Having worked with this band on many assignments throughout year one of university, we have accumulated a lot of insight and material through primary and secondary research. This involves market research and demographic data. Through a marketing plan we have conducted earlier in the year, we have been able to discuss the optimal outcomes and targets we hope to achieve.
Meetings
As the band is based in North Lincolnshire – too far for in-person meetings – we held meetings over discord calls, to discuss plans and make decisions. These were held originally for assignment 1, in which we spoke lots about their target demographic and who they believe their main audience consists of. They told me they hope to reach people like themselves: young local people whose lives are led by the music they listen to and feel as though they don’t have a group to fit in with. Whereas generations before had bands like Oasis and before them The Smiths, the members of After Midnight feel there has not been a band to represent and be the voice for the younger, most recent generation which is, so far, growing up without a working-class role model. Their style has been shaped by these prominent bands of past generations which inspired them on their own journey. The 4 members, although all listen to some of the same artists that I have mentioned, are from quite different musical backgrounds. From heavy metal / classic rock to 70’s pop and 1990’s and onwards indie. There is huge influence from many areas of all popular music from the past 70 years; this is partly the reason I believe them to be so versatile and not confined to one small sound.
Although talking about what we needed to do was important, actually being proactive and acting upon these conversations was vital. I has screenshot evidence of their best cases of interacting with fans and content as examples of what to do more often as they, at the beginning, posted very little. We talked about ideas for stories and short form content that they could work on and get posted. Some ideas included polls regarding songs / cities for gigs and interactive questions for fans like shown in the screenshot below. Posting updates on whatever the band are doing, such as rehearsing or going to the studio, was also beneficial to be posting as it engages followers and reminds them that the band are working on new stuff. Pictures that fans take and post to their stories are always reposted to show appreciation for the people that show up to their live sets. This, along with professional photographers pictures, creates a fairly full gallery of the band over time and means they have many promotional pictures and examples of them playing live for future posts or opportunities that require photography.
Targets / Outcomes
It was in the first meeting we held that future plans and goals the band desire were talked about and set, with ideas of actions needed to be taken to achieve them. Set targets included ideas such as social media follower count targets to track growth of influence and recognition online. Another being about getting their first single recorded, which has since been achieved. We arranged to get them in a studio for 2 whole days to ensure they got their track recorded how they desired. However, when we do this again, we will definitely be going with a different studio and producer when they are released from this short label contract they’re signed to. This is because they wouldn’t listen to the band as the label they are currently signed to got complete control over the mix. As a result, the mix is not very good. Logs were kept in a text channel any time we’d talk to them for reference and ability to keep track of what happened in what meeting on what date. This was essential for keeping up to date with goals set and remembering what was discussed during meetings.
Potential demographic and target audience
Through attending their shows, it became extremely apparent to me that they have some real potential as a band; they bring a large rock and roll influenced energy to the stage but still sounding new and as if a mix between Arctic Monkeys and David Bowie. Their potential is especially clear when you realise that the area they come from hasn’t seen much real competition in the scene for indie and alternative market recently. The area has many heavier, more metal-based bands and folk sounding artists, leaving the indie scene with a gap in the market and potential to be filled; I know this as before moving to Leeds for university, I was very active in the music scene in the area and know much of the common bands / artists within it. Although I am not as involved anymore, I still have many friends in the area that are involved, and I still attend gigs as much as possible when I am home. A downside of there being a gap in the market for this band is that the audience in this scene may not be interested in After Midnight as they are more accustomed to what they already attend. With all of this in mind, I still believe that the band has potential to reach an audience that suits them in the area, even when the genre is under-represented. So, although I believe they would be able to thrive in the scene, through my own primary research into their social media and online presence, I discovered that they seemed to be lacking in the marketing front quite severely. This has proven itself to be very important in today’s music scene for growth and prosperity, as stated by ICMP “In today’s music industry, the potential of social media to transform the fortunes of an artist is huge and should certainly be a key consideration for emerging artists when looking to grow their fan base”.
