Tips on how to promote at an XRT Show.

The first thing one would need to know when promoting at an XRT show is to always smile. Luckily this is not a hard task because smiling comes naturally at an XRT show. Last Friday I was at Lincoln Hall for Tea Leaf Green, a jam band from the San Francisco bay area. As directed, I made sure to smile the whole time, even when I was getting tired. The reason for this is so that we mirror our fans excitement and represent the station to the best of our abilities.

Secondly, as an XRT promoter, one must be ready for anything. While I was at the concert a drunkard tripped over our banners and spilled beer all over myself and the staff. Not only was it gross, but I smelt like stale beer. Instead of crying, I calmly walked to the bathroom. Since I was ready for anything, I pulled a fresh shirt out of my purse and continued promoting.

The final tip I will give about being a successful promoter for XRT, is to be grateful and enjoy the show. Even though the shows can be a lot of work, you have to remember that there won't be another opportunity to see so many shows for free. I've gotten a taste for how old and new rock lasts in our hearts and innovate our way of thinking about music. I feel so fortunate to meet the radio hosts, band members, and staff that help make XRT's magic possible.

Introduction to the internship

My name is Ali Carlson and I am a new intern at XRT radio. A little bit about me is that I am from Vail Colorado and I am senior at DePaul this year studying Public Relations and Advertising with a minor in Hospitality. Some of my hobbies or interests are skiing, traveling, singing, music, skateboarding and trying as many new things as I can. As far as music goes, it is my best friend.
I have my earbuds in every waking moment that I am not told to take them out. I try to keep a broad range of music genres and stay open to all types of music. My favorite genre is alternative and I am also leaning towards more indie rock and reggae lately, really anything to get my blood pumping. My top favorite artists are Chevelle, The Expendebles, Atreyu, Dave Matthews Band, Aesop Rock, Anberlin, Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, Florence and the Machine, and Led Zepplin. I really try to cover all the bases of music, but the one genre I cannot stand is country. I will tolerate it enough to let my stepdad play his Tim Mcgraw soundtrack for a couple minutes but then I’m done. I am always looking for new music and I try to be a know it all with artists and bands. I really like XRT because they do give a wide range of artists old and new. Its nice listening to the radio and not hearing the same songs played over and over again. As for a career, I hope to work in Public Relations for either a radio station or music label. Since I graduate this year I hope I figure it out soon!

First artist critique~~~Regina Spektor

There’s nothing ordinary about Regina Spektor‘s songs or style. Her new album, Live in London marries her playful voice with a charisma and energy that beams into every song. What’s most refreshing is that it seems like she sings about anything that’s on her mind, which is something more artists could take a mental note of. The songs on this album feature carefree topics such as her wallet (or lack there of), the way she takes pride in her eyelashes ability to catch her sweat, and her feelings of love.
Regina rarely writes down her songs, which mirror the song’s simple and fun style. An especially bouncy song is “Sailor Song” as she tells a tale about Mary Anne and her teasing flirty ways.

XRT Holiday Concerts for the Kids

Over the weekend I helped out with my first promotions for two XRT Holiday Concerts for the Kids at the Vic. The opener was Miles Nielsen and the headliner was the BoDeans. the fans came toThe Vic excited to see the concert and eager to drop off their toy contributions to XRT. It was pretty amazing how many Candy Land and Hot Wheels toys we collected that night. There were also some interesting toys that I had never seen before or in a very long time. I give all the fans of the Bodeans brownie points as they braved the cold with huge bags filled with toys. The outcome went really well. By the end of the night we probably filled up about fifteen trash bags of toys. It was really great to see how XRT helps out the Chicago community by teaming up with Children’s Memorial like this. I’m sure a lot of kids will be thrilled to find that they have toys on Christmas Day.
“ Lin held on to a big fluffy teddy bear the whole night and even introduced the bands for the night while holding it.
” I had never heard of him before, but Miles Nielsen was really pretty good. He seemed to have a pretty big following as well. I didn’t get to stay for the Bodeans which was upsetting but I know everyone rocked out while reminiscing ‘Friends’.
Sunday I had a great time at The Vic. Sam and I collected more toys from eager concert goers. We got an even wider variety of toys this time as well. Lin and Marty showed up for the show and I had a good time with them, especially because Lin held on to a big fluffy teddy bear the whole night and even introduced the bands for the night while holding it. I really enjoyed the openers for Broken bells, Maps and Atlases. I am hooked, I have their song ” The Charm” on reapeat in my ipod. I found their sound intruiging as the lead singer Dave Davidson has a pronounced voice that rings through your ears as they play. I did not get to stay too long for the Broken Bells portion of the night becuause we wanted to get the toys back to the station but I heard they put on a great show. It had to be a good show considering James Mercer was onstage, I love the Shins.
The third show I helped promote was The Indigo Girls at The House of Blues. The House of Blues is the one venue in Chicago I have not have the privilege of going to. I loved it, even though I was not in the concert hall, the lobby and restaurant of the HOB decor really made you feel like you were at a New Orleans jazz and blues festival. The Indigo Girls sounded really great from out there! There was a huge following for them which meant that we collected a good amount of coats. The holiday cause for this show was Snug Hugs for kids which is an organization that helps children enrolled in Children’s Home & Aid’s Child and Family Centers stay warm. It was really rewarding collecting all of the coats, hats, gloves and whatnot for these less fortunate kids.
All in all, I’d say that the weekend and Wedensday’s XRT Holiday Concerts for the Kids went really well. Wither it be due to the fantastic music or the donations given by loyal listeners, the weekend was a success.