Live in Peter's Attic
This is an idea that developed pretty organically - the Euphoric's (local band) wanted to record a video for a pre-album release party. My friend Theo Schear and I decided to help them out, and since then we've been receiving requests for similar projects!
Working together over the last year or so, Theo and I have developed a workflow for shooting live video/audio (especially of music) that is cheap and efficient. This is done through prioritizing the organic, live, human elements of performance and accentuating the situation as it is (i.e. a "band in a room" sound). In reference to the strong tradition of the DIY aesthetic in Ann Arbor, we want to use these videos to promote the legitimacy of our music community and "scene". This desire is shared by all the bands that we've been in contact with, and students and community members that actively support local music.
And of course, YouTube videos are somewhat limited in their reach - the internet is generally large and impersonal - but through leveraging our social media presence and using "Live in Peter's Attic" as just one of our pro-"scene" projects, it could prove to be very effective! Another consideration is the involvement of more well-known bands that come through town. We've been contacting the artists booked for local venues in the next few months, and there is a good amount of interest from bands like The Dodos, Suuns, etc. in joining with us on this! But we need your help to make this sustainable!
For some context, here is an excerpt from how we've been describing the project so far (please excuse the colloquialism):
"A lot of it has to do with giving Ann Arbor bands some legitimacy, connecting them to the outside world, a "scene" and also its really a fun time. We usually get J Garden and tea and junk. Having a band with people who listen (i.e. "fans) be connected with student/community bands gets kids out of frat parties and into listening to music and coming to your and my shows."