by Miró Justad
Musicians who rely upon social gatherings to not only to make their income but also to pursue career opportunities are being hit hard for the foreseeable future. As we all re-think how our personal and the wider world will look in the following months due to Covid-19 it is extremely important that we find ways to support artists whom without this world would be meaningless. Tom Tom is dedicated to giving a voice to musicians facing cancelations and major life changes. We want to create a space not only where one can find relatability and compassion for the stories of artists during this moment, but also a space where people can discover their music.
FROM MELBOURNE, AUS:
Harmony Byrne writes hauntingly beautiful guitar-driven songs from just outside of Melbourne, AUS. Byrne calls her music “a roller-coaster of emotions.”
“First off I must say I feel very fortunate not to be ‘directly’ affected by Covid-19 and my heart is with those who are really suffering. It has however impacted my music career. When the virus hit Australia I was in the middle of my first headline tour round parts of Australia and the last of my shows were cancelled, which has kinda left me hangin’ like an unresolved melody, but really I can’t complain. I live in a beautiful part of the country, surrounded by state forest and wildlife. I’m enjoying the downtime and, to be honest, tend to self-isolate anyway! I’m trying to use this as a creative lockdown, resolving what I can and doing things I might otherwise not do such as refining demos, collecting firewood, standing on my head, painting, replying to this email etc 😉 I do miss the energy of performing live though, playing with my friends and playing to different parts of the country… as much as it’s has been amazing to see artists doing cool community things online, I think I prefer to play to the birds than to a screen. So yeah, I look forward to feeling an audience again and being able to give them a cuddle, a kiss, or a tissue if they need it.” – HARMONY
HOW TO ACCESS/SUPPORT
“Considering I am a new artist I think the best way people can help is by simply sharing my music with friends and family. “
You can access Harmony Byrne’s music here: HarmonyByrne.com or any streaming service.
FROM SEATTLE, WA. :
Harley Rose (they/them,) coordinator of Kame House 206 and 1/3 of installation team Satur8r, creators of the satur8r.live streaming project is adapting to the shutdowns in Seattle which has been experiencing changes for a longer time perhaps than any other town in the U.S.
“Satur8r is a media installation concept and we have been hosting private concerts since March 11th. We were already streaming to twitch pretty regularly pre-covid so we adapted to us purging 3 years of live performances in our DIY all ages venue in effort to collect donations for artists in need. These concerts happen every Thursday at 9pm. We also have pre-recorded, socially distanced, shows regularly Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 9- all on here or IG under Satur8r, or Kame House 206.
-HARLEY
HOW TO ACCESS/SUPPORT:
Link to stream private concerts of bands as well as live streams from past events that the team of artists have hosted.
They are accepting tips on the twitch stream and also are accepting donations on their Venmo account: @satur8r
FROM LOS ANGELES, CA. :
Jamie of LA-based music project Freda James makes songs “with a pop, disco, soul, cinematic feel”.
“I started this year off writing new songs, preparing with my band to perform at Zebulon in April! Sadly with the intensity and unknown of this Virus it’s looking like that show will be postponed.
I really wanted to start this year off in person showcasing the new songs & sounds I’ve been moving into, with a band of mostly women who have helped me shape my new tunes. The growth I’ve made since my last body of work that was released last summer has given me a breathe of fresh air within the usual unknown of the industry. Playing live has always been my favorite part of this whole journey. I’m leaning into the positives right now, which are tracking new songs and tightening up my live performance via at home face-time practices with the band. I rely on the hospitality industry as well as freelance work in order to stay afloat and fund my music so it’s a hard hit as spots are all closed down right now..”
HOW TO ACCESS/SUPPORT:
“I have music on Spotify via Freda James and I will also be posting some videos & fun things on Instagram over the next few weeks, sharing some of the new songs, maybe even live stream an intimate show <3
I guess support can come in the form of keeping tuned in with all the live streams I feel artists will be doing over the next month! Sending personal DM’s to artists you like to give them a hint of hope in such a confusing time. Sharing their music is always a good thing, the more songs circulate the bigger opportunity a show can manifest.
