Time to get schooled on the short bus.

Lets take a look at band protocol for making friends in the "biz." This show I'm about to pick apart consisted of three punk/rockabilly/grind-core bands, but don't let this scare you off, the lessons apply across the board. So here are some educational thoughts from a promoters point of view. First lamb to slaughter is the Union of The Dead:

1. They showed up at the gig early, even though they were the third band.
2. They didn't spend their time getting wasted, but payed attention to the other bands.
3. When they played (to the 60 people in attendance) they played like there were 6000 people there.
4. They tried out some new songs, but didn't flounder on them and kept going.

Many bands show up late, get loaded, don't pay attention, clique out and generally act like small crowds don't exist. If you, as a band, cannot relate to a crowd no matter the size, you are going to lose fans and you probably lack the ability to play bigger rooms. And if you don't check out the other acts, then why should they check you out? A downside, but typical part of this show was that UOD experienced equipment failure mid-way through the set. While most bands are low budget and cannot afford, say, two guitars, be prepared for equipment failure. If you have a friend that wants to be a Roadie, let him or her do it. Teach them how to change guitar strings and work the plugs. You will be glad you did. Also, learn a few jokes or stories to "kill the time," don't lose the audience. I've got a secret for you, you're an entertainer. The more comfortable you can be onstage, the more comfortable you will be when the inevitable occurs. Overall, Union of the Dead killed, and these kids are great to work with.

The Repeat Offenders get scrutinized next. When you have form and content, you have a chance of longevity. Many bands value form over content. They wear the right clothes, have the right moves and the right sound. In the case of the original Punks, content seemed to come easy. They were rebellious. It was a big fuck you to authority and narrow mindsets. Thus the Repeat Offenders, a seasoned band who only play classic punk tunes, is a graduate class in how to work a stage, an audience and each other. I highly recommend seeing the Repeat Offenders for a great time and a deep lesson in what being a band is all about. Lead Guitarist John McKinley, broke a string, looped a second guitar around his neck, and switched plugs without missing a beat. Luck or practice? Answer: Rock Star.

For those of you in Jambands that have made it thus far, you probably are scratching your head wondering what content has to do with your band. Well, I'll tell you. There is no difference between say, classic punk bands and The Dead. At the core of the The Dead you find many of the same driving forces as the Punks. Resistance to authority, war, stupidity, rascism etc. Unfortunately, nowadays there are so many things to rally around, that many bands have a weak, watered down, diffused message, if there is a message at all. If content is important to you, you better have a clue what it is that you are all about.

The last band I wish to use as an illustrative point, is Tenfold from Sacramento. Nice guys who were late for the gig due to traffic. But when they arrived, they set up quick and delivered a powerful set. Formula driven is the thing I think of most when searching for a word to describe Tenfold. Is this a bad thing? Not when you want to be on rotation on college rock radio. Is being on the radio cool? Definitely, so what's to be learned from all this. You got me! This ain't no college class. I guess the forum I see developing is the idea of the Artist VS. Entertainer, and the necessary marriage of the two to achieve success within the Industry.

Class, it's not something you take, it's something you learn. Get taught with DNA@shocking.com