vwritten by Marko Jakob
Pix666: Hello Elisabeth, thank you for your time for this little interview. I hope you are well.
Elisabeth: Thank you for the opportunity. I am very well.
Pix666: Music seems to be your biggest passion. What kind of music did you grow up with and when did you go to your first concerts?
Elisabeth: Haha, I have to think about that because it’s already many years ago. In my youth, bands like the Bay City Rollers, Sweet, Smokie, but also big ones like ABBA, AC/DC, Scorpions were popular. My first concert was one with AC/DC in Munich in 1980.
Pix666: How many concerts do you attend per year?
Elisabeth: Before Corona, I probably attended about 60 concerts a year. Now I can be lucky if I’m able to attend about 10.
Pix666: Then the time of the pandemic must be a real torture for you – constant postponements and cancellations – you have to rebook or cancel your trips all the time, don’t you?
Elisabeth: Oh yes, I can tell you a thing or two about it. The best example is the concert with Lacrimas Profundere/Delta Enigma in Helsinki, which was postponed now for the fourth time. The worst thing is to rebook a flight these days.
Pix666: Let’s talk about your website. When and for what reason did you get the idea to support bands with your promotion page?
Elisabeth: I have been running my website www.showliz.de for about a year now. Funnily enough, the idea didn’t come from me, but from Max, a presenter on Radio No Rest. I already had my Facebook and Instagram page. The reason is quite simple. I needed something to do and was looking for ways to support the bands during their difficult time without concerts.
Pix666: What exactly do you do?
Elisabeth: On the website you can find almost all the bands I promote. My interviews and reviews as well as news from the bands and my radio show announcements. I am in contact with some radios and send them the songs. Of course I always try to find new radio stations and also provide other promotion sites with my band news.
Pix666: Are you also active as a presenter at the radio shows?
Elisabeth: Yes, I am active as a presenter on Radio No Rest and Radio Hazzard of Darkness. Since I don’t have the necessary technology myself, I always work together with a presenter from the respective radio station. On Radio No Rest, my ‚ShowLiz Time‘ runs every 1st Tuesday a month with two live interviews. The next date is on march, 1st and my guests will be Lon Fright, the band founder of The Fright and Heike Langhans and Mike Lamb with their projects Light Field Reverie and REMINA.
The show on Radio Hazzard of Darkness, ‚On the Rocks‘, does not have a fixed date, but will of course be promoted on my social media pages in a timely manner. It usually takes place once a month.
Pix666: How do you track down the many newcomer bands in particular, or bands that are hardly known in Germany?
Elisabeth: This often happens by chance via suggestions from YouTube or when a radio presenter gives me a music suggestion. I also have been contacted by bands on Instagram.
Pix666: … and how can bands contact you if they are interested in a CD review or interview?
Elisabeth: They can find me on the main social media platforms and of course via the website www.showliz.de.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShowLizMusicPromoter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showliz_elizas_pics_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShowLiz1
Email: info@showliz.de
Pix666: Do you get a lot of rejections for interviews you do, or do you have a good hit rate?
Elisabeth: So far I haven’t been turned down. Some prefer to do written interviews, some prefer radio interviews. Since I offer both, I can respond to their wishes.
Pix666: Is the whole thing currently still a hobby, or do you earn your money with it?
Elisabeth: It’s a hobby and I want to keep it that way because I can act totally freely and it doesn’t turn out into too much stress. For me it is important that it is fun. And since I mainly support lesser-known bands, who have to finance everything out of their own pockets and can’t afford a PR agency, the question of payment is redundant. I don’t see it as a job like my profession, but as a vocation!
Pix666: The whole thing is certainly very time-consuming – is there still time for other hobbies and family?
Elisabeth: Yes, it is, because I am more or less busy with it every day, sometimes even on holiday. Nevertheless, I still have time for my hobby horse riding and of course the family and the „annoying“ housework. Haha!
Another hobby of mine is also collecting unique artworks like the original portrait of Freddy Thunder, Neonfly, created by the Korean artist NOMA. How the images, which can also be found on the current album cover „The Future, Tonight“, were created can be seen very nicely in the YouTube video „Beating Hearts“ by Neonfly. If you are interested in one of the other three portraits, please contact @artist_noma on Instagram.
Pix666: What have been the craziest experiences for you so far with the bands during or after an interview, but also during your concert visits?
Elisabeth: Haha, yes, there have been some crazy things. I remember my very first interview in English language with Vin Valentino (Delta Enigma). Thank God it was not live but a recorded one . I was so nervous. My English wasn’t well at the beginning and talking to a musician you don’t know was not a matter of course for me.
The story with the Brazilian hard rock band Skyward was also a crazy one. I came across them in October 2020 through Mike from Radio Hazzard of Darkness. In April last year we had a WhatsApp meeting and they introduced me to their new song „Luv 4 Liz“, which they dedicated to me. I was really speechless! By the way, my ShowLiz logo was designed by Jo, the singer of Skyward.
A very emotional experience I had in November last year in Lyss, Switzerland, with Sean Horror, singer of the shockrock band DarkFlow. It was the most personal interview ever (read it on my website) and I can say that a deep friendship developed since we met.
Soon I‘ll coming up with a new crazy idea, but I don’t want to talk about it yet because it’s supposed to be a surprise for a certain person.
Pix666: Through your work as a promoter, you must have discovered bands that might otherwise have remained hidden from you – please let us know your top 5 new discoveries that people should definitely listen to?
Elisabeth: That’s an almost impossible task to name only 5 bands, but I’ll give it a try. Delta Enigma, Finnish alternative metal band that is often compared to HIM. One of the first bands I discovered and hopefully will finally be able to see live in June. Skyward, Brazilian hard rock band which want to take off this year. A must for hard rock fans. Chaoseum, Swiss Numetal band, started as a newcomer last year in April and meanwhile much more than an insider tip with over 6 million views on their Youtube video „Smile Again“. Mercury Circle, Finnish new doom band, led by multi-talent Jaani Peuhu. If you are looking for something special, you should definitely check them out.
Of course I don’t have to forget DarkFlow, shock rock band from Lausanne. Check out their debut album 6 on Bandcamp https://darkflowofficiel.bandcamp.com/album/6 and, above all, go to one of their concerts! Of course there are many more bands that are worth listening to. Just check out the „Bands“ section on my website!
Pix666: Now I’m still curious whether you have already bought some concert tickets despite the pandemic and perhaps also booked flights?
Elisabeth: Of course, but lately I’ve only bought tickets for concerts outside Germany, because it’s actually more certain that they will take place. Like the Dark River Festival in August in Kotka, for example. It took place the last two years, so it will be a sure thing this year too. Then most recently a ticket for Silver Dust’s album release show on april 30th 2022 in Neuchatel, Switzerland. Support will be Chaoseum!
Pix666: The situation seems to be better abroad than here in Germany. If I remember correctly, I’ve also seen concert photos and videos of you from the Dark River Festival in the past years. What do the Finns do differently than we do?
Elisabeth: Well, of course you can’t compare this festival with a festival like Summer Breeze, for example. The number of participants in Finland is only a fraction (about 4000 participants at the Dark River Festival) in contrast to German festivals, which is due to the smaller population in Finland. And in general, many of our neighbour countries are more relaxed about the pandemic issue than in Germany. In any case, I’m always happy when I can escape the German Corona madness for a few days.
Pix666: Thank you very much for the interesting answers – Good luck for the future and stay healthy!
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