Hustling rules ok.
Another year passed and it's still good to be a hustler. 2021 has proven that the indie community stands pretty well together and that everybody (or at least enough of us) will jump when given the chance. We've done loads of media, supported releases, connected a whole lotta people, visited festivals, supported tours, invited some bands and it felt good. We even closed the year up with a great run of Viva Sounds. With a new year coming we're pretty energized and excited about keeping up doing what we do, with those interested in doing just that.
Starting out this year in the same manner we closed the one before, we had no intentions of slowing things down. Being more used to having the work split three ways it was easier to pick up pace. It took time and some prayers before live got back, but we got to taste it enough to know why we love it so much. The raw energy in a warm room full of people with a band on stage can not be replaced and when in that moment it seems almost stupid we all tried so hard to work our digital ways around it. Of course, second best is second best, but it's such a space between second best and the best in this case. Anyway, SPOT Festival followed by Reeperbahn Festival and Focus Wales was fun. Gotta do that again soon.
Our media work started with us buying a camera in the spring of 2020 and we've used that fucker enough to say we know our way with it now. We even got the first born some partners and we've also got a string of people helping us out this way. For 2021 we did 50 different productions of different stuff. Sessions, music videos, talks, portraits, short films, anything that can be shot. Almost one release every week. For a full year.
On releases we've involved labels from our platform, and labels artists here are working with in other places, and got them set up with PR partners in foreign markets. We've helped them gain traction to their music, upped the number of streams and supported them widening their fan bases. And we got some released digitally in China through a domestic distributor with another partner whipping up PR in the big country alongside with it. 2.1 million streams reached, and even tho it's only a number it's a huge one and we hope that will translate into live opportunities soon enough.
Live got back, some, and apart from mentioned festivals some dates were done in other countries, and we curated a stage for Kulturkalaset in Gothenburg and we were semi-part of celebrating 15 years with Suicide Records in October, two events that worked really well. Come December, we did Viva Sounds for the fourth time. Ten weeks of preparation, not the usual seven months, proved that it is possible if the structure is based on partners, and those partners are with you. Amazing line-up, great shows, great conversations and loads of good people and some serious venue hopping at home. Felt so special to get to experience all of that again. Changes needs to be done of course, we can't just sit on it so come 2022 you'll see an even more on point event. Can't wait.
With all mostly said and done, let's stay in touch and busy - but first let's enjoy some time off of things with family and friends. We will.
Merry xmas!