RTP-area local music and culture

["betsyshane AT gmail.com" <betsyshane AT gmail.com>]

The lack of communication in the festival was what really bothered me
about the experience.  I didn't receive a welcome email telling me
that I had even been accepted, and explaining the festival and its
goals.  I didn't receive an email stating where and when I was
playing.  I wasn't provided with any promotional materials (posters to
hang, an e-flyer, even access to a vector of the logo so I could make
my own promotional materials).  My show had been promoted as free in
the indy, free on the Troika website but was charging $10 at the
door.  After all was said and done, I didn't get a follow up email
thanking me and summarizing what the goal of the festival was and
whether or not we accomplished that.  Maybe welcome and follow-up
emails are too much to ask, but I think it'd be nice to feel like the
organizers are invested enough in the festival and organized enough to
tell everyone what's going on and why we're doing this.

I sort of understood the $10 fee, since it was explained to me that it
was a guarantee to venues and larger touring bands.  What I didn't
understand was where the door fees went to, aside from the oblique
"local musicians" answer all the door people gave.

Despite that, I'd do it again.  If I hadn't played with them at
Troika, I doubt I'd have ever heard Kerbloki or the Future Islands,
and they are both really good.  Maybe it's naive or overly hopeful but
I really *want* Troika to be good, and I think it can be...I've seen
it be good, and there are GREAT bands around here.  I just hope that
this coming year they are a little bit less opaque and a little more
aggressive in marketing and making sure that the festival is organized
enough that bands don't end up passing on it for the wrong reasons.

bs
The lack of communication in the festival was what really bothered me
about the experience.  I didn't receive a welcome email telling me
that I had even been accepted, and explaining the festival and its
goals.  I didn't receive an email stating where and when I was
playing.  I wasn't provided with any promotional materials (posters to
hang, an e-flyer, even access to a vector of the logo so I could make
my own promotional materials).  My show had been promoted as free in
the indy, free on the Troika website but was charging $10 at the
door.  After all was said and done, I didn't get a follow up email
thanking me and summarizing what the goal of the festival was and
whether or not we accomplished that.  Maybe welcome and follow-up
emails are too much to ask, but I think it'd be nice to feel like the
organizers are invested enough in the festival and organized enough to
tell everyone what's going on and why we're doing this.

I sort of understood the $10 fee, since it was explained to me that it
was a guarantee to venues and larger touring bands.  What I didn't
understand was where the door fees went to, aside from the oblique
"local musicians" answer all the door people gave.

Despite that, I'd do it again.  If I hadn't played with them at
Troika, I doubt I'd have ever heard Kerbloki or the Future Islands,
and they are both really good.  Maybe it's naive or overly hopeful but
I really *want* Troika to be good, and I think it can be...I've seen
it be good, and there are GREAT bands around here.  I just hope that
this coming year they are a little bit less opaque and a little more
aggressive in marketing and making sure that the festival is organized
enough that bands don't end up passing on it for the wrong reasons.

bs

On Mar 25, 8:41 am, chris.clemm... AT juno.com wrote:
> My .02: I wasn't a big fan of the fee charged last year, but might
> have been happier about it if I knew what it was used for.  Generally,
> the shroud of secrecy and lack of information from the organizers in
> the weeks leading up to the lineup announcement was a bit irksome to
> me, especially in light of the fact that we were asked to basically
> hold open the entire weekend up until just a couple of weeks before
> the festival.   Ultimately we weren't able to play the first date that
> was offered to us because life went on and other priorities came up.
> But we were quickly accomodated and rescheduled and it worked out
> nicely.  And the show itself (Thursday night at the James Joyce) went
> great.  So, the process seemed a little flawed but the outcome was
> agreeable -- at least for us.   CAC