“Sooo we found his address againn, and drove to his house. All his twitters and shit said that he was coming homee today but didn’t say whenn. Soooo we went to his housee, the lights were on but nobody would answer the door. Buttt, i got plentyy of pictures of Peyton and Sebastion. (their dogggsss.) Soo, like the stalkers we are, we waited outside his house for an hour withh nobody comingg homeee.” 

Notice all the advertisements at the last show you went to? Maybe you didn’t; they've become so ubiquitous in recent years that it's possible you don’t even realize they’re there. Yet there they are: on the brand-sponsored stages, on the ticket itself, tucked in amid the concession stands and dangling over the stage on imposing banners. To say that this type of corporate sponsorship of punk and indie concerts is a departure from the old way of doing things is an understatement, but perhaps the most interesting part is how little anyone cares about it. In fact, partnering with brand sponsors isn't just a new wrinkle in the music business model—it’s now the entire business model itself. Corporate backing can often make different aspects of a successful career possible for bands. Touring bands wrap their buses and vans in brand logos; clothing and beverage companies bring artists into their own studios to record viral content for their marketing outlets; smaller labels team up with brands to beef up promotional push for an album; and chain restaurants and hotels adopt bands into the fold, offering free meals and places to stay while they are on the road.