I'm moving!

Hi there,
Thank you for being a reader of my Blog. I'm going to be writing many more but I'm moving to a new neighbourhood. My Blog will now live at www.amandaeastonmusic.com. I hope to see you there!
All the best,
Amanda Easton
(Forever a PopTart)

The smaller the audience, the harder it is

Hi there,

At first glance this might look like a blog bemoaning lack of audiences at live music nowadays. Fear not! That is a well-worn whinge and I'm going somewhere else. 

I've been lucky enough from time-to time, to perform in front of big audiences. I think the largest was an Australia Day show in front of Parliament House in Canberra, which had an estimated live crowd of 30,000 as well as a television audience of who-knows-how-many. And I'm sure that's a drop in the ocean compared to the regular gigs performed by the Beyonces of the world.  People often ask performers how we cope with nerves on such a big stage. But the weird thing is, I think it's way more nerve-wracking to have a small audience! 

The Swell Sisters

I have a show called 'The Swell Sisters' which is a retro-style girl group act. Recently we were hired for a big birthday party interstate and the birthday boy went all out with a proper stage and professional lighting rig and sound set up in his football-field sized backyard. Trouble is, in a fit of pique from the weather gods - rare in that particular part of the country - it rained. I'll cut short the long story (which includes being plied with copious amounts of expensive champagne while waiting for said weather gods to stick their heads in) but we ended up performing inside, stage-less. In fact, we performed in his lounge room. Of course the number in the audience was the same as it would have been, but the whole thing was just so much...smaller. Instead of seeing the tops of heads and silhouettes of waving arms in front of the stage, we could see the whites of everyone's eyes and there was no getting away with any holes in our fishnets. In fact I think that is the difference, when you're up close and personal, you need to be 'authentic' and you can't get away with the broad strokes that distance allows. There's no escaping someone snarling at you with their arms crossed, or deciding Facebook on their phone is more interesting than you, or worse still, just leaving. And you can probably hear the discussion with their friend about your ugly shoes (yes this has happened to me).

Well the Swell Sisters' birthday performance went great - but we felt we had to work so much harder than usual and we all wondered how we would have coped if this had been in the early days of our careers. Experience is everything. Interestingly, we met someone at that party who managed very large entertainment events and he was interested in booking us. Only thing, he said, is that he was concerned we wouldn't be able to handle working on 'a large stage'. He took some convincing but we managed it in the end. Watch this space for an announcement on that very exciting Swell Sisters show which will be interstate towards the end of this year.

So next time you see an artist in a small space with a small audience, particular if it's in cabaret mode (ie people are actually watching and listening intently) don't underestimate the skills and nerves of steel they have had to acquire to be able to put themselves on display at such close range. And please pretend you haven't noticed the hole in their stockings. 

PS The Swell Sisters will be performing in front of a pretty large (and scarily, music industry-based) audience at this years ACE Awards in April, so maybe see you there?

Cheers,
Amanda
www.theswellsisters.com

Stevie Nicks - Shut Up and Sing?

Hi there,

Sadly I didn't get to see Stevie Nicks' solo tour recently but she has been widely criticised for talking too much between the songs. I remember being mid-chat on stage once and an audience member yelling out (affectionately, I think!) 'Shut up and sing!' It didn't offend me - I'm pretty happy when anyone wants to hear me sing! But I could very happily sit for hours listening to Stevie Nicks talk about her life and her music - it would be absolutely fascinating. But maybe it's those there primarily to hear 'Dreams' and 'Landslide' who disagree.

For me, listening to an artist speaking on stage is a big part of why I want to see them live and I feel short changed if an artist barely says a word. When I fall for an artist's music, I'm intrigued by the person behind the songs. Music is a universal language for sure, but it's a stylistic, mysterious language. The spontaneous 'chat' is a window into the personality beyond the experiences that an artist pours into their music. 

Adele is widely praised for her down-to-earth chatter between songs - I feel like she gets the balance right. One of my favourite bands in the world is Goldfrapp and the first time I saw them, in the US, lead singer Alison seemed to be having a rough night with her stage sound and the only speaking we heard her do was frustrated instructions to the sound engineer all night. The music performance itself was sublime but honestly, she didn't come across as very likeable because she never engaged with the audience beyond the music itself. The same kind of thing happened when I saw them at the Sydney Opera House. I'm a card carrying Goldfrapp tragic, so these experiences didn't deter me but they did take the sheen off my fandom for a while. Thankfully, at their recent performance at Vivid this year, Alison was in fine form and spoke at least 100 words - friendly and upbeat ones too! Of course I hung on to every one of them and my devotion was fully restored. 

It can be about expectations. In a theatre I think discourse is expected and accepted, especially with a seated audience. In a band situation, engagement with the audience is a must for me - sometimes an audience feels like they need permission to get up and dance for example. But spontanaeity is the key and you wouldn't want a lengthy monologue breaking up the flow of the music. 

What do you think? And I know some Stevie Nicks fans are reading this blog, so what's the verdict - more singing, less speaking? Or can she do no wrong?

See you next time,
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

You're an Artist, not a grey flannel suit!

Hi there,

I see lots of posts on Facebook saying: 'hey come and play at our venue!' 'And please bring the sound system! Oh, and the audience too!' We're not talking only newbie bands here either - there is a certain expectation, particularly in the original music scene, that a venue simply provides a space and everything else is up to you as the performer. 

Somebody I just met, when finding out that I was a singer, asked, 'so what do you during the day?' Working musos are well aware that the time we spend on stage is a fraction of the time we need to put in, in order to get up on that stage. It means ongoing practice and rehearsal, as well as the admin all small businesses deal with. But alongside being experts in our fields, apparently we must create the audience if we actually want to be paid for our expertise. Isn't that tantamount to a chef in a restaurant having to bring their own oven and pots and pans, and the diners as well? A chef is hired for their expertise after years of training and experience.  Just like us. As original artists we have the same workload as the gigging cover muso with the added task of actually creating the material we are performing as well! So all of this and then you can add the hours of promotion it requires to get the bums on seats in order to display the art and that expertise? Isn't this all really unfair? 

