Things From Bruno 3

I bought a hat.

Here’s a deeper dive on that…

I bought that hat because when I put it on I get to tell myself a story.

(It might not be everyones exact story, but everyone has their version of it.)

I tell myself I now get to be associated with an elite entertainer. That I’m smart and observational and appreciate both the broad strokes and nuanced details of what made that show amazing. That I get something that not everyone else gets. And that raises my status, and that unlocks boldness.

Bruno’s show is top notch…and so the hat not only helps me remember the show, but informs me that I’m on the inside track.

Me and the dude who just had 20,000 people dancing for two hours have the same hat…so we understand each other and we are the same :)

Pretty powerful hat huh?


A version of this story happens with every fan who has ever bought your merch. So if you know this is happening, you can help inform it. In turn, your fans will happily spend more money on your merch but the feeling they receive from it is always worth far more.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Things From Bruno 2

When it comes to your merchandise, your fans want to

1. Look like you

and/or

2. Proclaim your name without looking dumb

Bruno’s merch table had a lot of the things him and the band were wearing on stage. So not only is this merch cool enough to wear on stage…I want to look like the people I just saw on stage…and now I can!

Brilliant.

When people are looking at you on stage all night and the drop by the merch table they want to look like (or resemble) what they just saw and remember what they experienced when they put on your shirt or hat or jacket and be proud of it.

Make sure all your merch falls into one or both of these categories.

*** I bought a hat.

*** More on the hat tomorrow.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Things From Bruno 1

I went to Bruno Mars’ show last night. He is the elite of the elite entertainers in the world.


Adding physical elements to the show increases the minimum energy required to do the show.

And increased physical energy begets the emotional and mental energy.

Most artists approach it only the other way, which is: When I’m ‘in it’ mentally then I have more physical energy.

It works BOTH ways.

And Bruno makes sure to have enough built in/scripted physical requirement from himself and his band that the mental/emotional buy in is so much more likely night after night.

Build in physical elements. It will help your brain and your heart.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Songs

You are the boss of your songs until they’re finished.

Then they are the boss of you.

Your songs are your babies until they’re finished.

Then they are your parents.

You are the creator of your songs.

And then they will create what happens next.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Good Thing They Had The Charisma

There’s a documentary about George Martin called Produced By George Martin. It came out in 2012 and goes through his whole career…but of course there’s a pretty big Beatles section in there.

George Martin on meeting the Beatles and having them play in the studio for the first time…

“They had this wonderful charisma…They made you feel good to be with them and I thought their music was rubbish.”

Good thing they had the charisma.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Unknown Audience Size

The show changes when there’s only one person in the audience.

The show changes in a different way when ten thousand people show up to your off-the-beaten-path festival stage.

But what about a show where you don’t know how many people there are?

Of course this is hypothetical…but if you couldn’t see how many people were out there but knew there was at least one, what show would you do then?

In order for you to change course (for the unexpected) there must be a course to begin with.

So although it seems counter intuitive…The better you build and rehearse your course the more likely you’ll be able to roll with the changes.

***I’m going to Bruno Mars’ show on Sunday in Nashville…there’s going to be a bazillion things he does right and I’ll be happy to pass them along to you in subsequent blog posts. But really if you’re in town, you should just get a ticket.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com