In the eighties it was all new romantics and hair metal, then grunge and britpop in the 90’s among other things. Now we’ve got, um, skinny jeans but enough about them. The difference with now is that all of those new genres in the past never went away. This is evident when you take a look at what acts are playing in your nearest city. There’s new rock music like arctic monkeys and rhianna next to acts like AC/DC and Bob Dylan. It always surprises me who’s still touring. So while punk, grunge, rave and all the rest all faded out of the mainstream after the initial scene wore out they never went away entirely.

Whatever music you play there will be a market for it somewhere no matter how small. How do you attract the attention of your market? Well, to start you need to decide what genre your music falls into. A lot of acts will pipe up and say “we’re a fusion of rock, ska and pop”. Unless you do genuinely fall into a mix of genres don’t say you do. It will only confuse your potential audience. It also leads people to expect some crazy new sound. If you have one go for it but genres are there for a reason. So that people can find new music that they will have a better chance of liking. It’s possible to alienate potential fans by describing your sound as emo hardcore when you’re actually just rock.

Once you’ve decided what you sound like you can start to target the right people. Instead of random friend adding (something i’m guilty of) on social networking sites or putting up posters all over town (this works a treat if you’ve got a good budget behind you) try and focus your efforts on the people with an interest in your genre, people that are in your local area and also postering the hell out of your local venues. Social media sites have made it easier than ever to connect with your fan base and in my opinion do away with the middle man. I.e. The label. Once you’re connected with your audience make sure you have something to offer them like a download, mailing list, video or a gig in their area. This should help you get your music in front of the right ears.



By: Calum Macleod

About the Author:

Emo

Chris Brown – Graffiti

If the entire assault and battery charges against his then girlfriend, Rihanna hadn’t happened, this album probably wouldn’t have been given such terrible reviews. It’s not a very good album but it’s not a terrible album either. The fact is that it is just another boring R&B album talking about money, clothes and Mercedes parts that fails to address the situation that Chris Brown finds himself in. Rihanna on the other hand took to the issue head on with her dark, experimental and introspective new record that was released on the same day as Brown’s Graffiti. Too bad Brown didn’t use the negative publicity of the incident to put out a unique record that wasn’t full of faceless and largely obnoxious R&B.

Kris Allen – Kris Allen

The American Idol runner-up is going to have a hard time breaking out of this boring and likable pretty-boy image that his people have boxed him into. There is nothing unique or special about his debut record, and its biggest fault is that Allen doesn’t have much of a personality. The 13 soft rock tracks on the record fail to do anything to excite or innovate the genre and fine Allen floating along a little too comfortably. At least Adam Lampert has the guts to throw in some glam and 70s hard rock influences into his record. Allen could have a good record in him if he broke free of his boring, everyman image and actually wrote some clever tunes.

Tokio Hotel – Humanoid

I’m still waiting for this band to fall off the face of the earth, and hopefully, with the critical hate pounded on this record, it is sooner rather than later. This ugly German band rode high on the teen-pop moment of Disney’s Highschool Musical stars and the Jonas Brothers, banking on their emo hair styles and piercings to set them apart and endure them to the slightly more edgy teenagers. Their music is a shiny mix of pop-punk and soaring wannabe emotional theatrics that come off as cloying and robotic, but maybe that is the point. There are catchy melodies but these guys are going to have a tough time reconciling their image when they age a few years.



By: Kasan Groupe

About the Author:

Emo Hairstyles

Cardif – the music capital of Wales.

Well yes, it’s also the capital of Wales, but for a small city there is a lot going on music-wise. Cardiff and Newport combined have more bands and venues per square kilometre than many a city twice their size. Talented bands from the depths of the valleys also emerge blinking in the daylight every now and again to play the capital

Bet you didn’t know that South Wales was also the UK birthplace of nu-metal and emo, home to bands such as Lostprophets, Funeral for a Friend and Bullet for my Valentine

Cardiff sports many venues, from the usual 150-capacity pub to the internationally renowned Millennium stadium which can house over 60,000 people for a gig. In between there are a wealth of cosmopolitan bars, student venues, converted churches and all manner of halls where South Wales can play host to their own talent and the many visiting bands who want a piece of Welsh action.

