Jim Price
Moderator
Joined: 07 Dec 2002
Posts: 4817
Location: Altoona, PA
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 Posted: Thursday Feb 20, 2003 |
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MILLENIUM MUSIC CONFERENCE RECAP – PART II
FRIDAY 2/14:
The first showcases kicked off Thursday night, but the actual Millenium Music CONFERENCE itself kicked off on Friday. The heart of the Conference itself took place at the Hilton Harrisburg and Towers in downtown Harrisburg, and included a trade show, panels and seminars, mentoring sessions with producers and other music industry professionals, and two live stages where musicians could perform short sets to promote their showcase gigs. By mid-morning, after procuring gasoline and other survival gear, I went to see what was up as the Conference kicked into action. Logical first stop was the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine Schmooze Room and acoustic stage, where magazine matriarch Robin Noll was offering up homemade brownies and cookies, plus free coffee and a breakfast spread furnished by the Hilton. The acoustic stage was in the process of being set up, with Josh Noll handling production. Bands and solo performers could sign up for a time slot to perform on the stage and promote their showcase performance later in the weekend.
As I grubbed on breakfast foods and coffee, I soon saw my first performer of the acoustic stage, Dustin Dwyer. Dustin is the namesakes, singer and chief songwriter of Syracuse, New York-based rock group The Dustin Dwyer Band, and he was promoting his band's Saturday night showcase at Harrisburg's Midtown Tavern. I didn't catch any titles to the songs Dustin performed, but he crafted some good, alluring melodies, and delivered them with a powerful, high-ranged voice.
After Dustin finished, the band Pure Grain set up their acoustics and percussion and performed. From Lawrenceburg, Indiana, this group performed a style that was equal parts heartland rock, blues and folk, with slight hints of John Mellencamp and Black Crowes mixed in. Pure Grain did six songs total, including the funky-leaning "Mother Goose," "No Regrets," my personal fave "Carolina Blues," "Set Me Free" and "Nobody Said." Powerful, soulful vocals; tightly executed playing and a smooth, fun, laid-back vibe made Pure Grain's set an enjoyable one, and whet my appetite to catch this band's showcase later in the weekend if at all possible.
Pure Grain entertains on the Pennsylvania Musician acoustic stage.
At this point, I decided to take a stroll around the conference trade show floor to see who had arrived and was set up. I touched base with Pennsylvania Musician cohort Shel Hoachlander and her Black Thorn Entertainment booth, and checked out a few of the other trade show participants, picking up free literature and other odds and ends. I then wandered my way over to the other trade show live stage, hosted by Harrisburg rock station and conference co-sponsor 105.7 The X. Onstage as I arrived was a familiar face, Cloud Party singer/songwriter/guitarist Jim Speese. Jim was in the midst of one of my favorite songs from Cloud Party's "Everything and Nothing" CD, "Another Revolution." Jim then continued with a song from Cloud Party's "Real" album, "Shadow of an Angel," where he was joined onstage by Alisa Anderson, one of the backing singers from the "Real" album. And Jim finished his set by digging back to the first Cloud Party CD, 1997's "These Streets" for the song "Epiphany." Familiar with these songs in the context of the full Cloud Party band, I thought that the lyrics and moods of the songs came forth more in the acoustic setting of Jim and his guitar. It was interesting to hear them in this stripped down, basic form.
Jim Speese and Alisa Anderson perform on the 105.7 The X stage.
Cloud Party frontman Jim Speese. Jim and Cloud Party will record a live DVD on March 8. Check out the group's website, www.cloudparty.com, for more details.
