Krystal Garcia of Distorted Heartbeat, in full

1:39Hi friends. Uh happy Thursday. Um evening or morning depending on where you are. Um I am Tash and this is Unwritten Rules of the Road and we are joined today by the amazing Crystal Garcia of Distorted Heartbeat. Crystal, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for having me. You know, it's funny because um I I first heard about you through friends in the in the Dallas community that were like, "You have got to meet Crystal. She's absolutely amazing. Um she's doing amazing things for our community." Um and I I remember messaging you and just really being blown away by just how like really on top of putting together shows

2:25that you were. And I mean, you've done so much for the live music community. So, um, yes. I I was I was wondering um if you could share um like I guess what inspired you to get started um doing what you do. So, yeah. So, I've always loved music. Um it's always been a part of my life. Um I credit a lot of that to my mom. Um just, you know, early my favorite early memories were me and her driving around in her car and she was, you know, blasting some sort of music, sometimes not appropriate music, but for my age, but she was always playing some sort of

3:06music. And so, um, I just kind of learned, you know, from her. And that's just some of my favorite memories was just literally just driving around listening to to songs and listening to music. And so, those were some of my favorite memories. And then I I always knew I wanted to do something music related. Um but um I you know I tried actually tried playing guitar when I was about 15. Um and I sucked. So um I kind of realized then that I didn't really have a lot of uh patience that it requires to actually learn all of you know learn instruments and stuff. So um but I knew I still wanted to do

3:48something music related and I can't sing. I can't hold a t hold a tune so tone or whatever. So that's that was out of the question, too. But um but yeah, so I I knew I wanted to do something music related. Um it wasn't until I got into college. Um I I again I I kind of flip-flopped my majors for a little while trying to figure out, okay, how can I make this music related? um eventually just decided on um kind of well still wasn't sure but um what I actually ended up doing um I met some I met some guys in a band but the weird

4:28thing is is that I met them online at the time in a forum for my favorite band which is Kent the Swedish band. Um, so they had an online forum where it was like people from all over the world and um I actually met um a couple of guys that were in a band just north of Dallas in Denton. Met them um through that that message forum and they were like, "Hey, we need somebody to book our shows." They're like, "Hey, we sound a lot like Kent. We're we're a band. We sound like a lot like Kent. We need someone to book our shows." And I was like, well,

5:05might as well, you know, just just figure it out. And um that's pretty much what what got me started right there. It's like, well, I just my option I knew I wanted to work in music. My options were obviously limited since I didn't really have much of musical ability. So that's how I got into it basically. I love that your foundation is like a true love for the music. Like that's awesome. That's really awesome that I'm I I think that's the most important thing no matter what you do. Um and that's what I always tell people. Um and and I know y'all can relate is um you're going to go through

5:46really really tough times and then you're going to go through even worse times and then you're going to go through great really really great times. And what matters at the end of the day when you're especially during the hard periods is you got to always know what why you're doing it, you know, and that's um um that's kind of what I call my big why, which is something I learned in my my other business, real estate, but they always say find your big why. And so that is my big why. why I do what I do is because I just I love music and I tell people

6:21you have to really love it first and foremost. Um because if you don't um you're going to get burnt out really really really quick. No matter how much you say you love it, if you don't really love it and you're not willing to go through the bad parts to get to the good parts, you're going to you're not going to make it. Period. So yeah, absolutely. I mean, I I love that. I I feel like I can definitely relate to knowing your why. It's absolutely. Something that's vital, I think, especially that holds you in in those tougher times. Yep. Um. Yes. Yeah. So, I mean, I know that you do

7:06actually multiple facets of of music business. So, not just like putting shows together, but you also do band management. I mean, there's just so many different tendrils of distorted heartbeat. If if you could share with us like all the different tendrils that you you're currently doing. Yeah. Yeah. So, um like I said, originally I got started um it was kind of band managing. Um you know, they were having me book their shows and build at that time, you know, we were building press kits and the paper press kits and mailing them out and everything. But um so I kind of got started more on kind of

7:39like the band managing side. Um and then um as it just came about later um just it started um that just I guess that you'd say that just kind of expanded um you know other bands were coming through the area and they would reach out to me through you know that band I was managing at the time. they would reach out to me through them. Wanted to book shows and um just eventually um it just kind of became bigger, you know, I I guess you'd say to where I just started working with more touring bands as well as the managing part. Um so yeah, so

8:16those two um I also have I still consider it kind of like event work. Um, but I also, um, curate two pop-up markets like for like local vendors who make jewelry, art, clothing, you know, whatever. And I consider that part of distorted heartbeat as well, too. So, that's really cool. I feel like that's such a great way to bring like your community together. It It is. Yeah. Um we actually um in well in one of the markets I have a regular dog rescue come through um every month the love pit. They specialize just in my favorite breed um pitbulls. So um but it it's a good way like I kind of

9:00took the the flea market. Um so I kind of use that as my way to um kind of integrate music because you know I have Cameron of seven usually DJing them. Um, but he he he's DJing along with whoever, you know, at the time, but he's DJing and then I have, of course, my love of animals. So, it kind of just melds, you know, mixes the two together. So, but but yeah, those um so basically it's band man, destroyed heartbeat is band management, um promotion, uh promoting or booking. So, any national acts that are coming through, international acts as well too. Um and then of course the

9:40the market stuff that I do. I love that you're like weaving all your worlds together. That's awesome. I try. That's what keeps me from going I always try to like figure out how the two can always or the three can always correspond to each other. So, yeah. Yeah. Well, when you were first starting out, um, like with with the band I mean, I'm not sure if it's the same now, um, for you if that's changed, but like what did you look for in in a band that you wanted to work with? That has changed. that has actually changed quite a bit. So, um, the band that I was originally

10:27manageing managing, um, one thing, um, I will say I learned a lot of what to do, but also a lot of what not to do with that. Um, so they were, um, there was basically a lot of drama. You know, that's musicians, go figure, who who would And I've just kind of learned to um when I see that something just isn't if there is going to be a lot of drama, conflict, um I've kind of learned to step away from that, you know, and just separate, you know, kind of just keep myself away from that. So that I mean, as far as what I um that that's what

11:13I've learned to do is um learn or learned what to do and what not to do, basically. So, as far as what I'm looking for, um, you know, I I look for one, you know, anything that's not going to be just, um, how do I say this? I look for no drama pretty much. um you know um but um I also like as far as what I'm looking for for bands like you know and stuff that I'm working with or if if it's a national tour coming through um honestly the my m my biggest thing is just that it's good. So just that it's good and what my idea of

11:58something that you know is good and what I like I know is probably going to be very very very specific. So I also look for okay what will other you know I know that just because I don't like it or I don't I don't even want to say I don't like it but even if I don't like it I know somebody else will. It just has to be good basically. Yeah. Yeah. Makes sense. I mean that it's especially if if that is if your baseline is like I really have to love it on some level. You you have to see the good in it like

12:28you were saying. So Yeah. So um are you are you I mean I know you mentioned having some shows up ahead in the year like are there any particularly notable ones that you're excited about? Um, so it hasn't quite been announced on my end yet, but um I do have Kur Mackey um booked at um a place called Three Links, which is actually where Alice played um last year. So I have him booked at Three Links um at the end of July on July 31st um along with Sign and Void Palace. Um I'm actually really really excited about that. Um, one of the things many many

13:07years ago, um, when I was again starting to look into more like the business side of things, um, I found this book and I still have it, but it was by Martin Atkins, uh, Tour Smart and I read through that and, um, you know, the thing is at the time, you know, that book focuses a lot on, um, like more industrial and stuff and so I just I wasn't really familiar with a lot of the bands at the time, but it was just fun reading each person's expert or excerpt and like looking at what they all all the advice and everything. Um it was it

