LAST week the Manx Sound Exchange looked at whether the ‘isle’ aspect of the Isle of Man prohibits musicians making the next step from the local pub circuit.
The short answer – of course it does.
The expense of taking vehicles across the Irish Sea, being unable to nip home between gigs on tour, and hoping UK gigs slot in with your work calendar and ferry times make touring a step too far for many Manx musicians.
If bands gain status and a following, and have savvy management, gig bookings begin to involve reasonable pay and include food and a place to stay. But it’s the first step, as total unknowns, that is the hardest to make from the Isle of Man.
Of course, the internet has blurred boundaries and musicians can generate an online buzz without having to leave their bedrooms, but there is no substitute to taking a quality live performance and bringing it first-hand to as many people as possible.
Y’all may remember Manx band Twisted Angels, who between 2005 and 2007 toured extensively in the UK. Guitarist/keyboard player Laura Moore remembers their first jaunt away from the island:
‘We hired a mini-bus in the UK,’ she revealed. ‘It was a bit dodgy, with gear crammed in everywhere. We played in grotty little rock pubs mainly in the north of England. There’s no way we made any money. We’d saved cash through gigs in the Isle of Man, and dipped into our own pockets quite a lot – we stayed in lots of travel lodges!’.
Subsequent Twisted Angels tours were made to better venues in their own tour bus. But as far as debut tours go, what is Laura’s advice?
‘I wouldn’t just play anywhere, and it doesn’t have to be a long tour. A handful of gigs at good venues is better than loads in rubbish bars.
‘Be ambitious and book reputable venues. Even if nobody turns up at least you can say you played there and it might impress someone when it comes to booking your next gig.’
From personal experience with Hoodoo Nation, this writer has found organising UK gigs isn’t always as simple as sending off demos and waiting for a thumbs up or thumbs down.
In London – one of the music industry capitals of the world and on the to-do list of most bands – it is often promoters rather than venues you need to badger.
These promoters are interested in how many bums on seats an act can pull in, and gigs can hinge on an agreement that a band should sell a set amount of tickets.
Promoters to avoid have stipulations that if you sell less than agreed you end up owing money after playing a gig!
Hoodoo Nation played for promoters Symptomatic in London club Nambucca, on a bill of six bands. There was a decent crowd, but ticket sales directly attributable to us? Two.
Symptomatic were cool about it, though, and that feeling of goodwill is the best experience of being on tour – we found someone willing to put us up for the night in every town and didn’t pay a penny.
So, Manxies, it ain’t easy and it ain’t cheap. But taking your music off the island is entirely possible, and if you have any ambitions for your music, necessary.
