Haley touring with PMJ -- Feb 2015 - March 2016 (& March 2017)

[john]

Part of Lovefool in Dallas .. Haley's getting the hand/distortion thing down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiAE4yA3mlA

AATB Dallas Maiya!


Love Haley's facial expressions when Maiya starts her part.

[InItToWinIt]

[Tusk]

^^ Just an observation,

I think back to the first time I heard Haley perform "Creep" live in the UK. I think I recall noting that when Haley sang "You're so 'Fncking' special", I heard a noticeable "gasp" within an otherwise quiet crowd enraptured by the performance.

Now, pretty much every performance of "Creep" I've seen of the US tour, that same line is greeted by a boisterous cheer from the audience....

I think a part of it is the difference in culture between European and American audiences, but I think it also has to do w/ fan expectation that the 'proper' lyric be used rather than the 'clean' version they put up on Youtube/iTunes

Mind you, the UK performance in my video came before PMJ released the song on YouTube and iTunes, so that might have influenced fan expectation for the song. Until it was officially released, "Creep" was just a song Haley sang, covering a song PMJ covered months earlier with another singer. (after which Haley basically forced Scott's hand causing him to reissue the song with Haley )

PMJ fan awareness thru them officially releasing the "Haley Reinhart" version might also have affected how the song is received

I just thought it was an interesting shift in the PMJ fan's perception/evolution with Haley's performance of that song and that lyric

[My Alter Ego]

John wrote:
I think Scott has to come to terms with the headliner issue. The band mix is less important, but whether or not Haley, Robin, Cristina, Ariana, or Morgan is performing makes a big difference to many. He has been pretty coy about giving fans the info about who will be singing at a given show, which will lead to bitter disappointment for some.

Tusk wrote:
After I learned Haley, Morgan and Casey would not be at Seattle's show, mentally, I forced myself to 'soldier on'... PMJ ARE a very entertaining show, Jacob would be there and Scott is amazing on the Piano... BUT... the thing that got me to buy a ticket, was the hope of seeing Haley or Morgan or Casey perform.

I do enjoy Jacob and I love Arianna's wit and stage presence, but those three were the 'headliners' for me.

I would have still gone, if I didn't have the opportunity to see Haley the next day in California. I'm sure I'd have a great night's worth of entertainment and would have been satisfied with it, having had time to remind myself that PMJ is a great show.

That is one chink in Scott's PMJ armor. I know part of the reason Scott can't issue Lineups too far in advance is the logistics of balancing so many players and their schedules, but he's going to have to figure out a way to give fans a better idea of who they might expect to see if they purchase a ticket in advance.

I wonder if announcing a tour date so far in advance might be a trigger to hard feelings down the line. Would an answer be to not announce it so far in advance? Maybe 3-4 months? To announce it almost a year in advance is great for ticket sales and anticipation, but that means a fan would be waiting a year to be disappointed that their favorite won't be at their stop. I can see there being upset over that

I'm not even sure I'd like it if I went to a PMJ show and even Scott wasn't there? Don't they call those 'tribute bands'? J/K

....Because, yeah, the lineups do matter to alot of people whether they want to go or not, passion can work both ways

I suspect that the larger percentage of PMJ's audiences are there for the experience -- at least at this point. However, as people lock on to specific vocalists/entertainers -- as Haliens have regarding Haley and Casey -- there will undoubtedly be disappointments. Scott is going to need to figure that part out.

There may be folks -- such as me -- who will not want just any piano player. Scott makes some very interesting music choices as he plays. Is he planning on having everything he plays transcribed and sent to the pianist of PMJ 2?

The idea of scheduling -- and posting said dates -- could come back to bite him. But my suspicion is that having multiple groups might be the bigger concern. Obviously, he's "striking while the iron's hot" but he might find that the PMJ reaches its saturation point much sooner, as a result.

