NESP Forum

Did House of Blues have music in their gift shop? I don't remember seeing any...but I was on Cloud 9 that night and hardly remember.

Amy,
I don't remember any either and I was there the day before for lunch also. If they did it certainly was not prominently displayed because I looked around quite a bit for gifts for the big & little kids.
Maybe they would get into a bind figuring out whose music to sell since they have so many artists pass throught their sites ? ?

I don't remember seeing music for sale at House of Blues either.

Starbucks has it figured out, so House of Blues (which is now owned by, or in close connection with Live Nation) should be able to.   Artists enter into promotional and/or exclusive deals with Starbucks, and Starbucks does issue a few things on their own.  

The past few times I've been to Starbucks I've gotten little tickets for free ITunes downloads of specific "songs of the day" (which I haven't remembered to download).   I think they want you to come in and use their free wi-fi, download songs and drink their overpriced beverages.
(In my case I've gotten addicted to their overpriced ice tea.)

Whatever is happening, it's great "outside the box" music marketing.
Whether it's through House of Blues, or Taylor's Club, or some other non-traditional outlet, it seems like the ideal place for Taylor to sell his music, and that of other artists he admires and promotes.

Starbucks really does have the right idea on marketing, and btw the wi-fi is no longer free.

I hate when small businesses close, too, or worse when they are fully taken over by Big Box stores. The pharmacy I worked at when I got out of college was bought out by Stop & Shop. Good for the owner, bad for me. I am very much not corporate material!

If, backed by Taylor/the club, Fred could keep some semblance of Laser's Edge open, that would be a beautiful thing. This is the guy we all got UTR from, after all! I am forever indebted to the man for making it available and shipping it fast, way back in April 06.

Every so often I click on Gray Charles to see if anything has been posted and bingo today there is. Gray has the article about Lasers Edge closing and if you scroll down there are comments from Gray.Click on http://graycharles.com/

It sounds like Taylor, once again, needs to hire NESP, New England Soul Promotions, to work with him...

Thanks for the heads up on GC, JAG.

You're very welcome ! I'm always prowling the internet looking for TH news,it's so exciting when you find something new to share with everyone !

good work JAG!  

Thanks Margaux,I like this private eye thing LOL ! I'm so bad I even check magazines when they come in at work and now I have my fellow employees looking for TH news too

I, too, wonder if the Soul Patrol kept Fred in business longer than he otherwise might have been. I bought tickets for the Laser's Edge meet and greet when GC announced the sale online. After some online sales, the tickets were available at the store. Two per customer. There were many, many nice Birmingham fans who got tickets for others. It was one of those really neat SP experiences. I was just looking through my stuff. We got an amazing package of goodies (CDs etc. ) as we exited the store. In it was a poster of the darkened storefront in the moonlight. Inside, lit up, was a smiling and clapping Taylor Hicks. The poster has always made me sad and in some way it is really disturbing. I never framed it as I just don't care to look at it.....

There is something sad about the GC/Fred thing... losing both who were such a big part of the whole amazing "thing". Sorry.. just a bit melancholy here tonight I guess.