Well, yes! It is also a reality of the career we have chosen and I think it's important to understand our responsibilities. We can choose not to work with the venues who give artists absolutely no support or even better, try to work with them to educate them on how we can make it work better together. But even then, we have to think of marketing as a joint responsibility, whether we like it or not. 

I've co-produced and performed in a couple of shows at the Sydney Opera House and their internal marketing is excellent. They do email, online and printed marketing campaigns to an extensive database. They do onsite video, poster and flier promotion - all of which you have access to as long as you are not afraid of being just a little bit pushy. By the way, even though all this is offered, you still have to provide them with the actual promotional materials. But still, surely all that is enough to sell out a show? Unfortunately no. Even a show at the premier cultural venue in the country relies on the show itself to do their own extensive marketing. In most cases there is no budget for a promoter, so this means the artists must do it. 

And of course not every venue is the Opera House. And I'm certainly not saying that artists should put up with shitty deals and work their butts off at venues that don't pull their own weight. We should be choosy and support those who support us! But we also have to educate ourselves in the realities of doing shows. A Facebook post promoting your show here and there helps but that on its own will simply not cut it. Contacting local print, online media and community radio should be the bare minimum. Gig listings and constant and engaging social media work really helps. Phone calls, flyers and old fashioned mail still works. Email is very effective, particularly if it's personalised. There's plenty of marketing advice to be found via Google and personally I'm over that enduring attitude of: 'I'm an artist, I don't do business'. Business and marketing can be very creative. Let's harness those powers to fill up our venues again! Instead of just bitching about the state of the scene, let's get proactive and help it grow!

On that note, a great bunch of artists I know ;) are doing a show at The Basement in Sydney on Friday week, October 20. It will feature a slew of local pop, electronic, soul and swing artists and all to raise money for a great cause: A Billion Beats for the McGrath Foundation.

See you there!
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

What Singers Need to Know about Surgery

Hi there,

I'm sure everyone knows that surgery under a general anaesthetic is not something to be undertaken lightly. But did you know there is an additional concern when you're a singer? A singer friend told me years ago that his vocal cords got badly damaged when knocked by the breathing tube given to him during surgery under a 'general'. While he and his voice are back to normal now, it cost him months and months of extra work, vocal therapy and emotional turmoil. Is there information someone could have told him that may have prevented it?

I had the misfortune to need fairly major surgery recently and so I recounted my singer friend's story to my surgeon. He explained that in some cases there are different options that may help a singer protect their most valuable asset. He told me it is always worth asking your doctor whether using a mask, instead of a breathing tube, for the anaesthetic is possible. In my case apparently, as with most longer and more complex surgeries, unfortunately there was no choice. Oh well, I filed that away as good knowledge to have for the future. Knowledge that probably would never have been offered up unless I had prompted it. Reminds me of what we are always striving to teach the 7 year old: 'If you don't ask, you don't get'. A more religious person might say: 'Ask and you shall receive'.

So it's the day before surgery, I'm at the Pre-admission Clinic and one of the forms I need to fill out actually asks the question: 'Do you have any concerns about the general anaesthetic?' So of course I state here that I am worried, as a singer, that the use of a breathing tube could damage my voice. Judging by the look on the face of the Clinic Anaesthetist, she hadn't come across this response before. I recounted the experience of my singer friend. She gave me a very direct look and said something like: 'that kind of thing would be pretty rare. It's our primary concern as anaesthetists to keep you alive during surgery, whether that means you can sing or not.' I couldn't argue with her there but also couldn't help thinking she may have underestimated how much my ability to sing is caught up in my personal definition of 'alive'.

Now it's time for the actual surgery. I'm prepared and wheeled in by the nurses. I'm introduced to the anaesthetist who is looking after me for the surgery. After the usual questions about allergies and medical history she asks me, in what seems like a throwaway conversational question, what I do for a living. When I tell her I am a professional singer, she looks again at my chart and back at me sternly. 'You should have said something!' She calls in one of the nurses and says: 'this woman is a professional singer - we need to change the gauge of the breathing tube we're using!' She then speaks to the surgeon and asks him if he is aware of my occupation and tells him that they should take every precaution when it comes to working near my vocal cords. I explain weakly that I had told the pre-admission doctor. Obviously that doctor didn't think it important enough to note on my paperwork. This doctor leans over me so that her face is right next to mine and says quietly: 'every time you go under general anaesthetic there is a risk of your voice changing or being damaged temporarily or permanently. You need to know that and you need to make sure that whatever can be done to limit the risks, is being done'.

All's well that ends well and my voice seems to be as it was before. I have a great deal of respect for medical folk - the study, the hours, the dedication. But they're often pushed to their limits, especially in the public system. And even with every caution, let's face it, we need to be the number one person to care for ourselves. While there are times we may literally have to place our lives into the hands of medical experts, we can try not relinquishing absolute control where possible. I don't pretend that a few anecdotes and a surfing expedition with Google puts me in any position to know more than a doctor, but I do think any extra knowledge that I can bring to the table before I get laid out on one, can only be a good thing!

Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

How One Fan Stole my Voice

Hi there,

Let me say firstly that I'm sorry this isn't going to be a tale of some crazed stalker pinching my recordings or anything as equally intriguing, as my title may suggest. But it is about something more insidious for performers like me.

I did a gig recently where I completely lost my confidence. It was a new gig for me and I had a lot of new songs jostling for real estate inside my head so perhaps I wasn't as self possessed as I might have been with a more familiar repertoire. But really, I have been doing this a long time and I am often thrown into brand new situations, so what was so different?

