Happy October, chums. Settling into new classes? Practicing your Phrygian chops? Getting your winter wardrobe ready? Keeping away from the unruly Red Sox fans? Cool. Me, too.

You know what’s funny? Berklee bands tend to invite mainly/only other Berklee folks to their shows. Not to say that you shouldn’t invite your Harmony class—but it’s important to remember that Berklee kids are NOT the norm, but rather a snarky little subculture who judge your every move onstage. You know it, and I know it. Inviting exclusively musicians to your show is like a chef inviting only people from his culinary school to his restaurant, so he can show off how well he can sear the yellow fin tuna, and how fluffy the lobster soufflé is with a little starch. Chefs may be better off trying to cook for regular people—who may who know nothing about thyme-infused garlic, or how the cabernet complements the earthy flavor of the sautéed Portobello mushrooms—but they do know that it tastes good.

I’m guilty of this paradoxical marketing strategy myself. A friend of mine had a chat with a certain renowned producer who Was (ahem) around campus last week, who told him that having a legitimate publicist is just as important, if not more so, than trivial things like having great material, or you know, sounding good. Getting people out to shows is such a hassle when you have to write songs, organize rehearsals, book dates, print flyers, mass text, and every other little tidbit that distracts the artist from his or her art. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have someone do it for you? One day, my friends. One day.

In the meantime…We’re working hard at The Groove the website has been running smoothly, as we’ve all but sorted out all the little kinks here and there. We’re developing a new system in which new content will be up every day—and we’re going to tweet it all over the place. So please let us know about your gigs, events, clubs, recordings, showcases, etc. so we can write about it, you can post it on your MySpace page, and update your Facebook status in an effort to bring some fellow epicureans, as well as non-musical laymen, to your next gig.

Have a great week.
~Zac Taylor
Managing Editor