Speakeasy with Ray of the indianapolis music + art festival

When not working on the annual IM+AF, Ray’s company the Advent Project provides professional and moral support for bands. The IM+AF is scheduled for this Saturday at the Harrison Center with live music on two stages from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. featuring 19 bands including Pravada, Digby, Seth Horan and Extra Blue Kind. Full details and set times can be found at www.imaf-indy.com. It will coincide with the Talbott Street Arts Fair.

Q: During the rest of the year, in what capacity do you work with bands?

A: I manage, promote, consult and, as cheesy as it sounds, love on ’em. I’m a little older than everyone else and a bit less jaded. It’s my heart to see people be successful and my love is music and musicians. I try to find great songwriters and great bands and be a good friend and help them keep some sanity in the process.

Q: Did you first look for bands or did they look for you?

A: The band just sort of showed up, the first being Extra Blue Kind after seeing them in the fall of 2001 during the first Battle of the Bands. They were head and shoulders above. I gave them my card and was told later that it ended up in somebody’s guitar case for six months after. My relationship with them grew from there.

Q: What’s the purpose of the IM+AF?

A: The IM+AF is about the artists. A band has two felt needs: to make money and to keep an audience to build a fanbase. So if we can pay them more and give them an audience that would help meet those needs … I feel that musicians and artists put so much of their hearts into those things and there are very few middle-class musicians, most of them are just poor and making sacrifices to give of themselves. I wanted to, at least for one day, make them feel like their art is worth so much more than what they’re paid or how people treat them.

Q: Has it proven difficult to bridge the art and music communities?

A: There are a lot of differences between them. Musicians may have it a little easier in terms of getting an audience. You can find a place to play, but it’s harder for an artist to find a gallery to show. Here it hasn’t been that hard because when there’s an art show there’ll be a concert attached to it.

Q: What’s most challenging about trying to get this event together?

A: Finding people to help you! The money was a big thing until the Harrison Center took over the finances — that was one of the biggest stumbling blocks and they’ve done such a great job with it. So, hoping it doesn’t rain, I suppose. I check the weather every 10 minutes!