It started almost as soon as the show began. A few times during the beginning of the first set, I opened my mouth and absolutely no sound came out.  I didn't have a cold,  my voice felt warmed up and in good shape before I hit the stage, so what was going on?  Eventually I spied in the corner of my eye, side of stage, a portable pedestal fan, aimed directly and going at full bore at my face. It was obviously meant to help the performers keep cool and combat the incredible humidity that hung in the air that night. The venue folk weren't to know that blasts of air like these were my Kryptonite.

Voices are as individual as the singers who possess them so not everyone would have had the same reaction I did, although it is fairly common. This fan was quite literally stealing my voice away by drying my mouth out. Anyway, I angled the fan away from me and that fixed the problem quick smart. Well one of the problems. I had my voice back but what to do about my desire to have the stage swallow me up because I was ashamed of my singing? It took the rest of the set to regain my equilibrium and I know my overall performance suffered as a result. Apparently I managed to summon enough superficial bravado to convince the audience that all was right with my world, and the momentary blips in my singing were barely noticed. But inside I was really struggling. And unfortunately, while I may be getting better and better at covering it up, this wasn't the first time I've let something like that throw me. It really reinforces the fact that singing and performing really are psychological games. Preparation, practice, skill - all vital, but sometimes confidence is everything.

Got any tips on how you handle your inner anxious dude?

All the best,
Amanda

Now if I were Mariah Carey...

Hi there and happy new year!

Did you hear about Mariah's NYE show? She is blaming the production team for sabotaging her set in Times Square when her in-ear monitoring failed to work. Whether the lack of foldback was intentional or not, I know for sure that the quality of sound a singer receives on stage is an absolute maker or breaker of a performance. Audiences hear something quite different to our sound so sometimes it is hard to get their sympathy but I really feel for Mariah.  We know that not being able to hear properly can potentially make us sing off key and usher in such insecurity that a great singer becomes a terrible one. But as Mariah said herself in this particular show's aftermath, 'shit happens'. The trick is to pull yourself out of it smelling like roses. While we may not all possess her vocal gymnastic ability or star power, I actually think we gigging singers have one thing over Mariah Carey. One of the benefits of not being a multi million dollar megastar is the multitude of less-than-perfect gig conditions you get to experience! Being thrown into difficult situations over and over again tends to prepare you to jump just about any hurdle and still land on your feet.

I was in a kids show where we three girls performed to an audio visual track that, at one particular venue with an outdated system, started to skip noticeably and eventually froze. So we girls created acapella singalongs and dance competitions on the spot. While it was very obvious to the audience we were suffering fairly major technical issues, we kept them involved and onside and noone complained. If anything, we got extra credit for handling ourselves well under pressure.

I once did a nationally televised Christmas gig that had a huge live audience as well. I was one of two backing singers for a band that was to support some well known Aussie artists and celebrities. About 20 minutes before the show started, we were told we would be leading the live audience in singing Christmas carols during the commercial breaks of the live telecast. We were to follow the autocue. My fellow backing vocalist warned me she was not hugely familiar with carols and we had zero time to prepare. But the idea was we two girls would sing with the band and the crowd would sing along following the booklets of lyrics they had all received. I think someone forget to tell the audience because when the band played the first carol, we were the lone voices. That wouldn't be so bad except the keys of the songs were completely female unfriendly and so, in front of 30,000 people, we were jumping up and down octaves and throwing in harmonies on the spot to make the songs sound decent. We were doing OK with the first couple of well known tunes when the next song showed up: 'Good King Wenceslas'. At its appearance on our autocue, my fellow backing singer gave me a look of panic. Ok, so I was on my own for this one.

Now I love my Christmas songs but I wouldn't put the Good King at the top of my list and was only vaguely aware of its work. But all was going fine until the end of the first verse when the autocue froze completely. So in front of 30,000 people I winged the rest of the song, largely repeating the first verse over and over again! I don't think many people were any the wiser although I'm sure no one would have blamed me for shutting up completely if they had known the situation. But as performers, we are more than just singers, and I think we have a contract with our audience to entertain them the best way we can, in any situation.

I'd love to hear what you would have done in Mariah's position. What I wouldn't have done is walk off stage mid performance, however tempting that might have been. That kind of thing only punishes your audience and hurts your own reputation. I would have let the audience know what was happening, to make them really feel involved. I would have told the production guy - over the mic - to turn off the backing track because my audience and I were going to sing in the new year together. Then I would have led them in an acapella version of the songs. I think it would be pretty cool to say that you rang in 2017 singing along with Mariah Carey, don't you?

I'd love to hear some of your gig horror stories...

All the best,
Amanda

Music: love it and it will love you back.

Hi there,

I recently had the great pleasure of performing as part of a 9 day music festival cruise. We musos spend a lot of time wringing our hands over a dying live music scene but certainly the success of these music cruises makes me wonder. This particular company just announced, after a few years in play, that it sold out its full series (ranging from Country through to Classical) of themed music cruises for the year. And that's around 2000 passengers and 30 bands per cruise. Sure audiences are attracted by the cruising life and the exotic destinations but these passengers pay a significant amount more for these concert cruises than a standard affair, so they must be coming for the music. On my ship, the shows were hugely well attended and well appreciated.  So audiences are there, for the right shows. Maybe we need to find more creative ways to present live music.  I've been to a small bar in Sydney that combines sneakers, champagne and fried chicken and that seems to work. What else can we merge with music? 

I can't help but think that if you treat live music with love, it will love you back. Could it be the lessening of respect given to live music over the years that has caused the scene in pubs and clubs to wither?  In most industries it's a given that if you treat your workers well, they will give the best of themselves. I really felt that was a guiding principal of the people who ran the music on my cruise. Looking at the 1000 seat theatre I was working in, at the incredible calibre of the production crew and facilities around me, I couldn't bear to give anything but my best. I was told I reached 'a new level' during one of those cruise shows and I'm talking about feedback from my harshest critic (my Mum). Do you think, if venues and bookers on dry land followed suit and instead of cutting back, paring down, they threw everything they had at providing the best conditions for their live entertainers, that the scene would be healthier? 

