(Courtesy of Flashband)
Back in 2012, Neal Humphrey was in a bluegrass band that started breaking up as its members left to pursue graduate school, different career paths, or moved to different stages in life. Unhappy with the possibilities Craigslist offered in finding new musicians with whom to play, he believed there was a better way.
The result was Flashband, a mechanism through which musicians looking for collaborators could come together, write material, and then perform them in short order at one-off showcases staged by the organization itself. The first event also took place in 2012 at a group house in Columbia Heights and featured 30 artists divided into seven bands.
“I knew then that Flashband wasn’t just filling my own need, but was tapping into a greater need in the musician community,” Humphrey told DCist via e-mail recently.
Humphrey also rattled off some impressive statistics showing Flashband’s growth over the past three years. Since 2012, Flashband has garnered 1,700 musician members, half of whom have participated in at least one of its events. Five hundred of these musicians have performed in a Flashband Showcase where participants form one-month bands that play for one night only, totaling to more than 200 distinct acts. The company, which is registered as a for-profit LLC, operates with two full-time staff, two part-time event coordinators—one in D.C. and one in Baltimore—as well as a team of contractors and volunteers.
Flashband’s next initiative is its new website, which will be a true online networking tool for musicians. The official launch party takes place tomorrow evening in Eastern Market’s North Hall. As with all of Flashband’s activities, musicians are the target audience, but there is plenty for non-musicians to enjoy. The event will include eight different local musical organizations, twenty bands, and over 150 musicians. Activities will include a jam session (there will be a place to check instruments, raffles, and dancing.
The redesigned web site is meant to be a starting point for those hoping to grow the role of music making in terms of lifestyle, acting as hub. The website will continue to be developed, but this version has all of the essential tools in place. The site also facilitates the creation of city-specific Flashband chapters.
“Ultimately most music is still made through in-person collaboration, so we want to make it as easy as possible to translate the online relationship to an in-person experience,” Humphrey said.
Flashband aims to distinguish itself from existing social platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn by recognizing the unique needs of musicians, the vast majority of whom aren’t pursuing the arts as a full time career. The website will allow aspiring artists to portray themselves in a more specific way than is often the case on other outlets.
“When you’re specifically looking to meet new musicians, or connect with those you know, what’s relevant is your music: the instruments you play and your experience with them, recordings of your performances, and what musical projects you are currently working on,” Humphrey explained. “The new Flashband site gives you a place to showcase your unique musical identity in a way that speaks specifically to other musicians.”
Humphrey and his team have raised $350,000 in seed money, enabling Flashband to design, test, and build the best ways to support musicians and expand to new markets, including Baltimore. He sees considerable growth potential in tapping the creative side of artists who by day may be teachers, Hill staffers, or consultants.
“Eight percent of adults in the U.S. have played an instrument in the past year,” Humphrey said. “Eight percent of the U.S. adult population is more than 25 million people, so the sky is the limit.”
Flashband’s website launch party is Friday night at Eastern Market’s North Hall, from 7:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $10 online or $20 at the door.
