Spread the Social Love:
In 2005, Polly Paulusma and her petite frame held a guitar almost as big as her on her lap, as she sat on a stool, next to a piano in front of 2000 people in one of Wales’ biggest performance establishments, St David’s Hall. She was opening for Jamie Cullum on his UK tour, whilst the jazz pianist was floating around the top of the singles and album charts and attracting vast numbers of fans to each of his shows. Paulusma played some soft, heart-warming folk music that, despite her fragile, beautiful voice, filled the sold-out auditorium and earned her a standing ovation.
Today, the singer sits on a similar looking stool, holding a guitar that still seems too big for her, but this time she is in her garden shed, talking in to a webcam. Welcome to the modern rock concert.
The internet is ridiculous these days. At the start of the millennium, the sound a computer made whilst attempting to latch on to a fleeting internet connection was audible, bordering on loud. Now, you can surf the web on what is essentially a small flat-screen TV whilst sitting outside, in the middle of nowhere, watching a gig stream across the cyber-space, in real time, from the other side of the planet. It’s a normal thing to do.
Polly doesn’t think the 3G is reliable enough just yet, and she doesn’t want to worry about the WiFi cutting out. Her caution is to ensure a good show for her audience more than anything else, but as Britain implements 4G connection, the wired up connection shouldn’t be an issue for much longer.
The folk songstress plays via a website called stageit.com. The website aim to excel in two things; letting artists give their fans an incredibly intimate experience they will value tremendously; and to give fans a front row seat to experience all the action. But surely part of the action of a show is the live atmosphere within the building the artist is playing? Polly noticed the difference in atmosphere, but wasn’t put off when she watched Josh Rouse perform online.
When Paulusma played on July 9th, it was exactly how she described it. What began as an awkward interaction, waiting for her to finish setting up and tuning, evolved in to an excitement and camaraderie between the audience and the performer – a refreshing change from the musician being on a stage where its deemed disrespectful for the audience to interact.
So, the atmosphere is different, but that doesn’t stop it being entertaining, which is the most important thing because after-all, the audience should be able to enjoy themselves if its their money being handed in at the door… or log-in screen. You don’t have to pay to join the Stageit, but artists can choose to charge however much they want (a minimum is 1 note, the equivalent of 10 US cents or approximately 6 pence, is required) via the PayPal service. You can tip the performer throughout the gig if you are unexpectedly impressed.
For traditional folk artists, the idea of stepping away from the handmade instruments played at community festivals may not be in-keeping with folk ideals.
Polly currently makes more from playing live gigs rather than playing online, but there isn’t much in it, and she does only charge a minimum amount, which equals up to about £3.34. More established artists will likely charge a higher price as the site continues to prove a useful tool, and one growing in popularity. JaySean, Jason Mraz, Korn and Jimmy Buffet will all be using the service to perform soon, and if popular artists continue to flock there, will there be any point in traditional shows at all? For Polly Paulusma, the current balance is just fine by her.
The singer-songwriter will be touring throughout the rest of the summer, in a physical format, but she regularly promotes her online shows over Twitter, and makes live videos constantly – her recent Great British Icons tour saw her record a song at a number of iconic places around the country, like London Bridge and Stonehenge, in celebration of the Jubilee.
With her playing plenty of songs off her latest album Leaves From The Family Tree, its worth watching, no matter where you are, and you will no doubt need an account anyway as more and more gigs appear.
It promises to be as intimate as her online shows.
Today, the singer sits on a similar looking stool, holding a guitar that still seems too big for her, but this time she is in her garden shed, talking in to a webcam. Welcome to the modern rock concert.
WATCH // 'Give it Back'
The internet is ridiculous these days. At the start of the millennium, the sound a computer made whilst attempting to latch on to a fleeting internet connection was audible, bordering on loud. Now, you can surf the web on what is essentially a small flat-screen TV whilst sitting outside, in the middle of nowhere, watching a gig stream across the cyber-space, in real time, from the other side of the planet. It’s a normal thing to do.
“I did my first three from my living room. The fourth was from the shed. For me there is a limit of where an ethernet cable will stretch at the moment.”
The folk songstress plays via a website called stageit.com. The website aim to excel in two things; letting artists give their fans an incredibly intimate experience they will value tremendously; and to give fans a front row seat to experience all the action. But surely part of the action of a show is the live atmosphere within the building the artist is playing? Polly noticed the difference in atmosphere, but wasn’t put off when she watched Josh Rouse perform online.
“I thought beforehand that it would be tacky, distant, detached, unemotional, awful. Instead it was intimate, engaging, funny and fulfilling. My husband and I sat with a bottle of red and laughed and listened and cried. It was like having a musical conversation on Skype with an old friend”.
When Paulusma played on July 9th, it was exactly how she described it. What began as an awkward interaction, waiting for her to finish setting up and tuning, evolved in to an excitement and camaraderie between the audience and the performer – a refreshing change from the musician being on a stage where its deemed disrespectful for the audience to interact.
“While I'm playing, I shut my eyes because it's easy to get distracted by all the chatter streaming up and down the right side of the screen, but in between songs I read what I can and respond, and it's very amiable, very funny. I find the communication element slightly more effective online because you feel you've spoken in some form to each and every one of your audience members, something you never achieve at a real gig”.
For traditional folk artists, the idea of stepping away from the handmade instruments played at community festivals may not be in-keeping with folk ideals.
“I do think there's an expectation too which one simply has to fulfill. I've always been happy at gigs to go and sell my CDs myself, but I've had an email list since the beginning, for 12 years, and I've wanted to communicate with the people I'm reaching with my music. If folk/acoustic music has substance, it'll be ok. And that goes for all the other kinds of music too”.
Polly currently makes more from playing live gigs rather than playing online, but there isn’t much in it, and she does only charge a minimum amount, which equals up to about £3.34. More established artists will likely charge a higher price as the site continues to prove a useful tool, and one growing in popularity. JaySean, Jason Mraz, Korn and Jimmy Buffet will all be using the service to perform soon, and if popular artists continue to flock there, will there be any point in traditional shows at all? For Polly Paulusma, the current balance is just fine by her.
“They are just different beasts. There are lovely things about each of them. I don't think it's a matter of preference. For now, I think they are complementary and both worth doing in tandem.”
WATCH // Don’t Ask Me – Live from Stonehenge
With her playing plenty of songs off her latest album Leaves From The Family Tree, its worth watching, no matter where you are, and you will no doubt need an account anyway as more and more gigs appear.
“The whole album is an affirmation of the good things in my life, the blessings, and a meditation on the notion of appreciating things right now. It's overwhelmingly joyful, a big celebration of life with all its warts”.
It promises to be as intimate as her online shows.
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