In Cardiff, one of the smallest venues has to be the Buffalo Bar, although that doesn’t mean it’s one of the least popular. No, the Buffalo Bar is still one of the places to be ’scene’ amongst Cardiff’s better-off 20-somethings. Its younger brother, 10 Feet Tall, also showcases a range of local bands and regular club nights, and a wider clientele.

Another bijou venue is Clwb Tafod, in the bowels of the Riverbank Hotel on the banks of the Taff opposite the Millennium Stadium. Previously home to Cardiff’s crazy rock and metal night, Fuel, which didn’t take long to outgrow the venue, it now hosts eletronicness and various DJs.

Several pubs put on gigs regularly, such as Callaghan’s, O’Neill’s and Dempsey’s in the city centre. Dempsey’s rent their upstairs bar to various young, budding musical entrepreneurs and fortnightly to roaming indie night ‘Twisted by Design’.

Cardiff University has three ‘rooms’ of varying sizes for their gigs – CF10, Solus and The Great Hall (and that’s only if this year’s influx of students hasn’t voted to change the venues’ names again). Tommy’s Bar provides UWIC students with their fill of bands with regular gigs from promoters The Family.

The best known venues in the city centre for live music must be the Barfly, Clwb Ifor Bach (aka The Welsh Club) and Cardiff International Arena. The Barfly is the smallest of the three, underground with a single stage. But being part of the Barfly group with six venues across the country, it is never short of the latest headliners.

Clwb Ifor Bach has three floors and two stages, the middle floor usually being used as backstage or a chillout room on dance nights. It puts on a huge variety of gigs and is also available to rent for promoters wishing to put on their own bands.

Cardiff International Arena hosts large, well known touring bands from the UK and abroad. Sometimes they feel the need to seat their audiences, and not only for those bands where the fans would have trouble standing up for longer than an hour.

The Coal Exchange and The Point are both Cardiff Bay venues, by Mount Stuart Square. The Coal Exchange is currently undergoing repairs or refurbishment, and will be closed until 2009. Which is a shame as it’s a good sized venue, somewhere between the size of the University’s CF10 and the CIA. Although Cardiff has a good range of venues it’s lacking in ones of this size.

The Point is a converted church and for some inexplicable reason makes for a fantastic venue. The stage is more than big enough for a venue of its size, everyone gets a good view, and it always inspires a rather good atmosphere. It’s larger than the Barfly or a single floor of Clwb Ifor Bach so you get room to move (and breathe without inhaling someone else’s hair).

Newport has its share of good niche venues too. Following the demise of the original Mauringer pub and its rock dukebox, Le Pub on Caxton Place is now the only place with an ‘alternative’ dukebox. Gigs aplenty are held upstairs in the rather unsuitably shaped bar, where no one can see the band unless they are seven feet tall or standing in the front row.

TJ’s is the infamous venue at which Kurt Cobain was supposed to have proposed to Courtney Love. Lucky it has had a major facelift which although an improvement to the levels of human comfort, may have detracted from its pure punk charm.

Newport Arena is the larger venue for the town with a capacity of about 1500. This place was hopping in the heyday of Funeral for a Friend and Goldie Lookin’ Chain but now seems to be remarkably quiet apart from appearing in the locally filmed Doctor Who, maybe even shut.

Cardiff does have just about all the types and sizes of venue you could hope to find in one place, although there’s plenty of room for one of about 300-500 capacity…



By: Finch Preston

About the Author:

Emo Hairstyles

In the eighties it was all new romantics and hair metal, then grunge and britpop in the 90’s among other things. Now we’ve got, um, skinny jeans but enough about them. The difference with now is that all of those new genres in the past never went away. This is evident when you take a look at what acts are playing in your nearest city. There’s new music like arctic monkeys and rhianna next to acts like AC/DC and Bob Dylan. It always surprises me who’s still touring. So while punk, grunge, rave and all the rest all faded out of the mainstream after the initial scene wore out they never went away entirely.