Over the years I've seen venues shrink their entertainment offerings until they are only content to hire solo performers with backing tracks. They are removing stages - my local pub has just spent a fortune on renovations and a bar maid told me they 'didn't bother' putting the stage back even though they are continuing with their live music. Do you think the performer on the Opera House stage is automatically more talented (or more deserving of respect) than the one performing on the floor in the corner of your local pub? Even though we know the answer is 'no', you can be pretty sure which one would get more love from an audience. Without the trappings that mark out entertainment as something worth looking at and listening to, how can audiences be expected to hold it in high esteem? As time has gone on, venues expect more, with some asking 4 or even 5 sets for the same fees they used to pay for 2 . How can artists be expected to deliver this at the same quality and without resentment? 

The standard of the musicians and the music itself on the cruise was very high, but what stood out most was we were all chuffed to be there. We were well paid and the conditions were fabulous. That was something the passengers commented on too, which in turn made them feel good. We felt valued and those extra touches like artist-only cocktail parties and notes of appreciation under the cabin door (the spacious cabin that featured a balcony and free room service) ensured that we did our best, if only to clinch an invitation on the next ship out... 
Hint hint!

Till next time,
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

Sorry Alicia Keys, I'm not with you on this one!

Hi there,

Alicia Keys didn't wear make-up at a big event recently and the media is having a field day as a result. What do you think? I'm all for authenticity from the artists I admire but I don't actually need their stark reality. I've always thought the job description of a pop star was to be an exaggerated, perhaps more glamorous version of their real selves. After all, I don't want to listen to anyone sing about their grocery shopping or look like they're doing it! If Alicia wants to go out on a Sunday morning to pick up her sourdough, sans lipstick, then she should be allowed to do so without comment. But she is a card carrying member of the pop star elite and has always presented us with a full face of glamour so no wonder there is a media storm about her bare face at an awards ceremony. Ms Keys says that she has never felt more liberated and more 'herself' than without foundation and blush. If that's the case, then of course she should continue that way. But as far as the #nomakeup movement she has inspired - no thank you very much! 

The literal spotlight we put ourselves under as entertainers, whether it be a TV studio's lights or the LEDs on a stage, casts us in a severe and unrealistic glare. Even newsmen wear some pancake and powder to counteract the harshness, so there are practical reasons for make-up to start with. For me, make-up, like hair dye and costume, is an important part of a theatrical toolkit that helps spotlight our artistry. I'm not talking about plastic surgery or magazine airbrushing - those things are artifice, but for me, painting your face is art. I'm not a big fan of heavy make-up in the every day, but I love seeing my face metamorphose in the mirror while making up before a show. Coating my eyelashes makes my eyes look bigger and thus more expressive from a distance on stage under those bright lights.  If eyes are indeed windows of the soul then eye shadow is the window dressing that invites you in. 

Make-up is part of a showbusiness ritual I love, one that helps regular me transform to a more theatrical version of myself. And is it really a gender issue as the media is suggesting? Is there a social pressure for women to slather it on? Perhaps so, but I personally don't feel it. And I love a man in make-up too - black-lined eyes are a regular sight on a rock stage for both genders and even my young son likes wearing nail polish. Anyway, take away my kohl pencil and I'll challenge you to a duel. I have a mascara wand and I'm not afraid to use it! 

See you next time,

xAmanda

www.amandaeaston.com

On being yourself...and playing the pan flute.

Hi there,

I did a cabaret gig today. I arrived at the venue early enough to catch the last 15 minutes of the act that preceded me. He was one of those old school entertainers who seem to be good at everything. I heard him play the piano, sing and even play the didgeridoo within the space of a few minutes. He played and sang a rousing version of 'We are Australian' that hit the audience right where they wanted it. He knew his crowd and had them in his palm - they were in raptures. But it was when he pulled out the pan flute that I really started to worry. That little insecure version of me living inside my head was saying  'All you do is sing! Listen to how they're clapping and cheering, and you're going on after him. How are you going to follow that?'

Then that little devil came out of my head and made herself quite comfortable on my shoulder, so she could leer and belittle directly into my ear: 'You'd better think of something you can do that's different and special or you're going to be a big let down!'

One of my favourite carpets. But is it enough to
make up for my lack of pan flute expertise?

It was a seconds before showtime and all I could think of that was special about me was that I had purple hair and a cool collection of carpet photos. I know, I could enter the stage walking on my hands? Except that I was wearing a long sequinned dress. And... I can't actually walk on my hands. 

So with no more time for thinking or listening to internal party poopers, I launched on the stage and into what I normally do. Which is just sing (people really clapped and cheered!). And tell a few funny stories about growing up and dates gone wrong (people really laughed!). 

One lady from the audience stopped me on my way out after the show and said, 'after that young man opened the show today, my friends and I were all feeling really sorry for you, knowing you would have to follow him, and him being so wonderful! Then she squeezed my arm and said, 'But you came out and we could tell you were just being yourself and it was wonderful in a different way.'  Aww, wisdom from the mouth of...well a wise older person.

I don't have to spell out the moral of this little story, do I?

Until next time...
xAmanda
www.amandaeaston.com

When Audiences Don't Like You

Hi there,

A singer friend of mine once joked (in that way things are said when they are absolute truth and no joke at all) that performers become performers because they crave the approval of others. That's a bit too scary to contemplate for me right now so perhaps that particular can of worms can be prised open another time. But I will agree that applause is pretty damn nice.

