In this episode I’m joined by Alek Glauvitz of Coffee Break Entertainment. Coffee Break Entertainment is a new booking and events agency located here in the Twin Cities, serving local artists and businesses by coordinating and hosting live music events. If you’re a singer-songwriter and you’ve been struggling to figure out where your next show is going to be, you may be in luck.

Alek’s company looks to connect artists with live performance opportunities. From new and emerging artists looking to play their first show at a small cafe to experienced acts hitting the road, Alek has experience making shows a success for both the artist and the venue.

Alek and I chat about his background as a musician, the services Coffee Break offers, and the many nuances of choosing and booking shows. We also discuss the benefits of building your connections in the community via live events, whether you’re attending as a performer or a fan.

Alek's commitment to empowering artists and enriching our live music culture shines through in every aspect of his work. So, whether you're craving a night of soulful tunes or seeking to elevate your own musical career, don't miss the opportunity to connect with Alek and Coffee Break Entertainment. Dive into the rhythm of our city, support some local talent, and discover the magic of showing up for live music.

Full transcript and show notes

Connect with the Guest

🔗 Alek Glauvitz Instagram

🔗 Coffee Break Entertainment Instagram

🔗 Coffee Break Entertainment Website

🔗 Beyond the Trees Instagram

🔗 The Lone Oaks Instagram

Featured Song

"Ice Cold Beer" by Russ Parish and the Lone Oaks

🎧 Listen on Spotify

👀 Watch on YouTube

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Music has long been recognized for its ability to contribute to mental health, relaxation, a sense of community, and more. However, it's intriguing that many musicians, despite creating this therapeutic art, often struggle with anxiety, substance abuse, poor habits, and a myriad of unique challenges found in the music industry. In this episode, I’m joined by Chance York, an independent musician well-acquainted with the hurdles of the industry. During a difficult period, York turned to Yoga for self-discovery and answers. Today, he stands as a leader in the health and wellness space. This conversation delves into the vital aspects of self-reflection, understanding motivations, embracing authentic artistry, and prioritizing self-care. As an emcee who has shared the stage with notable names like Chance the Rapper and Dead Prez, York offers profound insights into maintaining mental health and creativity. Whether you're a seasoned artist feeling the weight of music, money, and everyday life, or a budding creative, the wisdom and advice shared in this episode are invaluable. I hope this episode will inspire better habits for you and, ultimately, better art. Enjoy!

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Chance York Instagram

🔗 Outside Chance PBS Series

🔗 Peace in Practice

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Trying to pursue music can be financially challenging, especially when you're just starting out. If financial constraints have been impeding your progress in the realm of music, Mike Hallenbeck offers a valuable list of cost-free and time-efficient ideas to propel your musical pursuits forward.

Hallenbeck, a versatile audio enthusiast, boasts a skill set spanning across multiple instruments, composition, sound design, and mix engineering. As the proprietor of Cool Cat Audio, a post-production sound house, he brings a wealth of experience to the table. Recently, Hallenbeck rekindled a former project, 10 Items or Fewer, after a nearly two-decade hiatus. The revival process served as the inspiration for this episode, recognizing that many aspiring musicians grapple with financial constraints and/or time limitations. But these challenges don't need to hinder your progress.

In this episode, we explore the nuances that can significantly impact your musical career, emphasizing the minutiae that, despite their simplicity, wield substantial influence. Whether you find yourself restricted by a shortage of resources or time, these topics are readily accessible and can yield immediate positive impacts on your music career. Enjoy!

Full transcript and show notes

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Cool Cat Audio Website

🔗 Cool Cat Audio Instagram

🔗 10 Items or Fewer Website

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Where do you start when you don’t know where to start?

That’s the question that many musicians face when they first get the itch to start sharing their music. There’s no real guide when it comes to weaving your way into the fabric of our local scene. That’s because it’s different for everyone, and there is no “right” or “wrong” way.

Do you want to start a band? Go solo? Do you want to write your own songs or collaborate with others? How do you meet other musicians, record your music, and build a fanbase? The amount of unknowns can become overwhelming.

Although everyone’s paths will be different in many aspects, in one way, the answer is always the same: You just have to start.

Colin Bracewell is an indie artist making a name for himself in our local indie scene. He’s a great example of what that uncertain and winding road looks like from a high school kid to a recognizable artist selling out 7th St Entry and charting on The Current.

Colin and I discuss his unique journey over the past 4 years and the steps he took to break onto the Twin Cities scene. Colin shares the wins and losses along the way and the mindset he’s developed to help him learn from every action and continue to grow and define himself as an artist.

