CHARLOTTE CORNFIELD and EVAN CARTWRIGHT at Burdock (1184 Bloor West), Friday (March 11), doors 8:30 pm. $12, advance $10. See listing. burdockto.com.
Charlotte Cornfield is about to release a collection of vibrant, no-nonsense folk songs, Future Snowbird, informed by her up-and-down experience of living in New York City a few years ago.
The local singer/songwriter launches it on Friday at one of Toronto's newest and best venues: the pristine, artist-minded, great-sounding Burdock, which houses a restaurant and brewery in addition to its Music Hall.
No surprise that it was her place of choice - she's the venue coordinator, handling much of the booking, including its first birthday event on March 13 with Communism and DJ Choozey.
Ahead of both shows, the local-music cheerleader and expert on the booking game shared the top five questions she asks herself when a musician pitches her a show. Hot tips, bands, so listen up.
Am I excited about it?
I have the job that I have because I love music, care about music and am excited about music. Whether it's a local act who have just put out their first track or a Haitian percussionist no one in Toronto has heard before, if I am jazzed on it I will make [a gig] happen.
Does it advance the argument?
Growing up in Toronto, I found a lot of venue environments to be cold, stifling and male-dominated. It's really important to me to foster a space where women, different cultural communities and performers of different genres can put on great shows. Ultimately I want [Burdock's] calendar to reflect the city and neighbourhood that we're in, which are both incredibly diverse. I'm not saying we've totally nailed it yet, but that's what I'm striving for.
Will it draw?
This is an age-old question posed by bookers. The reality is that in order to run a show, we need to know that the artists are going to work with us to get people out. Sometimes a band will be straight-up and say, 'I think our Toronto draw is 25 but we know x band and x band and we're going to put a bill together and bring out 50-90 people.' That's what I need to hear. There are those rare occasions where I'm like, "This is blowing my mind so I am going to make it work come hell or high water," but I still need the investment and commitment of the artists.
Is there an online presence?
Sometimes there isn't and it's still a great draw and a great show, but if your band has a good online following, it vastly improves your chances of getting booked. Because it's 2016.
Are there positive vibes?
Laugh, but this is real. If I'm getting a weird energy or stressed-out urgency from somebody, chances are I'm not going to be pumped on the show. It's got to be a positive working relationship.