But have you experienced an audience that doesn't like you? Maybe they don't like the colour or your hair, tone of your voice, choice of repertoire or simply don't dig the cut of your jib? It's hard to please all of the people all of the time and how do we know what they actually think about us anyway? 

I recently did a piano bar gig where I couldn't help but notice an older gentleman in the audience giving me a definite look of distaste. He was facing me square on with his arms folded and a sneer on his face and every now and then he would say something into the ear of his companion - obviously about me. Of course this made me try even harder. I feel like I'm pretty good at matching a repertoire with an audience and so I looked at him and tried to chose songs I thought he'd like. I smiled extra big and tried to be extra charming. But I got nothing. No smile, no clapping, no positive response from this guy at all. Then at the end of the night as he was walking out the door, he pressed a $US100 note in my hand and said 'great job'. Whether that situation says more about my own insecurity or about how audiences often don't react as they feel, I don't know!

I worked with a very experienced professional comedian recently who was so completely put off by the punters' reserved response that he fluffed his lines and really struggled to stay on his game at all. As much as we love our applause and feed off an audience's reaction, surely our experience should allow us to override negative vibes and continue tap dancing as fast as we can?

I think we owe it to our audiences to deliver our best performance possible, regardless of their reactions, but it ain't easy! I'm sure we've all experienced cultural differences at shows. In my two years performing in Japan I got used to crowds who sat very passively, politely clapping in between songs but otherwise very unresponsive, only to have to wave away fanatical expressions of undying love and excessive praise from the same people, after the show had finished. 

I heard someone say recently that Aussie audiences are the rudest and least 'giving'. What do you think? If you tell me your story I promise to clap very hard and respond enthusiastically!

xAmanda
www.amandaeaston.com

So you want to be a Singer? Read this first!

'What do you want to be when you grow up?'
'I want to be a singer in a band!'

A wise musician said to me recently that in 'his day' you had to have 'a' band in order to work 5 nights a week, but that now you have to have 5 bands in order to work 1 night a week. I think he's right. I look at my calendar for this year - and it's only May - and I have already worked in 14 different musical projects, including bands, production shows and recording gigs. 

So if you want to make an actual living from this singing lark and avoid being just a weekend warrior, you have to be 'a singer in bands'. But it's more than that. Of course you have to learn 14 different repertoires but that's a singer's job. The voice is absolutely an instrument but you'll be working with people who play other varieties of instruments and it's a good idea to be able to communicate in the same musical language as they can, so you might want to study music theory. Some of the shows you do might be costumed and gone are the days when that is all supplied for you, so you'd better get some costume designing chops. You want to do a gig at this particular venue, you have to bring your own sound system - so you'll also be a roadie and a sound engineer. Oh did I mention you have to bring the audience too? Social media whizz, publicist. Don't forget the posters and fliers and maybe some advertising: graphic designer. You want to do your own show? Booking agent, producer, promoter, payroll. If you want to get involved in songwriting you better have some recording and production skills under your belt and you may have to negotiate your own royalty deals. Manager, lawyer.

Of course, sometimes singers get to work with real professionals in these aforementioned areas, and that is a joy, but as an independent artist, there are many times when the budgets and circumstances just don't allow for that and you will have to be all things to all people. Now don't think I'm trying to turn you off your chosen career here - I absolutely adore what I do and while there are growing pains involved in constantly learning new skills, I have learnt that no laurels are good enough to rest on for too long. Also, being so involved in all aspects of the career I'm passionate about, is ultimately very satsifying. It's just those times when you're talking chatting to someone about what you do for a living and they say something like: 'Oh so you do about 4 gigs a week - that's great, you are very lucky having all of that free time!'... 

Anyway, I need a cup of tea and a lie down after all of that - I need to keep my energy up in order to scramble up the next big learning curve that is no doubt coming my way,

 goofer.com

See you next time,
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

Gaga Got it Right (In Defence of Cabaret)

Hi there,

I know Lady Gaga is not everyone’s cup of tea – and that’s ok because there is no accounting for art or taste. Certainly her recent tribute to David Bowie provoked mixed reactions. The key word here is ‘provoke’. I think it’s great when music moves people and brings out their passion – isn’t that one of the most important jobs of art? I’m a big fan of Gaga but I’m an even bigger fan of Bowie. Funny thing is, while Gaga’s detractors criticised her for being ‘cabaret’ and ‘crass’ in her tribute, that’s exactly what Bowie’s detractors used to say about him! I’m not implying Gaga has reached the artistic heights of the Starman, but I think if he is in fact looking down at us from the stars, he would have approved of Gaga’s Grammy performance.

I don’t think ‘cabaret’ is a dirty word.  I was born with glitter in my veins and I believe that stripping away the ‘show’ and theatricality from our business has been part of its demise. I’m not a fan of mother-in-law jokes, faked emotion or jazz hands, which is what cabaret gets criticised for – but great cabaret is moving and capable of lifting us out of the ordinary. I think we need more cabaret  in rock and roll, not less. Thank goodness for the flamboyant likes of Bowie and The Darkness.  And now Gaga, following in their glam footsteps. 

When we started sticking one man bands in corners of pubs, without stages, lighting and all the fanfare and pizzazz we used to expect from live performances, I think it was the beginning of the end.  And of course there is a place for shoe-gazing, understated singer songwriter types but the reason they don’t appeal to me is the same reason I’m not a big fan of reality TV. I can look around me and see plenty of ‘real’ thank you. When I watch the box, I want surreal, wild imaginings, fabulous sets and costumes and other fruits of fantasy. I want heightened reality, not the everyday drama I can see if I look out my kitchen window.

So, here‘s to cabaret, old chum. And in that theme, here is my new music video, hot off the presses, the camp, cabaret-tastic world of the post-modern discoteque, ‘Disco Disconnected’
https://youtu.be/xXXdaWcuAuM

See you next time,

Amanda
Oh, and tickets to the Sydney launch of the new album here.

