This is my review of Rolling Rock Town Fair, after promo-whorring all day (p.s. I included the links because the bands kick ass, check em out):
For having just the two of us versus the 40,000 to 50,000 people attending yesterday, I think we did a pretty damn good job. First of all, we were the only record label there. Secondly, I feel we got people pumped about our bands, especially Yellowcard and Steriogram. There were about 150 people at the second stage during the Steriogram performance and I saw not one person leave once they came over to check them out. While passing out the Steriogram flyers, we both asked, "Hey, you like what you hear?" and most people responded enthusiastically. All in all, people were really feeling them. When handing out the flyers, most people seemed grateful to have a way to check them out later. Another interesting fact is that Sam and I collectively counted only about only five people who told us they had previously heard of Steriogram. The rest of the crowd became fans that day.
A major inconvience for our street team was assembling the promotional packages. We literally char-grilled our asses on the sweltering pavement doing that monotonous work. An improvement would be to pre-assemble the packages before leaving for the show. After that experience, assembling the packages in a nice, cool, air-conditioned office seems like paradise.
And even though there were not as many tailgaiting parties as we had expected, we still ran around promo-whorring to many of them. While tailgate-party hopping, Sam often gave people the Capitol Records Compilation cds and asked them to immediately play Yellowcard's song. Simply put: the overall reaction was fan-fucking-tastic. Sam got some great testimonials on his camera.
As far as our promotional gear was concerned, the cds, stickers, and matches were a great idea. I am a pretty avid concert-goer in Pittsburgh, and I rarely am given free stuff. Every once in a while, street teams will pass out flyers and occassionally a sticker, but never to the extent that we did yesterday. People were shocked at the whole idea. While handing out the stickers, cds and such, we were constantly asked "How much do you want for it?"
The sticker that got the most positive reactions was the Dandy Warhols scratch-and-sniff sticker, mostly from girls (myself included), but to my amusement, one biker dude type of guy was very happy to get a scratch-sniff-sticker. We later saw him at the Steriogram performance.
However, the Yellowcard cards were very confusing to the average, drunken Rolling Rock Town Fair attendee, because not only did they have to learn about Yellowcard since they were not playing that day, but then also take this card home and check out the band. The cards would have a much better effect if either A) the cards were always given out with a cd that has Yellowcard on it so one can explain: "Hey, listen to the band and check out their website," or B) the cards were given out while Yellowcard was playing: "Hey, like what you hear? Why not check them out online?"
Another trend we noticed was that people like to deform their bodies to enthusiastically support a band. When there weren't too many people at the van, Sam suggested I write "Steriogram" with Sharpie markers across the backs of a couple intoxicated guys who came over to see us. The guys loved the idea and ran around the parking lot screaming at everyone they came across to go see Steriogram. Unfortunately, the boys could not attend the show. The band informed us later that they saw the guys getting kicked out just before their performance. Poor drunken havoc wreakers! But the Sharpie ink will stay on the boys for at least a couple more days and the tanlines will last a couple more weeks. Pretty good free advertising if you ask me. But why not expand on this? Sam was telling me about giving people Metallica tattoos with stencils and spray paint. Maybe more bands should have stencils.
Setting up the Xbox for people to play was not the best idea. First of all, people crowded the van and there simply wasn't room for anyone to play. Secondly, since it wasn't bolted down anywhere, we constantly had to watch that no one would run off with it. And overall, the majority of the people at the concert were too sloshed to have an interest in playing the X box. People at the concert were more interested in things like alcohol and music, go figure. However, without discussing this with each other (apparently using our telepathic abilities) Sam and I both generated what we think is a better idea: why not first bolt down the X box, then get the DVD attachment for it and play Yellowcard's music video? That way people can see and hear the band.
But an electronical device that did enhance our promotional work was my bullhorn: the greatest invention since the wheel, as I affectionally call it. It certainly gave us the attention we needed. As I always observe when I play with it, people are often entertained by an obnoxiously loud crazy girl. Add to that, bunches of drunken concert-goers wanted to yell in it themselves to help our cause. Who could say no to that?
On a final note, I would like to tell the epic of Drunken Tigger: the Rolling Rock Town Fair Legend. We found him dancing around joyfully, laughing and playing with his drunken buddies. He even approached me, giving me a drunken hug and pressing his paw so it would make Tigger sound effects. Then, he scampered off, frolicking with his own kind. But I thought to myself, "Let him go, if he's yours he'll return to you. If he doesn't return, he never was." But he DID return and for that I am glad! He snuck up behind Sam and slapped his ass with all his drunken might! I roared with laughter as Drunken Tigger pointed and laughed with his drunken, "I got you" look and Sam's face screamed, "Oh gross, I got molested!" But Drunken Tigger appeared to me one more time during the day. He came and saw Steriogram. (This ensured he saw a good show, because Steriogram kicks ASS.) I'm not sure what it is about incoherent people in Winnie the Pooh character costumes, but some how, they always keep a special place in my heart.
Amid all our trials of the day, we definitely came out on top. At least I kno I did.
SamE though my review was "too sarcastic," but then sent it to his boss anyhoo.