13:44was really cool. But um sometimes they're like lately I've gone back to that book and I'm like, you know, um it's crazy how some of that stuff just still applies. But um I'm very excited about the um about the Curse Mackie Show. Um just mainly from his experience in the music industry. I know like there's a lot to be learned right there. So, and that's um always very very important. Um is it's always like I like to make everything like a learning experience on learning from other people's perspectives, what I can do better, what I can improve on, all of that. Yeah, absolutely. It's it's it's really

14:24cool because I've had so many guests that have referenced that book. Um, yeah. And I I'm a fan of it myself. I love I I love that it's kind of like the holy grail of of the touring circuit. Like we all really admire it is. And it's still like and some of the funny stuff too is like, you know, when I I got that book when it first probably when it was first released or whatever and read it, um, honestly, I never would have thought that I'd be working with any of the artists that are in that book. But yeah, that's really cool. I mean I same

15:02honestly um we played with S in Austin and I got to meet S and and Curse as well um at that show and there was definitely a part of me that was fangirling where I was like oh my gosh Yeah. Yeah. So um but that's so cool that you're going to be doing a show in July with them. So Very excited about that one. And also I've heard good things about Void Palace as well too. So, um I'm always um I'm always down for having a new, you know, new band that few people have heard of come through. Like I'm always, you know, down to help that and help get the word

15:40out about them. So, so I I I've worked with a lot of different promoters that pro like approach putting together show in different ways. Um, and um, you know, something I really appreciated about you is that you when you were um, putting together our show, like you put together the whole lineup, right? Yeah. And that that I that was awesome because I mean I'll do my research and I'll do my work, but sometimes it's hard for me to know if I'm not from the city like you know all the band all the bands. And I I was just curious like what what makes you think about a band opening for

16:17a show that's coming through? You know, this is gonna sound so cheesy and lame, but I just there's just certain when I have a show booked and then I'm looking for an opener. I don't know. It's just a gut feeling that will direct me to a specific a specific band. I I can't say why. It's just an overall feeling like, oh, this one will go great with that, you know, or great with this band or this band. It's just kind of like I don't know. I like to kind of keep have a whole vibe going and just keep that going. So, yeah. I love that. It It sounds like cooking

16:55in a way where you're like, "Oo, I think maybe a sprinkle of this." And yeah, I'll go with that. I can't cook. At least if I can get the show line up right. I don't know. I love it. It's like It is It is like putting together a whole tasty thing. honestly, like I I tell people sometimes, so obviously since I'm not a musician, I don't really know how to do anything creative. At least I don't think I do. So, I always tell people, look, that's my creative part right there is putting that, you know, putting the right bands together. That's that's where my amount of creativity comes in.

17:35absolutely. That is really creative. I mean, because like I think about when I go to a show and it has a really nice flow, you know, or I'm like from start to finish, like I want to see the opening band all the way up to the very last band. And it really it's like it's captivating. Um, and there's like a there is a weaving like you feel like there it's like the bands, even if they're different a little bit, like I feel like it all it makes sense when all the bands kind of gel together, right? Yeah. Yeah. And it's always, like I said, it's always a good feeling, too,

18:09um, especially, you know, with local bands, you know, to get them in the right in front of the right audience. And, um, but it also, and sometimes it's, you know, it's it's also it's not just about the um the flow and, you know, how the whole night goes. Um, you you also I also try to look for bands that are passionate and that are eager to play and excited to play doesn't matter what their following is. If they're raving about the show and telling everybody that that energy is going to come off and more people are going to come in whether they've got five followers or 500 or 5,000

18:48followers. It's it's all about how eager and how happy and how excited they are to play. and and it always um when it's a good show, it always comes back, you know, and then you get to see how like their efforts were rewarded and Yeah. Absolutely. I I think about like when we get to play with bands with that kind of energy, um it's just a joy like all around, you know? It's it's such a joy where you're like, "Wow." It's like we're all happy and excited to be there. Um yes you know and that it never matters you know there can be five people there 100 or 200 like

19:29as long as the the bands are happy and the energy is right turnout doesn't matter you know like that it's all about just having that right energy on stage. soon. Yeah, absolutely. And so refreshing to hear because you know there are you know promoters that put a lot of pressure. Um I mean we do our best to to promote to you know to bring in Yes. We do our Um but you know sometimes you really don't have control. like we've had bad luck with having sometimes like it's like the like there's certain tours that are touring the exact same night um from city to city and so there's just

20:09only so much you can do you know um I I always tell people um you you got it's a lot like gambling you know you can't always control the outcome and I always tell people well you know you got you got to have a love for pain If you want to get into any part of the music business, you got to love some form of pain because you got to get out of it. So, yeah. Oh my gosh. It's like I I've had different um people I've chatted with when they're asked, you know, they're like, "If there's anything else that you can do, do that."

20:49Um, you know, because it's a lot. It's It's a big commitment to do music. You know, it is. It asks a lot of you for Yeah. Um, so sorry, what was the question? I think we were just tangenting. Yeah. Um, yeah. No, I was I was I was thinking about the fact that like, you know, um, in the challenging times, like you were saying, like knowing your why and holding on to that really does make all the difference. And I was curious um like are there specific more challenging moments that you'd be willing to share? Like any moments where you're like, "Oh my gosh, like all the

21:33fires I have to put out or whatever the case is." Um there are yes because there there's so many things that um everybody works differently like every venue works different from other venues. Every booking agent um you know the ones that book the tours like they all work different from everybody uh from each other and and everybody everything's different. Um, I had one one band come through and um, you know, some sometimes I'll get a rider like two, six months out. Sometimes I won't get it till the week before and I had one band come through and they needed quite a lot of So, which um, luckily I I live with the

22:26musician Cameron from Sevit. So, I was like, well, that you know that helps. But um but but yeah, it's that and and you know, so it was just kind of a matter of just juggling all of the different, you know, things that they needed techwise. Um you know, with just the other stuff for the show, like catering and tickets and guest list and and and all of that. Um I I've gotten to the point where I just um I have an insane amount of checklists and just to stay organized to keep up with it all. Um that one is the most recent one that comes to mind. Um

23:12I I can't really say that I've had um I mean I've been yelled at of a a couple of times but you know I've been yelled at and you know but you know it's it's bound to happen no matter what job you're in. You know the the at the end of the day you just want to take what happened and figure out how you can do it better you know the next time around. So, um, nothing really like, but again, I kind of think I'm like a glutton for punishment. So, nothing really pain, nothing really bad has that's awesome. At least nothing that I would see is

23:56bad, you know. So, anything that goes wrong, I try to figure out where it went wrong. And if it's something that I did, I take ownership of it, you know. Um, you know, if I fail to communicate something, um, then that's that's on me. You know, I just, you know, got to be a big girl, suck it up, admit to it, move on, you know, and do what I can at the time to fix it. So, um, I guess I'm just not that sensitive to that kind of stuff. Well, I imagine you have to have a thick skin, you know. Um, you Yeah. Yes. Not just thick skin.