Whatever music you play there will be a market for it somewhere no matter how small. How do you attract the attention of your market? Well, to start you need to decide what genre your music falls into. A lot of acts will pipe up and say “we’re a fusion of rock, ska and pop”. Unless you do genuinely fall into a mix of genres don’t say you do. It will only confuse your potential audience. It also leads people to expect some crazy new sound. If you have one go for it but genres are there for a reason. So that people can find new music that they will have a better chance of liking. It’s possible to alienate potential fans by describing your sound as emo hardcore when you’re actually just rock.

Once you’ve decided what you sound like you can start to target the right people. Instead of random friend adding (something i’m guilty of) on social networking sites or putting up posters all over town (this works a treat if you’ve got a good budget behind you) try and focus your efforts on the people with an interest in your genre, people that are in your local area and also postering the hell out of your local venues. Social media sites have made it easier than ever to connect with your fan base and in my opinion do away with the middle man. I.e. The label. Once you’re connected with your audience make sure you have something to offer them like a download, mailing list, video or a gig in their area. This should help you get your music in front of the right ears.



By: Calum Macleod

About the Author:

Emo Hairstyles

Many people have negative associations with the emo, alternative, and punk scene, without really understanding it is really about. What many people don’t know is how many people and bands in the scene work with various charities and organizations to bring about positive change.

To Write Love On Her Arms is an organization that raises money for, and awareness about, depression, suicide, self-harm, addiction, and related issues. They host events with prominent bands in the scene, work with tours to spread their message, and generally cater to a segment of society that many people find it easy to turn their backs on.

Meanwhile, there is an annual tour, started by Hopeless/Sub City records called the Take Action Tour. Many labels, Web sites, and punk companies come together to sponsor the tour, from which proceeds go to non-profit organizations. The idea of the tour is to “create a better world, one voice and one action at a time.” Many bands come together to perform, but also to raise awareness to real causes that are affecting the people in this country. Louis Posen of Hopeless Records has even been called “the Paul Newman of punk rock” for his extensive donations to, and involvement with, charities.

Many people in the scene also look to care for animals. There are countless punk bands involved with peta2, mostly campaigning for simple things like humane treatment of chickens that will eventually be slaughtered. While the group obviously would like to see people go vegetarian or vegan, that agenda isn’t pushed as much as simple humane treatment. As such, the bands who work with the organization are simply trying to bring a small, yet positive, change to the world. peta2 sponsors tours and sends representatives to bigger tours, as well.

While a lot of lip service is paid to other countries in crisis, groups like Invisible Children work to help raise awareness and money to help the children soldiers in Darfur. The band Fall Out Boy, in particular, has done a lot for this charity, including visiting Darfur to raise awareness and filming a music video there that tells the true story of what happens to the children who are kidnapped and forced to fight a war against their will.

Another band, Coheed and Cambria, has raised money for Alzheimer’s awareness, including playing benefit shows. They have also used their voice within the scene to speak out about the way the disease ruins people’s lives. My Chemical Romance has taken cancer as their cause, and have played benefit shows where every penny went to charity. Meanwhile, on their Black Parade tour, one dollar from every ticket sold — a significant amount when you consider how many people fill arenas — was donated to charity.

Labels such as Fat Wreck Chords have released compilations that are dedicated to political change — or simply engaging people in politics for the first time. When elections happen in this country, many labels and punk bands speak out about the importance of voting, as well as the importance of being educated about what you’re voting for.