[Tusk]

Todd Schroeder ‏@PianoMan9 5h
Heading home from Avalon. Great gig, great band. @BenTheSaxGuy @Chipfunky @RobynAdele @crisgattina @PMJofficial

I'm guessing this tweet I posted earlier from "PianoMan9" is the 'Scott' of PMJ Mark 2 in Catalina... that's why I brought up the topic of Scott sending out different iterations and calling each "PMJ"...

I think the main issue with posting dates a year in advance is there's pressure to get tickets before it sells out, and some fans will have travel arrangements, meeting friends, making an event of it, only to find that possibly the PMJ they're getting doesn't have Scott, doesn't have Haley, Casey, Morgan, Christina etc... So that a year's worth of planning for an event suddenly becomes a cost for a show you're feeling less excited about.

it's a potential trap for Scott to overlook as he is on a definite high right now, everything rolling his way, opportunities and recognition lay ahead of him..... there's such a thing as dilution of the product, if you have 2, maybe 3 PMJ's circling the globe, each with a percentage of the audience disappointed with their lineup...

I think the percentage of disappointed fans can be reduced merely by not issuing a schedule so far ahead of time.... Like John said A LOT can happen in that time

PS.... additionally, with PMJ's success, don't think there won't be 'copycat' type bands that do similar things being created and performing as well .... So if there's a PMJ mark 2 with no 'headlining' talent...what is to separate PMJ Mark 2 from these copycat bands? copycat bands will further water down the product that Scott started, the only way to counter that is to have ONE PMJ, In my opinion

[My Alter Ego]

I think the main issue with posting dates a year in advance is there's pressure to get tickets before it sells out, and some fans will have travel arrangements, meeting friends, making an event of it, only to find that possibly the PMJ they're getting doesn't have Scott, doesn't have Haley, Casey, Morgan, Christina etc... So that a year's worth of planning for an event suddenly becomes a cost for a show you're feeling less excited about.

it's a potential trap for Scott to overlook as he is on a definite high right now, everything rolling his way, opportunities and recognition lay ahead of him..... there's such a thing as dilution of the product, if you have 2, maybe 3 PMJ's circling the globe, each with a percentage of the audience disappointed with their lineup...

I think the percentage of disappointed fans can be reduced merely by not issuing a schedule so far ahead of time.... Like John said A LOT can happen in that time

Tusk, I don't disagree with either you or John regarding this point. However, the people buying tickets, making arrangements to travel, etc., are presumably adults, and, by now, they should have realized Scott's patterns -- to the degree that Scott's patterns can be recognized -- and realize that it's very possible that the people they are hoping to hear, might not be a part of that tour. It's a risk -- probably not even a calculated one. It's the way Scott's shows work. I'm not unsympathetic -- but, again, I think they should be aware that they may not see/hear the performers they want to hear/see.

PS.... additionally, with PMJ's success, don't think there won't be 'copycat' type bands that do similar things being created and performing as well .... So if there's a PMJ mark 2 with no 'headlining' talent...what is to separate PMJ Mark 2 from these copycat bands? copycat bands will further water down the product that Scott started, the only way to counter that is to have ONE solid lineup ONE PMJ, In my opinion.

Yup -- I'm completely aware of that. If Scott gets frustrated by his arrangements being used without recognition, wait until the copycat groups proliferate -- and they will. They may not lift his arrangements, but the idea, so "fun and fresh" right now, will dilute what he's worked so hard to develop. And, as I have said before, some of what he's done is "gimmicky." When the copycat groups kick in, the gimmick factor is really going to escalate. Ultimately, it will be neither fun nor fresh. And that will be a shame.

[john]

Tusk, I don't disagree with either you or John regarding this point. However, the people buying tickets, making arrangements to travel, etc., are presumably adults, and, by now, they should have realized Scott's patterns -- to the degree that Scott's patterns can be recognized -- and realize that it's very possible that the people they are hoping to hear, might not be a part of that tour. It's a risk -- probably not even a calculated one. It's the way Scott's shows work. I'm not unsympathetic -- but, again, I think they should be aware that they may not see/hear the performers they want to hear/see.