I didn’t sit in on quite as many panels at this year’s Millenium as in years past, partly because I’ve ‘been there and done that’ with a number of them at past conferences, and the temptation to catch live performers on the acoustic stages prompted me to miss a few of the panels as well. But I did check out three this year. The first was the “Indie Labels” Panel, which covered the advantages and disadvantages of bands and musicians pursuing the independent label route over major labels. The panelists included Anthrophobia frontman Frank Phobia, representing his Reading-based indy label DRP Records; Chris Smoker of Baltimore-based indy label Fowl Records, Laura Evans of Los Angeles-based label X-Rai Records, Matthew Rudzinski of North Carolina-based Tribunal Records, and Linus Gelber of New York-based Home Office Records. Through the course of the discussion, the pros and cons of indy labels were discussed. One of the big pros of indy labels is that indies are more willing to help develop bands and artists (artist development), unlike major labels, who expect their signed bands and artists to already be developed and produce instant hits or risk getting dropped. But musicians were cautioned to learn everything they can before signing with any indy label. Musicians should not ever have to pay to be on an independent record label. Musicians were also advised not to sign away the rights to their music. And another important point brought up was that if a record label can’t do anything for the band or artist beyond what they are already doing themselves, then why sign with that label? The panelists also emphasized that there is no easy way to success in the music business, and that indy labels don’t have an edge over majors as far as getting your music to the masses. Fielding questions from the audience, the panel also discussed how to succeed in your own music scene. (The consensus was that every musician will say that their own town’s music scene sucks; the advice was to make the best of the scene you have, and in Frank Phobia’s words, “Don’t let your scene suck!”) Frank also discussed his involvement with The Silo nightclub in Reading and his own skate park/show hall, Wooden Waves/Sound Waves in Reading. In closing the panel, Frank proudly told the musicians that every band that plays at his venue gets paid, even if it is only gas money; and that no band should ever have to chase down a club owner at the end of the night and not get paid. (If you are an original band who would like to look into playing at Wooden Waves/Sound Waves, visit their website at www.woodenwaves.net.)
Frank Phobia of DRP Records, moderating the "Indie Labels" panel at the Millenium Music Conference.
After this panel, it was back to the trade show for more schmoozing and networking, and soon; back to the Pennsylvania Musician acoustic stage to see who was performing. This time, it was Washington, D.C.-based trio Gist. This group combined several styles into a central sound; with rock and light funk the prominent flavors.
I watched Gist perform three original songs, before closing their mini-set with a surprise take on AC/DC’s “If You Want Blood, You Got It.”
Washington, D.C.'s Gist, entertaining on the Pennsylvania Musician acoustic stage.
Up next on the stage was the new collaborative effort of former Stereo Logic singer/guitarist Manian Hacker and former Julian Fist drummer Kyle Taylor, called Condition K. Condition K performed three original songs; “Wishing Well,” “Radio” and “The Day In The Sky;” each demonstrating strong melodies executed by Manian’s high-flying, passionate voice. Both Manian and Kyle (on tom) sank heart and soul into their performance here, and the audience quickly took noticed and cheered approval. Though not officially showcasing at this year’s Millenium, Condition K’s unplugged set impressed me enough that I definitely want to see the full band performance sometime soon.
Kyle Taylor and Manian Hacker of Condition K.
Manian Hacker of Condition K.
Kyle Taylor of Condition K.
I soon took in another panel, “Talent Buyers, Agents and Promoters.” In this discussion, two venue representatives and a talent buyer informed musicians about what it took to get their feet in the doors of their respective venues/situations, and how to keep getting booked back. The panelists included representatives of two of eastern PA’s premiere live music venues: Jim Thorpe of the Grape Street Pub in Philadelphia, and Gretchen McNelis of the Chameleon Club in Lancaster. Also taking part was Todd Erickson of More Music Group, a Virginia Beach-based booking agency which services talent and concerts for colleges, universities, festivals and other situations. Regarding what the venues were looking for, Jim stated that to succeed at the Grape Street Pub, bands and artists had to meet at least two out of three criteria: First, they needed to draw good attendance at their shows. Second, they needed to be professional both on and off the stage. And third, they needed to “knock the socks off” either Jim or another staff member at the club. Having said that, though, Jim said that the Grape Street Pub is willing to work with bands they see potential in, and if they particularly like a band, they will do what they can to help that band succeed there. Jim said that bands need to do their homework and legwork to build their following and keep their slot at Grape Street. Jim advised bands to bring their “A-game” every time they come to play, and to actively promote their shows in advance. (One interesting suggestion that Jim brought up: Since they are relatively inexpensive, bands can burn off CD-R’s featuring 2 or 3 of their songs, show up at the venue a few weeks in advance [preferably on a good night], and hand out the CD-R’s to audience members. Invite people to listen to the CD-R, and if they like what they hear, come back and check out the live show in a few weeks.) For Chameleon, Gretchen told the audience that bands looking to play that venue should have a good college following with that area’s schools, and should have a healthy fan base that will attend. Gretchen also strongly urged bands to have a website and do strong promotion of their show. Unlike Grape Street Pub, which Jim said will give bands several shows to develop their fan base, Gretchen said that Chameleon is pretty much a one-shot deal; do well and you get a return booking, don’t draw well and the club will move on to the next band on the waiting list to play there. In his comments, Todd Erickson stressed the importance of a good press kit and well-produced demo, which he will often shop to prospective college fraternities and events looking for live bands. Often fraternities will play the demo before their membership, and a good first impression can lead to the chance to play that fraternity. But the most important points all three panelists repeated were that bands have to be on top of their game both on and off the stage to have the best chance of being regular performers at these venues; and that bands have to KEEP EARNING THEIR SLOT, and not become complacent or lazy once they have gotten their foot in the door of these venues. (For more information on the venues, check out their websites at www.grapestreetpub.com and www.chameleonclub.net.)
