Songwriters Festival Leftovers

I really enjoy going to Christian concerts, but I always refer to a ‘spiritual hangover’ that you wake up with the next day.  You’re so charged up and filled with the messages from the night before that you pine away for something to be able to go out and do in order to spread the Good News.  It takes some coming down from the mountain top to focus with a clear head on what truly can be done, realistically speaking.

Knowing that, I waited until now so that I’d have a fresh approach to talking about songwriters festivals, but not be too far removed from the latest that I attended.

I was up in the Florida panhandle for the 7th Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival from October 1st – 4th.  Full disclosure, one of my clients was there performing, in conjunction with her new album that came out while we were there.

What were the takeaways this year, you ask?

In no particular order, I would start the list by saying that follow up is always key.  You do get that rush of enthusiasm as you’re there and even when you’re driving (or flying) home.  Then Monday hits and you’ve got notes, business cards, and other reminders that you need to act on.  If you let too much time go by, you could be forgotten, to some extent, if you just had a casual introduction to someone you met at a festival.  Strike while the iron is hot.

Remember that you’re playing to the other writers as much as, if not more than, you’re playing to the audiences.  Songwriters festivals are a great opportunity to catch the attention of another writer who might just offer up a, “Hey, I like your stuff.  I’d really like to write with you.”  There are always new participants, so even if you’ve been at a particular festival before, don’t scan the crowd and label people “songwriter (I recognize)” and “audience member (because I don’t recognize them).”  The latter just might be your next invitation to Nashville.

Since there are songwriters there that you’re going to know and thus are going to have heard you before, bring some new, strong material.  If you’re still playing (only) the same songs from last year’s festival, they’re going to wonder what you’ve been doing for the last year and how serious you are (or aren’t) about making music.  Don’t assume that they won’t remember what you played last year.

Every conversation has value.  You’re either going to learn something, meet someone new, or solidify a relationship with someone.  There are lots of applicable clichés here, starting with don’t judge a book by its cover.  You never know who might befriend you or just simply impart some wisdom.

This is usually about where I stop, but, I’d be remiss if I didn’t first remind you to THANK whoever got you in there in the first place, not to mention (if it’s not the same person) the host.

And then start looking around for another festival at which to go put these same takeaways into place.