by svendutchmountains on Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:43 am
Most of the brouhaha about The Kilowatt Hour has now died down and perhaps we're in a position for some reflective debate...
One of the points Chad made - which I think was quite correct - was around the financial viability of festivals such as Punkt. Having attended it for the first time this year I was struck by how small it actually is, and how 'low key' it is being operated. I do believe it is part of the charm of this specific festival (just like seeing the performers join the audience at the bar after their session) and it makes it feel very intimate and personal. From a commercial point-of-view a lot could be 'improved' - for example merchandizing etc. It is difficult to see how a festival can run on an audience of +/- 500 people.
Having said that - perhaps the festival is being run from a break-even perspective; more to promote the type of music and enhance the community spirit rather than to make money. I understood that, for example, TKW did not receive 'a big signing cheque' but performed free-of-charge for 'services rendered' (i.e. Jan & Erik helping David/Stephan/Christian in some other way.) I would assume on bed&board would be covered. Similarly I do not think any of the other artists would have received much of a fee either...
Which brings us to TKW. Chad mentioned he felt David was in it only for the money... I disagree. The set-up of TKH was specifically low-cost. A single performance in Norway to assist a friend, and then a very limited tour of Italy (where there is a core loyal following and travel to the 4-5 concerts does not require significant logistics). Given that on the tour there was absolutely no merchandizing, nor any other type of sales-drive I feel that this was David really 'test-driving' a concept. Compare it to, for example, Slow Fire: this also was an experiment of sorts with minimal stage settings, but was a long tour of various continents backed with the usual tour memorabilia.
If David was in it for the money he would have opted for a tour which included halls guaranteed to draw an audience (Paradiso in Amsterdam, Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Royal Albert Hall in London, Gurzenich in Cologne) as well as gigs in Paris, Copenhagen, Munich, Milano etc... and there would have been t-shirts, tour programmes (perhaps even trucker caps!)...
Just my 2 cents...
I recognize no method of living that I know of, I see only the basic materials I may use