By this point of the afternoon, the first day of business at Millenium was drawing to a close, and the hospitality parties and keynote address were soon to come. I stopped briefly at the 105.7 The X stage to again see Condition K, this time with Kyle Taylor’s brother, Mitch, helping out on second acoustic guitar.
Condition K on the 105.7 The X stage, joined by Mitch Taylor (on right). Mitch and Kyle Taylor handled production/engineering duties for the X stage during Millenium weekend.
The advertised keynote speaker was to be Jack Healy, the head of the Human Rights Action Center and former Executive Director for Amnesty International. Jack was the person who created several of the Amnesty International-geared concerts in support of human rights, working with names like U2, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel and others. It looked to be an interesting keynote address.
Except it never happened.
I had heard Millenium main man John Harris announce through the P-A that a complimentary keg of Rolling Rock was on tap and that ‘Elvis’ would be performing in the Hilton’s main ballroom, where the keynote usually took place. I figured ‘Elvis’ was there to warm things up for the keynote, much as Pete Palladino of the The Badlees did last year before Matt Pinfield’s address. I walked into the ballroom, and instantly noticed that no chairs had been set up for the keynote address. As the time passed and ‘Elvis’ kept singing, nobody was setting up chairs, and I soon realized that either the keynote was a no-show, or was perhaps postponed until later in the conference weekend. (As it would turn out, ‘Elvis’ was the keynote! John Harris had pulled his greatest coup yet, bringing The King to Millenium from BEYOND THE GRAVE!) On top of that, the Rolling Rock keg was already kicked by the time I went back to procure my first free brew…BUMMER!
Conference organizer John Harris pulls the ultimate coup for the Millenium keynote speaker, bringing in Elvis from beyond the grave! (Or is it former WWF wrestler the Honky Tonk Man?)
Since the keynote address was not happening, I decided to head to the hospitality party being offered next door at Crowne Plaza by 105.7 The X (X program director Claudine DeLorenzo handed me my invite personally, how could I not attend?). This was a nice, relaxing schmooze party, with free Rolling Rock beer and light snacks, and gave me the opportunity to chat with members of Negative Space, Spinebelt and Halestorm parents Roger and Beth. This hospitality party lasted until 7 PM; it was then showcase time…
FRIDAY NIGHT 2/14:
Coming into this year’s Millenium, I was largely undecided about which showcases I would go see. I was starting to learn the Harrisburg area better, so I knew where more of the venues were located. So I was more inclined to drive around between venues to catch acts I was interested in seeing, rather than hanging back at the Hilton to watch the mainstage. By 7 PM this night, I had formulated a game plan on who I would go and see this night. It started at the Hilton.
The original schedule had Emily’s Toybox kicking things off at 7 on the Hilton mainstage, but last minute shuffling moved them back to 9 PM. So instead, I started this night’s showcase smorgasbord with Niagara Falls, New York-based rockers Klear. A four-piece, Klear played polished, melody-geared, hard-hitting modern rock; with a base sound that would segue together well with names like Default, Nickelback and Creed. Powerful, passionate vocals; a guitarist who can shred when necessary, and a clean, powerful presentation made for an exciting set, at least what I arrived in time to see (the last 5 songs). According to Klear’s website, this group does make it into northwest PA, so it is possible you might see this band in our neck of the woods someday.
