the incredible artists who will be gracing our stages at our upcoming fest. So we got in touch with all the acts and asked them to spill their guts – figuratively, of course – and let us in on the private world – the motivations, inspirations and far-out tales – of today’s self-made music monsters.

So welcome back to HEADROOM. Today, our first batch of players answers the very tough question: If you woke up tomorrow as any other artist or musician, living or dead, who would you want to be and why?

Carito Plaza, singer/songwriter/one-woman discotheque: “Easy: Ella Fitzgerald. Apart from the fact that she had the most amazing voice I have ever heard, you can see in her videos and interviews how much fun she had with music; she never sang a song in the same way twice, and she was always laughing and enjoying herself, like me.”

Sultry latin grooves spread like hot butter over the funky disco-lite beats of Carito Plaza. A favourite from last year’s youbloomLA 2015 Music Festival, she’s sure to impress across the Atlantic in Dublin. Order an exotic cocktail and loosen up your hips for shaking. Carito’s coming to town! For fans of: Janet Jackson, J*DaVeY, NDambi

Darragh Mc Grane, lead vox & guitar, Penrose: “I would love to be Paul McCartney in the 60s, simply because he was in the best band in the world, he wrote some of the most beautiful pop-tastic songs that will be listened to hundreds of years from now, and he lived through a period any musician could ever dream about.”

Taking the best elements from legends of 60s AM radio, Penrose craft a jubilant sound laden with orchestral arrangements, jangling guitars, and well-considered lyrical melodies. Their style will impress fans of retro-inspired indie from the US and UK alike. For fans of: Oasis, Stereophonics, ELO

Toya, vox, performance, Toya Delazy: “Bob Marley! He lived in his music and was a critical thinker who marched to the beat of his own drum. He cared for the world, and did it for the benefit of people.”

Zulu royal (yes, you read that right), jazz pianist, producer and singer-songwriter Latoya Buthelezi spends her days crafting jazz-electro-hip-hop dancefloor fillers that have received critical acclaim in her native South Africa as well as abroad. It’s crisp, smart music with depth and groove. For fans of: Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz, Young Money

Ruth McCartney, backing vox, Great White Lies: “It’s possibly a predictable answer but given my recent heartache over his death, if I could be any musician it would have to be Bowie! His amazing chameleon-like abilities, his artistic vision, the breadth and span of his musical career – it’s all just staggering. Also, imagine waking up and being that beautiful every morning.”

Great White Lies blend jazz, 60s soul, and singer-songwriter styles so seamlessly it’s hard to tell what genre you’re helplessly bobbing your head to. Addictively groovy, captivating and skillful tunes. A true surprise. For fans of: Natalie Merchant, Stevie Wonder, Minnie Riperton

What about you guys? If you woke up tomorrow as a famous artist, whose face would you want to see staring back at you from the bathroom mirror? Let us know in the comments below!

6 Things Your Band Should Be Doing on Facebook

14-Mar-2016 By Megan Wild

Creating your online presence and growing your fan base is not as easy as some make it out to be. If you were creating your Facebook page for your music five years ago, this would have been a different story. Few artists had band pages, and it was less difficult to get lost in the shuffle of massive social media notifications.

Today, though, you need to have a well thought-out plan if you want to see yourself build a high-quality page with an actual engaged audience of your fans.

So how do you do this? Let’s look at this six step plan that will help get you up and running and off to gather those ‘likes’ :

Know your target market.

In business, you have to know your customer base before you go and open your doors. This also rings true as an artist for creating your Facebook fan base. There are nearly 1.5 billion users on Facebook. It is impossible for all of them to fall in love with your music. Even Taylor Swift has haters, and she’s seen as one of the most popular present-day musicians.

However, don’t discount everyone. You want to be specific, but you also want to be creative. What does this mean? While Taylor Swift’s fans may not be yours, it’s important to figure how to find more fans that will like your music. You can use Facebook ads to promote your music. When doing so, be sure to get specific on the types of people you’re targeting — not just age groups. What do they like? What do they dislike? Knowing little intricacies like this can help you expand your audience.

Now understand how to ‘speak’ to them.

Ok, you have your audience. Now you need to start engaging them with the content you add to your page. You’ll want to keep three things in mind each time you post:

Speak like your target audience – language is key.
Think like them – try to approach the topic from their perspective.
Act as they would act – research what causes and events are important to your fan base.

A great way to do this is by jumping in on a conversation or cause that your potential fans care about. Here’s an example (albeit a non-musical one): A business that sells used machinery lets their audience know that they care about heart health with a Facebook post. Since this topic is relevant to their audience, they create engagement. This human touch is what lets audiences know you’re worth their time.

You can also take a look at Facebook’s tip about how to create a two-way conversation. You want to garner a response from your audience and create dialogue. Comments move your content through the news feed more frequently so it is seen by more users.

