(This is a slightly altered version of the actual press release.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2010
The Josh and Pete Band's sunny harmonies, driving rhythms, and unpredictable sense of humor have gotten them an ever-expanding fan base and rave reviews in Metro, Phrequency, 215 Magazine, and other local publications. Now, the West Philly-based foursome have two big news items to share with you.
THE JOSH AND PETE BAND IN THE JERSEY SHOWS FINALS
The Josh and Pete Band have made it all the way to finals of Jersey Shows' $10,000 Philly Showdown! The date is Saturday, July 24th. The venue is the Trocadero -- the Mainstage, not the Balcony. The Josh and Pete Band could win as much as $5,000 cash! The guys could use all the support they can get. Advance ticket sales count towards the band's success! If you want to help the band with an advance ticket purchase (or know someone who wants to), visit http://www.thejoshandpeteband.com/ and click on the PayPal link.
Show details:
Jersey Shows presents The $10,000 Philly Showdown - The Finals
Trocadero Mainstage
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Doors @ 1:30 PM / Show @ 2 PM / The Josh and Pete Band @ 4:30 PM
$14 in adv / $15 DOS
All ages
http://www.thetroc.com/events.php and http://www.jerseyshows.com/index.php?botb for more info.
Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138195119527392
HELP THE JOSH AND PETE BAND RECORD AN EP AND GET... A DATE?
You know the story...band wants to make its first professional record. Band won't sit around and wait for a label to come along and fund the project. Band asks fans for help -- and offers rewards for donations.
The Josh and Pete Band plan to start recording in August, so they need their fans' help! In return, they will offer the following "Thank You" gifts:
$0 to 10 - Josh and Pete Band sticker
$10 to 20 - above + Demo CD
$20 to 40 - all of the above + your name on special "Thank You" page of the professional CD (and Josh and Pete Band 9th Grade CD Series)
$40 to 80 - all of the above + ticket to the Trocadero show
$80 to 150 - all of the above + free copy of the professional CD
$150 to 300 - all of the above + custom-made Josh and Pete Band T-Shirts
...and finally...
$300 or more - all of the above PLUS a date with any band member -- or all! (You can donate the date, too - give The Josh and Pete Band to your daughters, your aunts, your grandmothers, even your pets!)
If that's not a story, I don't know what is.
Visit http://www.thejoshandpeteband.com/ to donate, and if you are so inclined, use the Facebook event page to its fullest potential:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103310596388459
If you have any questions, please send them my way!
Copyright © 2010 S.J. Dibai and The Josh and Pete Band. All rights reserved.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Guggenheim Grotto recap
I didn't explain publicly how I came to work for The Guggenheim Grotto, but I feel like I should do so in order to frame this project. As I noted earlier this month, I'd reviewed the band on One Note Ahead last year, and I attended the first show of their Tin Angel residency as a fan. The turnout for that show was not what it should have been. Given the sizable Philly following the guys had developed in 2009, I wondered if maybe the Tin Angel residency just needed an extra promotional push. So I offered my help in promoting the remaining three shows. This was so last-minute that I couldn't even consider it a proper campaign, which ideally would've begun 3-4 weeks before the first show in the residency! But I thought I could at least help to spread awareness about the remaining shows, which could in turn have a positive effect on the turnout.
The turnouts did indeed improve for the remaining shows, the 2nd and 4th in particular (which, for various reasons, I promoted somewhat more heavily than the 3rd). I had to be creative because even though I am a press agent first and foremost, I knew that things often move slowly or get crowded in the press, so I knew better than to expect much from the press on such short notice. I had to utilize Facebook, MySpace, Craig's List, and word-of-mouth. I also made a point of reaching out to my radio contacts who would be interested, which yielded this:
http://xpn.org/allaboutthemusic/my-morning-download-62410-guggenheim-grotto-7241
If you don't know the significance of XPN getting behind the new album, well.....let's just say it's a big deal! That said, I can't guarantee you that I can get you onto XPN!
You'll also recall that I said I'd be manning the merch table. I did that for the last two shows. I'd never done merch before, but it was a mostly fun experience and I did pretty well considering I was new to it. I'd definitely be open to doing merch again, for The Guggenheim Grotto or others, in the future.
Now, I must get back to my regular clients because there is some ENORMOUS news about The Josh and Pete Band.....so huge I need to think about just how to announce it!
The turnouts did indeed improve for the remaining shows, the 2nd and 4th in particular (which, for various reasons, I promoted somewhat more heavily than the 3rd). I had to be creative because even though I am a press agent first and foremost, I knew that things often move slowly or get crowded in the press, so I knew better than to expect much from the press on such short notice. I had to utilize Facebook, MySpace, Craig's List, and word-of-mouth. I also made a point of reaching out to my radio contacts who would be interested, which yielded this:
http://xpn.org/allaboutthemusic/my-morning-download-62410-guggenheim-grotto-7241
If you don't know the significance of XPN getting behind the new album, well.....let's just say it's a big deal! That said, I can't guarantee you that I can get you onto XPN!
