Homemade Music Symposium wrap-up

I think it may be time to officially admit that I'm getting old. I'm writing this on Sunday night following a three hour nap after getting home from the Homemade Music Symposium in Ybor this weekend. Although, the last part of today was spent outside in what I was told was a heat index of 105° so maybe I have an alibi.
Anyway, the event itself was fantastic. A great mix of business and music with artists and industry people mingling and sharing ideas. The state of the music industry itself, which can best be described as "in flux" (which I believe is Latin for "dying painfully") and how to survive and thrive was the theme throughout. Brian Childs of ninebullets.net went so far as to proclaim that any attempt to make a living as a professional musician was basically doomed unless you can use your music to draw people to shows so they can buy tee shirts. That's sobering and a lot of people probably didn't like hearing it but it's the reality we live in now. The encouraging thing was seeing how many people still want to be musicians in spite of everything. The fact that now maybe more than ever it is not an expressway to fame and fortune would seem to indicate that these people have a genuine passion for their music itself which can be seen as nothing but a positive development.
If you didn't go and wanted to, here are the three important themes:

• Have and maintain an online presence.
• Play live, often.
• Repeat steps 1 and 2 as necessary (as necessary = always).

Now, here's the not-quite-as-important stuff that I know some of you have been looking for.
These are the contents of the goody bag that was waiting for me in my hotel room suite at the Hampton Inn. Why did I get a goody bag? Because:
A) I'm a big shot blogger and the things I write are important and change people's lives and they love me for it.
B) I'm a big shot blogger and I can either build or destroy entire empires with but a few keystrokes, bitches.
C) Some people are just nice to me for some reason.

(There is probably a slightly larger nugget of truth in one of those items than the other two)

I took a few minutes to pose for publicity photos for the new buddy cop drama starring myself and Kelly Brophy ("rhymes with trophy"). One's a fashion designer, the other's a writer. Both wear glasses. Neither has a real gun. Coming this fall to Fox.

One of my dinner companions was on a mission to eat ALL the ketchup in Ybor City Saturday night. She is out of control and needs to be stopped. Maybe it's a case we can cover on our buddy cop show this fall.

The great Rebekah Pulley played at New World Brewery Saturday night. It is always a privilege to see her perform. I got to see other remarkable artists over the course of the weekend, including Lorna Bracewell, 10th Concession, Lee Hinkle, Bunko Squad and Ronny Elliott.

This is Emily Roff. I think she is amazing and truly gifted. I've seen her play twice and was blown away both times. Regardless of the state of the music biz, I find it very difficult to understand how she is not a bigger star than half the people you read about in Rolling Stone.

Here are some more pictures, taken by Kelly Hickman, who is as at least as talented in her own right as any artist mentioned here.

PS: She also took the picture at the top of this page.

CDs for sale

Lorna Bracewell @ New World Brewery

Rebekah Pulley @ New World Brewery

Ronny Elliott @ The Bunker

Mixed messages, via Twitter