Just wear the Friggin' Hat!

Hi there,

Anybody watched the 'Nashville' TV Series? The portrayal of some of those music industry shenanigans are quite realistic I think. Anyway, I heard a story recently about an Australian Country Music star who was being groomed for US Stardom some time ago, but he was told he would have to wear the old 10 gallon cowboy hat to really make the grade. He refused. Another much lesser known (at the time) country artist stepped up to the plate instead, having no issue with the required head attire and he is currently selling out stadiums on his world tour.

I'm not suggesting it's always that simple but I do believe clothes maketh the man and woman. And is there a career where that applies to more so than the entertainment industry? There are uniforms and sartorial expectations for most jobs, but in a business called 'show' surely it is critical? I think it's about dressing appropriately and extremely. Give me a sparkly gown and a set of false eyelashes and I'm as happy as a clam - and if it made sense to dress up as a clam I probably wouldn't argue about that either. I guess it's all about making an effort and standing out. I mean there's a reason they put you on a stage and shine some lights on you isn't there? Live performance is a visual medium and I think a bit of exhibitionism is part of the job description. 

Of course you have to do what suits you as an artist - if your thing is indie grunge, then neck to knee sequins probably aren't quite right. Looking like you just rolled out of bed and onto the stage could well be - but then you should be wearing the extreme variety of 'just rolled out of bed'. Because if you haven't made an effort as a performer, why should your audience?

Now there's a hat...and the rest!

I was involved in a show recently which involved a band hired to back a group of artists. It was in a prestigious venue and we were going for a look that could be described as 'vintage theatrical'. The band were asked to wear a (pretty cool, appropriate) hat of the era and one member refused - he was just too cool for school. Now you can't have all-but-one member in headwear, it spoils the uniformity - so in this case, in my opinion, we lost something in our visual styling. 

We should want to make live music more than just about the actual music - it should be an experience that people take in with their ears and their eyes...so just wear the friggin' hat!
Till next time,
Amanda

Put me on the Door?

Hi there,

I've said 'Put me on the door?' many times myself and it seems such a small ask, doesn't it? Please just write my name on that precious piece of paper - the one in possession of the door biatch - so that I don't have to pay to get in the club. There was one period of my life and career that I wore as a badge of honour the fact that I never paid to get into any gig I wanted to go to. It was my selfish 20-somethings and I felt that my industry somehow owed me that.

I'd like to think that passing years have made me wiser and less selfish but truthfully, it has been my experience on the 'other' side of the velvet rope that has really made me think differently. When you ask for free entry to a gig, who is really paying the price?

I am now often the promoter of the shows I perform in. The promoter is the person at whose feet the financial responsibility ultimately falls. Depending on the deal, too few tickets sold can directly hit the promoter in the hip pocket. Venues are less willing to take financial risk nowadays, so will often offer 'door deals'. That means a promoter gets paid only by receiving a percentage of the ticket prices and out of that, must pay the band, possibly the sound system and engineer, promotional costs and any other expenses. Obviously in this situation, any tickets given away are tickets that can't be sold to help the promoter make costs. 

When you're an indie artist putting on your own gig, you're a promoter whether you like it or not. If all your friends and family ask to be 'put on the door', what chance have you got to break even let alone actually get paid for your work? For an indie gig I promoted at The Basement a few years ago, I worked out that even with a house almost full of paying punters, if I included all the hours I had spent working towards this event, my hourly rate would make even a Nike factory worker blush! 

I once invited an agent to see a show I was in, and I offered to put him on the door. He said he would be happy to come and see my gig but insisted on paying his way. His belief was that it was our duty to support each other in this industry and always paying to see gigs was one way to stop live music being devalued. That was the first time I had heard this particular point of view, and I eventually adopted it as my own.

So, is all this to say that no smart businessperson would ever give away tickets? Not at all! Recently I was working with an international act in their first time to tour in Australia. One of the venues for this act was only half sold, two days out from the show date. In this case, the act's promoter had negotiated a guaranteed fee, so the financial risk lay with the venue itself this time. As part of the deal, the venue had offered the promoter a small number of 'comps' which they had duly given to various industry folk - but they found they needed more freebies than were offered. Obviously the venue would prefer to sell than give them away so they decided to cross their arms and refuse to give the promoters any additional free tickets. But in this case, that is exactly what the venue should have done. In fact, they should have been giving away tickets with gusto! A full room is in everybody's interest. A full house creates the illusion of success - it's more exciting for the artist and even audience members prefer the atmosphere of a well attended show. Giving away unsold tickets is such common practice (I was lucky enough to see Pink at the Entertainment Centre as a result of this strategy) that it has a name - it's called 'Papering the House', and it is an art. Don't do it too early and risk losing last minute sales - and when you do do it, be discreet so that paying audience, media and reviewers don't suspect!

The bottom line is that giving away tickets directly affects someone's bottom line one way or another. We all know there is no such thing as a free lunch - we need to also realise there is no such thing as a free gig!

All the best for Christmas and a safe and successful 2016,
Amanda

Jessica Mauboy and Shoes for Sale

Hi there,
I don't know the real story behind Jessica Mauboy's no-show up at the mic at the Melbourne Cup but the thing that has surprised me is the reaction of many musos. On a lot of the local Facebook groups there has been an awful lot of bile about 'corporate whores' and bitterness in general about business and its involvement in music. 

We all like to stick it to The Man at times but a lot of people seem to believe current music has lost all its integrity because of today's corporate greed. The thing is, we would likely have no Beethoven, Bach or Mozart if it weren't for financial patronage in their times - whether from Monarchs, the Church or the Aristocracy. And weren't they the equivalent of corporations of the day? Many composers like these couldn't afford to eat, let alone write music for a living, without sponsorship. And let's face it, these patrons didn't provide the dosh purely for the love of art. They demanded a requiem for a funeral here, a waltz for an upcoming dance there and a sonata for the wife's birthday celebrations - composers commonly churned out classical works to the tune of the clanging of sponsorship coinage. Have things changed so much?