You'll also recall that I said I'd be manning the merch table. I did that for the last two shows. I'd never done merch before, but it was a mostly fun experience and I did pretty well considering I was new to it. I'd definitely be open to doing merch again, for The Guggenheim Grotto or others, in the future.
Now, I must get back to my regular clients because there is some ENORMOUS news about The Josh and Pete Band.....so huge I need to think about just how to announce it!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Something different: The Guggenheim Grotto!
Remember my music blog One Note Ahead? Remember how much I praised Dublin, Ireland's Guggenheim Grotto on it? No? Let me refresh your memory:
"Throughout two generous sets, Kevin May and Mick Lynch filled the room with their superb harmonies and skilled instrumental accompaniment. And yes, they came prepared with lots of quality material. [...] And while The Guggenheim Grotto's sound is based in British and North American folk/pop, [their 2nd album] Happy The Man is fleshed out with elements of electronica, rock, traditional Irish music, and whatever else the lads could throw in to mix things up a bit."
Oh, Happy The Man -- One Note Ahead's 2009 Album of the Year! Yes, now you remember!
The Guggenheim Grotto have a solid new album out, The Universe Is Laughing. To celebrate this, they're in the midst of June residencies in New York City and Philadelphia -- and here's where I come in. Last year, during a January residency at Philadelphia's World Cafe Live, Mick and Kevin developed a tremendous local following, allowing them to make a triumphant return to the venue in April. This month, they're playing every Thursday night at the Tin Angel, and after attending the opening show as a fan, I'll be helping the band out with the remaining three. How?
First off, supplemental promotion. I have the Philly connections, you know, so I might be able to help the lads build the same kind of momentum they got at World Cafe Live last year. The shows are just $10 apiece, 21+, doors at 8, shows at 8:30. The remaining dates are June 10th, 17th, and 24th. And get this: for the first time ever, Mick and Kevin are touring the US with a rhythm section! If you want advance tix, check out http://www.tinangel.com/schedule.html and click on the showtime links.
Secondly, I will be branching out from PR and manning the merch table at the remaining Tin Angel shows! So come say "Hi" and while you're at it, pick up any or all of The Guggenheim Grotto's three albums!
I'm very excited about this because, even though it is a small side project, it marks the first time I'll be doing Philly PR for a non-Philly act. I've been wanting to do that for quite a while now. As for the merch table, well, I'm open to trying new things!
Coming soon: HUGE news about The Josh and Pete Band, and (I hope) updates on The Escape and Bad Apples!
"Throughout two generous sets, Kevin May and Mick Lynch filled the room with their superb harmonies and skilled instrumental accompaniment. And yes, they came prepared with lots of quality material. [...] And while The Guggenheim Grotto's sound is based in British and North American folk/pop, [their 2nd album] Happy The Man is fleshed out with elements of electronica, rock, traditional Irish music, and whatever else the lads could throw in to mix things up a bit."
Oh, Happy The Man -- One Note Ahead's 2009 Album of the Year! Yes, now you remember!
The Guggenheim Grotto have a solid new album out, The Universe Is Laughing. To celebrate this, they're in the midst of June residencies in New York City and Philadelphia -- and here's where I come in. Last year, during a January residency at Philadelphia's World Cafe Live, Mick and Kevin developed a tremendous local following, allowing them to make a triumphant return to the venue in April. This month, they're playing every Thursday night at the Tin Angel, and after attending the opening show as a fan, I'll be helping the band out with the remaining three. How?
First off, supplemental promotion. I have the Philly connections, you know, so I might be able to help the lads build the same kind of momentum they got at World Cafe Live last year. The shows are just $10 apiece, 21+, doors at 8, shows at 8:30. The remaining dates are June 10th, 17th, and 24th. And get this: for the first time ever, Mick and Kevin are touring the US with a rhythm section! If you want advance tix, check out http://www.tinangel.com/schedule.html and click on the showtime links.
Secondly, I will be branching out from PR and manning the merch table at the remaining Tin Angel shows! So come say "Hi" and while you're at it, pick up any or all of The Guggenheim Grotto's three albums!
I'm very excited about this because, even though it is a small side project, it marks the first time I'll be doing Philly PR for a non-Philly act. I've been wanting to do that for quite a while now. As for the merch table, well, I'm open to trying new things!
Coming soon: HUGE news about The Josh and Pete Band, and (I hope) updates on The Escape and Bad Apples!
