My name Mandi, and I am a proud "band chick" through and through!
I should probably begin by listing my credentials in relation to this project.
As for the website part, it's in good hands. I am a complete computer geek. I have had four years of extensive experiance running and managing both various online projects and various websites. At one point, I recruited 2,000 people worldwide (everywhere from Illinois to Iran!) for one of those projects, and 1,000 for another -- and at the same time. I can use my past experiance to help me with this project.
As for the music thing, I know a lot more about it than you may be aware of.
Although I am predominantly self-taught and I have an "ear" for music mainly, I do consider myself to be a musician. I to play guitar and I play the keyboard, as well. In the past, I have even dabbled in writing my own material for my own entertainment.
I have good taste in music, and I don't drop compliments easily. If I hear it and it's good, I'll say it. If I hear it and I don't like it personally, well, I'll keep my mouth closed because everyone deserves a chance to get themselves out there. My opinion does not reflect other peoples' with regard to music, so why limit anyone's chances? It wouldn't be fair...
I believe that my astute appreciation for music is inherited. They tell me it's "in my blood." Violinists, pianists, guitarists, and harpists are all in my family. My great-great grandfather in Germany was a music teacher and, so they tell me, an incredible violinist. Although I never developed a taste for it, my great-grandmother, loved attending operas, and played harp and piano. In the 30s, relatives of mine had a successful band in the Chicago region.
However, I am the proudest of my cousin, Lisa, who is tremendously successful in the Los Angeles music scene. The girl rocks, totally. She oversees a website for one of the biggest acts in the industry, and is the head of new media for the label they made famous. She's also had her own band before.
Getting down to business -- music business, that is -- I feel that Central Louisiana is severely lacking a pronounced, local music scene. I'm not the only person that feels this way. I know that there is local talent out there, but it needs to be "out there" more. The same applies to music from other locations.
I formed the "RockCenla" project on Tuesday, March 01, 2005. It is a nonprofit means of bringing bands and other artists from the Cenla area and everywhere else into the CD players of Central Louisiana. Hopefully, we can cultivate more of an appreciation for music in doing so.
This project is a hobby -- it is something that I enjoy AND that I take seriously whenever I have some spare time.
There are several ways this versatile project can work. First of all, if a local act (or even one in a neighboring state) is playing, the band can inform the visitors to this site of the specifics (date, time, venue, etc.) via the message board.
After all, everyone I know from here agrees that Cenla lacks any excitement whatsoever. Listening to live music gives residents something really enjoyable to do, and in doing so, they help support musicians.
Another way this works is if an act from farther off -- say, Colorado -- is trying to expand their fan base and they have downloadable music, they can provide a link to it for the people here in our area. That way, they can obtain fans down here, as well, and not just in their area alone.
Although in its infancy, the entire purpose of this project is to bring musicians and music enthusiasts alike together to introduce music from ALL OVER to the music enthusiasts here in Central Louisiana. I hope to work with everyone to promote and discover unknown, up-and-coming, and/or unsigned bands and artists from around the country. Maybe eventually we can even use this project to encourage artists to visit our area more often, as well.
All in all, as much as I think that the likes of Maroon 5 and Green Day ROCK (and they do), my FAVORITE music comes from the unknown, up-and-coming, and/or unsigned bands and artists. It is my personal goal to do all I can for them.
Using "RockCenla" is very simple to do.
First of all, the easiest way to promote yourself and/or your band is just by going to the Message Board.
Secondly, you can E-mail me directly at [email protected]m. No picture attachments, please! (Thanks!)
Be sure to include the important stuff, like your (or your band's) name; where you're from; and the specifics of upcoming shows (if it's local or in a surrounding area). Also, don't forget to include your website, including any other odds and ends you want to add. I'll be sure to add your information to our Links page.
If you need to contact me, even via snail mail, click here.
This is your chance to promote yourselves. Please take advantage. I'm willing to do anything I can to help.
It is a pleasure for me to be able to chat with and get to know the many fine musicians out there. I look forward to "meeting" and working with every one of you, be it in person or online, as well as my fellow music fanatics out there!
Now, let's go ROCKCENLA!
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