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Public Awareness: Bringing great music to the masses
By: Nicole Roberge
Public Awareness, a music booking and promotion agency, was started by three avid music fans— Nicky Rheaume, Gretchen Corl and Dana Wagner—in October of 2000. Its initial purpose was to book Canadian songstress Emm Gryner more shows in the U.S., but has since branched out and has supported such artists as Kristin Cifelli, Adrianne, Matt Nathanson, Cameron Dezen and Leona Naess, using a grassroots approach to booking shows and promoting these artists. Their love of music shines through in their dedication to book and publicize the artists they represent. These music lovers turned their passion into their work, and the commitment and enthusiasm they bring to Public Awareness makes them a highly notable agency. Nicky Rheaume was kind enough to share her insights with us on how being a fan of music launched a great and promising future.
Tuned In: What sparked your interest in music?
Nicky Rheaume: I’ve always loved all kinds of music. Growing up, my oldest sister was in both orchestra and marching bands and she was incredibly talented musically. What she did interested me. There was something about music that attracted me. When I was really little I used to sing commercial jingles – I knew them all. That might explain why pop music is a guilty pleasure of mine. Maybe that’s where that came from. But I eventually learned about the good stuff, the good music that’s out there.
TI: Do you remember the first artist you “obsessed” over?
NR: Oh, there were many. The two that I am known for (and have been made fun of for) are Jewel and Sarah McLachlan. I have to say that finally those obsessions have worn off, but as a teenager I was in awe. For those who know of Jewel’s early stuff (pre-Pieces of You), you know what I mean. And Sarah is a staple for many people I know. Loving her music only opened doors to finding so much other amazing music. Listening to Sarah made me want to find more music that gave me the chills. I was hooked on that feeling.
TI: How did Public Awareness come to be?
NR: I was on Emm Gryner’s fan discussion list, and
through that list I met two other girls who shared my passion for Emm’s
music (Dana and Gretchen). It turns out the three of us actually had a
lot in common. One night after we had all met for the first time at an
Emm show in the middle of nowhere, we brainstormed for 6 hours straight
on what we could do to help spread the word about Emm
and her music. We each had met Emm at some point but didn’t really know
her at all. We ended up formulating an email that laid out our plans
and our desire to book and promote shows for her. We wanted her to play
shows in the major cities that we lived in at the time (Boston, New
York, and DC). We even had an idea for the first tour we would book for
her, if she let us. (This sounds so selfish) But one day she let us.
Then after word spread that we were hard workers and genuine music fans,
more artists got in touch. That’s how Public Awareness came to be.
-Was it something you had imagined yourself wanting to do?
Once I started going to concerts regularly, I knew that in some way I would play a part in putting on a good show or two. Also, most teenagers I knew spent all their money on clothes. I spent all my money on music.
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TI: What type of things do you do on Public Awareness?
NR: Mostly, we book shows. But for our artists we also promote the shows that we book. We feel like those things go hand in hand. People aren’t just going to show up – there’s so much hard work that has to be put into a show to make it a success. We also can score press for our artists. We don’t specialize in PR, but the thing that sets our company apart is that we do a little bit of everything because it’s all related and necessary for the business of promoting music.
TI: Do you remember the first show you booked?
NR: Not counting the living room shows I booked at my own house, the first real show I booked was at Emily’s in Boston, with Emm Gryner and Meghan Toohey. It was part of the very first tour that Public Awareness booked. It was fun. I clearly remember trying to refuse commission from the artists. At the time I was like, “there’s no way in hell I’m taking money for something this fun!”
TI: How is your roster selected, and do you cater to a certain style artist?
NR: The three of us at PA (Dana, Gretchen, and myself) all have to be really into the music we represent. That’s the first thing. As far as catering to a style, it’s hard to say. We’ve been known to work mostly with solo women, but I don’t want people to read into that too much. I would say that we cater to artists who are very self-motivated…those who work their asses off.
TI: What has been the biggest challenge for you in this business?
NR: For Public Awareness, our biggest challenge is that we all have full-time day jobs and can’t give as much time to the business as we’d like to. Another challenge is that there’s a lot of competition out there.
TI: What is the greatest reward?
NR: There are lots. I feel rewarded when Emm or Kristin (Cifelli) sell a boatload of CDs at a show. I like watching our artists have a great night, and I like when they go home happy. That makes me go home happy.
TI: What would you advise other music lovers who are interested in booking and promotion?
NR: GET INVOLVED. Ask the merch people questions at shows because they’re usually pretty smart. Sign up to be a street rep if you’ve never had experience working for a musician before. Do anything you can to help, and try to educate yourself about what goes into putting on a show, if you’re interested.
TI: Why is music important to you?
NR: Music is important to me because it’s a huge part of my life and I couldn’t change that if I tried. Without it, life would be pretty boring. At least half of the best memories I’ve had with friends involve music in some way.