People who know Scott's patterns probably also know the shows tend to sell out. So they are faced with a choice and if they buy the ticket, then they have to wait for the PMJ Lotto to see who is performing. But the comments on various media sites show that lots of people are still discovering PMJ. So, they hear Creep and buy tickets assuming Haley is part of the group. Only to find out later she isn't performing at their hometown show.

pinup.miss.may.i
30 minutes ago
My highlight of the entire evening last night with @lilydeathstarr at the #pmjtour #postmodernjukeboxtour. Getting to meet @scottbradlee Scott Bradlee from #PostmodernJukebox @pmjofficial. It was such a crazy awesome show. Everyone, regardless of musical preferences, needs to go see them STAT !

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Copycat?

[Tusk]

If you track Twitter for Haley mentions, you will see people posting they are excited to see Haley "in this city" completely unaware that she won't be at that show. Like John says, most people don't follow PMJ the way some of us do. They see and fall in love with PMJ's Creep or Maps and assume that is who they are purchasing the ticket to see.

Not everyone who looks forward to and buys tickets to PMJ shows are aware how often the lineups change. The recent popularity of Euro AATB and Creep assumes it's created many new PMJ fans unaware that the product they purchased to see won't necessarily be the product they see at show time

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Copycat?

When I first saw this, I felt sorry for Robyn because this doesn't have near the 'spark' of a Scott Bradlee production. As she's one of the first singers to pioneer the 'vintage' movement with Scott, she does have a 'right' to do this, but she's going to have to give it better 'ooomph' for it to rise to the level Scott has set.

It's not just reworking a modern song into a vintage arrangement, there's more to it than that

However, I can totally see Scott maybe giving her some help progressing her channel... He seems like the type of person that will help out a musician friend, he seems 'community oriented'. I would not be surprised if we see Scott appear on one of the videos on her channel

[john]

Collin ‏@CMooreMusic519 1m1 minute ago View translation
Habits - Postmodern Jukebox feat. Haley Reinhart - Live in Dallas: http://youtu.be/oDZ5dD3vJY0?a via @YouTube

[My Alter Ego]

So, they hear Creep and buy tickets assuming Haley is part of the group.

If they assume that Haley's a part of the tour, then they don't really understand PMJ, do they?

Again, I'm not unsympathetic, and perhaps Scott shouldn't be announcing dates that far in advance, but from Scott's perspective, he's probably thinking that this is about "his baby, PMJ," and his audience is clamoring to know when he's coming back. Again, the majority are likely there for the show -- whatever the show may be.

As Haley has become involved with PMJ, through a fortuitous circumstance (Jacob brought Casey who brought Haley), some Haliens on this site seem to have lost sight of a number of things: a.) PMJ existed before Haley, and will likely exist without her, although the plethora of copy cat groups will, undoubtedly, shorten the life of all; b.) although this PMJ springboard is helpful in bringing Haley to the attention of many who have never heard of her, or who lost track of her post Idol, that does not mean that it will automatically make the release of her EP sail to the top of the Billboard chart.

It may help, but it's not a given. Whether or not you realize this, most people want to hear that which is familiar to them. PMJ fans seem to like the basic "small band with a big band approach" twisting a current pop song.

I wasn't in the center of the storm or even close to the storm after "SMYM" was released, and as such, have never quite understood the backlash that Haley experienced. However, I suspect people, whose introduction to Haley has been through PMJ releases, might not react as positively as you may be expecting when her EP comes out. Only time will tell, of course, but those folks may be just as disappointed as you think those purchasing tickets now for a show that doesn't have a "set program" might be.

Granted, those going to concerts will likely have invested more. But I return to my initial argument which is that these people should know that a PMJ show is a rotating cast of characters. I suspect that none of this discussion would have transpired if Haley wasn't a part of the equation.