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Music writing
We have loads of music reviews and views in the Mag section of SpunOut.
Whether you’re a musician, groupie, gig-goer or just love listening to all kinds of music, here’s some tips for writing for SpunOut.ie. We want to hear about the up and coming bands and musicians in your area as much as those who have already made it big so we can say “you heard about them first on SpunOut”!
Gig reviews
Was it electric? Was there anybody there?
We want to hear about gigs you have been to recently or plan to see in the near future. If you or your friend can take good photos (of you as well as the band!) to accompany your review then all the better! There is no set way to write a review but have a quick look at other gig reviews in magazines you like iso as to get ideas.
One way to start a review is give a pre-gig build up. Describe the venue briefly i.e. size, where the gig was held, whether the place jammed with people. You might want to mention the warm up acts. Sometimes they can be far better than the main act on stage. When the main act finally make an appearance describe how the crowd reacts. Try and measure the atmosphere. Was it electric? Was there anybody there?
Then give a brief summary of how the gig went. Avoid writing in a linear style, for example, don't say: 'the guitarist played a solo, then the drummer joined in, then the lead singer sang a song'.
Remember, a good review does not have to be objective or give a balanced opinion. If it is one of the best gigs you were ever then get that across to readers. If it was a major disappointment and you thought the band bombed then say so but try and relate your criticism to the performance or venue and don’t slate someone for the sake of it.
You can also make reference to any songs that stood out or whether they played all old or new material. Finally wrap up with your overall thoughts of the gig. If the gig was part of a tour and you think that readers should go see, then include details of dates and venues after the review.
Music features
A music feature should include the latest gossip, news on forthcoming singles, albums and your opinion. You can also do a background profile of the band/ solo musician. Where are they from? How long have they been playing together? What are their main influences? Have they experimented with new sounds, musicians? Do the band write their own stuff? Have the band/ artist any plans to do gigs in the near future? Have they entered any competitions? It’s always good to finish with a punchy sentence or with a quirky quote from one of the band members.
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