While it is easy to simply look at emo, alternative, or punk kids as outcasts who don’t care, these are but a few of the charities and causes that are embraced by the scene at large. Many bands choose their own charities and donate money and/or play benefit shows for them. They also encourage their fans to pay attention to the world around them and try to make a positive change. Maybe today would be a good day to start looking at those “funny looking people” in a different light?



By: NIcole Lero

About the Author:

Emo Girl

Emo music has recently hit the charts, with its confessional lyrics and expressive melodies.  But what is emo music, and why has it become so popular?  

Emo, is a rock style of music that started as a branch of hard punk music in the late 1980’s.  First originated to describe the Washington D.C. music scene in the early 80‘s, emo is now marketed and accepted worldwide.  Defined as ‘emotional hardcore’, or ‘emocore’, rock bands immediately took a liking to this new style.  With the new indie movement gaining popularity, some bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate have blended their own rock/punk with indie to create a version of emo.  After the initial breeding of emo/indie and emocore the Midwest took the idea by storm, signing several labels of the new style.

Now, into the 2000’s, emo has moved into the mainstream music scene with bands such as Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eat World.  Fall Out Boy has become more than popular with their own version of emo.  

Emo, now, is not only about a new type of music, but has also influenced the fashion world.  After the Nirvana grunge explosion, bands wanted to take the idea further.  In the teenage world, emo, is all about the skinny jeans, tight-fitting ratted t-shirts and studded jewelry.  Mixing overly bright clothes with black has thrown gender-specific clothing out the window.  Young men are now proudly wearing eye liner, and women are wearing men’s chained jeans, to make an impact.

Some emo bands, such as Jawbreaker have taken emo to their extreme, writing lyrics about being sad a night, expressing bodily harm and unspoken phobias.  Jimmy Eat World’s song ’The Middle’ took number one on the Billboards Modern Rock Tracks.  This song, expressing a girl who feels saddened and left-out, and will, ’be alright’.

It has been said that sadness has already been lyricized by early rock bands such as Poison, screaming at relationship issues and heartache.  But marketers believe that emo, takes that very idea to a new level.  Corporations such as Coca-Cola and Microsoft have already sponsored a great deal of the newer emo bands, leading the soda drinking and internet worlds to quickly catch on.

Heavy emotion has not been an easy concept to turn into music.  Most of the population turn their car radios on to be uplifted after a hard day’s work.  Bands have recognized this, and Emo has been expanded to not also provide the population with songs of extreme happiness; although, this is not the norm.  Bands like Texas Is the Reason and Fugazi were the first to initiate this swing in definition.

Emo has just begun to tear through the United States, Australia and England, although not so surprisingly, Amsterdam is one of emo’s largest selling cities.  Adding electric riffs and dance influence, the emo style is adapting to what people like to hear on the radio.  Emo is ambiguous. and it seems it will be, until further contributors begin to use similar elements.  Although, metaphorically, emo’s gloomy roots still remain.



By: Jeff Bachmeier

About the Author:

Emo Photos

Music is a universal language; a beautiful language that your soul and heart responds to amazingly well. It appeals to you. Whether it is blues, emo, indie or alternative songs you can always depend on music to take you through some instances in life when everything else fails. That is why you love music.

You love music because it is beautiful. You can not express the beauty of music as in a flower, a lovely face staring at you or the satisfaction you get from a lovely meal. You know that it is wonderful. That is why you cannot get enough of it. You play your emo, indie or folk songs every time and everywhere. You take it with you to work, to jog or to shop. You find it everywhere. It is all around us because it is beautiful and exquisite.

We enjoy music because it is great company. Think of that instance when you are driving on the highway. The stereo blurts out your favorite folk song and all you can do is tap on the driving wheel. Music makes good company. When listening to it with a loved one, you don’t even need to talk. It keeps you locked in the moment, taking you through that time until you are blessed again to enjoy it. As company, you exercise with it, work with it and dance to it. That is why you love music so much.