Track which content engages the most people.

Not every post you’ll create will see the same response and engagement, so keep track of what types of posts seem to attract your audience more than others. It will be an important way for you to discover what works for your fans and what doesn’t. Some ideas to keep in mind:

Ask questions on your page. People love to answer easy yes/no inquiries or simple either/or choices. Just make sure it’s relevant to your fans.
Photos give your audience something to look at. Keep them interesting and people will keep coming back.
Fill-in-the-Blanks type posts help your audience easily weigh in, and keeps your content light and funny.
Hold an exclusive contest, like a drawing for two free concert tickets for sharing your page. Keep it simple and don’t do it too often.

Now, I’m not saying you should pull a Kanye West here, and tweet controversial things just to get engagement. Instead, put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and create and post information that your audience will truly want to read and see.

Content should be real, relaxed and relevant.

Keep your content relevant to your audience and relatable. You may not see results right away, but be patient. Don’t start spamming your page with promotional material. This will just annoy your users. You want to build a relationship that will last over time.

Make sure you foster that relationship with your fans by posting content that feels real to them. This will build trust, and they’re more likely to continue following and sharing. Once you’ve created this rapport, up your game and post more frequently about gigs and shows. If you’ve done it right, your audience will be hungry for more content.

Be prompt.

Don’t just post something here or there — like twice a day on Monday, nothing until Wednesday and then three times on Friday. This lack of scheduling won’t help your audience recognize when to look for new content from you. Create a schedule and hold to it.

Be creative with your scheduled posts. This will help create a rhyme and reason for them. For example, you could do a ‘Music Monday’ post that highlights what you’re listening to that day. It could be a favorite song, band, or album each week. Then poll your audience — ask them what they are playing on repeat.

This is an easy way to keep the beginning of the week light and funny — and your audience will be more likely to tune back in during the week for more serious topics. In order to help you stick to your post schedule and topics, make a list in your planner to help you stay organized and on task.

Be sure to measure and monitor your results.

You can’t make improvements or build off success if you don’t monitor how your content performs and measure its failures and successes. Be sure to look at your page insights and make notes. Know what kind of metrics, like negative feedback, you should be evaluating to improve your reach and engagement with your audience.

If you want Facebook to be successful for your band, you have to pay attention to what is being read, shared and commented on. If a post gets absolutely no engagement whatsoever, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad content. It just means you need to look at the types of adjustments needed to do better next time.

Now you have the tools to build and optimize your Facebook page successfully — so get out there and find your fans! It’ll take some hard work and dedication, but the little community you create will very much be worth the effort.

New Album Wednesday with Dan M | Leftover Crack – Constructs Of The State (2015)

24-Feb-2016 By Daniel Mesich

Leftover Crack – Constructs Of The State (2015)

Leftover Crack rose from the ashes of the mighty band Choking Victim, and mainly consists of ex-Choking Victim guitarist and vocalist Scott “Stza” Sturgeon and friends. Of the curious band name, Stza once said that, since they were leftover C.V. tunes, they were essentially, well, leftover crack. Currently signed to the FatWreckChords label, this is their third release.

BACKGROUND | LOC are a band who have never shied away from controversy; most of their songs involve combating political and societal injustice with a dash of comedy thrown in for good measure to lighten the mood. LOC was part of the late 90s punk era when the genre as we knew it was evolving in many different directions: pop punk was dying and the emo/post hardcore scene was on the rise. Back in a time when the Warped Tour was predominantly 90s punk bands I remember hearing LOC among many others.

They stood out because they were experimental, pushing the boundaries of punk music.

BREAKDOWN | Leftover Crack’s first album in 11 years leaps out of the gates with “Archaic Subjugation”, a full metal assault of a song that is over as soon as it starts.

Track “Don’t Shoot” has a very familiar sounding riff for fans of this band. It’s a good example of their sound that is not extremely hard or soft.

The aptly titled “Love and Heartache” is as close as you will get to a 90s pop punk number. I didn’t like it at first, but it’s grown on me.

“Slaves to the Throne” is another short but fierce metallic bullet that has Stza spitting venom about how the world slaves away for the benefit of a few. “Corrupt Vision” has more of a ska element to it, but quickly turns into a blazing fast metal song in between the ska parts. This one is a good example of the Crack Rock Steady Ska sound that was more prominent in their earlier material.

“Last Legs” is one of my favorites. It’s probably their softest song and starts out like a folksy ballad. The thing I really like about it is how it starts off slow and takes its time building up. It never gets super crazy, but the lyrics go with the mood and shifts of the song perfectly.

“Poliamor Fiesta Crack” is a really fun song combating sexism and is the third and final ska-tinged one. This song also has one of the best features from an unnamed female vocalist who appear on songs throughout the album. The opening of this song almost has a Mariachi feel to it which I dig.

