At North by Northeast, speaking specifically, we have about 1,000 artists playing each year over the course of about a week. Some of those will be the international headliners that you see on our poster, but most of them will be emerging artists. Emerging artists are at a more incipient stage in their career. They're looking for the exposure. They're looking for the networking. There's an attendant conference that happens. Because we're a large event, and because Sled Island and Osheaga and some of the other festivals that I mentioned are large events, there's a lot of media around it as well.
You're right in that the paradigm has changed tremendously. It used to be that the tour was a loss leader to support the product that you're selling, the record or the CD. Now it's all flipped around. Nobody's moving lots of units of recorded music anymore. You can't be Steely Dan anymore and stay in the studio and just sell records.
The emerging artists who play our festival benefit from a payout directly, from exposure to the industry and the media, and from getting on a bill with larger and better known artists. You probably remember from your days that it was a good thing to get a support slot, perhaps be taken on tour as well, and get all the attention and the buzz that comes from animating more festivals, events, promoters and iconic venues.
You talk about Nashville, but consider Massey Hall in Toronto. There's no reason that shouldn't be as well known internationally as the Ryman Auditorium. It has every bit as long a history and a story to pass.
We create a culture where the world will come to us looking for live music and looking for that kind of animation, energy, and unforgettable experiences.