If you want to do more to contribute to the success of The Joshua Project, here are a 6 easy ways you can help:
- Go to Shows - This is actually one of the most straightforward ways you can help out. The Joshua Project is described as, "an industrial, performance art, musical experience" and one of the most effective ways it can be experienced is in person. Additionally, The Joshua Project gains momentum in negotiations with venues based on turn out, which is a key role for you, the concert goer. It doesn't matter how much work is put into creating an interesting performance, if a club can't get people in the door. Without people (aka "you") in attendance, there is no point in a club having an act (aka "me") at their venue. For this reason, please, please, please....if you live in an area where The Joshua Project will be performing and wish to show your support in the most simplest way possible - come to a show. Performing artists generally earn very little revenue from ticket sales, but the more concert goers in attendance, the greater the club's interest will be peaked and the better chance they will want me to return. No club (or concert goer, for that matter) wants to attend a show with fewer than 50 people in attendance. It makes for a lame experience for the concert goer and means fewer sells (i.e. less profit) for the club, which is a business, after all. In short, low turn outs contribute to a greater difficulty when it comes to booking future shows, whereas a high turn out get people talking, peak the interests of booking agents and club owners, and ultimately translate to greater turn outs and, better shows, and future bookings. This is the idea situation for any performing artist!
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Buy Merch - This is especially vital for any act wanting to do more than simply perform weekends at their favorite local bar. Merch is one of the few revenue streams for new artists and serves as a way for you to provide them with direct financial support, since being an artist can get expensive. In doing so, you will:
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Have an opportunity to experience a more intimate side of the artist, as they are often found at or near their merch booth
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Contribute to their overall moral (it always feels good to sell something you made yourself)
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Show them first hand that you are willing to invest in their music. Okay...okay...this is a spin off of #2
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- Buy Music - Another vitality for any musical artist who wants to get their music to the masses. Why invest money, time, and effort in recording, mixing, and mastering music if nobody wants to buy it? Sure, artists should love making music, but making music does not require all of the additional production costs put into making a record. Live performances have their own expenses as well, but music recordings, rather to be downloaded or sold as a hard copy, is expensive! If you want to show your support and provide encouragement for future releases, buy the music that is available now, which will help grease the wheels for future recording efforts.
- Stream Music - You may not be aware of this, but listening to music through your favorite streaming service (iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, etc.) actually provides artists with a form of revenue. That being said, it is most definitely not the most lucrative source. Where an artist may receive 60 - 70% of revenue generated from a song or album download (depending on source; iTunes pays the most!!!), a streaming contract is filled with paragraph after paragraph of explanations about the many costs and factors associated with streaming (ads, promotions, account sign-ups, etc.), which ultimately leaves the artist with a vague understanding of how they will be paid. Since streaming seems to be the future of music however, no artist who is serious about their career can afford to not stream. That being said, the best estimate we have is that for every time a song is streamed, The Joshua Project will receive a revenue of .01 - .03 cents...so please, stream away! Those pennies add up! Also, people (and streaming services) pay attention to the popularity of a song based on the number of streams it receives, so again....stream away! If you want the most of your dollar to go to the artist however, I suggest the tried and true method of purchasing the music in person - at a show. To do so means you will also be in attendance, which (if you remember) is the #1 way to show your support.
- Join the Revolution (Sign-up for the Mailing List) - Another straightforward way to show your support is to sign up for The Joshua Project Mailing List. In doing so, you will receive notifications about upcoming concerts, tours, events, merchandise, and music releases. You can even take it a step further, by joining The Joshua Project's Revolutionary Guard (Street Team).
- Join the Revolutionary Guard (Street Team) - If The Joshua Project is ever going to be a touring success, it will need to peak the interests of booking agents and venues across the nation (a worldwide revolution will just have to wait), and this will require the assistance of a dedicated few. Remember venues are looking for...bodies in the door and on the floor, period. Since I am only one person and cannot be everywhere at once, I depend on a select few individuals to get the word out in each city I have an upcoming performance or in which I hope to have an upcoming performance. Members of my Revolutionary Guard will receive special promotional instructions, accompanied by special perks, free swag, and free digital downloads - in some cases even before the release date.