Event Management is one of the (more sensibly named) subjects I'm taking this year at RMIT. In many ways, I could probably teach this class, but it's part of the diploma, so I'm doing my hours as a student must do.

We're putting on a fairly big gig in June - an album launch for Nicky Bomba and The Drummers Of Katoomba. As a precursor to that, we have two fundraiser events - and I've put my hand up to write the publicity materials, and get the info to the media. (I know a bit about that too.) I've already penned my share of professional Media Releases - but the one for this gig is kinda nice and shiny, so I thought I'd blog it here.

Bad publicity writing is really easy, and good publicity writing is really hard. It's supposed to be accessible, and punchy, not highbrow, yet not moronic. (The above is easily as good as anything I get in my in box as a journalist - a comparison by which I do myself a disservice, given the grammatical backyard abortion that is most metal press releases.)

One of the difficult things about the above PR is that the gig is one I'd try not to book (if I were working as a venue booker). Putting those styles together makes it hard to promote - the only thing the bands have in common is guitars and difference. I'm sure it'll be a fun night, but it's not an easy thing to plug. It's not about anything.

I couldn't resist sneaking in a literary horror reference, and thus it smacks of Lovecraft meets Absolutely Fabulous! Now those are two things that I never imagined I'd lump together... not even in the name of ROCK. Just goes to show, coffee is evil.

Today was a return to Tuesday classes, after two weeks off.

Event Management -- I started to get a headache in Event Management, and by the end of class my skull was pounding horribly.  Jill cracked the shits at the class today - which to be perfectly honest is EXACTLY what I wish had occurred about 100 times at Box Hill. Testosterone ego bullshit and disruptions - not only is it disrespectful to the teacher, but it is disrespectful to the other students. To see it NOT tolerated with a boys-will-be-boys disclaimer on basic courtesy - gold!

But my head was ouchies, and I could have lived without the yelling and aggression while in such pain. Self-medicated with lots of water and a couple of extremely nice soy cappuccinos in Lygon Street - and got some sweet sympathy sms' from Scott -  this took the edge off, but I was still flat by the next class.

Apply Music Knowledge & Artistic Judgement -- My teacher for this subject is a bloke called Paul Thomas. Paul was sporting some very dark sunglasses as he sauntered to class, because as we all know (and forget) alcohol is initially fun, and subsequently excrutiating.  He played a few gigs over the weekend in Perth with his band Weddings, Parties, Anything. According to punkrocker1991 they were worthy of repeat patronage (which by the way I reported back to Paul - you gotta love repeat customers). This semester is going to be increasingly amusing as the WPA associated staff members slide ever deeper into Reunion Tour Dementia.

A student gave a presentation today, on the production techniques of Mastodon's Colony Of Birchmen. The usual guff about the band being technical and progressive. 

Paul commented, 'I don't really know that much about metal, to comment on the band - anyone who knows their metal have an opinion of that?'
I chimed in, 'Overrated!'
The presenting student gave me a tight-lipped, 'I do not share your opinion.'

When I related it to Scott later, he was stirring me, 'Making enemies!' *
To which I replied, 'Nah - but any guy who can't cope with someone not agreeing with their opinion of one band... who cares? Besides, Mastodon - there are other bands who paint with that dirty palette who are more authentically technical and progressive. Their songs are actually simple.'
'Yeah, it's like saying my mum makes authentic Italian pasta.'

I liked that.

[Wish the guy had given the presentation on what I think musta been Re-Anaconda by Zimmers Hole - which he played as an April Fools joke.]

There was a music managers forum panel on at The Laundry tonight, which if it were not for the headache of doom - I might have gone. I know the booking agent was from Premiere Artists, so they'd be good. But I don't know who they were featuring in the way of a manager or publicist -- since there are some practitioners out there who are great, and some whom one could only describe by damning with faint praise --  OK, I could damn with something stronger --  the gist of the thing is, it wasn't worth a blind punt with a sore head.



OK -- I'm turning in early, to give myself a chance to sleep off the headache before the codeine wears off...

Random Addendum: this Guide to Grammar and Writing is really neat.

* I already have enemies. They also fall in the WHO CARES category.