Under The Dog

I have been filming bands for awhile now for an upcoming DVD project. It’s centered around live music performances in Portland Oregon and it’s taking up most of my free time. That’s why this site hasn’t been a daily thing lately. I’m going crazy just trying to handle this site and now an even larger project that I could not pass up. So I thought I would share a few things about my weekend at Music Fest Northwest.

1. Promoters are all different.

Whoa, shock there… But seriously, at some shows, by just having a camera, people wave you through and let you in anywhere. At others you’ll be hard pressed to get past the front door if your name isn’t on the list.

2. 99% of musicians are alot nicer when you are providing a service.

I’ve met a ton of musicians under a ton of different circumstances. If you just approach people without knowing them they tend to be standoffish, but once you set something up they tend to act quite different.

3. Sponsorship isn’t all that bad.

Free Vitamin Waters and Smart Water everywhere I went was pretty cool. There was free Heinekens at one of the shows but I didn’t drink any.

3. Pot Festivals probably aren’t the best place to get your promotional video shot at.

Unless you want giant banners in the background for the whole video advertising the marijuana movement, you might want to choose a different gig than a pot festival.

4. Hip-Hop people are more standoffish than socially awkward hipsters.

The exception goes to Cool Nutz. But it seems like Hip-Hoppers are not very social with people who want to film them so they can get more exposure.

5. Tell the rest of your band that you are going to be filmed.

I filmed a band where only one member of the band even knew we were coming. The other members of the band were pissed and we wasted half of 2 tapes on the show.

6. Make note of where you park the car.

My filming partner and I looked for about an hour for a car that was parked about a block away from where we were filming.

7. The more DIY a venue, the more accommodating the staff is.

The more bourgeois a club or bar or coffee shop, the less people are willing to help you. I guess it’s just a mutual DIY respect.

8. Shows rarely start on time and time slots often get pushed back.

This doubly applies to one off shows in random places. Like pot fests.

9. A Weather is REALLY GOOD.

And they are really nice to boot.

10. Mirah was actually fun to watch.

Being a hardcore and metal guy, I have had a lot of fun filming indie bands and even a newgrass group.

Tunes

A Weather - Spider Snakes

A Weather - Oh My Stars