Better Than The Van : Blog

Interview with Justin Hoot from VEOBA

todd — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:45:41 +0000

We had a quick chat with Justin from VEOBA the other day. VEOBA plays middle man for bands who need merch, distro, download cards, posters, publicity….just about everything a label would provide. It’s a pretty grand idea. So here you go…

Give us the backstory on Veoba (and you possibly). How’d it come about? Who all works with you on this?

Jay Parkin (my partner in VEOBA) and I met in May of 2009 through a mutual friend. Jay has a 10 year career in the music industry with Fiddler Records, IHeartcomix, Sony Red Distribution, and Southern Records, as well as tour managing experience with everyone from Green Day, Blink 182, and Ben Folds. I, on the other hand, have been a musician for the last 10 years and took my old band from 10 shows a year in Chicago to 50 shows a year in the Midwest. While our experiences are both incredibly different, after a few conversations, we both realized that we were just sick of all the nonsense companies out there making promises to bands that they can’t keep, or even worse, the companies that blatantly take advantage of artists. So we decided to build a company that is just a no bullshit, no frills, provider of services that musicians, managers, and record labels need. We spent a year forging partnerships with vendors on both coasts that believe in what we’re doing and therefore, are able to offer us prices and price breaks that we can pass onto our customers.

It looks like you’ve got your hands in a lot of places i.e. Distro, Merch, Download Cards…what are the most popular?

Yeah, we’ve definitely got a ton of services going on, and we’re actually getting ready to roll out a few more as well. The way we look at though, you don’t necessarily need a record label anymore, but you need stuff…and we want to provide you with that stuff! Right now, Merch is a huge seller for us, but we also have a killer Digital Distribution offering as well. As for everything else we currently offer (Download Cards, CD&Vinyl, Guerrilla Marketing, etc), our quality and prices are unmatched and we are talking with and helping out more bands, labels, and managers everyday.

You all have been sponsoring a lot of stuff this summer. How’s the response been?

The response has been pretty amazing actually which was the hope and the goal for us when we took on our summer programming. We’re a new company that plays in the music/entertainment/consumer space, so for us it was a no-brainer to get behind these events. Also, we really can’t say enough about the people behind JellyNYC, and all the opportunities we’ve had to work with them. From last year’s Carniville in Austin, to the Pool Parties in Brooklyn, as well as the MadDecent Block Parties and the Brooklyn RockYard series, it’s just been one successful event after another.

Where does VEOBA fit in today’s landscape? Bands can do so much for themselves, why should they use you?

The goal of VEOBA has always been to either be a one-stop-shop for artists, labels, and managers, or to simply fit in where you need us. If you’ve got a great merch connection, that’s cool, who’s doing your CD’s and Vinyl? Have you thought about Download Cards? what about your Marketing? Again, our M.O. is let’s be practical. If we think you’re sticker or poster design is whack, or is lacking essential information like a url to your bands website, we’ll tell you first, before we take your money. I’m not interested in just getting paid. I’m interested in getting paid for quality work that progresses the goals of our customers as well as establishing relationships with artists, labels, and managers and watching them grow.

In short, we’re a company made up of musicians and music industry veterans, not a bunch of dudes in shirts and ties trying to sell shit to a crowd we don’t really have anything in common with, ya know? Bands can do a ton for themselves these days and we’re here to help them do just that.

Future plans? What’s next for VEOBA and will I be able to buy a sword with my band’s name on it?

Oooooooooh, the future! Well, we’re rolling out some new services in September and also gearing up for an action packed 2011, filled with more parties, new partnerships, and some new features…stay tuned! And yes….if your band has a strong Tolkien/Dungeons&Dragons/MagicTheGathering crowd, we can probably find you a sword. But probably not with a straight face. If you’re band is ‘The Sword’ however, please contact us immediately, we’re ready to take care of all your novelty sword needs. Thanks for the interview dudes!

New Site Commeth

todd — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:40:12 +0000

Hey champions of justice a new version of this here site is on it’s way. Yes, we too just love this wonder of social networking we currently have but it’s time to jack things up a bit. You know, elaborate on the theme a little. Give everyone a little bang for the buck. So we are rebuilding this thing from the ground up.

Below we’ve got a couple pics of the redesign in progress.

Two things we need from you:

#1 – If you want to BETA test this bad beast, let us know.

