EVICK RELEASES NEW CD and DVD

Northern Virginia based Rock band EVICK has recently released (Jan 18th) its sophomore effort Sunset to Sunset. As well as launching their debut video by Endless Drive Productions, and radio support with the hook filled old school rock track, "This Ain't The Life". Distributed by Dreamscape Music Group, on Potomac Records. "Sunset to Sunset" provides 5 great all American back to basics rock n roll compositions.

site: www.evick.com
watch the video - "This Ain't The Life"

Radio Airplay For Southern Maryland Bands And Musicians?

Dear Musicians & Audiences,
SMMO would like to take this opportunity to let you know, musicians, bands, and audiences alike, that Southern Maryland Music Online is making its best efforts to promote the local, live music scene in the best possible way we can. Southern Maryland Music Online has recently submitted a letter to a very popular local radio station in Southern Maryland in order to express interest regarding promotion of the local music scene here in Southern Maryland.

The goal of the letter to this very well known, and very useful media resource, on all news and current event subjects involving Southern Maryland, is to hopefully spark enough interest in the stations owners and operators to consider offering their listening audiences a special on-air program that would be directed towards promoting the areas music scene by offering an outlet that may give area bands and musicians a chance to have air play for their original music, interviews with station personalities who might host the show, and also be an outlet to mention venues that host live music by local bands, aswell as a chance for the audiences to have a better idea of who our local bands are and what venues offer live music.

As most of you may know, there is only one radio station in the entire quad-state area that offers such a program to show support of its local music scene, by which that radio stations support is very limited to its listeners, however, they do make a fair attempt at showing their support of its local music scene.

Southern Maryland Music Online has taken it upon itself to speakout on behalf of the hundreds of polled musicians and audiences, and made contact with this local radio station to express the interest of the local music scene. Southern Maryland Music Online has received many comments from musicians and audiences stating that the one thing that lacks the most in supporting local musicians and local music scenes, is the support of the radio media.

Below you will find a copy of the letter that was submitted by me to the radio station. SMMO hopes to hear some positive reply in the future regarding the interest of the Southern Maryland music scene and hopefully considerations made by the station to offer a local music based program for our music scene will have a successful outcome. SMMO will keep everyone informed of any outcomes to the stations considerations.

*NOTE: A second letter, of very similar text, was sent to the producer of a popular local, cable access television program in the Southern Maryland area in order to express interest in the possibilites of offering special programming related to the promotion of the local music scene through our musicians and bands with the advantages of hopefully having live concert broadcasts from the stations studio or pre-recorded live performances (ie: Mhz TV - Channel 56; D.C./Metro Music Scene) SMMO will keep you updated on the outcome of any developments regarding that inquiery aswell.

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Letter submitted: February 16, 2004

ATTN: Station Management / Program Director

Dear Sirs,
I am contacting you on behalf of Southern Maryland Music Online. SMMO is the only online music resource devoted to the local, live music scene in the extreme Southern Maryland counties of Charles, St. Marys, and Calvert. Let me first express the reason why Southern Maryland Music Online has become the most popular music scene website in the Mid-Atlantic area. SMMO's popularity has grown steadily since in birth in November of 2003 because SMMO is directly devoted to one specific local music scene and is not a money making, free for all website like similar websites on the internet. SMMO's goal is to help the many talented musicians and bands in the tri-county area by providing a free marketing and promotion outlet for these musicians and bands.

I do alot of one-on-one communication with the musicians in the tri-county area, as well as many hundreds of audience members at local clubs and venues who come out to see these bands perform. I have done extensive research and polling over the past 24 years as a local musician myself, in order to find out what points are most in need attention in the local music scene. I am continually approached with the repeated statements concerning, demands requested for, and receive many inquiries about radio airplay for the promotion of local musicians and groups. Popular, local radio stations, such a yours, are one of the best ways for local musicians to promote their material to a vast majority of the areas audiences, however, radio is for it's own reasons, the very hardest media source for local musicians to obtain any sort of interest from in helping to promote their music.

There are a very few radio stations in the Mid-Atlantic region that support local bands and musicians by offering special on-air programs in support of their local music scene. I have researched and tracked these programs over the past years, and have found them to very valuable, both to the musicians that receive air-play via the special programming, and to the stations themselves. The radio stations report larger listening audiences during these local music spotlight programs and usually have continued repeat listeners in the the future. The musicians, of course, gain invaluable promotion for their music through the radio media.

I would like to, at this time, on behalf of all of the very talented musicians and bands in the Southern Maryland area, ask of you and your station to help the local music scene continue to thrive by considering to offer a special program that would support and promote the music of the Southern Maryland areas local bands and musicians. The thought of having your station present to the listening audiences of Southern Maryland a "local band spotlight" program would be a very generous offer and an outstanding representation of your stations support for the local music scene. I do hope you take time to carefully consider the idea for the benefit of all of the musicians and bands in the area.