A few years ago my original band was invited to go to Malaysia to help promote Hennessy and Moet. I still wonder if that was all a fabulous dream. The companies hosted us in luxury for a week in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, all expenses paid plus a generous fee. In return we were to perfrom two short shows at events promoting their brands. I could sing my own songs, wear my own clothes and oh, here's the clincher...I was 'requested' to drink a glass of Hennessy on stage and to mention the brand. Then, if I didn't mind, I would be seen drinking a glass of Moet champagne after the set. Are you kidding me? I love corporate sponsorship. Not for a second did I feel like a whore - my integrity felt wholly and securely in tact. But isn't it all about personal integrity? And isn't integrity just that - personal? Hennessy VSOP Cognac is a glass of liquid heaven to me and Moet is in the top 2 of my favourite alcoholic beverages (Veuve Clicquot, I am willing to make myself available for you anytime). I am perfectly happy to endorse products like these, in a responsible way to an appropriate audience. I guess not everyone would feel the same way, after all alcohol definitely has a dark side - but we all need to march to our own drums. If McDonald's or Benson & Hedges came a-knocking, I'd have to decline their offers of private jet trips because I personally believe those companies and their products are evil and I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I said 'no thank you' to The Voice because it didn't sit well with me, but I'm sitting on the sofa cheering at the top of my lungs when friends appear on the show. One person's sell-out is another's symbiosis, so we can only do what feels right for us.

If you decide to be a professional musician, you are agreeing to exchange your art for financial reward. When money is involved there are always strings attached - it's up to you whether you feel those strings have turned you into a corporate puppet or you're just meeting reasonable terms of your employment. I can't imagine having an issue with sponsored footwear but when it comes to other fashion decrees - perhaps when they involve what not to wear - it could be a different matter...So, the first professional singing I ever did was with a girl group and we got offered a lucrative gig at a nightclub in Asia. Trouble is, we would have had to perform topless. Needless to say, we politely turned down that offer - a bridge way too far for all of us.

OK, back to Jess. One media report says she had a panic attack because her own management and the Race Management were bickering about her sponsorship commitments (ie wearing the shoes) minutes before she was to go on. Perhaps she should have worn them as part of her contract, after all there's a price you pay for getting paid such a high price! But no matter what kind of business transactions are involved, in the end music and performance is an affair of the heart and spirit and 'business' needs to understand that too. That's why these things are called relationships right? Both sides need to try to relate to and empathize with the other.

The only way to escape the association of music and business is to not enter into music as a business, and that's a fair choice. But for me, I think the right relationships - with understanding on both sides about what both sides need - can result in a good back scratching that benefits everyone. So I say bring it on!

Till next time,
Amanda
www.amandaeaston.com

When are you Too Old to Sing?

Hi there,

I had my 25th birthday while living in Japan, where I was singing with cover bands and writing songs. The Japanese always seemed obsessed with age to me. On meeting someone new, the questions would invariably be, in this order: "Where are you from?" and "How old are you?" When I answered '25' to the latter they would breath a sigh of relief and say: "Well that's OK then, still young". After experiencing this over and over I asked a hip Japanese friend what was going on. She explained that many Japanese people believed a woman was like a Christmas cake. Oh. Well I'm glad I asked... Luckily she elaborated, after an embrassed silence. "A Woman is like a Christmas cake because like the cake, after the 25th she is considered to be past her use-by date". Yes I can hear your gasps from here - shocking isn't it! So imagine my surprise when recently I find out that a current JPop (Top 40 Japanese Pop) Star is a girl by the name of Namie Amuro. Astonishing because guess who was a major JPop star when I lived in Japan all those years ago - the same 'girl'. So she is now 37 years old! Now don't forget we are talking Top 40 Pop! In Japan!

So are things changing? If an ageist society accepts a 37 year old as a Popstar then surely anyone can! A friend asked me recently, 'How long do you think you can keep singing?' It's not as if I haven't asked myself this question many times before. 

Putting aside all the Strolling Bones jokes, have you actually seen The Stones perform in recent times? That famous Jagger strut is still in fine shape and the whole band sounds rocking. There seems to have been a resurgence of late, of 'legendary' artists on tour and most of them are still getting rave reviews. There have also, of course, been past stars wheeled out again that have crashed and burned. I'm pretty sure I know why some heritage acts still have it and some don't. I'm no pedagog but I know that if I don't do any singing training or actual performing for more than a week, I can feel the muscles weaken. The Stones have never stopped doing what they do. Stars of the '80s who became stockbrokers or drug dealers when their starlight faded, only to jump on the Retro bandwagon more than 20 years later, can't expect to have the same skills they did in their heyday. Because they didn't keep it up. They didn't keep the muscles working.

Well that's me covered then. I have no intention of taking off more than a week here and there - I miss it way too much. So in decades to come when someone points out the 'little old lady with the (insert bright colour here) hair, wearing the sequins', you can say: "Oh that's Amanda, she's getting ready for a gig."

Till next time,
Amanda

Smoke is a Joke!

Hi there,

Now if you read my blog but don't know me personally, I worry you think I may be Diva-like with tech crew at gigs. I admit I do vent in this blog about sound issues at times...but I do really believe that the person twiddling the knobs behind a sound desk can absolutely make or break a gig for a singer. I do an average of 4 gigs a week and I promise it really is a very small minority of engineers I butt heads with (soundos reading this that actually like me, feel free to step in any time :)). Anyway, you'll be pleased to know I'm sharing the love today and bitching instead about lighting.

