Recorded last year, the episode still holds up, although Cankar Creative has really taken off. JB and Cankar talk about how she navigated her career to get where she is now - growing her own experiential marketing team, still turning bands into brands.

Show Notes: Go check out DoStuff in your city. Learn more about Chicago lore JBTV & Jerry Bryant. I’ve talked about Greg Corner a few times now and probably just need him on the show. And last but not least go check out Cankar Creative.

Sound Wizard: Kyle J. Ross. Intro song: End of Beginning by DePaul University alumnus Djo.

Producer's Note: There are in fact many artists that have gotten a kickstart from TikTok: Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, and Zach Bryant (mentioned in the episode), just to name a few. I heard the old A&R model may make a comeback, but it's likely to remain a combination of old-school intuition and digital tools including social media and data.

General ticket prices for shows are now $75-250, unless it’s Taylor Swift. According to Business Insider, the average resale ticket price for ONE ticket for the North American leg of the Eras tour was $3801. Really, Tay?

Data shows nearly 83% of independent artists are not making money touring in 2025 due to high operating costs, complex visa rules, and increasing inflation. Global independent artists cannot afford to tour beyond their local area. While major artists are still earning significantly, the touring landscape has become financially challenging for the majority of musicians - especially mid-level artists, indie or not. Summer of this past year was being called The Great American Tour Cancellation. Financial and political reasons have been cited. Low ticket sales and canceled visas.

Invest that $7602 in seeing more of your favorite bands. Support your local artists and venues. - JB

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In the meantime, take care of one another.

“Stic of the Week” w. Chels Cankar