24:31I think you have to have chain mail and leather and I mean, I I've been yelled at and I've been told I was some pretty bad things, but you know, at the end of the day, I just took it, okay, am I really that bad? I don't think so. So, I love your attitude of just like how can I learn and grow from this, you know? I mean, I feel like I mean, you've been, from what I understand, you've been doing distorted heartbeat since And I mean, you can't be around, you know, and have that kind of amazing resume that you have, like putting all

25:16the shows together and working with all the bands without some level of growth, you know, you have to continue to evolve, I'm sure. Yeah. Um, for me, and this is always just me personally, no matter pretty much any job that I have, you know, once I get to where I feel like I'm at least at a decent point, you know, of it, then I'm already looking like, okay, how can I change it? How can I make it better? How can I make it bigger? You know, that that's just me. I kind of get to that little stagnant point where I'm a little like, okay, this is boring. We got to

25:48mix it up a little. Got to do something different. So, so I always look I always try to get to me any type of education um or knowledge or experience you can get is way more valuable than money or anything like that, you know. So, I always try to figure out what I can learn from something. So, absolutely. Well, um I was curious like do you have any places that you envision growing distorted distorted heartbeat? Is like are there any plans for the future that you'd be willing to share? Um, yeah, I would definitely like to, um, I would definitely like to lean more into the artist management side, um, and

26:35finding more bands to represent, not just book their shows, but more um, you know, getting on PR and and everything. So, I'm definitely looking into leaning a little bit more towards that. Um, as well as booking not just shows here in Dallas, but tours all over. Um, would be my ultimate goal. So that's awesome. I I could definitely see you excelling for sure. Like as much success that I've seen you have with Distorted Heartbeat, you know, and how much you've done um in that community, I'm I'm excited to see the future for Distorted Heartbeat. For sure. Thank you. Yeah. Well, um speaking of touring, um

27:18do you ever go on any tours yourself or is it is it everything done on the back end? So everything is done on the back end. That is another goal of mine eventually is I I would love to do tour managing absolutely like 120%. But um which I know some people say it sounds crazy but yeah we we we already established that there is a little so that's fine but um no that is um one of my ultimate goals is to do definitely go on tour do some tour um but for now yes everything is mostly on the back end. Um I I always kind of

27:59make a joke maybe to myself but also to other people, but like um people just think, "Oh, you that I'm always going out and always doing stuff and always having fun." And I'm like, "Actually, no. I'm pretty much always behind a computer like 247. It's not that exciting at all. The outcome is exciting, but the part the part leading up to it, not so much. I love those. Um I've seen this where it's like what people think I do versus what I actually do. Yes, that always comes to mind. That always comes to mind. I imagine people think I'm out there and I'm like gloves, but

28:42now I'm really at home in my pajamas. Yeah, that sounds very familiar. I think though it's like um I think you would really love the the tour management though because I I think like that is when you're like really getting to experiencing it like you know almost daily. Um you know and and yeah that's um yeah like I said that that's definitely a future goal of mine for sure. um pretty much you know you always got to think one two three five years ahead so somewhere in okay so I was I was curious because I love the name but I was wondering like how you came up with distorted heartbeat

29:36so that one's an easy one that is um one of my absolute favorite musicians um fans um so uh Dennis from the band Refused is Dennis Lixon. Um I still might not be pronouncing his last name correctly, but um he was in um the refused international noise conspiracy and then he um started a a new um a band um invnasion basically. Um he started and they were almost they're very very post punk for sure. Um, but they had a song called Distorted Heartbeat and I would listen to that while, you know, walking my dog and working out and I'm like that always, it just always seems to it was

30:21just something about the lyrics that just stood out to me at that particular time. Um, and so that's ultimately where I got it from. So Oh, I love that. I love that. It's like so much of of your roots are are really it goes back to your your love of the music and people um and bands that you're inspired by. Oh, I think I lost you. Oh, there you are. Yeah. Okay. Oh, fix this. There you are. Yay. I didn't think about that. My internet gets a little weird. Always about the same time every every day. I don't know why, but the hamsters go on strike.

31:18Yeah, I think so. Yeah. So, um, well, I was I was wondering like do you have any favorite moments? Um, I mean, obviously there's a lot of love that you've expressed for music, but do you have like certain highlight moments where you're like, "This is exactly why I'm doing this." Like some favorite shows or or moments. Oh gosh. um trying to think of some some some very specific ones. Um I can't think of any like specific instances right off. Um, but it it it can just sometimes be like the the smallest show, you know, if the that that makes a big difference when the crowd is dancing. Um, it doesn't

32:18matter how many people are there. If the if there's a small group of people that are out there just having fun, um every once in a while I'll get um somebody who comes up and they're just like they'll come up to me and they're like, "Oh my god, I never thought I'd get to see this band." And um I think that one's always my favorite one when I get people that say that because you know because it um it just helps to know that it matters to somebody that's out there. And actually here is a perfect example. Um this is um this is a perfect perfect

32:57example. Um, so I booked the Dallas stop for the band Pig, um, back in October of last year. And mind you, of course, everyone knows Pig's been around for, you know, quite a few decades. Um, but there was this all along the front row, and I just had to stand there and just watch it for for like the longest time like, am I really seeing this? But there were all of these college kids, college age kids. And I know they were college age because one of them was from uh University of Texas at Dallas um doing the photography, but I mean they were all so young and I was just amazed

33:38because they were all like out there just they had they knew every single word to every single pig song and I was just like is this really happening? like obviously somebody's parents are out there doing something right but um it was very cool very very cool to see that um I think that was one of my that was a perfect example when I saw that and I saw like the younger kids coming out and listening to stuff you know from you know 80s 90s that definitely like that stuff always makes my day when I see that so absolutely it's really cool to see like people, you know, as well getting

34:20introduced to to a band, you know, for the first time and um and especially with a band like Pig that's been around and our our legends and our community for sure. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um just wanted to take a moment to say hello to everyone. Thank you so much for hanging out with us. If you have any questions um for Crystal, please feel free to drop them in the chat. Um, I was wondering like, um, if you could give any advice to a to a band, um, that's out on the road, um, playing live. Um, like what are things that you feel like bands should know? Um, like things that

35:02we could we could learn from um, like maybe things that we might not be aware of and we're like, "Oh, that's this is good to know." So, this one is always um you know, when a band is coming through, especially if it's a newer band, one of the things that um I always go back and I look to, and I know this isn't 100% correct, but I always look at not so much the number of followers they have on any particular social media platform, but I look at their quality and their con and their quantity of content. Um, I seriously when when bands reach out to

35:40me and then I find out that they don't even have an Instagram or they have an Instagram and it the last post was six months ago. I I seriously I just I die inside a little when I see that. And and I know it's I know it's stuff that nobody wants to do. Um, you know, I I I have to do it myself. And honestly, like, um, you know, going out and recording my own social media content was not on my checklist or bingo card of things that I thought that I would have to do, but you have to do it. Um, it it it's I know some people don't

36:19like it, but it's just one of those like necessary evils. Like, you have to do it in order to get the word out there right now for bands. Um, so that's my that that's like the biggest thing I would say is post your post content. Um, post it regularly. Um, if you think it's stupid, post it anyways cuz eventually you're going to just get in the habit of it. And I'm saying this as I need to do it myself. But like just get in the habit of it and just just do it, you know, the only thing worse than a stupid post is no post at all or no content at all.

36:56So it's just like that that's that's my biggest thing is um because show that you're out there putting your music out there. Um because ultimately that's what other venues and everything is going to look at and that's what they're going to rely on. um you know, is this band going to be worth my time? Are they going to push the show? Well, they haven't upgraded or updated their Instagram since, you know, March of 2024. Probably not. Okay, never mind. You know, so but yeah, that that's my big thing is um that that's the number one thing I would say is to um update, you know, keep everything

37:39updated. Um, keep your social media updated. Um, also if you're out on the road, talk to talk to people. Talk to your fans. Run your own damn merch booth. If you're just getting started, run your own merch booth. You know, you can hire someone to do it when you get to like the the larger larger club level, but for now, run your own merch booth cuz that is the perfect opportunity to actually talk to the people who who come there. And even if they're there to see another band or the headline or whatever, just you being at the the the merch booth, some are going

38:14to feel obligated to talk to you and just be nice, you know, and that's a perfect opportunity to get your your music out there. So people always like that personal connection. Um especially more so now than before, you know. It's not like the 80s or the 90s where you or 2000s where you could just sit back and be mysterious and cool. like people want you out there and they want to see you and they want to get to know you. And so yeah, that that's my big thing is if you're if you're a touring band, get your music um po market yourself, you know, market

38:50yourself, whether that be through social media, just getting out there and just talking to your fans, you know. So yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think that's personally one of my favorite parts about touring is is getting to meet people in person or hang out in person, see people that you've you've met before, um or make new friends. Like I think that's definitely some solid golden wisdom for sure. Absolutely. Yes. Yeah. Well, um, are there any things like in terms of like when a a band is approaching you for the first time that you look for like besides I mean do you just notice like their activity and like