Music keeps you connected with people who matter to you. Your spouse, loved one, friends and family all know what you love listening to. When buying you music as a present, they are the ones who know what will put a smile on your face. Listening to your best indie, emo or folk songs with friends or family helps you create closer bonds. You all make the time to share a beautiful thing. You sit together making light conversion and just taking in the moment. This creates memories that will always keep you connected to your loved ones. It is yet another reason why we adore music.

Celebrations and parties would never be the same if were it not for music. The blues, alternative and indie song help create an electrifying atmosphere. The music builds the mood. It helps set the pace. Whether it is a national event or a simple anniversary party at home, music makes or breaks the event. When it is just right, it lifts our moods and takes us to another high. At that moment everything is possible. And you can’t help but shout,  “more music please!” And your love for music just keeps increasing.

Finally, you love music because it appeals to you and you know you can share it with people around the globe. When a song about hunger is done, you respond to it by making your contribution. This is because you love music, it is great company, it makes you laugh, and unifies all people as humanity.

For more information, visit us at www.digbands.com



By: Dante Simon

About the Author:

Emo Photos

The vast majority of true rock and roll and blues artists have grown up and lived on the poor side of town. Today, the same rings true, as many of Austin’s local musicians can be found just east of IH-35, where the streets are a little tougher and the rent a little easier to pay. It makes sense that several live music venues are found on Red River Street, where downtown Austin and East Austin converge, just one block west of the interstate.

Though live music clubs can be found sprinkled around town, Red River hosts eight of them within a few block stretch. The music genres vary slightly on Red River with Rock, and its offshoots, as the primary focus. As opposed to the dueling piano players or slew of cover bands normally found on 6th street, the bands playing on Red River are playing all original music, and hoping to find enough fans to build up a following and gain some recognition, since the money they will take home is usually based on the number of people coming through the door.

Clubs such as Headhunters and Room 710 draw a hard rock audience that can be filled with tough punks and fans from the local roller derby teams. Club Deville and Mohawk both have fantastic outside stages with limestone cliffs jutting out from behind the stage, and dark as pitch seating areas inside for relaxing between sets.

Randall and Donya Stockton opened their Red River club Beerland after their old club, Bates Motel, burned down on 6th Street. The Stocktons offer opportunities to up-and-coming bands looking to play their first show, as they have live music six nights a week, with several live acts a night. Gearing more towards a garage rock crowd, Beerland books national and touring acts, as well as local favorites, with a cover charge rarely exceeding five dollars.

Emo’s is probably the most well known and longest lasting club, situated on the corner of Red River and 6th Street. When the club opened in the early 90s, there was no cover for those 21 and up, and a one dollar cover for minors. Today, they still offer admission to all ages, and have grown larger, now with an indoor stage for smaller shows, and a larger outdoor stage for better known acts. Most recently, they have opened the Emo’s Lounge, and can have three live shows playing simultaneously. During the South By Southwest Music Festival of 1994, Emo’s had a surprise guest appearance by Johnny Cash, which is still one of the most talked about club performances in town.

Recently Austin-based independent concert promotion company C3 Presents took over national booking duties for Emo’s, already doing so for Stubbs BBQ, the club located north on Red River. C3, best known for booking the largely popular Austin City Limits Festival in September, vows to not raise prices at the door, though the days of a two dollar cover are long gone. However, as a treat to Austin’s music loving public, Emo’s still offers “Free Week” the first week of every new year, and keeps Red River’s music community going strong.



By: Dane

About the Author:

Emo Girl

Owning a music collection is fantastic. Songs such as blues, emo, alternative or indie are soothing, calming. You can always depend on them for great company. An acquisition of your favorite music gives you satisfaction that you have a little treasure that is entirely yours.

A good tip when making your own music collection is to start early. Do not wait until you are thirty to start buying music. You can aim to save some money and buy one great piece every three months.

When buying music, make it a policy to only get what is special to you. Shop for emo, indie, or folk songs when you are absolutely sure you love it and you can listen to it even after the hype has died down. Otherwise you risk buying a piece at a fortune only for you to give it out because you don’t like it any more.