I had a daytime cabaret spot at a lovely club in Sydney a couple of weeks ago. As soon as I went to open my mouth for the opening lines of my opening song, I choked, literally. The hazer (modern smoke machine) had just disgorged its vapour uncomfortably near my face. I regained my composure and kept singing but as soon as I had a space between lines of the song I looked towards the sound and lighting booth and said, 'No hazer for me please, it makes me cough' and smiled apologetically. The haze continued, so at the end of the song I had to say it again - I hated having to make a big point of it so publicly but there was no way I could continue through the next 45 minutes with that malodorous miasma puffing in my face and down my throat. Interestingly, the audience were nodding their heads and saying things like, 'yeah get rid of it, we hate it too!'. 

I do get the hazer thing. It makes the lighting come to life. Some lighting effects simply don't have the impact without the smoke. But, come on, at what cost? Usually during soundcheck I make a point of asking - as politely as possible - that no hazers are used when I'm singing on stage. I always apologise to the lighting person in advance and concede I am making their job harder, but that the hazer makes me cough and means I can't do my job properly.

Most of the time the lighting person will say 'OK', even so with a bit of a snarl. But a conversation not long ago with one lighting person at a kids' show I produce, went something like this:

Lighting Dude: Why have you written 'no hazers please' on your lighting guide?
Me: Yeah sorry, we singers find they dry out our throats and make us cough.
Lighting Dude: But they make the lights look good.
Me: I know, I'm really sorry, but you know that smoke is really not a good thing to breathe in anyway and I have had health issues...
Lighting Dude: It's made from a chemical that is in chewing gum.
Me: Yeah, I would never eat chewing gum let alone breathe it in...
Lighting Dude: Do you drive? How about the stuff that comes out of the exhaust, that's really evil too.
Me: Yes, I really avoid opening my mouth right next to exhausts and breathing that smoke in...
Lighting Dude: We use the same hazers as the Opera House use. And they make the lights look good.
Me: (Diva alert!!) Well at least on my deathbed I can say that the lights in my shows looked great huh?

Yes that last comment of  mine was a bit extreme but the dude did shut up and he didn't use the hazer. As producer this was my choice anyway, not his. I also had a particular problem in this case because it was a kids' show and I didn't want to pump children's eyes and lungs full of something potentially harmful. Funnily enough, I produced a show at the Opera House recently (and they did indeed have the same type of hazers) and when I gave the Production Manager the lighting guide he read it and said, 'No hazers? OK.' No arguments, not even a snarl and still a great looking show.

I have done a bit of research on the chemicals used in hazers and it is actually difficult to get a definitive answer on their safety but there is plenty of research to show that actors and singers find them very drying on their throats, which negatively affects their performances. I spoke to a few doctors who agree that they are 'bad for you' with one Oncologist telling me that anytime you turn an organic material into smoke, it is potentially carcinogenic. 

We have only recently managed to clear our venues of second hand cigarette smoke - I for one don't want to replace it with another foul fume. 

Anyway, I may be creating a stink with this post, but all I want to do is clear the air!
Cheers,
Amanda
(The Accidental Diva)

www.amandaeaston.com

What the Opera House Taught Me

Hi there,

I recently co-produced and performed in a show 'Ladies Sing the Blues: a Tribute to 100 Years of Billie Holiday' at The Sydney Opera House, and, well, it was a sold out event! Forgive me for being boastful - but it's a big deal to me. And I really want to remember the important things I learnt from being part of this experience, so I'm writing it down:

1. Get the Best out of being in a Theatre: A theatre is a very different beast to your standard rock venue. About 50% of ticket sales are made through a theatre's own channels so their marketing is vital. However, access to their marketing channels isn't automatic. You need to be on their e-marketing mailouts, 'what's on' brochures as well as have printed and digital posters in their foyers and car parks. Asking for these opportunities once will probably not be enough. Keep asking, politely. Don't forget you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

2. It's a Theatre so be Theatrical: Consider multimedia. We used rare audio bites of interviews with Billie Holiday between each live set, creating atmosphere and visibly moving our audience. 

Co-Producers Amanda Easton & Lady Cool

3. Maximise the Space: Most rock venues (in Australia anyway) offer you a fairly set template for your show eg, two x one hour sets starting at 8:30pm, with a 20 minute interval. As producers in a hired theatrical space, you can make up these guidelines yourself, within reason. Next time I would consider adding a Matinee alongside a night time show to get value out of the venue and crew costs.

4. Understand the Box Office: One of a producer's first jobs is 'building the Box Office'. Know what you can charge for tickets ie how many seats do you need to sell to break even and what kind of ticket prices will the market sustain/expect? Consider all your direct ticketing expenses including taxes, ticket printing charges, 'Inside Charges' (the theatre's cut) credit card costs and third party agency (eg Ticketek) fees. Consider how student and pensioner discounts, media and promotional comps will affect your bottom line. Insist on daily Sales Reports so you can see what marketing is working. We were almost at capacity a week before out event so we knew, for example, that a newspaper ad then would be a waste of money.

5. Have a great professional business team: Ours included co-producers, a patron/executive producer, commercial printer, a photographer and a publicist with great contacts in Metropolitan Media. TV and Radio give vital exposure as well as add legitimacy and prestige to an event. Social media marketing is important but not enough. You need good Marketing Collaterals, including a promo video, cast photo, press release, media backgrounder and eye-catching graphic art and strap lines.

6. Don't forget you're an Artist too: It is very easy to get caught up in the all-consuming business of putting on a show and forgetting that you are part of the show as a performer too. Having a Stage Manager helps separate your responsibilities as producer and performer on the night.

7. Don't be Scared to be Scared: The feeling (akin to dread or perhaps indigestion) I get in the pit of my stomach when I feel like I'm taking on more than I can chew - that's a good sign. They don't call them 'growing pains' for nothing.

xAmanda
www.amandaeaston.com