#2 – If you have some ideas, tweaks, genius functionalities you’d like to see, let us know that too.

Here you go! We’ve got a Home Page and Band Profile mock-up.

Remember these are a work in progress and not near the final versions.

5 Social Media Touring Tips

todd — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:37:20 +0000

It’s time for tour! Just getting to this point takes a ton of work and doesn’t happen for every band on the planet. You’ve got some shows booked (hopefully) and maybe more on the way. You’ve got your merch ready to sling and of course your band is crazy-tight and ready to kill it. Now it’s time to gas up the van, head out and let the cards fall where they may. Right? Wrong. You’ve got more work to do.

It’s time for a little social media 101. You’ve got Likers, Followers, Friends and Fans that you want to follow every happening on the road. While they do, they’ll help spread the word about you through their networks. Why? Well, they like your music and want everyone to know about it. Or it’s because you’re a band on tour and everyone wants to do that, or at least be a voyeur to your shenanigans. So here are a few tips to help you keep them up to date and possibly get more people out to shows.

Facebook
If you don’t have a Page, make one. Maybe even swing by RootMusic and sign up for a free “band page” which ads some “band-centric” functions to Facebook Pages. Most importantly keep it updated and fresh. Talk to everyone who talks to you. Post photos and videos from tour on it constantly. Of course it helps if someone in the band has a iPhone, Blackberry or Android, but there’s a lot of down time on tour. Find yourself some internet and have at it with your laptop.

Another simple idea is to make Events for every show and invite all your Likers to every show. Even if they don’t live that city, they may have friends that do and suggest your show to them. It’s all about the personal referral.
Twitter
If you don’t have a profile, get one. Then follow all of the people from your email list (you have one right?) and start tweeting and retweeting as much as you can. Try to stay consistently engaged. People want to know what you’re doing at all times. So much of touring is “hurry up and wait” so it’s a great time killer to just sit around, drink a beer and tweet away while waiting for sound check. Just make sure it’s some-what
Tour Diary Blog
I used to think this made sense but with Facebook and Twitter not so much anymore. Bands usually keep at it for a few days and then fall off. You can try if you like, but I’d stick more short-form communication that’s closer to real-time.
Foursquare
It’s new. It’s fresh. It’s all about checking at places and getting fake prizes. Yes, it does sound kind of lame but it can work for you. Create a profile that’s the name of your band. Next, when you’re at the venue or cool spot check-in at that location to see what other users are there, and then send them a friend request. The same goes for your shows. If the venue is set up as a “Place” and other Foursquare users have checked-in, they’ll show up in the application and you can send them a friend request. All the while be sure to check in at every place you stop. It doesn’t hurt to leave a “Tip” about your band or show at every venue you play. It’s just another way for people to find out about your band.
Keep at it!
One band that I see really on top of their social media is Freelance Whales. Personal tastes aside, they really do make an effort to update their fans on what’s happening, when/where they’re playing and creating good conversation. When they first started only a few people where paying attention, but they kept at it and it’s paid off. They’re able to really engage people on every stop on tour and get a lot of free publicity out of the deal.

I’m sure there are a ton of other ideas and if you have them, throw a comment on here. It’d be great to hear them. Don’t forget that a lot of this stuff you can do when you’re not on tour. You can even prime the pump pre-tour and hire someone like War Room PR to get things going. Remember, being in band is essentially a story you get to tell while it’s happening. Everyone loves a good story. Just keep pushing it out, keep it interesting and remember it’s all just one big conversation.

Better Than The Van + Scion = LA Good Times

todd — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:46:39 +0000

Last week we jumped a plane and headed to the city of lost angels for the Scion Music(less) Conference. A little ditty put on by Scion to bring together all kind of minds from the music world to talk shop, present their ideas and listen to the RZA throw down about the music industry. It was a small affair and we were please as punch to be invited. We met a lot of great people and found out what happens in LA when the Lakers win a championship (see definition of urban chaos). We took some pics and you can check out all the happenings at Scion AV in a couple weeks!

Airborne refreshments.

A little Bollywood in a Hollywood cab ride.

Wu Tang! The RZA talks Bill Murray and why he sees spaceships.

The Scion content creation machine.

BTTV on the big screen.

Hummers and hotels.

