New Video: Grand Hallway - “Winter Creatures”
I edited some tour footage I had from our trip to the midwest and the east coast. Miss you, buds.
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MEETING PLACE: The Crocodile, Belltown (2nd & Blanchard), Seattle…we went for a networking happy hour sponsored by Sub Pop! Records…not a whole lot networking went on, but some great music was played by the DJs and the garage door was open as we experienced some of the last vestiges of good weather Seattle will see rounding out 2011.
SNACK: Very Cold Beer (pitcher of Mack & Jacks) & Pizza (pineapple/ham + pepperoni)
SOCIAL MEDIA MORSEL: Different Ways to Promote Your Music with Social Media (PART 1)
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Surveying the social media efforts of several music acts in our hometown of Seattle, we identify ten that stand out for one reason or another. Here are the first five (not in any particular order) with some helpful social media takeaways:
1. Cataldo
Whether its analyzing pop culture, quoting history or showing off his own wit, Eric Anderson of Cataldo has got tweeting down. What caught our eye was his participation in the hashtagged conversation #doubletakeinsprationalquotes. In case you haven’t heard, hashtagged conversations on Twitter (a keyword or phrase marked by the “#” symbol) sometimes become “trending topics” and are easily accessible to anyone logged in. It’s a great way to get more exposure through self-expression and it offers a glimpse into your persona for your followers. Check out Cataldo’s new release, Prison Boxing, coming out September 20th…for more info, check out his website.
2. Grand Hallway
Grand Hallway has chosen the RootMusic app to create a rich media Facebook page, allowing them to present streaming music, videos, and photographs of the band. This app also makes it very easy for fans to share with their Facebook friends what track they like from Grand Hallway.
3. Head Like a Kite
Head like a Kite uses a Facebook app powered by District Lines that allows fans to buy directly from the Facebook page itself. It shows products with a direct link to the store to buy them. He uses a couple of other apps including the aforementioned RootMusic app, and a Free Download app through Topspin which gives fans the ability to download music for the price of email address.
4. Katie Kate
After catching Katie Kate recently at Comet Tavern, we were enamored with her. The next day, we looked her up on Facebook and found something unique and refreshing about her presence here: her personal Facebook page acts as her band/artist page. One of the great things about social media is the personal connection an artist can make with their fans and vice versa; as a fan, being “friends” with an artist you like feels more personal then “like”-ing a band page. It’s not something you necessarily notice right away, but it’s a nice subtle touch when you do. This is not going to work for every artist, but it’s definitely worth mentioning. Oh, BTW, Katie Kate recently received honorable mention in the Stranger’s 2011 Genius Award.
5. Pickwick
We once worked with Pickwick, helping them build out an infrastructure of social media profiles and we’re thrilled to see the success they’re enjoying these days. Recently, they rocked the crowds at Bumbershoot on the open stage and later in the ‘private’ KEXP Lounge. With all the new fans they’ve been picking up, Pickwick has been savvy about re-posting old content like their installment of the popular Sound on the Sound “From the Basement” video series. It’s important to regularly repost older content on whatever platform you use — perhaps, done in a slightly different manner each time — because it’s unlikely that most of your fans/friends/followers are online when you post something. As you’ve probably figured out, content on Twitter and Facebook is distributed through rapidly updated feeds. Posting on social media is not like emailing someone, where a message sits in an inbox. It may seem repetitive to you, but don’t think you’re necessarily spamming folks.
PART 2 will be posted shortly…stay tuned!
Before the Captiol Hill Block Party, one of our favorite summer festivals, Groovemine caught up with Grand Hallway singer, songwriter, guitarist and all around brilliant musician, Tomo Nakayama. We got the dish from him about the band’s new record, Winter Creatures: what the recording process was like in Portland, how growing up in the Pacific Northwest and Japan has affected his songwriting, and what’s next for Grand Hallway.
Carrie Robinson and Kent Worthington made this gorgeous video for us. I especially love the cinematography and the clever visual surprise at the end.
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Grand Hallway - Winter Creatures
Wow. Rarely do I follow a random tip-off and discover a record this solid, this mature. Every track on this Seattle band’s new Winter Creatures LP is as thick as redwood bark and as soft as the needles that line the forest floor. These are dense, complete works - so good I instantly ordered the vinyl from Porchlight Records. Put yr headphones on and get to it now, don’t wait until these guys are the next Fleet Foxes.