Again, on behalf of the bands and musicians involved daily in the Southern Maryland music scene, I would like to say that, any and all considerations you may be able to offer in regards to presenting a special program directed toward helping to support the areas local musicians and bands would be greatly appreciated. I would hope that there may be some way that we can all work together to help fulfill the idea of having a program to spotlight local talent. I am available for a meeting in order to discuss any options that may be open in order to make this type of programming a success in Southern Maryland. I would also like to ask that you please keep me informed of any decisions you may come to regarding this request that I have presented you, on behalf of the local music scene in Southern Maryland. Thankyou for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future regarding this request.

Sincerely,
Southern Maryland Music Online

(Some information left undisclosed to protect the privacy of SMMO and "radio station" staff)

Why Live Bands Are More Popular Than DJs:

(Here's a small letter that was sent out to venues and clubs in the Southern Maryland area. It's just another researched and educated statement from audience feedback, and polling of audiences in So.Md.) Check it out!

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ATTN: Venue Owners/Booking Agents

Weekend business a little slow these days?
Crowds getting smaller by the month?
Does your venue offer DJs, instead of live bands?

If this sounds like your club or venue, then it's about time you find out why live bands are more popular than DJs. I think you'll be surprised at what SOUTHERN MARYLAND audiences have been telling SMMO they REALLY want when they go out to particular venues, and they probably aren't coming to yours because you only have someone who plays a radio, usually with no personality, or inteactivity, to impress the crowd.

If you want to hire a DJ instead of a live band, why not just go out and buy a radio and a few CDs, play the music yourself and save alot of money, or just hire live bands from the Southern Maryland area and make some money.

I assure you, Southern Maryland Music Online receives alot of comments from audiences in the area like, "Why are so many clubs hiring DJs instead of live bands, we don't want to listen to a radio when we go out" and another fine example is, "I go out to see bands, I can stay home and listen to my CDs". it's not a DJ these audiences want.

The problem is most people don't pursue things the way Southern Maryland Music Online does, and that's why we're submitting to you this email message. To help the areas venues better understand what the audiences really want. It's up to you to decide if you can continue to lose business because DJs are turning audiences away from your club.

So, why not just take a few minutes and read the article directed at the problematic situation that is slowly destroying the local music scene, not to mention your weekend business. Click the link below.

Why Live Bands Are More Popular Than DJs

Thanks,
Southern Maryland Music Online
www.smmo.net

Local Groups: Hear them live, get the CDs:

(Below is a letter that was emailed from SMMO to Gwyneth J. Saunders, the Editor of the Southern Maryland Weekend section of the Maryland Independent Newspaper to say thanks for her article in the April 2, 2004 edition of that section in response to a write up she did on two local music groups.)

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Attn: Gwyneth J. Saunders - Editor
"Southern Maryland Weekend"
c/o The Maryland Independent Newspaper
*Letter submitted on April 04, 2004

Hello Ms. Saunders,
I saw the article you wrote in the Friday April 2, 2004 edition of the Weekend section and I have to say that I was first shocked to see such an elaborate article written for the music groups, "Kneel To Zod", and, "The Swanns" . I am glad to see that you took the time to offer an article such as this one for the audiences of Southern Maryland to read that involves the promotion of local music groups. I want to personaly say, " thankyou very much", for the article and the support you showed for the groups through your article.

I honestly hope to see more articles like that in the future. Southern Maryland has a very live, and very active local music scene, but, the scene does not get much promotion or support through local TV/Radio/newsprint media resources. That is very unfortunate and that is a main reason why I started the website, "Southern Maryland Music Online", www.smmo.net I am a musician myself and I know how hard it is to get local media resources to show interest in the local bands and musicians in the area. I saw your article and thought, "Man, this really great, this is exactly what this "Weekend" section needs to offer every week, just a simple write up about a few bands and musicians from the Southern Maryland area, it's a great show of support for the music scene and better yet, it offers information that people actually do want to read".

Unfortunatly, alot of the weekend advertisements in "local" newspapers seem to offer information on events and concerts from places like D.C., Virginia, and Baltimore, and there is just not enough support for all the great concerts and music events that take place right here in the Southern Maryland area, that's the events that should be advertised in a local newspaper anyway, "support those who support you".

Anyway, I want to say thankyou on behalf of Southern Maryland Music Online and every local band, musician, and music artist in the Southern Maryland area that strives very hard to make their music known to the local audiences in hopes that someone out there will offer them that one time shot at the spotlight and attention that they deserve. I am really glad to see that you took the time to write such a great article, and I hope, as I am sure many others in the Southern Maryland area do aswell, that you and your staff continue to write articles like this one in regards to the local music scene and it's musicians. Your efforts are greatly appreciated and I am willing to bet that was the most read article in the entire Weekend section this week.

Thanks again for your show of support of the Southern Maryland music scene and we all look forward to reading more great articles in the future.

Thankyou,
Dwight - Editor / Webmaster
"Southern Maryland Music Online"
Website: www.smmo.net
Email: smmo@somd.net