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Category Archives: Interviews

Interviews

Why House Concerts?

Someone recently asked “Why should I pay $20 to see someone at a house concert that I can see for ‘free’ at other places?”

That’s a good question, and I hope you’ll consider my response.

When you go to a club or restaurant to see someone for “free”, it’s not really free. You have the costs of food/drink purchased while there, as well as tipping a waiter/waitress. That can quickly add up to $20/person or more, and THE MUSICIAN GETS NONE OF IT. So, don’t forget to add in the cost of tipping the musician when you go to that “free” bar or restaurant, because the bar or restaurant is paying the musician a minimal amount, and they need your tips to make any money.

At a house concert, you are provided FREE snacks and bottled water, and your cost of bringing your own beer or wine is a fraction of what you would pay for drinks at a bar or restaurant. AND THE MUSICIAN GETS 100% of all money collected.

So do you save any money when you go somewhere else to see a musician perform for “free”? Not likely. But the difference in income to the musician is huge.

But there is so much more difference than how much you will spend or how much the musician will make.

Tired of leaving a performance smelling like a stale cigarette? That won’t happen at a house concert.

Many venues are so noisy that you can barely hear the musician. If you are there for the music, the noise and distractions are as frustrating to you as they are to the musician. At a house concert you are free from the smoke, noise, and distractions.

But the biggest difference in these environments is the difference to the musician. Can you imagine the irony and frustration a musician feels when performing the song that broke their heart, or tells the story of their greatest love, or the song that came from the depths of their emotions, for the typical bar or restaurant crowd? Pouring their heart out and it seems that no one is listening? Feeling like they are just background noise? Musicians write and perform in order to relate. And sometimes traditional venues make relating to an audience very difficult and frustrating.

The best part of a house concert is the intimate nature of this environment. It is comfortable. You are close to the musician. And in this intimacy, something transformative happens. The musician opens up. They don’t just perform, they relate. They talk to you. They tell stories. You get to hear the story behind the music. The story of how this song came to be written. The story of how that song influenced their life. The story of how this person you are listening to became a musician, why they love it, and how much it means to them. You won’t get this anywhere else. And by the end of the evening, you not only appreciate the music a little more, you understand and appreciate the musician. A lot more.

It really does make economic sense to pay to attend a house concert. Economic sense for you, and especially for the musician. But what is really significant has nothing to do with economics.

What makes a house concert make sense is the total experience. It feeds your soul with goodness, pleasure, joy, smiles, and laughter. You will be touched by unexpected emotions. But what you don’t know in advance is that, at the end of the evening, you will have given back to the musician as much as you have received, simply by being part of a back-and-forth exchange between musician and audience that musicians crave, but rarely experience.

You won’t experience this in a noisy, smoky bar. You won’t find it over the clatter of voices and plates and silverware and glasses in a restaurant. A house concert is a transcendent environment, and the experience is unlike any other, for both you and the musician.

House concerts are open to everyone. You don’t need to know anyone there. You will meet some of the nicest people. You will be welcomed and your presence will bless both you the musician more than you could know.

Make plans to attend and support House Concerts at every opportunity. You’ll be glad you did!

Interview with Tori Vasquez

Check back here soon to read an interview with Tori Vasquez about her new CD, her new songwriting collaborator, and her upcoming nationwide tour with Blue October!

Karla Davis performed live on NBC’s “The Voice”
on Monday and Tuesday (4/9 & 4/10/2012)

Karla DavisUpdate 4/10/2012 – Karla performed LIVE on “The Voice” this Monday (4/9) and Tuesday (4/10).  

As awesome as she was, the competition was equally awesome, and in the end, it came down to a difficult decision by coach Adam Levine.  Unfortunately, Karla did not advance to the next round, but we are proud of you, Karla, for taking this opportunity and making the most of it!

We are looking forward to a return visit to Lubbock, TX by you and Gabby! 

And a special message to Karla from all your fans in Lubbock – You did great, Karla!  Hope you took it all in and enjoyed it like you did when you performed your house concert here in Lubbock.  We love you and we’re proud of you, Karla!

 

Update 3/26/2012 – Karla Davis wins her “Battle Round” and heads to the Live Shows on NBC’s The Voice!

After making it past the Blind Auditions and landing a spot on Adam Levine’s team, Karla Davis took the next step tonight, winning her “Battle Round” against Orlando Napier tonight on NBC’s “The Voice”!  Singing “Easy Like Sunday Morning”, Karla’s unique voice carried the day.  Way to go, Karla!