“Amanecer De Los Muertos” takes a break from serious political commentary and talks about their life on tour, squats, and playing weird venues. It’s pretty upbeat and nice.

They finish the album with all guns blazing on “The War At Home” which is a call to arms to end all wars and take the world back through revolution before it’s too late. Even though the song is fast and upbeat they choose to tone down the guitars a bit as far as heaviness goes and to add keyboards. While I don’t know if I would like it if they made an entire album in this style, it works well for this song, because the lyrics are front and center and I am pretty sure that’s what they wanted to showcase in this song. It’s a great one; another of my favorites.

The official close of this third installment of the LOC series is a song called “Untitled instrumental”. It’s mostly a folksy sound outro that really doesn’t add or take anything away from the album. It’s oddly calming, if we’re being honest.

FINAL THOUGHTS | As a fan who has listened to all three albums in their body of work I feel like their debut album was more ska-heavy and their sophomore album was more punk/folk-oriented while still keeping their experimentation and edge. To me, this latest album mixes a lot of what I liked from their first two and keeps it really fresh. There’s enough diversity here to keep you interested. Run time on this baby stays under an hour so you get maximum bang for your buck with little-to-no filler. If you like this band or this type of music in general, you will definitely like Constructs Of The State. BONUS: They are really fun to see live and have spawned many side projects worth checking out, including but not limited to Morning Glory and F-Minus.

I give this album \m/ \m/ \m/ \m/ out of 5 horns.

7 Inescapable Things You’ll Find at Every Typical Music Festival

10-Feb-2016 By Tieece Gordon

Heading to a music festival this year? Be prepared to encounter some weird, wacky and wonderful spectacles. Certain trends seem to pop up year after year – by now, music festivals wouldn’t feel complete without them. While many could be seen as examples of how strange we’ve all become, not all are crazy premeditated stunts. Some things are just inescapable.

Shoulder Rides

It seems as though sitting on somebody’s shoulders is an essential part of the festival experience. This may have been promoted by TV coverage that seems to make ‘human chairs’ festival icons.

Good Points: More chances to get your face on TV; better view of the acts onstage.

Bad Points: A nightmare for those behind you.

Warm Drinks

Not talking about tea or mulled cider here! The warm weather seems to play havoc with refreshments. Drink cups emblazoned with “best served chilled” have no hope once festival season rocks up.

Good Points: It’s still a drink.

Bad Points: It tastes like an evil genius has set a plan in motion.

Tents

If you were surveyed for a family TV quiz show and asked to name ‘Things You’d Find at a Festival’, chances are tents would be pretty high up in the responses. If you haven’t been to a festival before, you won’t believe your eyes when you see the sheer amount of canvas sleepers that appear before you. Be ready to sleep virtually head to head with the guy next door.

Good Points: You need a tent to sleep (or not) and store your possessions; being so close to others makes socialising and meeting new people a doddle.

Bad Points: Claustrophobia Central; sleeping next to a canvas covered toe is still sleeping next to a toe.

Merchandise

T-shirts, vests, hats, bags; anything you can think of is being sold (and bought) onsite. Some people kit themselves out with one of everything while others look on in disgust.

Good Points: An everlasting reminder of a great festival; could come in handy if your clothes fall victim to the elements.

Bad Points: May end up looking like a walking advertisement; probably not going to touch this stuff ever again once you get home.

Fashion Statements

You name it, it’s probably been a fad at some stage. Face paints, fedoras, headbands and even hairstyles have come and gone down the years. Even religious items, such as rosary beads and bindis have become mainstream – often to mixed reception.

Good Points: It’s fun to dress up – even if it means following a crowd; adds to the feel of everybody having fun.

Bad Points: Looking at those photos a few years down the line and wondering why anybody would ever want to wear hair beads.

Wristbands

Wristbands are an essential piece of a festival-goer’s kit. They’re essential to the whole party and some even create custom wristbands to spice things up.

Good Points: Eternal memorabilia; custom wristbands add a sense of personality; seem to last forever even when untreated.

Bad Points: If left too long can become a hive of bacterial activity; some people like to show off their wristbands six months after the fact.

Queues

Whether it’s for an overpriced burger or a race to get to the front of the stage, chances are you’re going to have to wait – either that or unceremoniously barge your way through (not recommended).

Good Points: Gets you excited about what’s coming up; a bit of quality time with friends while nothing is happening.

Bad Points: Who likes waiting?

TOUR DIARY: Foreign Affairs NI at youbloomLA 2015

WOKE UP THIS MORNIN’: youbloom | HEADROOM #1 with Featured Artists from the Dublin 2016 Music Festival

New Album Wednesday with Dan M | Leftover Crack – Constructs Of The State (2015)

7 Inescapable Things You’ll Find at Every Typical Music Festival

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