PART II: Live Music Scene in Estonia
The discussion of live music scene in Estonia had local promoters, festival managers and bar owners talk about organizing tours and one-off shows across the country. And like Estonia itself, the talk was unrefined and shockingly straightforward. With plenty of young, aspiring artists in small-sized Estonia and sometimes not that smooth promotion, it’s important for musicians not to lose face when things don’t go according to plan, says Luke Teetsov-Faulkner, co-owner of Sveta Bar in Tallinn:
“When you have a show, you need to be ready that something can go not the way you expected. But don’t be a dick!” says Tallinn Music Week panelist. “Because next time nobody will want to do a tour with you.”
A major topic raised had to do with state funding, as many of popular music clubs and bars in Estonia and Finland don’t get any sort of funding, or it’s a tiny portion of expenses, so they focus on selling a lot of alcohol instead, or have to run several businesses to keep afloat.
More: Tallinn Music Week 2018 rock moments with comments + photo gallery
The panelists has also unveiled that, as a rule, that new artists are rarely booked if local promoters and managers haven’t had a chance to see them live already, and see how the crowd responds to their music. “You sometimes like the studio record but then you meet the artist, and he does alcohol, drugs and sounds totally different on stage,” the panelists explain. This live-feedback-first approach makes it especially challenging for up-and-coming artists from other countries end up on Estonian stage.
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