Ways to get gigs?
- Thread starter Mateo21
- Start date
grn
Well-known member
make a 3 song demo cd, go to clubs, restaurants, record stores, or anywhere else around town that has music or could have music. ask to speak to the manager, explain what you are doing... give them the demo. follow it up with a phone call. have specific dates in mind - or at least specific weeks and months.
There's no substitute for putting yourself about a bit and making friends and contacts. Attend local jam nights and open mic nights, getting chatting to the other musicians. Go back next week.
Over time (assuming there's nothing wierd about you) you should end up in a position where people will give you a chance to play support slots and so on and then you just need to be very good in order to be invited to do more gigs. Club owners want to see that you are playing regularly before they book you.
Email is useless for 'getting things' from people, they just ignore it. A phone call is better, then follow up with a good press pack and demo, then follow up with a phone call....
I sympathise, and find all this very difficult myself, as I'm not a gregarious life-and-soul-of-the-party-blagger type person. let's face it that's why artists need managers in order to do all that type of schmoozing and getting gigs for them. It's hard to get started and frustrating especialy when you know if you could get on the stage you could handle the performance side of things.
Over time (assuming there's nothing wierd about you) you should end up in a position where people will give you a chance to play support slots and so on and then you just need to be very good in order to be invited to do more gigs. Club owners want to see that you are playing regularly before they book you.
Email is useless for 'getting things' from people, they just ignore it. A phone call is better, then follow up with a good press pack and demo, then follow up with a phone call....
I sympathise, and find all this very difficult myself, as I'm not a gregarious life-and-soul-of-the-party-blagger type person. let's face it that's why artists need managers in order to do all that type of schmoozing and getting gigs for them. It's hard to get started and frustrating especialy when you know if you could get on the stage you could handle the performance side of things.
You mean go into a record store and hand out a demo to the manager looking for a gig somewhere? I would probably get a few fucked up looks, but I guess it would be worth a try. Have you ever put on a show by yourself? Ive been in a show done like that before but it drains the $$$. Im guessing at least $1000 for a small venue with less than 400 people. Probably more. Are there any other ways you can devise to get on a stage? Thanks for the replies so far.
grn
Well-known member
no I mean hand it to the manager asking to play in the record store. most of the shows we do are put on by ourselves with people opening for us. most of the time the venue pays us, not the other way around. sometimes they don't pay us but let us charge at the door. if it's a "free" gig, we make money selling cds and taking donations.
azraelswings
New member
Mateo21 said:
Do you mean throwing a show yourself at a rented hall, or a similar sort of thing?
I think one of the best things you can do is to have a web site. It can have photos of the band, a description of the kind of music you do, a sample set list (only list covers; if originals, nobody will care because they'll never have heard of them), a list of past and future gigs (with links to the web sites of those venues), and even sound clips. Pay for your own domain with a name that's easy to remember; free sites have such long URLs that nobody will bother to type them into their browser! For probably less than $100/yr., you get a really useful marketing tool.
With such a site, you can then print up some business cards with the URL, a contact name and phone #, and can hand them out to the managers at venues where you'd like to play. Be prepared to know when you're available, and how much $ you want. You can also talk up the site with everyone you know; you never know where a gig can come from. Somebody knows somebody, etc.
Then, as others have said, you just have to do a good job at a given venue, so that they'll want to have you back. My band has become regulars at one venue because, according to the manager, we're one of the few acts they've had in there that keeps our volume down appropriately. The manager always tells the bands not to play too loudly, since the place has a dinner and bar crowd which often wants to engage in conversation, as well as people there for the music, but few bands evidently pay any attention to that request, and consequently don't get asked back.
Good luck!
With such a site, you can then print up some business cards with the URL, a contact name and phone #, and can hand them out to the managers at venues where you'd like to play. Be prepared to know when you're available, and how much $ you want. You can also talk up the site with everyone you know; you never know where a gig can come from. Somebody knows somebody, etc.
Then, as others have said, you just have to do a good job at a given venue, so that they'll want to have you back. My band has become regulars at one venue because, according to the manager, we're one of the few acts they've had in there that keeps our volume down appropriately. The manager always tells the bands not to play too loudly, since the place has a dinner and bar crowd which often wants to engage in conversation, as well as people there for the music, but few bands evidently pay any attention to that request, and consequently don't get asked back.