39:32the quality of the work that they're putting out or Yeah. Yeah. The the quality um and you know I could be forgiving on some people. They might not have the most pristine recording that that's fine but it's just is the is the music good one. um is it something that you know people will want to come out and see and then um just also how how well they ad I don't want to say advertise but how well they market themselves um you know and how interactive they are basically so yeah absolutely um when I I was mentioning to you that sometimes um if the promoter isn't um

40:13putting together the lineup and I'm the one doing it I always look for like when is the last time they played a show? Oh, it's been five years. I don't think they're active anymore. Yes. Yeah, that's another thing too. Yeah. Yeah. And the thing about it is I do look across multiple platforms as well. So, not just like any one particular like I do look across like all the different socials because some people are a little bit more active on one than the other. So, yeah. Um obviously like the more um you know it depends on the demographic but obviously the kind of millennial Gen X and old you know older

40:55those are going to be looking for more Facebook you know and you're going to look to Facebook for that and then younger crowds Instagram maybe Tik Tok but yeah and it's always so weird to me like still because I'll see um you know there's some bands out there they'll have like You'll go to Facebook, it's like 300 followers, and then you go to their Instagram and it's like 10,000 or something like that. It It's It's always kind of crazy how it's so different. Yeah, it is really interesting because as well, we have played with bands that had no online presence and then the show was packed which was like I mean they

41:36were granted they don't tour like so they're really packed in that one city. So yeah, and that helps too. And sometimes it's also just a matter of, you know, kind of being old school and, you know, especially if you're if you're a local band, going out and to your own, you know, shows in your own town and word of mouth, you know, just getting word of mouth out that way, the old school way, you know, just talking to people. So yeah, I feel like that makes a huge difference like, you know, going out to the shows in your own, you know, city. Um, and supporting your friends or

42:12learning about new bands that come through, you know, especially for like in cities that they you do have like a lot of different options. So, Right. Yeah. Yeah. We and we we definitely do here in Dallas. um not so much just actual, you know, the live shows, but then we've got several DJs here and they each have we we always make a joke that there's like a goth night on every day of the week here, which a lot of people are surprised about. But um but yeah, it's also, you know, not just about going to other band shows, but going to those events as well, too, you know, so and and

42:49supporting the DJs and as well. So, yeah, absolutely. I you know I I feel like too it's like some of the DJs um that we've been fortunate enough to get to work with um like you see them so supportive of all the different shows. Um so and they do their own promoting as well. So yeah, I think it's it goes together like peanut butter and jelly for sure. I always like to have a DJ at all of my shows. Um, one, you know, it just kind of builds up the crowd before the first band goes on, but then it also kind of keeps everything going, you know,

43:28between sets, you know, you're not listening to some death metal music or something that the venue decided to play. Like it it just keeps the whole same vibe going, you know, and then sometimes fun is, you know, when after the show when the show's done, some people will hang around just to dance and hang out with the DJ. And I love it when that happens. It's like a little its own little mini afterparty. I It's one of my favorite parts, too. I love to dance. So, you know, when there's a DJ at the show, I'm like, "Yes, I get to have a dance party like

44:01right after. It's like all the best things." For sure. Yeah. One of my favorites. Um I booked um Nightclub. Actually, it was about three days after I booked the Alice show at three links. Um but nightclub came through and we had um Byron um DJ Lord Byron he runs well he he DJs at both the Panopticon and the church which are our two longest running goth nights here in Dallas. But um so he DJed the nightclub show and then sure enough like right after the show. He had his own little crowd dancing and and I was up on the uh balcony of the venue and I took videos of it and I

44:45still I still love that. I'm like little mini afterparty here. I love that. That's awesome. And so cool that you booked nightclub. That that was actually Oh, that was really fun because that was also like I said it was about two days or it was about three days after um May 1st after Alice was here, but it was also like the day after my birthday. Um so nightclub Emily was good enough h um kind enough to say happy birthday to me on stage and then um Rose Garden Funeral Party um they were touring with nightclub and Leah said happy birthday to me. I'm like, "This is awesome. This is the best

45:27birthday ever birthday party." Oh, I love that. I love that. I love birthday shows. They are They are the best. Yes, that's so cool. I I saw Rose Garden Funeral Party when they came to LA um a few months ago. They were touring with um A Starry Night and then there was another band. I'm I'm my mind's slipping a little bit. I can't remember the name of them, but it was such a good show. Um and my first time seeing Rose Garden Funeral Party as well. So she's Leah is great. Um she is also doing I think she's also doing wonders for the whole Dallas. I think it's her

46:06bands like Rose Garden night and Sevit all being here from Dallas. I think they're kind of putting us on the map, you know, as far as all is the talented music goes. But um but yeah, she um she actually has gorgeous, gorgeous, beautiful voice. Um she we had her do an acoustic show at one of my flea markets. Um and that was the first time that I realized like I was like this girl can really really sing. I always knew she was a good singer, but then I got to hear it. She's great. So yeah, absolutely. Oh, can you hear me? Oh, okay. Sorry. Yes.

46:52I thought I cut out. Okay. This is our our night of the hamsters um revoling with all the tech stuff. Wait till we're both all both comfortable and then it's like, "Nope, here we go." Yeah, it was really beautiful voice. I really enjoyed the show. Um, I haven't seen Nightclub live yet, but that's on my bucket list. Oh, they're great. Yeah, Emily's probably one of my favorite live performers, like by far. She's amazing. Yeah, I've seen I've seen videos and I'm like, "Oh, I can't wait to see them." great show for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's interesting because you brought up um like I feel

47:39like the Texas music scene right now is really like there's some amazing artists that are coming out. Um Dallas, Austin. I mean, we've got like Urban Heat. Um it's it's is I'm trying to remember. Um oh, I think um Night Rituals is also from San Antonio. Um there's also Haunt Me as well, too. Oh, Haunt Me. Yes. And then of course obviously Twin Yes. Twin Tribes. Yes. Yes. Amazing. Yeah. It was so cool when I found out um like Yeah. There's just a a bunch of people that are or bands that are coming out of out of Texas. And I was just I mean I was curious like um when did you

48:26start seeing the sort of resurgence of all these bands coming up? Um, I would say um I I feel like it kind of got its resurgence like back in maybe the mid like 2010 20 Yeah, probably about 2010 I think is right. You know, a few years like around there. Um that's when I noticed all of it start kind of picking up. Um I I kind of have my different theories on that and why it's just um all of a sudden it seems like it seems like it's actually cool to be goth now whereas before you know you were I was just that weird kid you know in the back

49:06of the class but now it's cool. So um but yeah I think I think there's a few things that kind of you know kind of attri that I attribute to that or um or contributed to it rather. Um, I think, you know, having that whole kind of resurgence of the 80s sound, like when The Killers came out, um, I think that eventually kind of led to it. And then people want to laugh at me when I say this, but um I think emo music had a really big effect on you know all of those bands that you know all the cool goth kids at the time wanted to

49:42make fun of them. But you know all of those bands were listening to the cure and depes and duran and you know eventually I think the kids who are listening to the emo music are just starting to grow up and you know they're kind they've grown up now. they want to either start their own band and or they want to, you know, listen to the bands that their band their favorite band listen to. And so I think that's kind of helped it. I I think that's actually why it's kind of researched a lot, but yeah, I'm sure somebody will disagree with me on that one, but

50:19The good thing is is it it's it's um the good thing is is that people are out there and they're listening to the music. Who cares about all the stupid labels as long as they're out there having a good time? So, absolutely. Absolutely. And it but it's so cool to see like really thriving music scenes um that are that are really popping up like kind of all over right now. So, yeah. Oh, yeah. For sure. Um, so I actually, and this was really weird to me, but um, so I grew up in Fort Worth, which is just west of, um, Dallas, not not too far. It's basically