We met a lot of great people from cool companies like Nimbit (direct to fan merch and music), Sonoma Wireworks (turn your iphone or ipod into a four track), Tunecore (digital distro giant), Reverbnation (you know), mTraks (curated download store) and one of my favorites Sound Exchange (an awesome nonprofit that finds money owed bands and musicians from online radio and streaming sites. you fill out a few pieces of paperwork and they hunt down what’s owed you.)

Fall brings some great things. A relaunch of the site with tons of new features and the return of Better Than The Van Happy Hours. We’re going big and we can’t go home. That’s it. Be well. Go on tour.

Your Band at Green Man!

todd — Wed, 12 May 2010 03:20:19 +0000

When I think Green Man I think It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Then I was sent an email about this little ditty of a festival and contest across the pond. It looks like a cool opportunity so we wanted to let you all know. Everything after this sentence is straight from the press release they sent us. Do what thou whilst.

—–

There’s only one thing better than being at the Green Man, and that’s playing at the Green Man!

Green Poll is back – and it’s bigger and better than ever before. This is your chance to get the party of the summer started with a bang as we launch our annual search to find a unique, amazing and undiscovered act to open Green Man 2010.

Forget X-Factor and the tawdry TV talent shows – have you and your band got what it takes to open the festival with one of YOUR songs in front of thousands of people on August 20.

How about sharing the bill with the likes of Doves, The Flaming Lips, and Joanna Newsom and getting airplay on Green Man YouTube for a year?

Or being included in the festival promotion, giving interviews to Radio 1 and the BBC and being featured in national press and websites such as Mojo, The Guardian, NME and Drowned in Sound?

What if we threw in 6 pairs of free tickets for your family and friends to witness your big moment live on stage, just for good measure?

Our panel of top music industry judges includes Mojo editor Phil Alexander, as well as record label bosses Stephen Bass(Moshi Moshi) and Simon Raymonde (Bella Union).

Last year’s fantastic winners We Aeronauts went down a storm after beating an incredible 600 hopeful entrants, but can you do better? Let the music-loving Green Man public – and our esteemed panel of judges – decide!

Any band or solo artist can enter Green Poll. Just go to www.greenman.net, click on the Green Poll button and upload a YouTube or MySpace video of your band performing a song – it’s as simple as that.

After four weeks of public voting a shortlist of 10 acts will go through to round two – the five bands with the most public votes from round one, and five hand-picked by legendary music webzine Drowned In Sound.

Then it’s another free-for-all public vote to whittle down the lucky five acts that will battle it out in our live final at the Camden Monarch, in London, on 8th July – will you be carrying your guitar case all the way to Green Man this summer?

And what’s more, every single voter taking part will be entered into a prize draw to win free – yes, free – Green Man tickets!

So what are you waiting for? The next seven weeks could change your life forever!

We Gave Away A Van!

todd — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:50:42 +0000

Huge week for BTTV @ SXSW! We had a solid time with Daytrotter at their compound and spreading the good word about BTTV. Good times and great people those daytrots.

We topped the week off with the van giveaway on a chilly Saturday with a nice flash mob and The Bad Sports driving away with the grand prize! Photo sets abound. Have a look…

VAN GIVEAWAY

THE DAYTROTTER COMPOUND

Our new favorite band…Eagle Meat.

BTTV & Van Giveaway on KXAN…morning news rules!

todd — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:05:13 +0000

Van and Gear Pics!

todd — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:36:21 +0000

Keep an eye out for this van during SXSW! Register here to win!

We’ve got some pics of the gear for ya too.

SXSW Panel – Line Up Announced!

todd — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:06:28 +0000

If you’re going to be at SXSW and have a music badge swing by our panel “Friendbases to Fanbases: Why you must tour now!” on Thursday, March 18th on 12:30 in Room 13B.

We’ve got a sweet line-up of panelists: Tom Windish, owner of The Windish Agency, Marc Allen of Red Light Management, Seth Hubbard of Polyvinyl Records and Matt Hickey of High Road Touring.

If you want to tour, don’t miss this panel. We’re going to talk some serious shop! Details here…

Van Giveaway Site Announced!

todd — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:54:45 +0000

We’re going to do this thing on Saturday, March 20th @ 6pm @ The East Austin Artist Lounge. Everyone who has entered will be able to get in for the drawing. It’s going to be a huge day.

We’ll send out at couple reminders through out the week. And you can always follow us on the Twitter @bettrthanthevan.

Map To East Austin Artist Lounge