Wednesday, May 20, 1998
Music takes a bite out of Vegas
MUSIC:
The EAT’M festival highlights the rising music scene in
Las Vegas and offers
aspiring musicians
an inside look into the biz
By Jeremy Engel
Daily Bruin Contributor
The seas of pot-bellied tourists parted in Las Vegas this past
weekend to make room for EAT’M, a music festival aimed at helping
young musicians break into the industry and giving Las Vegas clout
as a growing music hot spot.
EAT’M, which stands for Emerging Artists and Talent in Music,
featured panelists, parties, a celebrity golf tournament and live
music throughout the city. Based at The Desert Inn on the Strip,
the conference drew industry professionals who chatted on cell
phones, musicians who cruised the casino floor with guitars slung
over their shoulders and music enthusiasts who came to enjoy the
experience.
EAT’M executive director and founder Lisa Tenner created the
festival because she believed that the music industry needed to
take notice of Las Vegas. This is the first time anything of this
scope has ever happened in the city made famous by gambling,
crooners, magicians and tigers.
"Lisa’s really in it to help people," said Scott Otto, one of
the event’s organizers. "She’s been in the business for about 20
years, and this festival has been in the making for over a
year."
Organizers and participants agreed that EAT’M’s goal of helping
young musicians and industry hopefuls was met with astounding
success.
"When you look around at what we’ve brought here, I think it’s
turning out really well," Otto says. He refers to the roughly 160
panelists from Los Angeles and New York and about 150 bands, a
quarter of which are from Las Vegas, performing at 12 different
venues. Also present are the presidents of A&M, Motown and
Warner.
Priscilla Dea, a Las Vegas singer and songwriter who described
her style as R&B based, found EAT’M all it was billed as and
more.
"It’s a good thing," Dea said. "I’m trying to get a record deal,
and I’m here to learn as much about the music business as is
humanly possible in three days. If you don’t have an ‘in’ in the
record business, no one will give you the time of day. But here you
can learn."
Panels and lunches took up the first two days at EAT’M, and
music began in the evenings, stretching well into the night with
musicians performing in a variety of venues. Egyptian-themed
statues and carvings covered the walls at Ra, The Luxor’s new
nightclub, where hidden machines blasted the crowd with laser beams
and smoke as performers did their thing on stage.
At MGM Grand’s Showcase Junction stage, located in the theme
park behind the hotel, bands rocked ‘n’ rolled while daring
festival-goers flew through the air on a huge bungee swing ride
called The Skyscreamer. More traditional stages included the cozy
Desert Inn Crystal Lounge and the newly renovated Huntridge
Theatre.
The McCarthys, a Las Vegas punk band made up of 17- and
18-year-olds, performed at GameWorks in front of the MGM Grand on
Thursday night. GameWorks, a futuristic arcade with blue metal rods
spanning the walls, concrete pillars reaching to the ceiling,
virtual reality games spaced on the floor and a wall for rock
climbers towering overhead, provided a colorful environment for the
show.
"We came down here because we’re trying to get signed. We’re
looking for an indie label," said Matt Primm, guitarist for the
McCarthys. "A person from Interscope came up to us after we played
and said that because we’re so young, we’d be perfect for an
independent label."
The variety of venues gave musicians an opportunity to show off
their talent, and informative panels schooled young bands,
promoters, agents and other industry hopefuls about the music
business.
The songwriting panel featured many well-known panelists,
including Brenda Russell, who has written songs for Earth, Wind
& Fire, Tina Turner, Ray Charles and Patty LaBelle. The
discussion brought up issues such as whether a song should be
written in the voice of the songwriter or the voice of the
performer. Panelists came to the consensus that songwriters should
write in their own voice, from their own point of view.
"Be yourself," Russell advised the audience. "I remember once I
wrote a song for Aretha Franklin, and I wanted it to fit her just
right. After she got it, she brought it back an said, ‘I don’t want
this. What I want is a Brenda Russell song.’"
Other panel topics included soundtracks, producing, demo
critiquing and even one titled "How To Build Your Career From the
Garage to the Astrodome." Another panel discussed the Internet’s
growing role in music sales.
The need to acknowledge and nurture rising talent was a theme
throughout EAT’M, and it was implored time and again at the Keynote
Luncheon.
"The odds are stacked against artists, musicians and recording
artists," former teen idol David Cassidy told a ballroom of people
at The Desert Inn. "EAT’M has given a platform to musicians and
artists, and it has given us a platform to enjoy the music."
Keynote Speaker Sir George Martin, who has won six Grammys and
is best known for his role as the Beatles’ producer, expanded on
Cassidy’s view.
"Being with young talent is probably the most important thing
that anyone can do in the music business," Martin said. "When the
Beatles first came along, they didn’t write very good music, but
they did their homework."
Including a tearful farewell to Frank Sinatra, Lisa Tenner
received a standing ovation after her brief speech, indicating how
much the festival attendees appreciated the efforts and vision of
its founder.
A celebrity golf tournament Saturday morning featured the likes
of Cassidy, Alice Cooper, Adrian Young of No Doubt and members of
The Vandals, including bassist Joe Escalante, a UCLA graduate.
Later that afternoon, EAT’M’s end was marked by the kickoff of the
Vans Warped Tour in The Desert Inn parking lot. The Vandals
performed at the Warped Tour, and Escalante was delighted to see
his band’s name on the enormous Desert Inn marquee.
"We were driving by, and we couldn’t believe it," Escalante
said. "We turned around just to see it again."
Many will return to see EAT’M again next year. Talks are already
underway between The Desert Inn and EAT’M organizers, and next
year’s event should be even larger than the first, with over 200
bands performing.
This year’s event gave rising talent a chance to play music,
listen to music and do business in music. The weekend mixed
business and pleasure in a way only possible in Las Vegas.
Legendary Beatles producer George Martin spoke at the EAT’M
keynote luncheon.