We recently connected with Boiler Beach and have shared our conversation below.

Boiler, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Kids Help Phone

We have recently produced a 1-hour show in support of Kids Help Phone. We were able to visit the local school and introduce Kids Help Phone’s services to grade 7 and 8 students by showing them some of Kids Help Phone’s videos, and then playing our original songs that relate to self-confidence, peer pressure, bullying, and healthy relationships. The staff and students responded very positively, saying that it was great to hear the personal stories behind the songs, and great to learn how Kids Help Phone can help them with their challenges.

Andrea had an experience using Kids Help Phone as a teenager. She found it was a really effective tool in helping her to deal with bullying at school. The Kids Help Phone counsellor asked, “What do these (mean girls) mean to you? Why do you need them to like you?”, and after realizing that they were not important to her, Andrea was able to go to school feeling confident and empowered. With this new level of confidence, those mean girls started to leave her alone.

The current statistic is that half of all kids struggle with some form of mental health challenge, and many feel they have no way to talk about it. Seeing as all of us have our own children, this cause means a lot to us, and it is very satisfying being able to help kids learn how they can help themselves.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Boiler Beach began in 2019 after Andrea was approached to perform at a local establishment and decided to put a band together. She and Terry were already partners, and both had been performing for many years doing very different styles of music, but knew that they wanted to work together. Andrea approached Mike about drumming for the band because she had known him since high school and had seen him behind a kit a couple of times at house parties and gatherings.

Once the first show was done in August of 2019, we knew that we had something special and decided that the focus of the act will be on fun songs that have a positive message.

What really sets Boiler Beach apart is our focus on positivity in the music and how we look for ways to BRING THE FUN to every show and event. Our new Mobile Concert Stage allows us to play virtually anywhere and has allowed us to stage charity events and private parties on the beach, at campgrounds and at a national park location.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

We first got started on Facebook as it was the platform we were most familiar with. We advertised there a lot, communicated with our fans, and have taken advantage of the Groups feature on Facebook by creating a “Certified Beach Bums” group where we first share any news about the band. In this group, we also make special offers including ticket discount codes, and special offers on merchandise. While on Facebook, we joined groups geared toward musicians and networking, made friends with other bands, explored possibilities for cross-promotion, and occasionally wound up on the same stages together. Once we had a solid platform to work from on Facebook, we learned more about Instagram and TikTok and began to use those platforms more regularly, though Facebook is still the platform we use the most. We post often but we make sure we vary the content in our posts. This way, our pages aren’t one giant advertisement for Boiler Beach and our fans can get to know us better as people through authentic interaction.

Our advice for someone just starting out on social media: Remember that consumers no longer follow brands and businesses – they follow PEOPLE THAT THEY LIKE. You have to share pieces of yourself and your story here and there to give your audience a chance to know and appreciate you as a person, and this will reinforce their love for your music. As well, social media is best used as a networking tool, so don’t be shy – send messages to bands whose music you REALLY like, and leave the door open for collaboration. Finally, be careful not to get sucked into a doom scroll situation… stay focused on the task at hand while you’re on social media, and then get off and go play your instrument. The number of followers you have will not necessarily mean “success” – your music/ticket/merch sales and licensing deals will. :)

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Music is a universal language… we all know a sad song when we hear it even if we can’t understand the words. Studies have shown as well that a crowd who attends the same live concert will eventually sync heartbeats to the bpm of the music. Also, anyone who has been to a concert knows how much energy is shared and reshared between everyone in the room. It’s one of the best forms of connection, and it is that connection that is one of the most rewarding things about what we do as creatives.

We also get satisfaction out of sharing positive messages. The music we put out is meant to leave a positive impact on the listener with messages of empowerment, acceptance, and a challenge to examine their life to see what’s not working for them anymore (i.e. being in an unhealthy relationship and recognizing when it’s time to leave). Our music is the type of music that someone can listen to and feel seen and/or uplifted… and that’s a pretty special thing to be able to do for someone else.

At many shows, we have been approached before and after our set to be told by someone that a particular song meant a lot to them and their situation or outlook on life. It’s such a compliment.

Finally, it’s such a gift to be able to make something out of nothing. Any creative gets satisfaction out of being able to say, “I made that.” It’s a piece of themselves for all to see/hear, and our unique way of showing up in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://boilerbeach.ca
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boilerbeachband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boilerbeachband
• Twitter: https://x.com/beachboiler
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@boilerbeach1495
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/boilerbeach
• Other: BUY OUR MUSIC HERE: https://www.indietunz.com/boiler-beach-music

Image Credits

Dan Blenkinsop
Janice Matchett