Klear rocks the Hilton mainstage at Millenium.
Fred Shafer of Klear.
Bruce Wojick of Klear.
At this point, I hit the road and headed to my next showcase, at Remy’s XO Club, to check out Gemstone and Tangerine. Scranton’s Gemstone were guests on Q94’s “Backyard Rocker” last year, but I had never seen them perform live until this night. Under way as I arrived, Gemstone mixed songs from their self-titled first CD with new songs. I recognized songs from the first album such as “Moving Van,” “Run To” and “Burn,” and liked the new material’s continued emphasis on melody. Gemstone's base sound mixes hard-edged modern rock with a rootsy presence, reminiscent of The Badlees or Clarks. As I expected going in, singer Donny packs a lot of emotion and intensity into his performance, he sinks a lot of effort into his presentation. Guitarist John, drummer R.J. and bassist Tim were rock solid and energetic behind him. Gemstone’s set drew increasingly good response from the mid-sized Remy’s audience as their set progressed, and the group delivered a solid all-around performance.
Gemstone, kicking off Friday's showcase at Remy's XO Club.
Donny Strackbein of Gemstone.
John Cammerota of Gemstone.
Next was another band I was curious about, Pittsburgh’s Tangerine. The group had recently sent me their debut CD, and I was intrigued by the group’s moody, softspoken brand of modern rock. Fronted by the distinct low-end vocals of singer Tony Matz, Tangerine performed songs from their CD, including “Changes” and “Another Part of This,” along with new songs like “Take” and others. As a band Tangerine was tight and together; and while their brand of music isn’t immediately aggressive, the group was able to generate a nice head of steam on many of their songs and build things to an energized crescendo. Remy’s opened up to this band as the set progressed, and I overheard several people in the back of the room raving about this new discovery onstage they were witnessing for the first time.
Tangerine kicks off their set at Remy's XO Club.
Tony Matz, the deep-voiced lead singer for Pittsburgh's Tangerine.
Tangerine continues their showcase set.
After Tangerine’s set, I hit the road again, this time to find a venue I always had difficulty finding in the past, J.T. Croc’n’Berries (I always have problems finding Harrisburg venues that involve my getting on any of those @#$% interstates!). After making one wrong turn attempting to exit onto I-83 North, I eventually did find my way onto this thoroughfare and located the Union Deposit Road exit, and eventually, Croc’n’Berries. I wanted to see the Sherri Mullen Band, and luckily, arrived about five minutes before her set began. Sherri is the “Rock Diva” who operates the Art Fortress local music website (www.artfortress.com), and she hosts the weekly internet local music program “ArtFortress.com Music Showcase” every Tuesday night from 8 to 10 on Harrisburg Public Radio (www.hbgpr.org). Sherri is also a talented singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter, who released a CD last year called “Mask,” which runs the gamut from straight-ahead hard rock to thoughtful, deep ballads and more. Sherri and her band performed a number of songs from “Mask,” including “Broken,” “Cinderella,” “I Saw Her Face,” “Time To Say GoodBye” and more. Sherri’s voice sounded great in the live setting, and she gave a passionate, emotional performance that held much of the packed Croc’n’Berries audience at attention, and drew more audience members in towards the stage area to have a closer look. Sherri and her band saved the best for last, though. One of the standout tracks on her “Mask” album is the passionate patriotic rocker “Home Of The Free,” written in the aftermath of 9/11. Sherri had passed out small American flags before her performance (unfortunately I didn’t get one), and as she and her band launched into “Home of the Free” to conclude her set, the flags began waving throughout the room! The band was particularly charged during this song, especially guitarist Dave Kelly, who just went to town and shredded up the place! This was a powerful moment, and probably the moment I will most remember from this year’s Millenium showcases.
The Sherri Mullen Band knocks 'em dead at J.T. Croc'n'Berries.
The "Rock Diva," Sherri Mullen.
A flag-waving moment, as audience members celebrate the USA during Sherri Mullen's "Home of the Free."
