VK Lynne

...is a Los Angeles singer/songwriter who has fronted various bands such as Vita Nova, stOrk, and From Light Rose the Angels)

Score! Your favorite band has a tour stop in your city!

Snap! Tickets are HOW MUCH????

It happens over and over. You wait for a specific band to come to town, spend every extra penny you have when they do, then realize you need to rein in your spending for the next few months.

No big deal, right? Except that now, you might not be as willing to take a chance with your hard-earned cash on a NEW band.

The music industry is in the midst of some serious growing pains, and none of us know what the next model will look like. What we do know is: - Listeners still want new music. (Yay!) - More and more are willing to illegally download to get it. (Boo.) - New bands have more ability than ever to get their music heard. (Yay!) - New bands have less ability than ever to make $ from that music. (Boo.)

So what’s the answer? Fans want music. Bands want to make it. Should be easy, right?

However, there are still costs (sometimes LARGE costs) involved in making quality music. Production, mixing, mastering, artwork- all these things take the music from scribbles and chords to sonic masterpieces. When the artists’ financial situation suffers, so does the music. It’s really that simple.

Thus, bands hit the road in hopes of making new fans with the music, and making some cash with the merch. But what if no one comes?

When you have your own bills, your own projects, how can you be sure that you’re not buying a ticket for a night of music that, frankly, you might not enjoy? How can we close the gap between what we all want and what we all need?

Technology. It made this mess; now, maybe, it can help clean it up.

More and more artists are turning to streaming webcasts. For you, the listener, this is the PERFECT way to get to know a band and their music before you commit to them financially.

For example, my band, From Light Rose the Angels, hosts a weekly webcast that is FREE for everyone. We play music in an acoustic, informal setting, we cook food, we talk about what’s going on, we chat with our audience, we hula hoop. Every week we get to know our gang of supporters a little better, and they get to know us. And if the time comes when folks feel they WANT to support the band, there is a donate button on the page where they can drop a few bucks our way.

And we are certainly not the only ones! Many, many bands are exercising this option, and with great results. You, the music listener, get to check out new music, from the comfort of your home, without parking costs, drink minimums and drunken crowds. Then, if you decide you want to have the live experience, you can do so, in full confidence that you will be getting a quality night out.

So before you pass on that mid-level act that’s coming through next month, see if they stream and check them out. If they don’t, ask them to!

Tonight, instead of surfing for medieval porn (you know who you are!), surf for new music, and discover your new favorite band!

(Log in every Saturday at 2 pm PST see From Light Rose the Angels in action: http://fromlightrosetheangels.com/live
Also, catch them on the road this summer with Insatia for their “Out for Blood” tour of the US Southwest!)

• Next