gigging
Before DJs and higher minimum drinking age laws impacted the demand for live music and musicians, there were a lot of opportunities to make a living playing music. How has that changed? How can musicians survive with fewer places to play? How can bands afford to stay in business?
meet the panelists
Adam Kowalczyk
Adam Kowalczyk has grown to recognize different sides of the music business and the touring industry. As the young brother of one of Rock n’ Roll’s most respected frontmen and since 1999, he has toured stages from your local venues to sold out stadiums around the world playing rhythm guitar and singing background for the rock group LIVE. He has also performed as a studio musician on their releases entitled, “The Distance to Here” “V” “Awake-The Best of Live” “Radiant Sea” and their most recent release "LIVE at the Paradiso." On the other side of this spectrum sits Adam’s solo career and the proof of his inner markings as an artist, the cultivation of his "voice." Fronting his own band, Adam and the Weight, his debut CD ‘Looking Up from the Ground’ (2003) was nominated for ‘Independent Pop Album of the Year’ by the LA Music Awards and received an Honorable Mention at the ‘The International Songwriting Competition 2004’ for the song “Never Good at Fighting.” In 2005, his follow-up solo independent release, “The Dream EP”, contains 12 compelling songs in which he reflects about his life and times in Los Angeles and his experiences on the road in an attempt to bring his audience a breath of fresh air from the current mainstream. Recorded in Lancaster, PA, co-produced by Adam Kontis at Moontree Studios, consider “The Dream EP” to represent more of a chapter in a heartfelt book of many to come. Currently working on his next release, Adam continues to tour for LIVE, producing indie talent and enjoying time with his fiance and their two dogs. www.adamandtheweight.com www.sonicbids.com/adamnthew8
Crazy John Kerecz OSH radio
Crazy John is the bass player for 7th Layer, an alt/industrial/hip hop band that plays in PA, NY, NJ, and elsewhere. The band just released its 4th CD, Bring Out Your Dead. He is also an Entertainment Journalist that owns and manages OSHRadio.com & The Ragazine Music Magazine. OSHRadio.com was originally founded in South Central PA seven years ago to promote local independent music. The last three years OSHradio.com has has grown from 2,000 average hits to days with 26,000 hits and plays independent music from coast to coast and around the world. Interviews, live shows, and comedy can also be found there. 7th layer http://www.myspace.com/seventhlayer http://www.oshradio.com
lebanon valley college • music industry conference • 11/21/2009
Gary Spencer Berks Jazz Fest
Spencer is the Production Manager for the Berks Jazz Fest. He started off as the Stage Manager there in 1997. Mr. Spencer has worked in the area of Production Management for 10+ years. His love of jazz music has driven him to work on such events as Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz, Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival, Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and First Night Wilmington/Millennium. Gary Spencer is a member of the Berks Jazz Council who hosts the Berks Jazz Festival every year. The mission of the Berks Jazz Council, formally organized in 1971, is to encourage and promote all of the arts, to develop an appreciation of the arts, and to enrich and enhance the quality of life in Berks County. http://www.berksjazzfest.com/
Lee Carroll
For years, Carroll played keyboards and toured, both nationally and internationally, with a number of major artists including Exile, The Judds, Emmylou Harris and more. He left the life as a successful musician and is now President and Operating Partner of Circle C Corp, an independently owned and operated franchise of Papa John's Pizza. He owns eight restaurants in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area.