Meet Connor Mcclain | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Connor Mcclain and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Connor, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
The end goal is to lead a music show that positively impacts people and music.
There are many benefit to the goal of stabilizing and sustaining a live music show.

The end goal is Conzkeyz. Short and impactful. More interactive than a band. No time slots of an open mic. Paid. The dream for quick transition music performances with paid acts mixed in with hat draw performances. Goal to attract audiences that stay and now get the chance to join sign up become part of what music is displayed here for online content and live stages. The chance to focus on and be rewarded for their best diddles licks and tricks in music live and quickly. End goal to have so many people wanting a chance to perform that a hat draw I call it the Texas Quick Draw of names from the hat becomes a popular feature of the music show.

Currently continuing the vision of a keyboard sitting on top of a large speaker. Power to a speaker to the keyboard and set it up! And what if the speaker can plug a microphone or a guitar and make sound as well. And what if someone else took the mic and someone else plugged in their guitar or synthesizer or violin microphone. Bluetooth! Power bank solar panels? Portable. This introduced the idea of me in the middle.

As CON the Host I am able to invite others to join or show up to them to record. An open mic, an open speaker with a twist. A chance to be recorded and paid for their efforts musically.

If I was the DJ I would invite people to show up and take over for a bit.

To help others by creating a space for contributing where I can using the skills musically socially financially that I have. The end goal would be bigger audiences venues online presence and pay of course!

This is a way for stage time in a landscape ever guarded walled off exclusive and often without pay.

The end goal is enabling a chance to perform in this lifetime due to better ideas of time and opportunity here. The format of the show encourages quick transitions and minimal equipment to make the largest impact. A single performer doesn’t have to split pay kind of thing too. Not worth big equipment for a 10 min pop up skill display set from 9-10pm? Fine. Prepare something more portable and capable.

This show in this form so far has been successfully used by breweries, coffee shops and local markets!
Looking for something more consistent and bigger, got ideas? And who is filming?

Building a reputation myself occurs through FB (Connor Middle) Instagram (conzkeyz) and YouTube (Connor McClain Conman281). On these outlets I am able to capture and release music and video as I hear it perform it prefer it change it copy it and want others to mimic or improve on. I use my iPhone and use my live actions without computer editing because this limitation displays what is possible live! This has allowed me to take on a stage name CON Keys where I loop layer build beats pop trending originals for a solo instrument performance. I have performed this with Synthesizer Houston (facebook) and Houston piano company (facebook) and Root Cause (insta: @root_cause_htx) who hosted events for performers at venues like Axle Rad and Several Breweries Ice houses and Warehouses like ‘Starseed Hostel’ on (apple maps).

I stand out because I am fortunate in that I can pay artists to show up to my events for their work. By the end of my music career I would like to have recorded great songs and include licks and tricks on high quality albums highly paying the people we meet along the way. I would want to be able to maintain skills as a solo act but have fun joining in with groups but continue to host this show. This is musically. Other life goals Ill save for another time!

The end goal is about the people WE meet along the way. Often introducing new people to each other and finally getting paid for their music. To capture and release the band of people we meet along the journey and support communities of people this way. To create a safe beacon for innovating music providing randomized opportunities to showcase and be paid for efforts artistically. To push music forward on authenticity and what works live while boosting music careers of others and me. The end goal is to continue a show that promotes preparation by people for the chance to challenge what’s possible with music and be paid for it. Then be open to the next stage or idea! The goal? To have pushed music and people in a new positive direction!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

What sets me apart?
More interactive than a band. No time slots of an open mic. Paid. 10 min set same pay amount as 2 hour set. While some go down a path of fancy equipment and effex and blaming low quality sound or poor iPhone speakers I decide no excuses and present this show with a keyboard and an iPhone. Don’t like how it sound? Be there live alive! We and I sound great. And too loud? Carry two dots of ear plugs. Be safe smoke vapes! Safety first and still super enjoyable.

Otherwise I think I am normal!

Of course I have a day job. But I’m thankful that my day job is very structured where I can spend my creative energy towards off days.

Hearing Music within me was something that occurred to me very young saying to my parents “I can hear all parts of a song” as maybe a creepy thing that kids randomly say to their parents. So I got a keyboard for Christmas one year and did my best by ear for fun and was probably loud and annoying especially if people were over but I remember having lots of fun with the keyboard. I did not know about chords or notes and really was not around music people when I was young. A few years later an older schooled kid was invited over from down the street by my dad.

I was handed a saxophone where I was asking “could I finally make chords with this” “how do I make a song with this saxophone?” I was told I have to get with others in order to make songs and make chords and so I spent the next 7 years in band in school learning how to play music with others. Stopped music to go to college.

