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By Simon Fuller. Jamming UK. When it comes to brands working with musicians, the focus is usually on how the project is going to help the brand. But for an example of a scheme that’s all about the band, check out the Red Bull Bedroom Jam.
There’s a pretty simple concept behind the Jam, not to mention one with a hip DIY ethic. Any band with at least one member still in their teens can upload their own performance video to the site. Users watch the videos and vote for the efforts which take their musical fancy the most, and the winners get paid a visit from the Red Bull crew, who live-stream a gig – literally from the band’s bedroom.
The Jam kicked off back in September 2007 with a live gig by UK rockers Youmeatsix, and has been going strong ever since. brand-e caught up with Bedford-based act Don Broco to find out what this brand/band initiative has meant to them.
“We checked out the website [and] loved the fun vibe of everything going on with it, and the fact it was doing something so different to other music-based web things around,” says the band on how it came on board with the Jam. “The whole concept is pretty mental when you think about it, that a film crew invades your house and broadcasts a live set from your bedroom to the whole of the Internet. There’s so much [room] for it to go wrong but it just works – the whole DIY feel to the Jam is what it’s about.
“It has been great,” Don Broco says. “Not only do you get the exposure of the live broadcast, we’ve [also] had the opportunity to meet some great people and bands, and play some amazing shows and festivals.”
Indeed, the most popular of the acts on the Jam get to escape the confines of their bedrooms and hit the road, performing at top rock festivals like Download and T in the Park.
“As a new band, it’s truly incredible to play at events like the Camden Crawl, and the Download and Underage festivals,” says Don Broco. “I think it’s fair to say Download was one of the best experiences of our lives.”
In fact, it’s the gradual evolution of the Jam that seems to be one of its strengths. The site didn’t just stop at offering festival line-up places – bands can now strive to win a place in the Red Bull tour bus on its nationwide road trip, or even recording time in the Red Bull Studio in London.
“The basic concept is still the same which [we] think is great,” says Don Broco. “[But] there always seem to be quirky new ways of doing things a little different too, which is interesting… [we can] see more stuff like this going on, it’s ambitious and gets people talking so [it’s] definitely a good thing. Possibly [the site could feature] more interviews with established bands too, as it’s a great way for bigger bands to reconnect with new fans following their local heroes, as well as attracting in the bigger bands’ fans and exposing them to new music.”