DEMO: Twin Cities musical diversity

-- Lindsay Wynne

The Acadia Café on the corner of Nicollet and Franklin Avenues in south Minneapolis is bustling with activity. Patrons gather to sip hot coffee and take in the steady stream of music coming from the stage. The atmosphere is warm and eclectic—the perfect backdrop for discovering new local music on a Thursday night.

The coffee may be courtesy of Columbia, but the music is made possible by the Diverse Emerging Music Organization (DEMO), sponsor of the weekly musical showcase at Acadia Café, "Low-Fi" Thursdays. The nonprofit’s objective is to promote emerging musicians in the Twin Cities.

Whether your flavor is rock, hip-hop or folk acoustic, you won’t be disappointed by a DEMO showcase. With over 80 performances at more than 10 venues and a steady stream of artists interested in engaging new fans, DEMO’s driving work to change the local music scene shows no signs of slowing down.

In fact, the success of their existing showcases has led an expansion into new venues, including a regular Sunday gig at The Entry (First Avenue) beginning February 2007.

DEMO founder, Steve McClellan, has vast industry experience from his days of booking shows for First Avenue. His theory is simple: If a band typically brings in five fans of their own, and DEMO features five artists or bands in one night, you’ve got 25 people in the door. Add to that your regulars and walk-ins and the formula equates to success all the way around. Bands get great visibility and venues attract more customers than they would for a solo gig.

It’s a novel concept and one that is changing the Twin Cities music scene landscape.

McClellan established DEMO (formerly The Developing Arts and Music Foundation, or DAMF) while working at First Avenue in 2000 : "The idea of a nonprofit entered my mind," he said, "when a tour manager for an African artist told me about his nonprofit organization...that supported bringing global artists into the market when the commercial organizations or venues would not."

DEMO’s board (Sue Brezny, Bruce Glasrud, Joe Milla, Heidi Vader, Bob Rudell and Bill Boulger) voted to adopt a new name as a way to distinguish the organization as an entity separate from "the club."

According to their Web site, DEMO’s official mission is to support, educate and promote emerging musicians, and to enrich communities eager for diverse, multi-cultural musical experiences.

While First Avenue tends to promote many well-known artists, DEMO is less concerned with bringing “the right talent” to the stage than with letting the audience form their own opinions. In McClellan’s mind, this is exactly what new music should do—offer limitless opportunities for discovery with no consideration for what media moguls are touting as the latest and greatest. DEMO volunteers are at the heart of the effort, assisting bands at events, selling merchandise and answering questions about the organization.

Kyle Frenette, a student at McNally Smith College of Music (formerly Musictech) in St. Paul and DEMO’s first official intern, can relate to the plight of emerging musicians. "When I was 16 and in bands," he said, "I know it was difficult to know exactly what to do to get gigs."

Frenette also performs at DEMO showcases with his band Laughing Bell. He said he feels that DEMO eliminates the "status issue" typically encountered by new bands; limited experience no longer creates a barrier for bands looking for performance opportunities.

"People are really getting the benefit of Steve’s experience," said Mean Larry, a DEMO advocate and the former executive director for the Minnesota Music Academy. "Steve’s a great guy to be working with for a lot of the street-level bands."

Musician Chris Kreber agrees that showcases not only gives bands the visibility they need to expand their fan base, but also connects them with people who know the ropes in the industry.

Kreber, whose band The Divine Requiem played DEMO’s Best of Summer Showcase in September, explained, "Steve’s a good guy to know because he used to be with First Avenue. He used to book U2 and REM back in the day. So he knows everybody in the local industry, and nationally."

Local venues are seeing the benefits of a DEMO partnership as well. Station 4, home of DEMO’s “Hi-Fi” Wednesdays, has been historically known as a heavy metal bar. But bringing in diverse new musical acts is helping to change that perception.

"[We] wanted to call Wednesday nights ‘No Metal Wednesdays,’ but then we decided that if Metallica ever showed up and wanted to do a set, we’d probably let ‘em," said McClellan jokingly.

All kidding aside, DEMO showcases offer an easy way for local venues to diversify their lineup by playing the role of talent booker; venues reap the benefit of new patrons with a wide range of musical preferences.

And patrons benefit as well. The variety in DEMO’s showcases force people to move out of their comfort zone to experience a full range of musical offerings—perhaps changing their opinions about local music. This is critical to DEMO, as their future expansion depends largely on the financial support of music lovers in the community that may be used to funding larger arts organizations.

McClellan said he hopes to see more funding made available to smaller organizations, rather than for the "giants" of the local arts scene. "The Walker and the Guthrie are doing just fine," he said. "It’s the small independents that are getting squashed. And the independents are the ones that actually allow [new art] to develop."

This one independent in particular (DEMO) is doing all it can to pave the way for musical diversity in the Twin Cities, and Acadia Café’s dark, cozy stage area is becoming a second home to local musicians.

To contribute, volunteer or get a gig with DEMO, visit http://www.demomn.org.

Contributions can be made online or by purchasing the CD The Bootlegs: Commemorating 35 years at First Avenue, available for purchase online at http://www.first-avenue.com or at DEMO’s "Hi-Fi" and "Low-Fi" events; also available at the following music retailers: Best Buy, Borders, The Electric Fetus, Down in the Valley and Cheapo.

Events:

DEMO Mondays
Fusion Music Lounge
http://www.fpjazz.com
show times vary

DEMO "Hi-Fi" Wednesdays
Station 4
http://www.station-4.com
7:30 pm

DEMO "Low Fi" Thursdays
Acadia Café
http://www.acadiacafe.com
7 p.m.