Good luck!
gullyjewelz
New member
well there is something weird about me!!!!
so i have a part time assistant working for me. although she is extremely PART TIME. i hope to have a January Date for a show that i am putting together. its possible to perform then.
if you dont have the gift of gab, then find someone who does -- the gift of gab can get you a show!!!!!
so i have a part time assistant working for me. although she is extremely PART TIME. i hope to have a January Date for a show that i am putting together. its possible to perform then.
if you dont have the gift of gab, then find someone who does -- the gift of gab can get you a show!!!!!
greenascanbe
New member
Buddying up with bands is a good way to get gigs. Volunteer to open up the show by taking the first set, you know the one where people are still showing up and just starting to drink. Do it for free or a few beers off the tab.
At best you get people interested in what you’re doing and if you have a good show and good response you’ll get invited back for your own night. At worse, you don’t have to pay a cover charge.
At best you get people interested in what you’re doing and if you have a good show and good response you’ll get invited back for your own night. At worse, you don’t have to pay a cover charge.
VomitHatSteve
Hat STYLE. Not contents.
On the same note, be related to people in positions to get you gigs. Relatives are a great way to get gigs you normally wouldn't qualify for.
The way we've gotten booked is by showing up at jam nights. The club promoters will normally ask when we can play when we get off the stage if they're there. Try and record your demo live and make sure whoever is going to book you knows that it was recorded live.
A reasonable draw for a band around here is about twenty people. If you say twenty, they'll probably asume you'll only bring in ten. It doesn't always mean you won't get booked. But be prepared for the subject to come up.
Make sure you have plenty of those demos lying around at shows. If you don't bring in the number of people they are looking for, but they see a bunch of people grabbing your demos, you're more likely to be invited back.
Once you get the gig, make sure you hang up posters around the venue. At the very least show an effort to bring people in. Don't expect to be paid if you're just starting to gig and aren't going to bring more than the norm in the area.
Get as many of your friends to want to see you live. Tell the promoters that you have all those people waiting to see you.
Float your demo around. We've gotten a couple invites that way. Also keep clips of your demo on your website.
But honestly, you've gotta get to know the promoters. Just go into the venue and ask who is in charge of booking the venue. Ask for name and number. And talk to them in person. Emails will probably be ignored unless they know you.
These are just a few of my rambling thoughts off the top of my head.
A reasonable draw for a band around here is about twenty people. If you say twenty, they'll probably asume you'll only bring in ten. It doesn't always mean you won't get booked. But be prepared for the subject to come up.
Make sure you have plenty of those demos lying around at shows. If you don't bring in the number of people they are looking for, but they see a bunch of people grabbing your demos, you're more likely to be invited back.
Once you get the gig, make sure you hang up posters around the venue. At the very least show an effort to bring people in. Don't expect to be paid if you're just starting to gig and aren't going to bring more than the norm in the area.
Get as many of your friends to want to see you live. Tell the promoters that you have all those people waiting to see you.
Float your demo around. We've gotten a couple invites that way. Also keep clips of your demo on your website.
But honestly, you've gotta get to know the promoters. Just go into the venue and ask who is in charge of booking the venue. Ask for name and number. And talk to them in person. Emails will probably be ignored unless they know you.
These are just a few of my rambling thoughts off the top of my head.
DavidK
New member
VomitHatSteve said:
So true.
I often read this around here: It's all who you know. There is some truth to this, but the real phrase should be It's all who you know, and why you know them. I get plenty of work from people I know, but I get it because we run in the same circles. We are experienced pro players who know the biz.
The website idea is good.
I have no clue if you are good or not (being good is a GREAT way to get gigs
), but if you think you are up for it you can join the union. You wont get any gigs, but you will get a book with names and # of every pro in your town. The union has other resources as well. Your name goes in the book, it costs about 100 bucks to join and 120 a year for dues. If you get a union job they take 3% of it. I am in 3 unions, so its a considerable amount of money. Union gigs have a minimum base, so they dont pay 5 bucks and free beer, you get decent money. Again, you have to be really good or else you will just waste your money, if you think you can hack it go to afm.org If you have the ability to play wedding receptions, go to a bridal fair. You rent a booth, maybe play a bit, have business cards ready and fliers. If you are what they want, you get 20 gigs that day.
Getting gigs is kinda weird, the more you've got, the more you'll get. Exposure seems to be the main factor in how this works. Get your music out to as many people as possible and make your face known to any and all prospective buyers, both the audience and the management. You need to develope a following, if people ask for you this will at least get you in the door to talk to club managers. Play out, almost anywhere, any time and for any amount you can get, the more you are seen the greater your chances of being asked to play for pay elsewhere. If you decide to use an agent, make sure that they are really on your side. Hire only those who are super salesmen, you and your music are the product and they have to sell you to the public, if they don't hustle, fire them.