🎸 2024 - How Was Your Year of Performing?

Fun fact:

Before he was known for his work with the band Led Zepplin, Jimmy Page was a sought-after session guitarist. He recorded guitar on songs with groups like The Who and The Kinks and in 1966, he joined The Yardbirds (famous for other well-known guitarists like Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck) for about two years. 

You may or may not know this, but the last year of touring with the Yardbirds changed the course of music history. In 1968, the existing band lineup of the Yardbirds decided to call it quits, and to keep a planned late summer Scandinavian tour alive, Jimmy Page created "The NEW Yardbirds" with new musicians. You may recognize their names...

Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones...

Less than two months later, the band officially became known as Led Zepplin and proceeded to revolutionize the music world for years to come.

A lot can happen in one year.

So How Do We Reflect & Evaluate Each Year?

As musicians, singers, and entertainers, there is a lot to learn from each year of performing. What went well? What didn't go well? Where can we improve? Let's talk about some things we can review.

1. How is your sound?

   • Reflection: Consider the evolution of your musical style and sound over the past year. Identify what worked well and what didn't resonate with your audience.
   • Moving Forward: Embrace the successful elements and be open to refining or completely changing aspects that didn't connect. Adaptability is key always.
     
     

2. How is your relationship with your Audience?

   • Reflection: Analyze how you interacted with your audience during performances, on social media, and through other channels. Take note of what engaged your fans and drew new listeners.
   • Moving Forward: Build on successful audience engagement strategies and experiment with new ways to connect with your fan base. 
     
     

3. Did you get people to gigs?

   • Reflection: Evaluate the effectiveness of your promotional efforts, both online and offline. Consider which platforms and marketing tools gave you the best results.
   • Moving Forward: Experiment with new channels, collaborations, and creative marketing approaches to expand your reach.
     
     

4. How was your stage show?

   • Reflection: Review your live performances, considering audience reactions, venue choices, and the overall energy of your shows. Identify peak moments and areas for improvement. (There are always a handful of songs where you think "That one never worked live")
   • Moving Forward: Incorporate successful elements into future performances and actively work on areas that need enhancement. Consistent gigging and adapting to audience dynamics contribute to a thriving live presence.
     
     

5. Who are your best partners?

   • Reflection: Assess your collaborations and networking efforts within the music community. Identify fruitful partnerships and connections that contributed to your growth.
   • Moving Forward: Cultivate existing relationships and seek out new collaborations. Networking can open doors to opportunities, and diverse collaborations often lead to fresh creative perspectives.
     
     

6. How's the "money situation"?

   • Reflection: Examine your financial aspects, including income, expenses, and investments in your music career. Understand where your resources were well-utilized and areas for potential cost savings.
   • Moving Forward: Develop a realistic budget for the upcoming year, allocating resources strategically. Financial stability allows you to invest in quality production, marketing, and other essential elements.
     
     

7. What were your biggest successes and failures?

   • Reflection: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Equally important, analyze failures objectively to derive lessons.
   • Moving Forward: Use successes as motivation and learning experiences, and view failures as stepping stones to growth. A healthy balance of celebration and introspection fuels sustained progress in your music career.
     
     

8. What do you want to do next year?

   • Reflection: Reflect on the goals you set for the past year. Identify achievements and areas where goals may not have been met.
   • Moving Forward: Establish clear, measurable, and achievable goals for the coming year. Learn from any setbacks and adjust your approach to ensure steady progress toward your musical aspirations.

Final Thoughts

As I said, a lot can change in a year. Think about your past year making music. What worked, what didn't? Try to learn from your successes and failures, pay attention to what gets people buzzing, and tweak your style based on what clicks with your fans.

Celebrate your wins, big or small. And, don't forget to learn from the stuff that didn't go as planned. Set new goals you can measure and work on your skills. In this ever-changing music scene, learn from the unexpected, and let your love for music drive you forward.

All the best.

Danny