Year in Review, Mixed with Plans for 2024 (Patreon)

What a year! I accomplished a LOT in 2023. I feel like I learned a lot too. Instead of writing a simple Year in Review like I did last year, I compiled a list of successes and failures and included thoughts of what I plan do differently in 2024.

MUSIC

I had a lot of shows this past year. More than I had the year before. Sadly several of my regular venues closed down. I have a lot of new legwork to do to find and book venues that are interested in drinking songs. I hope to have more shows in 2024 to reach even more people so I can grow my fanbase.

The monthly ticketed livestream shows went great. The attendance number was respectable. They were a lot of fun. The $20 ticket price went over well. The Wednesday Coffee shows went great too. But I’m gonna reevaluate how I do those in 2024. Though I will start the year with them. Stay tuned.

I will stay on top of booking for new gigs. I got better at booking this year and last. But it is still my least favorite activity. I realized why when I was promoting Nerdy Wonderland and had a minor panic attack while trying to going into a store where I just wanted to put up fliers. Nevertheless, I'm gonna try to be better about booking.

I spent a lot of time trying new ways to sell merch. The Album Pin/Musical Pin idea is still doing great. But as expected, it depends on the design. A bad design and the pin doesn't sell. It also depends on where I am selling. Some venues want CDs. At other venues, people buy pins to support the music.

It was a mistake to move away from CDs. People are still interested in them. But it’s nice to have the pins as an alternative in many venues.

I learned that Celtic Heartstrings are great for fans. But non-fans aren’t interested. I will focus less on jewelry and save it for the real fans. Though I might try to post them on Etsy or some place just to clearance more. I break a LOT of strings after all.

I will stop creating songbooks except for some exclusive special Kickstarter offers. They either don’t sell, or I don’t know how to sell them. Either way, I have some sitting on shelves.

I will encourage fans to buy through my online store. I'm gonna offer more bundles in the future.

I will also create beautiful, sustainable products that people want to own and tell others about. I'm very proud of the new album cover graphics. There's no shrink wrap and they just look prettier with the four-panel graphic design.

I will spend more time promoting Patreon in 2024. Recent changes to the platform make it even easier to do that. I’m largely doing away with the blog on my website favoring a Patreon blog instead. Some items will be exclusively for Patrons. Others will be available to all

I learned it was easier to promote a short Kickstarter of two weeks than it is to promote a month-long or longer one. That's because I feel a lot more comfortable sending lots of emails and posting a lot on social when there’s a shorter time frame.

Kickstarter is a great way to raise funds for physical items. Which is good because I've overdrawn on a few pins I created this year. I plan to do more Kickstarters through the year. One for the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast and at least one for myself.

The lessons I learned from Kickstarter work just as well for releasing new CDs. I will officially release Come Adventure With Me on March 4, 2024. Dancing With Hobbits will officially release on September 20. 2024. As I think of it, I guess I could do a re-release of Best of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast which is the next CD I'm funding along with other items.

I will publish a Quarterly Broadsheet for Heroic Patreons and include a discount code for special sales.

I will write and record a new song at least once a month (min. 10) to be released initially on Patreon.

I will finish writing and recording Another Faire to Remember with Brobdingnagian Bards. If we can make it happen with Andrew, we will launch a Bards Kickstarter in 2024.

I will compile my best recordings from my early albums and starting planning to release a compilation CD and Pin. It might not actually launch until the following year. There's no rush on this.

I will release a Celtic Invasion Vacations Travel Video from 2023. I will also plan one for 2024. I will videotape at least one show every month. I will try to release at least one video on YouTube (and here) per month. I will create a Music Video for a popular song. I will create a Music Video from a song from Come Adventure With me.

I started Studio Wednesdays in 2023. I practice, write, and record new music. I will do my best to keep that going strong through the year.

I started Nerdy Wonderland with Carmanda Art Things. It was a huge success as a gig, but not financially worthwhile for me. So I will make adjustments so I too can get paid for my hard work. I will try to find people to help us make that happen.

I started learning and implementing ideas for better climate activism. I'm now recycling thin plastics, taking them to grocery stores that accept them. I'm limiting the amount of plastic I buy. And best of all, I'm just thinking about it. Every time, I bring in new items into my home, I think about if it's good for the environment. I'm proud of my accomplishments and changes this year.

Celtic music is what I’m known for so I will continue to promote Celtic culture through music. This will be a big part of my career going forward... even when I'm not wearing a kilt. LOL

PODCASTS

This year’s Pub Songs & Stories went through numerous changes through the year. The show at the end of the year was almost completely different than how it was at the start of the year. But it was right on par with what I want of the show.

However, once again, I feel it is unsustainable for me mentally. It requires too much production, which takes me away from my main goal—to be a musician. I really want to write and create new music or learn new songs that will help me to write and create new music. Another podcast with show notes and endless thoughts... It's just tough.

The show will pivot again in 2024. I plan to spend less time on production. I also might use it in conjunction with something else I want to do with my personal life. I want to walk more. I will record myself as I go for walks. I’ll talk about a song. Then I will stop and play the song.

I will take those recordings and create a solo CD to be released to Patreon Superheroes.

I will still share the podcast episode in the public Pub Songs & Stories podcast feed. However, it is the Patreon feed that I will promote. I will encourage listeners to download the song and listen through the Patreon app. All of my podcasts will be pushed toward Patreon.

Of course, if I choose to post an interview or do some other feature ,that will be fine too. I can feature it all on Patreon.

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast will continue to come out four times per month. There’ll also be Highlight Reels after every 6 episodes, and the Celtic Top 20 Polls will continue to release on Patreon.

I hope to find ways to promote Music Videos at least once a month in 2024. But I’m not yet sure how.

Celtic Christmas Music will continue in 2024 as I did this year with interviews and about 30 minutes of excellent Christmas music by Celtic musicians. It felt a lot easier this year.

I will record and release a new Brobdingnagian Bards Podcast every month during the spring and fall. I’ll aim to record at least 6 episodes next year.

I will finish season 2 of In the ‘Verse with Mikey Mason. I hope to use that inspiration for more and better songwriting next year.

I’ll also re-release some podcast episodes on Patreon that are not currently available, just to include them there, like the Cat Lovers Podcast. If it inspires more episodes, so be it.

PERSONAL

I suffered a sad setback at the end of the year. I had hip problems so a physical therapist recommended that I stop running.... or I reduce my running and how I run.

Because of this, I’m making a significant change to how I do things. I will continue my walk/runs three days a week as I’m able. But I’m also gonna add in 10 minute fast walks every day I’m not doing the exercise walking.

I’m gonna add in more strength training for myself as well to hopefully slow the arthritis.

I found a bunch of vegan/vegetarian recipes this year. Not that I plan to become a vegetarian, but I’ve increasingly come to realize I’m not a huge fan of meat. I will continue to look for tasty new vegetarian recipes to improve my diet and that of my family. And of course, a healthier non-meat diet is also better for the environment. So why not.

I will practice Gaelic more frequently so I can be a better Irish & Celtic Music Podcast host.

I will continue to promote and support non-profits that help people and build and grow culture.

I will continue to train Inara on singing and playing the guitar.

FINAL THOUGHTS

That is all I have for now. But if I come up with other thoughts, I will add them here.