After graduating college, I had more time again and I started looking at that childhood keyboard with new knowledge that I had never thought to apply. No one else has this early 2000’s kids keyboard. I started treating the keyboard seriously when I was working night shift. Reading the manual 90 pages long online. I was so excited for an off day because I found that the keyboard loops and makes beats that people and me could rap or sing over. The piano I have allows you to record keys you press and then add another part and another part! Build a cord, loop a song, the ideas came back! In 2022 I felt the need to be a beacon or to pass the torch of music and to impress my younger self by improving on what I accomplished in school- like experiencing playing jazz in New Orleans in school jazz band on sax. What does music look like now that I am out of school?

As an adult I have had to make great efforts towards learning about life. I’ve paid for a few gallons of gas with quarters to make it to work a few days before the first paycheck of $180 was coming. I’ve had the most money amongst my friends and been with 0. I believe these life experiences shape the inclusive art philosophy of the show. While some go down a path of equipment and tech and effex and blaming low quality sound or poor iPhone speakers I decided no excuses and don’t like the sound online? Go there live. Id rather spend money on the people and their music. I know how a little can go along way and so satisfying be paid for something you love doing and created artistically!

So I can capture release and display all the thoughts of music I have with an iPhone and my childhood keyboard. Oh! And let me invite someone who can do it better than I can!

A comedian achieves laughs ooo moans to be successful

A musician strives for goosebumps dancing tears to know its working
I believe love is best understood by experiencing a few love songs and a movie.

The difference between music and magic is that with music someone can show you all the music equipment the song effex and how it works while music still sounds magical but once the trick is revealed in magic the mystery is gone- that’s the difference. Circque du soleil is levels different than most arts okay!

There is access and I hope to promote to people there are possible spaces in the world and ways to create more access to abundance and opportunity and inclusivity. Here is one. Here is for music people. These are the types of lessons I’ve learned. I want the world to see what Music works live? What is capable? Empowerment through music is alive. Music works.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Best places in Houston to me revolve around food and music events.

It starts with following a few social media accounts to get the latest shows.
For example:
Houston music classified on Instagram provides a chart of places.

Axle Rad
Khons
Big Easy
Dan Electros
Includes the venue name, the artists / band name, their time slot and if there is a door fee to enter. I have never charged anyone. I only pay out to the music artists.

Anyways. These are an excellent way to find out more. Start there. Then ask the people you meet there whats next!

Beyond music Other places we have to go while youre in town are:

Menil Art Gallery
Seismeque
Andretti
Cidercade
St Arnold
Allen Parkway
Washington Ave

For late night fun:
South Beach
Barbarellas
JRs

Mornings would consist of options for walking scooter skateboard bike trails to get brunch by stepping out the front door onto the wide concrete sidewalks through the bayou to several food options. Then return home work on a music idea, pickup lunch, and nap 2-5pm. Awake to prepare for evening events. I like to get to an event around 8, then find food after an hour or two, then make it to a later event.

I do suggest following rules like nothing good happens after midnight.

Other accounts to follow that would take us places is @Skris1143 or @inner_abode.

What time of day do you like to be active? What’s worth it to go out and about to you these days? How about performing that song youve been working on? 😀

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to Rootcause HTX (@root_cause_htx) who was there to encourage the idea in the beginning as we shared music talent and hosting ideas. I’d like to thank KDA Markets and Bayou City Hangouts for their space to showcase quick transitions between music artists in bustling colorful markets. I’m thankful for Hippie (@hippielo_a.0.k_) and Big X (@chrizvoice) for encouraging vocals in my performances and providing professional sound recordings and wave file edits to share music to a new audience. Thankful for Aztec Fibonacci (@aztec.fibonacci) and Andrew Solo Guitar (@brownsugarginger) for believing in the show and providing their live music to capture on iPhone in rented dance studio spaces early days of the show. I want to show support for @inner_abode Mark Medina whos community provided connection with @anfgrf opening the gates of the Orange Show sculpture warehouse space sustaining this show for months- versus rented spaces. This sounds quite successful. Sustainable. And is growing. And is portable after all. Here are a few people you will meet again on albums some day and already! I am thankful for the Orange Show, markets, breweries, coffee shops for seeing this vision and allowing a space for the overflow of music people. I’m thankful for social media and an iPhone that has allowed quick capture of talents and ideas to post without needing expensive unique equipment.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conzkeyz?igsh=MWhoYnQzbTdqZHg4NA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@conzkeys?si=21D3I70tnAogs6D9

Image Credits
theodoasis