Exposure
One way that the band have managed to maximise exposure to audiences, labels, promoters and venues etc. is to sign up and participate in a large talent competition. They competed in “The Big North Lincolnshire Talent Show” and actually made it to the finals which took place in Suncthorpe’s Baths Hall on April 26th. They are yet to find the standings of the event, however gained lots of attention through it. Being one of the only bands in the competition helped them stand out tremendously. they performed their newly released single and got an amazing reaction from the crowd. These group of talent show gigs has been very beneficial and has gotten them many contacts within the local scene. Of course, they made sure to post about it to inform people and convert people that may have watched them to real following fans.
Music
Since we started working together, they have recorded their debut single “Don’t Say You Love Me” as planned and mentioned in assignment 1. They have ben advertising and promoting their new song by playing many gigs all around their home area, with some even being a bit further away, and posting promotional videos including the main hook of the song. Some of this short form content they’ve been posting has reached upwards of 75,000 views on a single Instagram reel or TikTok post. Alongside social media, another way of promoting their music has been to play many live gigs. The band has been consistently playing live almost weekly for a long time which has proven to benefit their growth. this growth is apparent by the number of people in the audience increasing steadily throughout their gigging history. To turn the concert attendees into real fans of the band, social media posts have followed up gigs with photos taken by photographers – friends of the band we have been working with – to thank people for showing up and urging them to follow for band information and future gig announcements. These attendees are urged to check out their Instagram at the end of their sets, when they have the audiences utmost attention. Clips and shots from these gigs have also been posted to TikTok, where they have been getting lots of interaction and quite a few views on the for you page.
Evaluation
The relationship between myself and the chosen artist has proved to be very successful and beneficial. Since working together, they have gained many hundred followers on social media accounts. I attribute that to the fact that we have focussed heavily on their online presence and worked extensively on interacting with fans both online and in person. Our work has been very intentional with the target to record a debut track from the very beginning. This song, now being recorded, has allowed people to experience their music and work before having attended on of their gigs. this means the band are subject to a much larger audience and can be discovered through playlists and word of mouth much easier. It has only increased their growth and I believe this trend will continue as they are playing live more and more often to increasing audiences. The growth they have achieved has seen them get signed by a label (UltraScopeMusicGroup), although I did not partake in this deal or it’s arrangement so I have not mentioned it in any of my assignments, though. This deal has been very beneficial for promoting their debut single through more professionally produced Instagram reels and short form content.
EPK MATERIALS
About After Midnight
Emerging in summer ’24 from North Lincolnshire, After Midnight blends indie rock, pop, funk and hard rock into a genre-defying sound.
Coming out of North Lincolnshire, the indie-rock/pop duo After Midnight, consisting of lead vocalist Saxon White and lead guitarist Ben Harris, shows real promise in their, so far, short yet exciting career and proves to be bringing great, fresh ideas to the alt-indie stage. Musical minds, crafted by the likes of RHCP and The Arctic Monkeys, merge the well-loved sound of the genre with earlier pop and rock acts, namely Bowie, Clapton and Fleetwood Mac, to create a unique and engaging feel to their music. Filling any size room you give them, their sound feels never empty nor underwhelming.
Debut Single
The band have been in the studio and got their debut single recorded and published. Named “Don’t Say You Love Me”, the track is available to stream on all major streaming platforms. Promising to take listeners through an emotional journey of love and vulnerability, the track delves into fear of commitment and the uncertainty that often accompanies new relationships. Lyrics, penned by lead vocalist Saxon White, explores the internal conflict of wanting to be loved while simultaneously pushing away the possibility of heartbreak. the song’s catchy melody, combined with its raw and honest lyrics, creates an immersive and relatable listening experience.
This first track marks a beginning of what is to be expected from the duo and promises an extensive future.
Click this link to go to their EPK
Debut Single- Don’t Say You Love Me
Gallery
