Hello everyone!
Happy February! The weather here in Calgary has been…. Let’s just say, a BIT chilly - we are glad to be experiencing warmer temperatures and hoping that wherever you are in the world, you are staying warm and cozy and enjoying time spent practicing your craft.
Playlist
Earlier this month we shared a look at our January 2025 Spotify Playlist, featuring talented, busy artists on the platform, like i.Con Twins, Eden Taylor, Daylin Jorgensen, Esteban Herrera, Irene Poole and Jory Kinjo! (Did you see yourself on the playlist this month?)
Curious how you, too, can be featured on this monthly curated playlist? Here’s some simple & effective ways to gain yourself a spot:
Add your events to populate Stagehand manually, even the ones that aren’t booked directly through Stagehand. Why? We are actively building a centralized events hub that encourages folks to step away from traditional social formats like Facebook and Instagram and utilize a new community for musicians, performers, industry folk and fans. This is only possible with artists taking the first step to utilize Stagehand in their day-to-day artist/business practice.
Keep your profile on stagehand updated with recent photos, new recordings, an updated bio, fresh performance videos, etc. The more active and engaged you are on the platform, you’ll inevitably gain a spot on the playlist next month (so long as you have distributed music to Spotify). Additionally, the more you post your manual gigs (events you’ve booked outside of the platform), the higher you will sort on our artists’ listing page (out of 3000+ artists), and the higher you will sort/appear when applying for programs.
Actively seek and apply for performance opportunities on the platform. Check in frequently to see if there are new programs open or encourage a civic or arts organization, venue or coffee-shop in your community to utilize Stagehand for their upcoming spring and summer seasons. We are here to help.
Stagehand is a growing community of performers, venues and community organizations. We are committed to assisting each member in growing and thriving in an ever-evolving industry. We are also open to hearing what you would like to see more, or less of, from us! Please reach out at any time to support@stagehand.app with any questions or queries.
Photo of the Month
If you are interested in booking an artist portrait session with Ainsley, she is offering a 15% spring discount to local musicians in Calgary and Western Canada (travel rates apply). You can book your session directly, here, and use discount code STAGEHAND to save on your photography, videography or branding session. Ainsley has been working with artists and musicians, providing content and social media support since 2019. In that time she has supported and captured a variety of artists, including The Roots, Begonia,The Dead South, Cowboy Junkies, Lake Street Dive and has supported organizations like Calgary Folk Music Festival, Music Mile YYC, JazzYYC, and many other non-profit organizations and small businesses with their content needs. Ainsley has been a team member with Stagehand since May of 2023. You can check out some of her work here.
Featured Artist Profile
Who: The Crickettes
Where: Based in Calgary
Genre Base: Folk, Contemporary Duo
Gigs: Total gigs booked & logged on Stagehand: 47
We are excited to bring you a new month end feature on the blog, and to kick things off, we’re sharing two Calgary based musicians that have been busy as ever on the platform. Here’s more about The Crickettes:
The Crickettes are an acoustic ukulele duo from Calgary, Canada, known for their inviting and intimate live performances. With Sara Tkachuk on vocals and baritone ukulele, and Julianne Clease on vocals and tenor ukulele, their performances feature a delightful mix of catchy original songs and beloved covers (and the occasional kazoo). Their songwriting reflects the ups and downs of life, the beauties of love, and imaginative narratives, encompassing moody instrumentation, ear-pleasing harmonies, and a unique sound.
If you are interested in booking The Crickettes for your next event, or want to get to know these talented artists and stay up to date on their next gigs, you can either contact them directly through stagehand (click ‘contact), or follow them, and receive weekly updates of their next performance (click ‘follow’)!
SOME AVAILABLE PROGRAMS
Edmonton International Airport
See you in March!