Frequently I get asked about how I was able to grow my network so quickly and from such a young age. This is legitimately a great question because even as a teenager with no real industry gigs as it were, I feel like I quickly became a very connected individual. Now the secret behind this was not just the constant content creation. There are a lot of people who were creating as much content as me who didn’t get the opportunities that I did. Nor was a deep knowledge of metal. I’ll be the first to admit that there are a ton of people out there who have a deeper knowledge of metal than me. No, what it was, was that I was the guy who was at every festival and who was able to use festival culture as a way to make my presence known and then start to grow a future for myself in and industry that so often seems not to care.
The thing is, as much as I rant all the time about how important it is to go to shows because that’s where people who are anybody hang out, it’s doubly true of festivals. At the end of the day, if you aren’t in festival world regularly then you are shooting yourself in the foot. This is because festivals are basically a guaranteed hotspot for industry. Even smaller local festivals are almost certain to have journalists, photographers and other local promoters in attendance who you can meet. Now when you go to these things I’m not saying you should look for the highest of VIP’s and then try to connect. Simply realize that by being in proximity and being cool eventually you will start to get some intros. Sure, this might take a long time and it’s not always self-evident, but it’s a question of at-bats. You are much more likely to get at-bats and opportunities to impress people if you are out and about.
On top of this is the simple fact that if you are able to be helpful at festivals, then real people are going to check you out. Remember that if shows are gatherings for music fans then festivals are rapidly become gathering areas for music nerds. This is not true of all festivals, but for a genre like metal, especially the rarefied world of underground metal, you are dealing with people who spent hundreds of dollars to see weirdo bands only a few thousand people in the world like. What this means is that when you make friends with these people they are probably likely to only be a few degrees of separation from the other people around them. So, if you meet some dude who just happens to be cool and he sees you don’t suck maybe you can meet his friend who is a manager. The odds that you actually meet someone cool though go up disproportionately when you are at an appropriate event.
It’s not only that though, you are much more likely to be able to meet cool bands at festivals because they are playing the damn things. If you meet bands then you can tell them about your band. Now you don’t need to be weird about it, just be a cool guy. This is always the key. The guy who shows up to a fest explicitly to sell himself can always be spotted. You need to go as a normal person looking to make friends and grow. There’s a way to not come off salesman-like and it’s tricky, but it comes from practice. Simply, be genuine and kind to people and you’ll be surprised how quickly things can work in your favor. Even something as simple as going up to a band and telling them how sick you think they are can lead to a meaningful relationship that will pay off over the long-term. But it has to come from a genuine place of love.
So, you’ve got this thing where industry people are guaranteed to be there, as well as cool bands, if you play your cards right you could meet both of them. Is there anything more that you could want out of this? I don’t think so – especially since even if you don’t manage to network, you’ll have a good time regardless. These relationships are fairly easy to build and though they might be step by step, as they manifest over time are going to wind up being very meaningful. The music business is a weird place and so often you have to fake it until you make it. Well, faking it becomes a lot easier when you know the right people, and when you know the right people other steps start to fall into place and you begin to have meaningful opportunities that will work out over the long run. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Long story short – go to festivals, and even if you have to pay, suck it up. This is the best place to meet people in the biz who are meaningful and a great way to create connections with bands and fans who want to help grow. Don’t show up and be a gorn lord – no one wants to deal with that. Instead, just appreciate festival culture for what it is – a fun way to see bands and hopefully meet cool people. If you take a lot of at-bats and meet a lot of cool people then you are going to have more opportunities to grow your band. Be patient, be kind, be present. Half of the game is just showing up.
MATT BACON
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Matt Bacon is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Having worked with everyone from Glam Rock icon Phil Collen of Def Leppard, to post Black Metal titans Alcest, by way of legendary thrashers Exhorder as well as labels including Prophecy Productions and Ripple Music, he has dedicated his life to helping young bands develop. Having started his own blog at the age of 14 he views his career in artist development as ‘a hobby that got out of hand’. In 2015 he formed Dropout Media in order to better support the artists he loves. We sit here now, years later with countless tours booked, records released and deals signed, and loving every minute of it.
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