50:58almost like the same city, same metroplex, but um I grew up there and I never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be booking She Passed Away or Twin Tribes or Vision Video in the town that I grew up in. Like I I specifically moved from Fort Worth to Dallas for a reason because I wanted to be where like there was a little bit more of a music scene like for this kind of music at the time. Um, so it's always just kind of weird to me that yeah, there's a whole group over in Fort Worth that like all that same stuff

51:34and that they'll go to that and then um it is it's just really all over. So, um, we're getting a question from Elder Goth on Twitch. Thank you so much for your question. Um, I saw Crystal posted a photo remembering Doug McCarthy with Cammy in a group photo. I wonder if there are any stories or memories of the show at the church that you would be willing to share. So, um that was so that was um my previous booking company. We um one we were actually asked by the church um to help promote the show um to help be co-promoters for that show which um the

52:16church is like I said that's the longest running goth night here in Dallas. Um, so one already that was an honor for um, Don Nudler is somebody who I have a lot of respect for and what he's done for this music scene. I mean, in my opinion, there wouldn't be a goth scene here without him. So, um, it was one, it was an honor to actually get to work with him on that show. Um, but then also, um, that was kind of early on when I started, uh, you know, when I started working with, um, touring bands. So, um, so we actually, um, we we actually ended up taking Douglas

52:55McCarthy to the mall cuz he needed he needed to pick up some stuff from the mall. And so, like, we're driving him around and I'm like, never did I think I would be taking Douglas McCarthy to the to North Park Mall in Dallas. But, yeah, but it was a it was a really cool show. Um I I will say um that was a very special memory, but then also um it was a couple years later. Um they played at Granada Theater in Dallas and um uh me and Cammy went um kind of to the backstage area after the show to just say hi to them and everything cuz even

53:34though it wasn't our show at Granada, we were just there to say hi. Um, and Bon like sees us and he's like he's like, "Oh my god, I thought y'all were gonna be helping. Y'all were doing this show." And I was like, "That was just an honor." Like he automatically, you know, recognized us and um he remembered what we did from the previous show. So I'm like that in itself was just an honor just to be, you know, from somebody as legendary as Nights are. So that's amazing. Yeah, I I never had a chance to see them, but um Oh, wow. definitely. Definitely a very high

54:15energy show. I actually um I brought one of my co-workers at the time or he he went to that show and he had never he would had no clue about goth or industrial or anything, but he was just like he was in awe. He was like, "Oh my god." It's like they they had so much energy. He was talking about it at work like the whole next week and singing all these Nights of Ab songs that he just I love that. Converting them one at a time. Yes, that's really really cool. Oh, um Pete Russo is saying, "If my video is clear enough for me to be correct, your head

54:55is perfectly framed between Marilyn and James." And it's quite fitting. That's awesome. Oh, and uh to Dark Realm, thank you so much for for joining us. Really appreciate it. Um Yes. If you have any questions for the amazing Crystal, um drop them in the chat and I will I will relay them. Yeah, I know that you book um all actually all kinds of bands, but are you know it would you would you say that it's like you have kind of more of an affinity for like the dark alternative um genre in general because I know there's many categories. Yeah. You know, so I as far as if

55:46somebody was to ask me ask me what I listen to, I do listen to everything. Um, that's just, you know, that started from a young age. My mom was into the 80s hiphop and R&B. Dad was into classic rock. Grandparents were into country and Tahhano. And so I've been listening to everything. Um, and I still listen to like like literally everything. My favorite band is Kent. Um, they are were rather more kind of melodic, you know, rock band. Um, not goth at all, though. They did have one album that was kind of dark, but they're not goth at all. Um, but I it it just

56:27even though like all of my my some of my favorites lay outside of that, um, I I don't know. It just kind of everything seems to have fallen into place with So, which which is fine. I mean that is where again a lot of my background and the stuff I listen to as a kid you know but and and still I still listen to of course a lot of goth stuff till this day but I I don't know why it just it just somehow all just kind of fell into place and it was just like one band after the other and yeah yeah it is kind of funny how things fall

57:06into place in that way for sure you know Um well, especially when you don't label yourself or you don't pigeon hole yourself into what you like, you know. And I I try not to. Um but at the same time, it it is um it is just where my background is too. But yeah, but also I mean, you know, things change too. Um stuff, you know, could be just way different. you know, the music's pro music scene's probably going to be way different in about five or 10 years than it is now. And and to me, it's always important to that no matter what what you do, where you work,

57:44or what you work on, you always have to be willing to adapt. Um, you know, one, always do what you love, but then also be willing to adapt, you know, and just kind of go with the flow. So, yeah, absolutely. Um, well, I if somebody wanted to start as a promoter, like what how would they start like that? What would what what what are like things that they could do that where they're like, I I want to start doing this in my city. Um, one, find a local band um that and just offer to help them book their shows. Um, and my my opin or not my my word of advice

58:25when you do that um when you do work with a band and when you are reaching out to venues and booking agents and everything um be prepared to be ghosted like all the time. All the time you you will be ghosted. So get used to it. But um the one thing and you know and the one thing I will tell people is I don't have the most vibrant bubbly personality. So maybe I can't win people over that. But one way I can win them over is just being determined and consistent. And that's what I always tell people whenever you want to start out um be determined and consistent and

59:05keep going and don't stop until you say get a no, you know, until you get some sort of answer. Um so yeah, that's what I would say first. Yeah, just reach out to um re reach out to a local band um and help them um and see what ways you can help them. I think that's always a good good start. Um now with social media I think it also helps to not just re you know know what's there locally but also reach out to people who are doing stuff you know nationally and internationally and um and that that's one thing I would say and and don't be afraid to um

59:49don't be afraid to just really just talk to people basically you know don't be afraid to get uncomfortable That is the most important thing. That is definitely the most important thing. You've got to get out of your comfort zone. Even if you're not, whether you're a band, booking agent, manager, whatever, be prepared to get out of your comfort zone. So, yeah, absolutely. I feel like, you know, talking about the be prepared to be ghosted definitely goes for being in a band as well because like when you're looking for shows, it's like, well, guess we're not going to be playing It happens. Rejection is part of it.

1:00:33Yeah. And and and it's like I I I personally like it when people just tell me no so I know to move on. Yes. you know, but um and so I try to I do try to return that same kind of favor when people reach out to me for something like I try to always be always respond, you know, and yes, I could do it, no, I can't do it, you know, whatever. I always try to respond in some sort of way just to be courteous and not waste their time, you know. It's very appreciated. Unfortunately, not everyone is like you. I believe it and I'm my goal is to not

1:01:11be that person. Yes, it's very appreciated. For sure. Thank you. Yeah. I mean, I was curious actually like um have you ever put together a I actually put together a miniature festival um back in I think it was either I think it was 2016, maybe 2017. Um it was about six local bands um and maybe about six DJs um all electronic Um so um I did that. Um I would absolutely that's another goal of mine is to book some sort of festival here in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Um I think if it could be in Fort Worth, you know, my old hometown, that would be awesome.

1:02:03But um that is that is one goal that I'd eventually like to do. Um I I do want to learn more about getting sponsorships and um you know so that eventually yeah um a festival filled with vendors, bands, DJs. Perfect. Yeah, absolutely. It's so cool when you see like um a lot of people coming together like that. Um, we played Dark Forcefest in New Jersey last year and just all the artisans that came out and you know and it was just so many creative talented people that had just so many different offerings which I thought was so Right. Yeah. Yeah. That's um we have a

1:02:46couple of festivals that um like Sevit has played here in Dallas and um that that is one of the the really cool things um is really just the whole networking aspect of it and getting to talk to people and meet new bands and stuff. Yeah. And eventually, like I said, I would like to do something like that here more specifically for the the goth crowd. So, yeah, absolutely. Um, we're getting asked by um, Dark Realm um, if we like to listen to 45 Grave, Rosetta Stone, uh, Lebanon Handover, She Passed Away, London After Midnight, Sisters of Mercy, Switchblade Symphony, all great bands. They're all great.

