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Songwriters
CLICK HERE for some of "Construction Zone" writers joining us this year!!! If you are, or would like to become, a Steel Bridge Songwriter, JOIN THE STEEL BRIDGE 2009 SONG DRIVE! CLICK HERE Musicians: To apply to perform at Steel Bridge... • Please sign up on this website by creating a new user account (if you haven't already), and • Send an email with the subject heading "OFFER TO PLAY" to: steelbridgebooking@yahoo.com PLEASE DON'T SEND MUSIC OR PHOTO ATTACHMENTS!! Just include links to your MySpace page and/or EPK so we can visit it online. We need to confirm artists no later than one month prior to the event. The Following is information for 2008 (SBSF4); left here as an example. The 2009 info is forthcoming. Please join our mailing list for updates. FOR INVITED SBSF4 CONSTRUCTION ZONE SONGWRITERS: The Construction Zone - June 8-15, 2008 Holiday Motel  This is an event specifically for songwriters: The Construction Zone. Participation is by invitation only. It will involve a week of collaborative songwriting and performing with a purpose in mind. We'll begin Sunday, June 8th with a meet-and-greet dinner for all writers. Out-of-towners will stay at the Holiday Motel, located by the bridge in lovely downtown Sturgeon Bay. We've booked all 18 rooms for the event. The motel will be available Sunday afternoon, June 8th for early arrivals. Accommodations will be free of charge for all invited guests. Monday, June 9th, will begin three intensive days of songwriting. Collaboration will be encouraged, and facilitated if requested. Writers will be encouraged (but not required) to write songs loosely based around the metaphor of a steel bridge. The Bridge-with-a-capital-B has long been a potent metaphor in popular song. The Steel Bridge is a great symbol of strength and of joining together, the melding of diverse cultures, divergent views, the old and the new, the words and the music, the tangible and the intangible… The word “bridge” doesn’t need to be used in expressing thoughts and emotions inspired by the presence of a steel span. The connection need not be conscious. It just happens.. Writing will take place in motel rooms, in coffee shops around town, by the waterside, any place writers want to go for focus, stimulation, or solitude. There'll be 2 full recording studios operating 24/7 with full-time engineers for documenting songs. We'll release a "Best of 2008" CD in time for SBSF5 in June of 2009. Steel Songs CD Cover Wednesday night at dusk, there'll be a round robin for all attendees, where writers can play for each other the songs they've written. Thursday night will begin a 3-day series of concerts in various bars and other venues around town, all within walking distance of the motel, where attendees and some local/regional bands will play longer sets. These shows will be open to the public. SB4 will climax Saturday afternoon/early evening with “Take It To The Bridge!” This concert by the waterside drew roughly 5,000 people last year. A set of songs written in The Construction Zone will be performed on the main stage by the writers. Every writer in attendance will be encouraged to get on stage for at least a song. This event subsists on voluntary donations of cash and labor. Each year, people’s energy and contributions surpass all our expectations. The overwhelming success can be attributed to the massive generosity of Jackson Browne, good weather, and the ass-busting enthusiasm of many locals. Along with the Bridge (please explore this website for more information on our ongoing struggle to save her), music-and-song is the heart and soul of Steel Bridge. In appreciation for this, every songwriter is an honored guest and will be treated as such. Each was invited for the special gift they'll bring to the mix. Unlike some other songwriting events, there are no attendance fees for “aspiring” writers. Food, drink, and accommodations are free. And you retain full ownership of your contribution to songs written at the event. If your song is chosen to appear on the “Best of 2008” CD, you contribute only your performance as an artist (we can’t pay session fees) but you retain full ownership of your share of the song. (Contributing your mechanical royalties to the Steel Bridge Fund would be appreciated, but entirely optional!) Local volunteers will provide free continental breakfast (8am ‘til NOON), light lunch, and evening dinner for all three writing days. Other basic needs will be within walking distance, but a local shuttle will be provided for special consideration, emergencies and such. SBSF might be able to help with other transportation, but due to the volunteer nature of the event, attendees are responsible for their own airfares, bus tickets, etc. to and from Sturgeon Bay. Last year, even the headliner (thank you Jackson!) paid for his own plane ticket. If you are flying in to Green Bay, however, please send us your flight info and we’ll arrange to pick you up! I think it’ll be a lot of fun. And some great songs will come out of it. And you’ll be helping a small community. Not a bad way to spend a few days.. melaniejane is currently acting as our past and present Construction Zone liaison. You can email her with any questions, comments, concerns at: mj@steelbridgesongfest.org Email any questions to: steelbridgebooking@yahoo.com Thanks for your interest in attending! -pat mAcdonald, Steel Bridge SongFest host and co-founder Construction Crew #3, SBSF 2008 letter: Hey I know it’s been a long time with little or no communication from me, and I have no excuse except that I’m trying to juggle my inner and outer lives, which has always been hard (especially when the outer one’s trying to hit the floor and the inner one’s trying to get back inside!) Nonetheless, somehow, things are falling together in a natural and fortuitous way. This summer’s Steel Bridge Songfest is looking good. Lots of great new people are signing on as musicians and volunteers. And we’re refining the formula we pioneered last year to assure that everyone will have the greatest time ever. Many of you, the writers who were with us last year, have wondered what your participation might be this year. Wanting to give new people a chance to participate, but not wanting to lose ANY of the commitment, creativity and comradery displayed by you, Construction Zone Crew #1 and #2, I've given this question a lot of thought. The easy answer is: How much do you want to do? I’ve been blown away by the offers from last year’s participants to help with this year’s event, and we’re committed to doing our very best to accommodate all your generosity! But mainly what we want from you is to come back and perform the songs you wrote last year, and share songs you’ve written since, that were inspired by last year’s experience. There will be two featured events to facilitate this sharing: Friday night, June 13th, SBSF4 will present “An Intimate Evening with Construction Zone Crew #1 and #2” Saturday, June 14th, on the main stage, we will present a tribute to the preceeding year’s Construction Zone writers, presenting live selections from Steel Bridge Songs Vol.1and Vol.2 performed live by the writers. (the CD is produced, its packaging is being designed, and SBSF4 will be its official release party.) All of you are strongly urged to participate. We’ll provide two nights of accommodations (Fri-Sat, June 13-14) plus meals. If you’d like to come earlier or stay longer to write, volunteer, or just hang out, we’re working on reduced-rate accommodations for those days. Check periodically on the progress of this if you’re interested. I’m sure there are lots of other things you’re curious about, but I want to get this letter out right away, so… please feel free to email or call me and I’ll try to answer any questions you have. We’d like to know who to expect this year, so please let us know as soon as you know, and we’ll take it from there. Thanks!!! xoxo,p COME VISIT ME HERE:::> http://www.myspace.com/patmAcdonald please let us know if you plan on returning by sending a message to melaniejane: mj@steelbridgesongfest.org any questions as well.... she'll be glad to help! :) |
