SpokesBUZZ: The Rise and Fall of a Music Organization
by Alex Teitz
SpokesBUZZ is a Fort Collins, Colorado-based non-profit that sought to improve the scene, the economy, and the artists through a number of programs. On July 15, 2016 the organization sent out an e-mail saying they were ceasing operations on September 1, 2016.
FEMMUSIC has had frequent contact with SpokesBUZZ over the years. Led by Dani Grant, who also runs the music venue The Mishawaka, SpokesBUZZ was a band incubator, promoted SXSW showcases, and worked to increase the profile of Fort Collins and Colorado. As SpokesBUZZ approaches its final days, FEMMUSIC was honored to talk with Dani Grant about the ups and downs.
FEMMUSIC: What motivated you to start SpokesBUZZ?
DG: Originally (2009) I was asked by some people at Bohemian Foundation to review and experience SXSW and come back and tell them how to make Fort Collins a music City. I went to SXSW and came back and said, we need to market ourselves there and do a show case of our talent. I wasn’t able to get them to fund me to do it so I did it myself. 2010 was the first SpokesBUZZ showcase in Austin.
I wanted to create more opportunities for the musicians in Northern CO, amplify the burgeoning scene and develop the talent that was so abundant yet very green industry wise. Most people in Fort Collins didn’t realize there was a music scene here, it was underground. I wanted to bring it out and generate more platforms for musicians to experience and grow more support for the local scene
.
FEMMUSIC: What were the biggest challenges in the beginning?
DG: Our concept was to market our city’s musical asset outside our city. No one could get behind that financially, they didn’t get it. It was a new idea to not just create a local even within the city limits but to take locals to other places and show off what we have. People didn’t want to fund something they couldn’t attend and they didn’t see the value in it for the city. Our events that happened all over the country catapulted our notoriety as a music region. The city of Fort Collins and New Belgium brewery were the only ones brave enough to support us. We killed it:)
Another challenge was trust. Everyone thought I was trying to rip them off. Musicians were wondering when I was going to charge them a hidden fee and others thought I was lining my pockets with donations. It was unbelievable. Someone in the industry actually went to a board meeting of the City run organization Beet Street and told the board I was a crook. They didn’t want me to continue the project. I did anyway and I did it 100% transparently and I have never in 6 years been compensated by SpokesBUZZ.
FEMMUSIC: How did you find people for SpokesBUZZ (Board, staff, volunteers)? What were you looking for in them?
DG: They found me for the most part, except for Julie who I knew was perfect for my partner. Everyone who worked with us started as a volunteer, including Julie. Most of our staff have been musicians, past incubator band members, interns from CSU with a passion for music or events. I looked for people I liked to work with. Hard workers, in it for the artists and for the love of the industry.
FEMMUSIC: What programs did you start with? What programs did you develop later and why?
DG: First was SXSW, the showcase provided a learning experience for the bands and a marketing platform for our scene. It grew exponentially each year. This morphed into the CO Music Party in 2013 to expand our artist profile in Austin and our regional presentation.
Next was the Incubator program that held the educational elements for the artists. Monthly sessions to identify gaps in their knowledge and help them see their bands as businesses and provide skills to run them that way. Creating an annual compilation CD was a part of that program. We also worked on strategic plans and financial plans etc. This became a really robust program with access to project management software, celebrity speakers, networking opportunities and more. At the end we had CSU providing us with a shared revenue plan to do 18 on line courses offered in their badge system. It would have been so amazing to provide a low cost 101 curriculum to artists, agents and managers.
Later I developed BandSwap and Convergence. BandSwap was an incredible multi city import/export program. It had shared performances, networking and education opportunities that were unprecedented. The city to city network was innovative as well. Now Madison’s cultural affairs person could talk with Fort Collins office of economic development, share best practices and more. Some of the bands that swapped still share the stages on tour with each other and still connect with bands they met through the program.
FEMMUSIC: What challenges manifested after you’d been doing SpokesBUZZ for 2-3 years?
DG: Money and resources were always the problem. It didn’t matter how great everything we were doing was, we never got enough support to do it and not be flat out broke and broken after every program execution. We kept thinking the money will come, keep working at it and making it great, the money will follow. We even created the documentation of our success, we quantified our impact, we tracked the data and still, no one wanted to put any real money behind us. I used to daydream that Jack Johnson sent me 1 million dollars.
FEMMUSIC: What memorable experiences have stood out with SpokesBUZZ?
Speaking at the Brighton Conference for Music Cities at the the Great Escape. I was speaking with the head music honchos of Canada and Australia and cities like Berlin and Liverpool about our music scene and our organization. People were blown away by our programs. In those countries, there are funding sources that would have showered us with funding.
Dinner with The Yawpers when they were signed by Bloodshot (Records) and hadn’t gone public yet. We were in Austin and it was such a motivating evening for me. Those kids had made it. They had done it. It was all happening and we felt like we had a role in the rise. It felt wonderful.
FEMMUSIC: What lessons have you learned running SpokesBUZZ?
DG: Never give up on your dreams. When you find there are obstacles in your way, you are on the right track – people get territorial when you are really good and they are nervous you are making them look bad. Do it for the artists and no one else because no one else fucking cares really. I wish I was a billionaire and I hate politics.
FEMMUSIC: If you could rewind to the beginning, what would you do differently?
DG: I’d have made it a for profit thing and work harder on creating a solid sustainable revenue product that would have funded the programming so I didn’t have to spend half my time begging for money.
FEMMUSIC: What is SpokesBUZZ’s successor? What are you doing next?
DG: The Fort Collins Music District has taken our proof of concept and rolled out 2.0 with full funding and new ideas:) Its a great opportunity for musicians. I’m hopeful it will be a positive influence on the music economy.
I’m working on Mishawaka and trying with all my might to let my kids and family absorb my newly found free time. They deserve some undivided attention for a minute:)