I also have a side hustle of selling vintage clothing over at @mother_of_lu on Instagram, all proceeds go to my music getting mixed & mastered <333” -JAMIE
music instagram: @fredajamesss / vintage clothing instagram: @mother_of_lu
FROM LOS ANGELES, CA:
Riley Geare is a versatile LA-based artist who has a solo project and also can be heard playing on “Superstar” by Caroline Rose.
“Musically I’m an old soul with a lot of energy!
Well, the virus cancelled all the tours, so that includes the new tour I had just begun as keyboard player for Caroline Rose. It was a pretty big bummer, I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to get back out there soon. I was really excited about the new gig and her new record. I’m lucky that I have studio work to keep me busy now that I’m back home. Mostly mixing and e-mail collabs right now, but it’s keeping me going!”
HOW TO ACCESS/SUPPORT
“The best way to support me is to buy my albums on bandcamp! Or if you are a musician looking for an engineer, producer to collab with, or studio music lets work together! And come see Caroline when (hopefully soon!) the shows resume and are rescheduled!” –RILEY
You can access Geare’s solo album, “The Trip Vol. 1 and 2” on band camp and all streaming services.
You can access Caroline Rose’s “Superstar”, which Geare appears on, everywhere digitally or on vinyl or CD.
FROM LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO :
Indie Folk artist Anna Vogelzang recently moved to Los Angeles from Chicago. Vogelzang’s music is personal yet expansive at the same time; in her honest lyrics we can find relatability to our own pain and love. Vogelzang describes her writing process: “I write indie folk songs about feelings and play them on the electric guitar.”
“The biggest contender, of course, has been cancelled gigs and recording sessions – I was supposed to fly to LA next week to go into the studio and record my next album. There are so many unknowns – finding another time to get into the studio with my producer is going to be so difficult, given both of our schedules. That’s the biggest heartbreak to me. We’ve just started texting this week to figure out if we can do something remotely. I have a bunch of bigger festival shows scheduled for June, July & August, and I’m just waiting to see what happens with those… What’s funny is that usually when you’re off the road, you’re working on the next thing – planning stages for the next album, booking tour, promoting tour or an album, playing hometown shows, etc. But everything is on hold right now, and it feels unprecedented to have this much time at home without a project. I spent the first two weeks doing a bunch of different recording sessions, applying for grants and artist aid, and catching up. But now the slate is very much empty, other than the planning stages for the next album. I’m trying to give myself pillars so that I don’t feel unproductive – engaging with my Patreon community, writing a song a week, and organizing all of my demos for the next project, whenever that finally comes into the world.” – ANNA
HOW TO ACCESS/SUPPORT
“I’m in the 3rd year of my Patreon community, and I’m actually very happy to have this time to really hone in, connect with them, and create more content for them than ever before. It’s amazing to have a monthly paycheck coming in, especially now, and I’m all the more grateful to have this community on my side.
I’ve also been doing a weekly live stream for them every Sunday night – my Sunday Studio Residency – and folks can join me on Patreon for the members only stream here or for my bi-weekly public shows on socials” :
FROM SEATTLE, WA. :
Andy Sells teaches drum lessons at Seattle’s beloved Seattle Drum School as well as plays in numerous projects—
“I play weird pop music with Select Level, space jazz synth beats with Afrocop, thrash prog metal with Nosretep, and also drum for various dj’s and producers.
As of this writing, I still have most of my students coming in to The Seattle Drum School in person. A few have dropped over the course of this last week, and we are working on ways to do online lessons. All of my regular live gigs have been cancelled, and it looks like this may extend a while as the public gathering ban has taken place. If Italy is any example, I expect we will have to shift online as much as possible in the coming weeks.” -ANDY
HOW TO ACCESS/SUPPORT:
Sells suggests for people to support musicians through their Bandcamp if possible because the website gives artists a majority of the payment. You can find his music/merch here.
You can find the physical Select Level LP on Wax Thematique here!
Instagram: @selectlevel