1:03:30Um, and what goth clubs do we have in our area? Um, yeah, as far as the bands, um, Rosetta Stone definitely. Obviously, she passed away. Um I I I booked them um at a place called Tulips in Fort Worth. Um uh what was Oh, London After Midnight. Um that remind Rosetta Stone and London After Midnight remind me of my college years because that's when I was listening to them, especially London After Midnight. But um I'm just like having flashbacks to like shopping at um one of the malls that coincidentally had one of the London After Midnight albums there. Um but yeah, um definitely definitely a fan of them. Um as far as

1:04:17music goes, um she passed away obviously. Um I I I do like the the old school goth death rock stuff for sure. Oh yeah, definitely. And then yeah, as far as clubs, um like our main night here is the church, which is every Sunday night. Um they had this used to be in this big beautiful venue that was stained glass, you know, two levels. It was gorgeous. But unfortunately, they had to move. Um but they've found a different venue. Um and I personally I like the venue a lot. Um it's just a more cozier feel to it. Um they have gotten um a newer crowd there,

1:05:04a younger it's a younger crowd. Um which is always fun to see, you know, just how how everything changes. But the church has been going strong for quite a while. Um uh DJ Lord Byron, he DJs, uh Panopticon, which is every Friday night. Um, I'm always kind of um always kind of amazed at Byron because the panopticon um that night, that club night has literally gone through probably about five different venue changes in almost 20 years, but somehow he has, you know, Byron has got the the magic touch to where he has this loyal crowd that has literally followed him to each and every venue. So, um, he's definitely somebody

1:05:46else like locally that I respect a lot for sure for what he's done. Um, and then we also have like a lot of really fun smaller nights. Um, so Cameron from Sevit, he DJs at um, it's a place called Charlie's. It's a new place, fairly new, maybe about four years old now, I think. super fun place, which I'm going to have to take Alice there. Um, whenever y'all come here next because every time after a show, we always go to Charlie's now. We always take the try to take the band to Charlie's. And pretty much they see that place and that that's going to be

1:06:21their next stop in Dallas and that's going to be the place. I always make a joke. I'm like, I can't take I got to stop taking bands there because the sound is so good there that you that you wish it was a live venue. So, but and I'll get some fans that'll message me like months later and they're like, "So, do you think we could maybe do a a small little show at Charlie's?" But, um, Charlie's is a really great place, though. Um, so Cameron from Sevit, he has every third Wednesdays, um, he has a club night called Dark Room, um, which it's all, you know,

1:06:56goth. We're doing a a tribute to Douglas McCarthy next week. Um, so he has that. Um, and then we've got we've got so many other DJs, like really really good DJs. Um, uh, Tulips, which is more a live venue, but they have a small bar in the back, um, called Low Doubt Bar, and um, every Monday is um, um, DJ Diosa, um, which for Monday night, I've I've been there once, and I was actually really shocked at how many people were willing to come out on a Monday night. Um it was pretty impressive. Um but there's that. There's also another club night called Away from

1:07:36the Numbers. Um La Bruha, another another club night. But um we there there's no shortage of good DJs here. No shortage of of DJ nights. Um everything's great. So that's so cool. Like I said before, it's like the the the community in Dallas, it's like I feel like it's definitely a huge music mecca for sure. There's just so much going on. Yeah. And it's um and it's also just really important to like everybody is um for the most part very supportive u of everyone. So like I said, um Byron is really great. I mean, I can go to him to do setup ticket giveaways for any shows

1:08:22and he's always down for it. Like he's always down for building building the scene, you know, and building the the local community. And it's it's so important too to not be so I I think that's another thing that I've learned too is it's very important to try and always do the right thing. um you know always do the night always do the right thing because um don't burn any bridges ever like ever ever um I it's but it but it's always important to support and build up other people that are around you because eventually that is going to come back you know the it is going to come back to

1:09:06you at some point you know and so it's just very important Absolutely. It's funny um how the the this world is so much smaller than you Oh yeah. Especially especially in the music part. Um which again it's like I said never never burn a bridge. Even if it's with someone who you don't think is part of the whole music group that you're interested in or whatever. never burn bridges because somehow someway everyone's connected and it's going to come back to you if you do that. So yeah, absolutely. Um, another question um from Elder Goth on Twitch. Um, I wonder how much Crystal thinks Deep Ellm has contributed to band

1:09:53discovery and exposure where you can walk along the street and hear music coming from venues such as Three Links, Trees, etc. and get sucked into a venue. Um, definitely. um that that's you know and it's changed quite a bit. um you know some of the live music venues down there are you know it's they're becoming fewer and fewer but um that was actually one of the reasons I'll I'll go back to like I grew up in Fort Worth and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to move to Dallas because I'd always heard so much about the music and the local bands at the time and Deep

1:10:30Ellum and um yeah I mean Deep Ellum's definitely the whole mecca um of where where, you know, to discover live music. Um, you can go to, obviously, you can go to Three Links. Um, Trees right across the street. Uh, Ruins is a really, really cool place. Um, I did my first show there, uh, last, yeah, last month. Um, they've been open for quite a while, but that was the first show that I had done there, and it's just the decor is amazing. It's just a very, very, very cool vibe. Whole, I love the vibe there. But Ruins is great. Um, and then there's um also like some smaller venues um

1:11:12Reno's um if you're looking for more like the metal, you know, the more heavier stuff. But yeah, definitely. But there's Oh, sorry. Just that there's so much Yeah, there's a great community there. Um, you know, all of the venue owners, they all know each other. They all talk. They all try to look out for each other. from what I've gathered and noticed and and that's that's important. So, I think in all of the really healthy music communities that I've seen, it's like there's support for each other. So, it's not just like it's about me. It's a very giving like supportive of each other, you know, kind of mindset. I

1:11:53Yeah. um you won't I don't think you would get far if you were it. People who who are more concerned about themselves and just the quick success burn out really really quick and do not get far at all. So I think I think it's important to lean on those around you and support those around that are around you as well too. So yeah, absolutely. It's, you know, and it's it's really cool because I feel like, you know, in like I was mentioning the places where I see like it's really thriving. Um, you know, um, Charlotte, North Carolina is an example of that. Like really thriving music community

1:12:33there. Um, and they all like to go to each other's shows and help promote each other and stuff like that, which I think is amazing. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And yeah, I mean, we definitely we we get that um we get that quite a bit here. Um you know, it's I I've never reached out to anybody, a DJ or anything, and for help and been turned down, you know, everybody definitely supports one another. Yeah, I think that's awesome. I feel like um well it's the same it's the same in the band world like you know when we play with different bands from different cities like we love helping each other

1:13:13out like I think that's like a big part of it is like you know there is a genuine camaraderie um because really like you know the the music world is so small so you know we might be spread across different cities but we're pretty much a small a pretty small little world right and that actually goes to back to what we were talking about earlier Like um that's one of the things that I like to see from bands and I that I appreciate when they're willing to help the other band out, you know, like that that contributes just that whole camaraderie there and like that

1:13:47contributes to the rest of the night like and just making everything making sure everyone's happy and just having a good time. So, it it's um I'm not real big on I'm not big on bands that um slam other bands and talk crap about them. And it's even worse when they play shows with them later. And I'm like that no that just no that makes you kind of someone that I don't really want to put a lot of faith into when when people have that negative attitude towards other bands. So, yeah. Absolutely. I know. I feel like and um I mean it's it's I think positivity and negativity can be very

1:14:30contagious in both directions. Oh yeah, very true. Very very true. Yes. oh, I think, um, uh, so Pete was saying, "I have a musician friend in New York City that, um, uh, swears there must be like six of her because she always seems to hit every gig every night, no matter how I imagine in New York especially, it'd be very, very busy." Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I grew up in Luk. Um, I didn't hear that. Yeah, love Texas. Well, that's surprise. You're You're a Texas girl, too. I'm a Texas girl. Um, but it's funny because like I you we always looked up to Dallas as like the place to go to for

