Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Young Musician: Making it to the Top
2:23 PM | 
Posted by
Rebecca Bailey
Coachella 2010 is officially over, but it's still on the forefront of many of our minds- with the fuss over Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption, European band cancellations like The Cribs, crazy Coachella style and tons of creativity, as usual. To play at Coachella is an incredible recognition. This year, Jay-Z and Muse headlined the 3 day concert to a record attendance of 225,000 listeners. It's an emerging college band's dream. Of course, it takes time and effort to make it to the top- so what steps can a band take to make it to the big league? Classes, papers, midterms and meager finances can all make the thought of going on tour or even producing a good- quality gig seem slim. But there's still a lot of room for college talent to shine, in local venues as well as nationally.
First, utilize the equipment and spaces that your college owns. Most likely, you have practice rooms, recording equipment, professional performance spaces and even editing software at your fingertips to hone your sound 24/7. Your campus music department will also have some talented music professors, some of whom might serve as mentors or guides. They'll know where all the best venues are, the cheapest and most reliable repair shops for your instruments and a slew of other necessary info. If you need help with figuring out how to record and edit your music, they'll know that too.
Second, you're probably not the only band on campus or in the area. If you team up with a few other bands you like and would enjoy performing with in one venue, package yourself to local restaurants or clubs as a pre-assembled night of fresh tunes from around the area. They don't have to do the leg work of finding, contacting and checking up on each and every band, and you just scored a gig!
Third, don't discount the opportunity of playing at your own campus, no matter how small. My college boasts only 600 students total, but we held over 8 big events a semester, all of which included the need for awesome music. Performing for your fellow students can earn you a lot of campus recognition, and also a guaranteed crowd at your local gigs.
Fourth, Radical Radio is here to help! It's The Rainmaker Network's newest venture, and it's all about promoting bands like yours on a national level. Radical Radio supports fresh, unsigned college artists and bands by streaming their music to over 100 campuses nationwide. Look out for the launch of our player in May- just in time for summer.
More tips to success coming soon from Will Hoback, Wells College alumni and vocalist for The Coast of Nebraska.
Rebecca, Radical Radio Correspondent
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