As a sidelight, it was very cool to meet Sherri and several of the folks who regularly participate in the Harrisburg Public Radio chat room during Sherri’s “Artfortress.com Music Showcase” on Tuesday nights. I got to meet Nicole, Ruthe and some of the other chat participants. Also, Pennsylvania Musician cohort Shel Hoachlander and the Halestorm entourage both arrived during Sherri’s set; it was turning into a party! Again, check out the “Artfortress.com Music Showcase” on Harrisburg Public Radio (www.hbgpr.org) Tuesday evenings from 8 to 10 PM, and log into the chat room to chat with musicians and music fans. It’s always a fun time!
An interesting sidelight to Croc’n’Berries’ showcase this night was that all five of the bands involved were female-fronted bands. Next up was Baltimore-based rock band Clarissa. This group, named after frontlady Clarissa Campbell, performed a powerful, energetic brand of melodic hard rock, showcasing a number of songs from the group’s 2001 CD, “Free To Be,” plus some newer numbers, and an explosive funk/rock-geared take on Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots.” Clarissa herself demonstrated a booming, full-ranged voice, and her band provided a tight, muscular backdrop. The group demonstrated some strong melodies over the course of their set, and songs that were each distinct in their style of attack, yet consistent in overall flavor. Clarissa kept the Croc’n’Berries crowd cheering, and overall gave a good, solid performance.
Clarissa Campbell, the singer and namesakes of Baltimore's Clarissa.
Dave DeMarco of Clarissa.
Ending this particular showcase was a band I had become curious about in the days leading up to this year’s conference; Orlando, Florida’s Lucid Fly. Who says promoting yourselves doesn’t work? – I first took notice of Lucid Fly when they visited Rockpage to promote their showcase performance! I then happened to meet singer Nikki and guitarist Doug at the Hilton just after I checked in on Thursday evening, and decided that I would stick around to see this group after Sherri Mullen’s performance this night. I’m glad I did, this band ROCKED! This isn’t your typical three-chord band; Lucid Fly displayed tricker, more technical-geared prog-metal songs with interesting tempo and chord shifts. Yet their melodies were still ultimately catchy, and delivered by Nikki’s high-ranging, powerful voice. I didn’t catch many song titles, but did recognize “Center of Your Space” from the group’s 2-song CD sampler. Instrumentally this band was very strong, with the drummer and bassist laying down some rapidfire, complex rhythmic thunder, and Doug demonstrating both heavy riffage and clean leads throughout the set. Lucid Fly might be crazy for choosing this time of yeqar to travel up to Pennsylvania (doesn’t it usually happen the other way around, we head to Orlando this time of year?), but I’m glad they did – this set pounded, and I’ll be on the lookout for this band the next time I do any vacationing in central Florida. Here’s hoping they make a tour swing up this way sometime!
After a 20-hour road trip, Orlando, Florida's Lucid Fly rocks J.T. Croc'n'Berries.
Singer Nikki of Lucid Fly.
Lucid Fly continues to light it up at Croc'n'Berries.
Doug of Lucid Fly.
After this showcase concluded, I headed back down I-83 and Paxton Street to get back to the Hilton, in the hopes of catching part of Spinebelt’s showcase set. Word had reached us at Croc’n’Berries that the Hilton showcase was running an hour behind schedule, so I was hoping I would get to see at least a few songs. I got to see half a song, arriving as Spinebelt played the ‘single’ from their new “Beautiful Songs for Ugly Children” album, called “Losing All.” Through the Hilton’s full sound system, Spinebelt sounded full and thunderous. However, the house lights were already up, and their set ended after this song, to the dismay of the vast majority of the Hilton audience. (It turns out Spinebelt only got to play 3 or 4 songs due to the delay.) One audience member grabbed the mic and cursed the powers that be for ending the set short, and I heard angry words from a number of audience members. Because alcohol was being served, the Hilton’s back was to the wall, and legally, they had to end the music when they did. But having said that, there is no excuse for any showcase – particularly this one, the highest-profile showcase of the entire Conference – to fall an hour behind schedule, and screw a band out of their alotted time in the limelight. This is definitely a problem that needs to be addressed before next year’s conference, and I for one favor Spinebelt receiving an automatic bid onto the prestigious Hilton stage for next year’s Millenium, based on this year’s screw-up at their expense.
Butch Lloyd of Spinebelt, as the house lights come up at the Hilton. |
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