Teen Hoot Creator David Malloy
Kalin White and Myles Parrish with fans
Twitter followers, just performed two songs on the Today show, and was cited by The Wall Street Journal for viral momentum. “It’s not about the kids getting onstage so much as the kids coming together,” notes Malloy. “It’s a chance for kids who’ve become friends over the Internet to meet, for the musicians who’re too young to get into clubs to have a place to play and be together . . .
“
People forget—clubs run on liquor sales, so these acts have no place to play. The fans, too. We had a girl fly from Australia to see Payton Rae. Another girl came from Cork, Ireland . . . families drive here from Maine, California, everywhere.
”
Beyond actually attending, the February Hoot’s live stream was seen in forty countries, cementing a global community among a generation often a decade away from legal access to music in clubs. Indeed, over 161 countries have streamed videos posted on the Teen Hoot YouTube station. “There was a need. The teens were looking,” Malloy marvels. “I did the first one at my studio in Berry Hill with thirty-five people on the floor. I wondered what would happen if I got them all together. Would anyone care?”
Musicians back stage sharpen their performances
Predominantly using Twitter, Malloy reached out and kept reaching out. “It went from a curiosity to a passion to an obsession. To see the way kids interact, to see a generation come together globally . . . I think the better you understand somebody, the more connected you feel to them, and that’s a good thing.” Malloy’s father worked with another generation’s biggest names, from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley, so he understands how music bonds people. Receiving his first BMI Award at 17 for “Then You Walked In” by Sammi Smith, he also understands engaged young people’s passion. “This isn’t tomorrow,” he admonishes. “This is today. Right now. The people in the business don’t get that. Onstage [these kids] have never played for a crowd that big, but they’re doing blogs live from their bedrooms with 38,000 people watching.” On July 26–27, performers will journey from England, Canada, even Curacao in the Dutch Antilles to take part. But that’s just the surface. Malloy says, “I’ve got teens all over the world who’re dying to do the Hoot, but they can’t afford to get here. I dream of doing Teen Hoot in London, then Japan. All around the world, because that’s how big [this] music really is.” For more information, visit www.teenhoot.com.
Griffin Saunders, Alex Constancio
NashvilleArts.com
July 2O13 | 67