It is wise to window shop just to make sure you are getting the best deal. This requires you to visit a number of shops before settling on a particular store. It is a good way for you to check out plenty of music available for sale. Stop where there are sales, you might get your favorite album of music video selling at a very fair price.

Check out the internet as well. It is awash with sites where you can buy music. Do not settle on a single site. Sample a number of them before making a purchase of your blues or alternative songs. Similarly, test the wide variety of music available on the internet. You will be shocked at what you can find.

If you love traveling, then this is an opportunity for you to buy music and make a collection from different parts of the world. Music is a universal language. You are sure to really like folk songs from another part of the country and not just yours.

As buying music can be very costly, it is wise to be frugal with your money. Don’t just buy what you see unless you are convinced it is the best price you can get for it. Always remember to check out a number of stores or online shops before settling for a purchase. Consequently, when the deal is very appealing, think twice. You might be buying pirated or copied music.

It is a good idea to buy only original music if you intend it to be for your collection. This makes you enjoy the high quality produced music videos, blues, emo or indie songs. As a collection is meant to be there for a very long time, buying genuine and authentic pieces will help serve this purpose.

Your original music should always be kept safely where you can access it when you need it. Make copies to be used for birthdays, graduations or any other parties. Failure to do this might put your collected item in harms way. It’s also wise to make a copy for use in your car or outdoors, you never know what might happen.

For more information, visit us at www.digbands.com



By: Dante Simon

About the Author:

Emo Photos

The vast majority of true rock and roll and blues artists have grown up and lived on the poor side of town. Today, the same rings true, as many of Austin’s local musicians can be found just east of IH-35, where the streets are a little tougher and the rent a little easier to pay. It makes sense that several live music venues are found on Red River Street, where downtown Austin and East Austin converge, just one block west of the interstate.

Though live music clubs can be found sprinkled around town, Red River hosts eight of them within a few block stretch. The music genres vary slightly on Red River with Rock, and its offshoots, as the primary focus. As opposed to the dueling piano players or slew of cover bands normally found on 6th street, the bands playing on Red River are playing all original music, and hoping to find enough fans to build up a following and gain some recognition, since the money they will take home is usually based on the number of people coming through the door.

Clubs such as Headhunters and Room 710 draw a hard rock audience that can be filled with tough punks and fans from the local roller derby teams. Club Deville and Mohawk both have fantastic outside stages with limestone cliffs jutting out from behind the stage, and dark as pitch seating areas inside for relaxing between sets.

Randall and Donya Stockton opened their Red River club Beerland after their old club, Bates Motel, burned down on 6th Street. The Stocktons offer opportunities to up-and-coming bands looking to play their first show, as they have live music six nights a week, with several live acts a night. Gearing more towards a garage rock crowd, Beerland books national and touring acts, as well as local favorites, with a cover charge rarely exceeding five dollars.

Emo’s is probably the most well known and longest lasting club, situated on the corner of Red River and 6th Street. When the club opened in the early 90s, there was no cover for those 21 and up, and a one dollar cover for minors. Today, they still offer admission to all ages, and have grown larger, now with an indoor stage for smaller shows, and a larger outdoor stage for better known acts. Most recently, they have opened the Emo’s Lounge, and can have three live shows playing simultaneously. During the South By Southwest Music Festival of 1994, Emo’s had a surprise guest appearance by Johnny Cash, which is still one of the most talked about club performances in town.

Recently Austin-based independent concert promotion company C3 Presents took over national booking duties for Emo’s, already doing so for Stubbs BBQ, the club located north on Red River. C3, best known for booking the largely popular Austin City Limits Festival in September, vows to not raise prices at the door, though the days of a two dollar cover are long gone. However, as a treat to Austin’s music loving public, Emo’s still offers “Free Week” the first week of every new year, and keeps Red River’s music community going strong.



By: Ki Gray

About the Author:

Emo