The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>Let’s talk about what it was like during Covid. When we chatted last week, you were saying that you tried to do some events online. That technology is going in a certain direction and makes a lot of things better. You said the whole experience with the online event was a good way for people to connect. However, it wasn\u2019t a replacement for in-person shows.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>It will never replace. But for people who have impairments, online stuff is fantastic. If you can bring a show to a kid who can\u2019t leave the hospital or somebody unable to attend a gig due to wheelchair access or something, then the online stuff is liberating. But how can you replace live? I just can\u2019t see it. If you\u2019re in a room with other people and you have the vibrations, smell, and unison with everyone experiencing the same thing but slightly differently, how can you ever replace that? That\u2019s kind of tribal in a way, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n But during the pandemic<\/a>, we could not do that. So, we had to do online shows which were an excellent way for us to engage with our partners in all the export offices and our media partners and keep the brand association with new emerging talent. It served a purpose. I think there will be more hybrid events moving forward, but I\u2019m not too sure how well-attended they\u2019ll be. You can never compete with the sun. People like going outside. Do you want to sit indoors for eight hours watching a laptop? Some people probably do, but I\u2019m unsure whether it would ever replace it. It\u2019ll be an addition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a considerable cost. You’re talking two hundred thousand pounds to get a production team on a show at Brixton. Think about the ticket prices on that, topped with paying the artist. Then you have to hope that you\u2019re putting it online so you\u2019ve got a global audience, but are they going to switch on? Then you\u2019ve got time zones to think about. There\u2019s a lot to think about and a lot more risk. Just to clear the production bill, it\u2019s like three hundred thousand pounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>For artists, it’s to use technology to your advantage and don\u2019t worry about where it\u2019s going right away. Focus on what you\u2019re doing now. Why don\u2019t we talk about, for example, if you\u2019re an artist in a small town, how do you recommend that you take the steps to where you play The Great Escape as a band? It might be evident to you looking back, but it may be difficult for someone looking forward. What would you think if you wanted to make music professionally?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam:<\/em><\/strong> I\u2019d leave!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>But how do you leave? People don\u2019t know how to do that! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam:<\/em><\/strong> Jump on the rail system and leave! <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you can\u2019t leave, I\u2019d contact your local export office. They\u2019re an excellent place to start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>The Towcester<\/a> export office? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>It would be the UK export office, wouldn\u2019t it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc:<\/em><\/strong> But if you just started playing gigs, how do you\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>Just keep active in your music scene. As I said, people are doing their job. It\u2019s not like no one is listening. Opportunities will often arise if you\u2019re constantly looking at things professionally and only playing one show a month, promoting it correctly, and rehearsing and engaging in your local music community. You\u2019ll often meet someone who makes similar music to you, and suddenly, you\u2019ve got somebody to go on tour with. You might get in touch with an artist from the next town or province that has great, similar music. Then you can play their show, and they can play yours. It\u2019s just constantly talking, being active in the scene, and taking advantage of opportunities when they come up. I know that\u2019s easier said than done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>The first person we had on was Huw Stephens<\/a>. He talked about this idea of local. We discussed two things; local as physical and local as in local online. The things you\u2019re saying, people understand they need to be active, but they need ideas of what it means to be active, like interacting with people. These days you also have to find a community online, and I think it\u2019s intimidating for many people who don\u2019t know what to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam:<\/em><\/strong> But I mean, everybody is online? Are people still afraid to be online? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>No, not at all! It\u2019s more that people don\u2019t necessarily know the steps to take, are afraid to reach out to people or don\u2019t know\u2026 I loved that you said \u201cmusic discovery\u201d at the start because that\u2019s what Byta talk about<\/a>. How do people learn about things with this idea of music discovery? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>Well, I find out about things\u2026 you find one band that you like, and then you find out what record label they\u2019re on and then it\u2019s like unravelling a jumper, isn\u2019t it? You get on a hunt for it like a bloodhound. That\u2019s why I do what I do. I\u2019m very passionate about that. If you\u2019re keeping it on a local tier, find out what the local venue is putting on all the good gigs. There\u2019s a difference between good gigs and bad gigs. You can play in the wrong pub for a lifetime and never get seen. Find out where the touring bands are or where the tour circuit in your area is. That\u2019s always important because the person running that touring venue will be in touch with the local managers and the music industry, and that would be the next thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Barfly was on the touring circuit, and that\u2019s why I got to know everybody because I was working the door at that venue. When Coldplay\u2019s agent<\/a> turned up, and you put a name to the face, you\u2019re constantly building up your network. I guess you\u2019d just find that out online, I guess? It\u2019s a tough one, isn\u2019t it? You need to reach out to people you have similar interests in or make similar music with or admire, and hopefully, they\u2019ll give you some tips. I would say just engage with your local music venue because that\u2019s everything happening or taking place in your area. They\u2019ll be able to point you in the right direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>When people start to think about reaching out to someone from The Great Escape, to some, it\u2019s so far away if they live in a different country. Are you saying they should have confidence that you’ll show up eventually if they\u2019re working things at a local and semi-national level? If the artist is good and working hard and playing shows, will you eventually end up hearing about them? Is it that simple, do you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>I\u2019d like to think so. We\u2019re working with a lot of people, labels, and booking agents that book across the whole of the globe. There are many people with eyes and ears out there, not to mention all the stuff we\u2019re picking up on anyways. We\u2019re not the be-all and end-all. There are many other music events, promoters and festival promoters that we are talking to that will also be looking to book you. I guess it\u2019s a tough one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As long as you enjoy what you\u2019re doing, you should keep doing it. You shouldn\u2019t lose sleep about playing The Great Escape. Yeah, it\u2019s a great tool and platform, but it will happen if it\u2019s the right time for you. Same as playing Glastonbury or whatever the festival is in your local area. Start local. The music industry isn\u2019t a doorway you walk into or walk through. Actually, I walk into it quite a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>Someone\u2019s just said it\u2019s part of the journey, not the destination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>That\u2019s a bit cheesy, but that\u2019s what I\u2019m saying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>Charlie has a question for Adam regarding The Great Escape. How would you get a support act for Metallica? You\u2019d want to keep it in that metal genre. Would you ask Metallica’s manager or know who they know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>A lot of the time with those opportunities\u2026 It kind of goes back to politics. Those opportunities to play right under Metalica, they\u2019re not going to leave it to me to choose. Even if I am the booker and promoter for Metallica, Metallica will want to keep that opportunity for their next thing or something that will be good for them. The management company might have a new signing they want to put on, so they keep their sausage factory going. You\u2019ve got to remember that once one has been made, another one has to come down the pipe. Or the booking agent might have an agreement in place that says if they have a new baby band and you want to be on my roster, you have to give me your tour support slot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc:<\/em><\/strong> Friends, that one comes up a lot of times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>I wish it were down to the best band, but sometimes\u2026 I mean, it is the best band, but it just goes through a different layer of filtration, political filtration instead of quality control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc: <\/em><\/strong>On that front, it\u2019s important to say that there are a lot of factors at play, much in the same way as how you end up playing The Great Escape or getting your music discovered. There are so many factors and ways into things, and it\u2019s not just one straight road you hit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another question, Would The Great Escape ever consider having Royal Blood<\/a> perform? Because I know they\u2019re based in Sussex and quite big. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adam: <\/em><\/strong>I tried to book them around their first album, but I think they have played<\/a> The Great Escape in the past. When the album came out, the fees skyrocketed. We\u2019re a venue-based festival; we\u2019re not a greenfield site, so paying those fees is difficult. Sometimes I present opportunities for artists, it might not be just financial, but it could be playing in a small venue and remembering what it was like when they started. It\u2019s tough! I\u2019m always trying to get bigger acts involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n