If you’re just starting out or yearning to take your first steps toward a similar goal - this episode is for you. If you’ve been at this for a while, but feel plateaued, this episode is also a great reminder that no matter where you are on your journey, the next step can often feel overwhelming and out of reach. But the answer is always the same: You just have to start.

Full transcript and show notes

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Colin Bracewell Instagram

🔗 Colin Bracewell Website

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

In our quest to advance in our music careers, the usual path often involves practicing our instruments more, penning more songs, and aiming for more gigs. However, there's a foundational skill that's often overlooked yet crucially significant: cultivating a positive mindset. Effective communication, strong leadership, and strategic goal-setting all stem from a mindset that propels you forward rather than holding you back.

In this episode, we are joined by the multi-talented Brandon Commodore, who shares invaluable insights from his journey in the music industry. As a musician, music director, producer, and songwriter, Brandon has an impressive portfolio. His experiences range from touring with the Sounds of Blackness, Mint Condition, and the New Power Generation, to his current role as the drummer and musical director for Stokley.

In our discussion, Brandon sheds light on his major successes and the lessons learned along his career trajectory. He offers insights on various topics such as effective networking, skill acquisition, leadership strategies, and handling constructive feedback. This episode serves as a masterclass on emotional maturity and mental resilience, critical attributes of a successful professional in the music industry.

The episode is brimming with nuggets of wisdom, making it a worthwhile listen, perhaps even twice over. Enjoy this enlightening conversation; I know I did!

Full transcript and show notes

Connect with the Guest

🔗 Brandon Commodore Instagram

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

For our first local VENUE feature, I’m so happy to have Tanner Montague join the podcast for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the Twin Cities’ newest and finest live music venues. Green Room opened up at the start of 2023, and it’s already made a name for itself amongst local bands. With its musician-first ethos, beautiful aesthetic, balanced sound, full bar/kitchen, and convenient location, Green Room is definitely becoming one of my favorite venues in town. 

And the man making it all happen is Tanner Montague. Tanner is also a musician, playing drums in multiple bands and graduating from McNally Smith. Tanner shares his journey from growing up in Washington, drumming on cruise ships, to running a live music venue. 

In this episode, you’ll get a glimpse behind the curtain at what it takes to run a venue like Green Room and what’s expected of artists who want to play there. We cover topics such as:

Enjoy!

Full transcript and show notes

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Green Room Website

🔗 Green Room Instagram

🔗 Tanner Montague Instagram

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Let’s be honest… It isn’t exactly hard to find a guitar player. It’s not even that hard to find an incredibly talented guitar player. But now try to find a great guitar player who can also handle musical director responsibilities, manage your in-ear monitor rig, and produce and play all the instruments on your record. That level of utility really starts to thin the herd.

Meet Isaac Levy, an immensely talented and hard-working jack-of-all-trades. Isaac has been following in his father’s footsteps (Noah Levy) and is making quite a name for himself in the Twin Cities music scene and beyond. His credits include working and playing with the likes of Ryan Lewis, Julia Cole, Chase Bryant, Jonah Marais, Michelle and Todd Rundgren, Greg Hawkes, Cory Wong, Yam Haus, Quinn Sullivan, and Grayson DeWolfe.

And perhaps the most impressive part? He’s only 21. So how has Isaac managed to accomplish so much, so quickly? His secret: He’s learned how to be irreplaceable.

In this episode, we discuss how to go the extra mile and over-deliver on expectations. We dive into the importance of adding value to everything you’re involved in, the power of self-teaching, staying curious, avoiding burnout, and more.

I am extremely impressed by Isaac, from his laundry list of talents and musical abilities to his down-to-earth demeanor and humble attitude. I loved our conversation, and I think you’ll find a lot of great insight as well. Enjoy!

Full transcript and show notes

Connect with the Guest

🔗 Isaac on Instagram

🔗 Isaac's website

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Think back to the last show you were at that had absolutely great sound. It makes for such an amazing experience, right? Now think of the last show you attended or performed at where the sound was not so good, maybe even awful. It can completely ruin the moment. 

Unfortunately, dealing with bad sound is a sad reality all local musicians face at one point or another. Sometimes it simply can't be avoided - the room or venue you're playing in has terrible acoustics, the PA is half broken, or the sound engineer working that night is hungover and unwilling to help. 