1:15:21music where it was like we didn't get a lot in LC and so like I will always appreciate when there's a city that has like a lot of different options and like something for everyone. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that was um that was one of the reasons why again at the time there wasn't much in Fort Worth um when I was growing up. And so that's why I always kind of looked to Dallas and I was like all right when I get old enough I'm going to move to Dallas. So I can discover all these clubs in Deep Ellum this place called Deep Ellum that

1:15:54everybody talks about. I know when we when we played at three links I was like again kind of fangirling. I was like, "Oh my gosh, we get to play in Deep Ellum." Like, oh yeah, here I am. Yeah. No, it's it's um and that place is definitely changing. Um it it kind of went through like a dead period to where there was literally nothing there. Like you could almost practically see tumble weeds blowing by to where all of a sudden it's like total 180. It's Yeah, it can get a little crazy there Yeah. No, it's amazing. It's amazing to see like certain regions like really

1:16:37really coming up. Um it's the same here in LA. Like you'll see like certain areas that like are really like blooming. Like Highland Park for instance is a place where there's a lot of like music venues that are starting to come up and a lot like an artist community that's really blooming. So So, um I was I was wondering like um do you have any um shows that are coming up like um as far as next year? Like when when it comes to like booking um and and putting together shows, I've heard different numbers, but like how far in advance do you like to start putting

1:17:19things together? Um I think it really depends on like the size of the band. um first obviously if they're um you know a bigger band that can play to you know 300 people or so um then doesn't matter how far in advance um really but um if if you're it depends on your following like if you have a very very like you're starting out and you have a small following um you definitely don't want to reach out like seven or eight or nine or 10 months in advance like that's a little too that's a little too much. But um a general rule I would say maybe maybe

1:18:04six months six months in advance at least um is good. Um sometimes some you know things can happen in like three months but six months is generally the sweet spot so to so to speak. So Gotcha. Gotcha. Well, um, if a band is reaching out to you for the first time, like, um, how like what how do you prefer for them to reach out to you? Email. Yeah. Um, so I'm uh, one of the things with like having different parts of, you know, not just distorted heartbeat, but also my my other job, real estate, you know, and just life in general, is I have to keep

1:18:45everything super organized. And so email for me is my easiest way because um you can look at my email and I've got probably about a hundred different with like for bands it's like the date, you know, date and then the name of the band. And um that's the easiest way though because I almost use it like a little checklist. Um like I I love the feeling of clearing out all of my So, that's always going to be the the number one way is, you know, I just I try to stay as organized as possible. And um one thing that I always tell people, too, is um I I I keep receipts.

1:19:26So, I will seriously um I will save every single email that I get. Even if it's just somebody responding with the simple thank you, I'll still put it in the folder, you know, um because um just, you know, with communication being so important, um it's important to have as much in writing as possible and, you know, just to look back on later if you need to. So, email is always my favorite. Yeah. And um when they're emailing you um is it just a matter of sending them like sending you like their EPK, that sort of Yeah, that that always helps. Links. Um I'm for for me personally, I'm um

1:20:13you know, as as simple as you can make it. um with you know a paragraph with just a basic description you know of what your music sounds like and then who maybe also who you've played with you know simple little paragraph and a link to all of your um a link to all you know your music whether it be Spotify band camp whatever um that's the easiest way um but also um if you're looking for a show it also helps for For me anyways, it helps when a band has a specific date in mind. When when they just throw out a random, oh, either, you know, October or

1:20:55November, like that drives me insane. I'm like, narrow it down, please. Yes. Yes. So, here's a f like a question I have because um I've in working with different people, sometimes they're like, "Oh, I don't like booking on certain nights." Like um and you mentioned Mondays like sometimes you will have like random cities that have like Mondays are like the big night. Um but um would you say that like in Dallas at least it's kind of like open in terms of you don't just have to play on Um Tuesdays are my least favorite days. Um but at the same time that also doesn't mean that nothing will ha you

1:21:40know something can't happen. Um, Tuesdays t Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be a little slow, but I will say, um, you know, it really just depends on the band's following. Um, so one of the last shows I booked last month was, um, Calibrace at Three Links and they pretty much packed the place on a Monday night. So, um, that was a little bit of a shocker, but it it really just depends on the size of the band. Um, obviously if it's a newer band coming through, Thursday, Friday, Saturday is going to be the best night. Um, but if it's something, you know, a little larger,

1:22:18the other nights can work, but preferably Friday, Thursday, Friday, and Um, we're getting a question from, uh, Pete Russo. Uh, what is your favorite detail or a unique detail about the Dallas Goth scene that might surprise a unique detail. Oh man, I am trying to think. I might have to come back to that one. I know there was one rumor at one point that um Joan Jet's um I Love Rock and Roll video was filmed at the church. Um, so that's probably one maybe kind of interesting detail. Um, this is actually the point where I wish uh Cameron was here because he's actually played so with him actually

1:23:19playing the shows um with different bands prior to Sevit. I guarantee you he would have like he I mean he's told me some stories so he would have a load of stories that that he could tell. But that's the only unique detail that comes to mind real quick is the whole possible JoanJet the church um the JoanJet slashtheurch um connection there. I love that. It's a little Easter egg. Oh, hello to our friends that are joining us on Twitch. Thank you so much for joining us. Um yeah, again we're we're here with uh Crystal Garcia from Distorted Heartbeat. Um incredible um music I want to say

1:24:12like multiaceted uh music entrepreneur because I mean you do so many things with a distorted heartbeat. So and I love that you have a vision for it too. Like it's I love the expansion mindset that you're evolving in. Yeah. To me, it just doesn't make sense to do anything unless you're always constantly thinking of where you can take it, you know, and like, you know, how you can progress. But, you know, that's that's just me. So, yeah, absolutely. I mean, one of the questions I had for you earlier was just like where you saw yourself in the future. Um, and um, do you see that as kind of a vision for

1:24:55the next few years or like kind of an overarching vision that might change? Um, I think that's definitely that's definitely where I want to head in the next few years. Um, where my ultimate goal and where I'll end up, who knows? I know I I know one thing's for certain, I'll be doing music one way or another. So, but um but yeah, th those are just some of my um kind of within the next five years goals, you know, as far as like booking tours, more artist management, um possibly a festival. Like those are like my within the next five years rules. I love it. I mean, and like you said,

1:25:41you just really, you really never know when you're, you know, you're putting out your vision and then you get there and then you're like, well, we'll see what happens next. So, especially with way things can change like COVID, perfect example, um, where bands couldn't do live shows. Um, and so then I was kind of thinking, okay, well, what can I do if I can't book a live show? What what can I do to occupy my time here? Um, and that's at that point and that's when I kind of started focusing a little bit more on back on the artist management side and learning like, okay, what are some good ways for

1:26:19bands, you know, to promote bands? Um, so like in the case of Sevit, like what's a good way since we can't do live shows right now, um, how can I also get their name out there as far as PR goes? Um, so you always got to learn like I always try to you always got to know to be ready to like I said pivot, you know, change when something goes wrong or doesn't go right. Okay, let's move on, you know, to something. What else can we do? So, yeah, absolutely. I mean, I do feel like um I read this book um called Who Moved My Cheese? Um, and it's about this

1:27:00little mouse um that um gets he's in a maze with another mouse and the cheese suddenly goes away like where the cheese was in the maze. Um, and the story of basically how the one mouse just runs off and already knows where the other cheese is and then one mouse just sits there just sitting there for a long time like where did the cheese go? Um um so yeah, I guess it's a matter of constantly being like attuned to what's going on in the present, right? Um and not, you know, I don't want to say like having a backup plan, but having an alternative, you know,

1:27:36just um just being ready to to just kind of go with the flow. So I feel like that's where like creativity really comes to play. like you you have to be really creative to figure out what the next pathway is going to be, I Right. And yeah, to be be prepared and you you almost got to think outside of the box. Um but sometimes you don't have to you don't want to think too far outside because you don't want to ignore the stuff that's right there and obvious in front of you. But um yeah, I I I I try as much as possible to be an

