TVD Contributor Ariane Trahan is the founder of Easy Apple, an artist development company that bridges the gap for musicians between New York City and New Orleans.
Thanks to The Vinyl District, I’m in NYC at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon. New business cards, mini recorder for interviews, planner and laptop in hand – all of my invaluable possessions are with me. Day one at CMJ was mainly traveling for me, with the night ending at the official showcase I co-curated.
This year Easy Apple partnered with Engine Room Recordings to host a night of our recent projects. I presented Shayfer James, whose forthcoming release Counterfeit Arcade is currently playing (loudly) at college radio. I also brought along New Orleans’ own The Revivalists, whose high-powered performance was chosen to close our event at 1am! Engine Room Recordings presented NYC staples Lowry who coincidentally have a stop in New Orleans planned for February on their upcoming tour.
DAY TWO: | “The Next Generation of Digital Marketing Executives,” a panel with marketing pacesetters from Mom + Pop, Creative Artists Agency, Primary Wave and Live Nation, was my highlight of the day. Creative ideas about online advertising and social networking shot out of their mouths like cannons, one after another. Samantha Sichel, senior manager of digital marketing solutions at Live Nation, informed us that 66% of concert goers are Tweeting, Facebooking, and texting while watching live performances, and explained the multitude of ways artists can take advantage of this. Google analytics and other free tools, how to combine products for unique packaging of CD pre-orders, and trying several versions of the same ad on Facebook were a few of the topics discussed in detail.
At the Fleming Artists and HMG Public Relations showcase at Rockwood 2, knowing nothing about the music of New England-based Aunt Martha, my friend Jesse and I were pleasantly surprised to walk in just as an amazing performance was getting started. With a voice like Ryan Adams but sweeter, and haunting lyrics delivered in front of violin, I couldn’t look away. Their single “Starter” is still in my head the next morning, as is the video for “Tompkins Sq.” where the band made 500 cutouts of vocalist Tim Noyes (his name is No-Yes, c’mon).
Catching up with Tim after the show, not only did he give me some of the hand-numbered cutouts as a souvenir, he told me about how much he loves New Orleans. “Remind of that street that’s filled with all those awesome jazz clubs?” Frenchmen. “Yeah, Frenchmen. I walked by during the day and I was like, “This is it, this is my spot, we’re coming here tonight.” I didn’t want to get caught up in that Bourbon St. shit. I think at one point we went down one block of Bourbon and I was done.” New Orleans natives are proud of you, Tim.
Off to Pianos for Dinosaur Feathers and Prussia, then into waiting in a line in the rain for an hour for a show I had no idea who was playing at – I was exhausted at the end of day two. Oh yeah, Twin Shadow played at Santos at midnight, which I would tell you about, but Gotye is performing in an hour so that’s for another time. Check out this sweet mini-doc about the making of Gotye’s latest Making Mirrors, until next time…