See the full video of Karla’s Battle Round win here: http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/video/orlando-napier-vs-karla-davis-easy/1392788/

Update 2/20/2012 – KARLA DAVIS MAKES ADAM LEVINE’S TEAM ON “THE VOICE”!

Karla Davis, who hosted a HubCityMusic.com house concert here in Lubbock in August (see review near the bottom of this page), has made it past the blind auditions, and is officially on the show!  Appearing on the Blind Auditions episode that aired Monday 2/20, her rendition of “If I Die Young” turned coach Adam Levine’s chair from the first lines of the song.
Congratulations, Karla!

Time constraints did not allow the producers of the show to telecast the full song, so go HERE to The Voice website and click on Karla’s link midway down the page to see her full performance, as well as the coaches’ comments following.  You can also download the song on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/if-i-die-young-voice-performance/id503317260.  The more people that download the song, the more attention Karla will get from the show’s producers, so spend the $1.29 and help Karla!  Less than 24 hours after her audition show aired, Karla already has one of the highest iTunes ratings!

Here’s a link to exclusive footage of Karla and Carson Daly’s interview with her just prior to her audition: http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/video/behind-the-voice-karla-davis/1386643

Find out more about Karla’s debut on The Voice on her website, www.karladavismusic.com, and at her official The Voice web pagehttp://www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/karla-davis/ 

For all of the fans still without Karla’s debut album, “Here I Am”, order yours now at www.3chordentertainment.com or download on iTunes.  Her new CD titled “360” will be released imminently, and can be pre-ordered on this website now, along with official Karla Davis t-shirts.

Good Luck throughout the show, and best wishes from all your friends and fans!  We are very proud of you Karla!

An interview with Andy Eppler of The Prairie Scholars

Andy EpplerOne thing to know about Andy Eppler is that he looks at the world through different eyes than most of us.  That unique view of the world and his sharp sense of humor show up clearly in this short interview.  Enjoy!

An Interview with Andy Eppler of The Prairie Scholars, by Paul Johnson with HubCityMusic.com:

Paul: You grew up in Lubbock, and like many native sons, found greener pastures elsewhere. Now that you’ve been away for a while, has your perspective changed any?

Andy: I have not changed in any perceivable way. I certainly haven’t grown either as a person or as an artist. I’m even wearing the same pants and shirts and what not… that’s how little I’ve grown. When I went to get my drivers license renewed the lady at the counter just looked at my old license for my height and then glanced up at me for just a split moment before she said “That looks about right”…. That is how little I’ve grown.

Paul: A lot of people subscribe to some variation of the theory that there is something about Lubbock that seems to inspire musical expression. Do you agree, and why or why not?

Andy: I think, in general, the people in Lubbock are genuinely disinterested in art. This has two effects. First, it builds a stronger feeling of community between the select few people there who really do love art. We treasure these. Second, because the crowds are so uninterested in quality art, it forces the artist to be that much better. The artist ends up getting used to working harder for the most meager attention in Lubbock and so when they go touring they knock everybody dead.

Paul: How has Lubbock influenced you as an artist?

Andy: It made me tough and it taught me to go my own way.

Paul: How do you feel when you come back to visit?

Andy: I feel good. I come for special events and great gigs… and that’s the only time I come to Lubbock. I stay just a little while and see my friends and I leave before I get mad about how they are treated by some college kid who never heard a rock and roll song before. I stay in Lubbock just long enough to remember the good times.

Paul: Is it something you look forward to?

Andy: I love playing at the Buddy Holly Center every year and following it up with a special concert the next night in the Tornado Gallery. It’s always a good combo for us and we always have a great time. All our friends come out and we are usually inspired to play a great show.

Paul: Is there anything you’d like to say to your friends in Lubbock?

The show is intended for adults only. There isn’t much tough language but we would still probably have an “R” rating. Lots of shooting and stuff in the songs.
Beyond that, this show will be best enjoyed by folks who really enjoy a well written song. That’s our focus.

Paul: Anything to say to those who may not be familiar with you?

Andy: Go to http://andyeppler.com and download our album: “Prairie Scholars: Strangers in the Modern Era” for free from our homepage.  That’s the cheapest and simplest way to test the waters.  Plus it makes the $20 ticket seem like a pretty good deal.

Paul: Free music?!  That’s got to be the best deal I’ve ever heard!  So there you have it, folks, go download their album for free, and use the money you save to attend The Prairie Scholars’ HubCityMusic.com house concert on Saturday November 26th!  Click here for concert info or to RSVP.