1:28:10outofthe- box thinker, but you know, absolutely. Well, speaking of of pivoting, uh we have another question from Elder Goth. Um I wonder how booking European bands in Europe in America has changed with visa issues, etc. Um has it become off-putting for bands and Um it has. Um, and so that's when um that that's when one again you'll notice like a lot of bands if especially if they're coming from Europe, they're going to be reaching out to you year over sometimes more than a year in advance um because they're going to have to get all of that. They have to get all of that stuff in order. There's certain

1:28:54sometimes they'll ask for us to sign certain documents to show that they are going to be doing actual work here. Um, and so and and sometimes it can be disappointing because you can go all that time having that show booked and looking forward to it and waiting for it and then three or four months before it ends up getting cancelled for visa issues. Um, you know, I've I've had that happen um before. Um, I will say coincidentally one of my one time when that did happen, um, it actually did work in my favor. Um, I was bummed because I was looking forward to the show a lot, but it worked in my

1:29:37favor though. Um, Empathy Test, I think it was 20, let's see, 2023 or they were supposed to be here in 2022. Um, but right up until like the last two weeks and I was so excited and looking so forward to that show and then two weeks before it was supposed to happen. Um, it they couldn't get he Isaac couldn't get his visa or somebody in the band couldn't get their visa. Um, so it didn't happen. But literally the second I got the email, like about two hours cuz I actually timed it. I think it was 2 hours after between the time when I got that email to cancel it, I got

1:30:16another email from another booking agent that the Chameleons were looking for a really quick last minute show on that same exact date. I was like that worked in my favor. But, um, but yeah, it's um the visa issue does make it a little bit more difficult. Um, like I said, a lot of bands, they have to reach out sometime a year in advance, and you got to hope as it gets closer to that date that it doesn't get cancelled. I'm actually having a an artist on um next week uh Rituals, and their show got their tour here got cancelled uh for that reason. So, um we'll be

1:31:00hearing their perspective. Um yeah. Which a lot of it is silly but like you know but Yeah. I mean we really it's like it's one of those things where I feel like it's like we do what we can. Um and so um in in like you were saying you were like okay it actually there was a silver lining to that getting cancelled. Um, and in Ritual's case, um, you know, hoping to help promote them as much as we can because they did lose sale, I mean, all the merch sales that they would have had, um, from the tour because they did buy their merch ahead

1:31:40of time. So trying to support them. Um you know so and then it's also a bummer too for you know the venues um especially if it's not cancelled early enough because then they're that's you know them without a show for the night and their bar staff not getting paid for the night. So it's Yeah, it's tough on everybody. It does. Absolutely. Um you know here in LA right now we're we're going through some stuff. Oh yeah. And um you know LA Phil just had to cancel um their their shows uh because of the the curfew that's going on. So it's not it's post about that. Yeah.

1:32:20Yeah. Yeah. So it's like it there is a huge trickle down when things get cancelled. It's not just you know one segment that gets affected. There's a lot of moving parts with any live music. Oh yeah. You know. Yeah. So, yeah, it's uh it's one of those things I I don't have an answer for. Um just trying to continue to to um navigate as best we can. Yep. It's again one of those things you got to learn. You got to always be prepared for everything. Literally be prepared for everything and what you're going to do next. So, yeah. Absolutely. And honestly, it changes from day to day, you know.

1:33:04Yeah. I mean, it's sort of the nature of the beast, I think. Um, at least in the live music world. Um, even being on tour dayto day, like everything changes. We've had like last minute venue changes and bands that drop off or, you know, something that will happen and just going like, okay, like with this given circumstance, like what what can we do, right? you know. You um you just I find you got to just always expect the worst. So then you're pleasantly surprised. I imagine though, like it's like probably I mean I know you're a very organized person. Um, and so I imagine like staying organized is probably a big

1:33:51part of how you're able to like pivot quickly, right? Yeah, I'm I I I try. It's always a a work in progress though because um I mean just life happens, but I have my set ways that I organize everything and my how I prioritize what I need to do and and stuff. But you know, and and that's always like that that's always my biggest obstacle for myself is I have to be prepared for something to go wrong and not take it personally or not take it, you know, like not get upset when it does and feel like, oh, I didn't get all this done today because this happened.

1:34:36You know, I just got to accept that that's life. You can plan all you want, but something is going to happen that you're not going to expect. So, absolutely. Yeah. And giving yourself the grace for that. Just as long as you're doing your best, I think that's really all you can do. I I try. But yeah. Yeah. I mean, I find that, you know, it's like so many people that we we get to work with and and create with um in this community really do try their best and like, you know, unforeseen circumstances, but we still are like, "Okay, we'll we'll do our best to try to

1:35:12still make it work somehow, you know, and sometimes things happen that you just there it's really you just got to remind yourself it's out of your hands." Like, you know, at the end of the day, you did the best you could. There are certain things that you just can't fix. Um there was one show that I did that was um it was a few years. It was 2019. Um and it was actually it was actors um 2019 it was at three links again. Um but about a week prior um we had an unusual amount of tornadoes in the area and then when it came the day of

1:35:54the actor show occurred it was just non-stop rain. It it was non non-stop rain and so I was like turnout was a little not quite what I had wanted but you know at the end of the day I just I can't fix the weather. I you know, I did all I could. I can't I can't fix the weather. And so sometimes, you know, it's just a matter of you just got to look and make sure that you did everything that you possibly could. And after that, it's just out of your hands, you know. So, Yep. Yeah. Yeah. We um we were supposed to play Absolution Fest um in Tampa last

1:36:34fall and there were the hurricanes. Hurricane. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. That's I mean which obviously that sucks for so many reasons but I mean and I feel like horrible for Mark um because I've heard good things about him. So but and I know he I'm sure he puts in a lot of effort for that but it's just Yeah, you always got to be prepared for the Yeah. Well, the you know, I will say that was a actually like a great like example of how the music community is so it can be very supportive like um we uh ended up playing in Atlanta opening up for male tears.

1:37:17Um and it was I was so grateful to um Dom was the promoter for that. um sedition um is is the community and the fact that the bands were willing to just you know include us in the lineup at the very last minute I was like that's amazing that everyone was like yes come join us come play um like I mean how cool is that amazing to me yeah yeah um always a good feeling when that happens yeah for sure yeah I mean you know every once in a while you run into the stinkers but like I feel like for the most part like I feel like everybody is

1:37:54here to like help each other out. So, you know, I see that as as a whole like people are more than willing to be like, "Hey, let me I want to help you." You It's a It just It goes back to again to where if you don't when bands don't have that attitude that they want to help people, they it they really just I don't feel like they get far, you know? Like you gota you got to have that you you got to just be a team player, you know, if you want to get your music out there, you have to be a team player.

1:38:30That's all. So, yeah, absolutely. Well, um I wanted to thank everyone again for for hanging out with us and for your thoughtful questions and and to Crystal, thank you so much for for taking the time and sharing your amazing perspective and wisdom with us. Thank you. Thank you for for allowing me the time. Yes, of course. I mean, it's like I just have so much love and respect for you and and everything you're doing for our community and um yeah, I just you have such a beautiful heart and light too about it. So, yeah, it's very Well, I just I I want to say thank you

1:39:09to Alice, too. Um, like I said, or like I I don't know if you've seen my post, but um, I felt more like I should be asking you questions and learning from you because just your your online presence is great. Your all of your branding is amazing. Um, and then when I saw y'all live for the first time and you had the the light set up, everything like everything was so detailed and like and on point, like I I was like, man, I feel like I could learn from them. I feel like I should be doing this interview and asking these questions. So, so thank you very much.

1:39:50Thank you. It's a It's a forever work in progress, isn't it? I I agree. Yeah. Well, um, everyone, I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week. Uh, we'll be back next week with rituals. Um, and, um, again, thank you again. All right. Bye.