But what if I told you that there are some simple tricks to help you improve the things you have control over? In the event that you find yourself in a bad-sounding space without a pro engineer like my guest, they just might be your saving grace.

On this week's episode, Joey Vesuvius joins us to talk about all things live sound. Joey is an accomplished audio engineer, having toured with the likes of Keshi, Mike., and JPEGMAFIA. Joey has also mixed front-of-house in stadiums and at festivals as large as Coachella. 

We discussed the basics of getting the most out of your soundcheck, from setup to communicating with your engineer, to mindset and attitude when things aren't ideal. Joey drops a ton of great insights throughout our conversation that will be particularly helpful if you've been struggling with having a successful soundcheck. 

We also talk about Joey's career path into the live sound industry, hear one CRAZY touring story involving a stolen 18-wheeler, and get great overall advice about the importance of reflection and constructive self-talk. Whether you're in need of some soundcheck help or curious about the world of a touring sound engineer, this episode has a little something for you.

Full Transcript and Show Notes

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Joey Vesuvius Instagram

🔗 Wasted Potential

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

If you’ve ever gone through the process of uploading and releasing your music on all the streaming services, you know how much work goes into it. Of course, the writing and recording of the music in the first place is no small task, but then trying to navigate the entire upload process with all their questions, random codes, unfamiliar acronyms, and miscellaneous option features can be quite overwhelming the first time you attempt it. 

Do you have your royalty splits? What distributor should you use? Will the credits show up correctly? What about the extra features that are offered? Should I opt into ______?? 

If you’ve got new music on the horizon and you’re looking at going through this process for the first time, this episode is definitely for you. And if you have released music previously but, like many of us, still aren’t confident you did it all correctly, you may be in luck, too. 

Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time helping local bands and solo artists release music that we’ve recorded together at my studio. After getting the same questions over and over, I decided to make a helpful and comprehensive guide that would walk someone through the entire process of getting their music released professionally, without the massive headache. 

This episode breaks down the essential parts of the process and covers the most common roadblocks to releasing your music professionally. Topics include:

Whether you’re completely new at this or could use a refresher, this episode has a lot of useful information on the release process. Plus, I’ve got a free music release guide that accompanies this episode and goes way more in-depth on everything we discuss, plus a whole lot more. If you could use some extra help in this department, grab the free guide and give this episode a listen. Enjoy!

Full transcript and show notes

🌐 My free guide that goes with this episode!

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠

Being an independent artist today is becoming synonymous with being a content creator. As much as many of us would like to deny that fact, it’s happening. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you approach it right, it might end up being your differentiator that connects people to your music.

I think the first step to “getting in the game” is actually to step backward and figure out what you want it to look like for you. If you start by asking yourself, “How can I connect/help/entertain the people I want to reach?” instead of, “How do I get my song to go viral?” you may end up with a strategy that is sustainable, and in turn, actually yields results for you someday.

Emmy award-winning composer and sound editor Taylor Lewin sat down with me to talk all about content creation. Taylor has a diverse background in the scene, from playing in bands to producing records, and from making YouTube videos to now owning his own post-production company, Underscore Audio, where he works on content for global brands regularly.

Taylor has always been a creator in some fashion, and I wanted to get his take on what makes content “good.” Our conversation went way deeper, and I really enjoyed the mindset and strategy tips that came of it. In this episode, we discuss content creation topics such as:

If you’ve been struggling with where to begin as a “content creator” or feel like your efforts haven’t yielded any results, this episode will hopefully help give you some motivation and advice to get you started or improve your results. Enjoy!

Full transcript and show notes

Connect with the Guest:

🔗 Taylor Lewin Instagram

🔗 Taylor Lewin YouTube

🔗 Underscore Audio

Connect with Me:

✉️ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠⁠⁠

📷 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🕺 ⁠⁠⁠Connect on TikTok⁠⁠⁠

📺 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Give Feedback:

📬 Send me a message: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

💬 Suggest a guest or topic: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

🧡 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

✍️ ⁠⁠⁠Write a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠🎙️ Brought to you by Helvig Productions⁠

Production, videography, and coaching to help you sound your best, tell your story, and promote your music. Think of us like your extra bandmate, 100% focused on helping you create something special that you and your fans will enjoy for a lifetime.

🙏 Thank You

This podcast is made possible by the hard work, expertise, and commitment of my team: Max Greene and Joey Biehn. I'm forever grateful. And thank YOU, for listening.

Theme Music: "Thankful" Courtesy of ⁠⁠⁠LUEDVIG⁠⁠⁠