• 5 Ways To Get Music Gigs

    music gigs

    Looking to get performance opportunities for you or your band in your area? We've got a few ideas on how to get started and want to point you in the right direction. If you're ready to start performing and touring at this stage in your music career, most likely you've invested a lot of time into your music and the creative side. But if you're extremely new to the performing side of things, do note that it's is a whole new ball game. An exciting one; don't get nervous! Tons of business and party venues are constantly looking for talent to fill for events. It's time you put yourself out there to get seen and heard. 

    5 Ideas To Find Performance Opportunities 

    Music Classifieds

    Sites like Craigslist usually have a section dedicated to musicians and artists in certain areas and locations. On one hand, you can browse listings in search of an opportunity to perform an possibly get paid for it. They usually have low pay but some of the gigs offer great exposure. On the other hand, you can create a classified ad for hire that will showcase you or your band's skills and let the world know that you are looking for shows. For this approach, it's best to repost your ad a few times to keep it visible and attract possible opportunities. 

    Booking Agent

    If it's in your budget, it's a good idea to hire a booking agency or a single booking agent/manager that has a lot of experience and connections in your area in terms of the music scene. For this option, be advised that you must have good quality music and great appeal as a musician. If not, you'll find that no booking agent or agency will really want to work with you. They're very hesitant on acts that may have trouble being liked or putting on a good show. 

    Networking

    Good old' networking can still get you very far, no matter what your career path is! Attending music conference, other shows, concerts and speaking with people who are in the industry is a great way to passively pick up some performance opportunities if you play your cards right. Don't be afraid to share your music career with people at any event; it's so easy for someone to say, "Hey, I know a guy who needs a guy!". 

    Gig Booking Sites

    Sites like Reverbnation and SonicBids help with performance opportunities for unsigned bands and musicians. If your budget is too tight to hire a booking agent but you can spare around $20 bucks or less a month, you can get assistance with being pointed in the right direction of securing gigs locally or even nationally. With this option, it is still important to keep yourself consistent in your efforts of music submissions and trying to get your foot in the door, they aren't doing it for you. 

    Start Your Own Small Tour With Your Base 

    Are you getting tons of local love already? If so, consider putting on your own shows! It will take loads of planning, preparation, and a budget, but if you are a rather well-known band or artists with over 500 fans in your area, it may be a good idea to test out your own small performance, or even a tour if you have a good amount of fans in many areas. The key to this method is to have a really dedicated fan base. If your target list is not large and not dedicated to really supporting you, chances are you'll waste a lot of money and get a depressing amount of no-shows come performance time. Just like with parties, if you invite 100 people, realistically around 30 will say, "I'll be there!" and only 10 may show. In the same token, if you promote your upcoming performance to 1000 fans, 300 will say, "I'm going!" and only 100 may show. If you have less than 200 fans in your area, this may not work for you. Be realistic in your planning! 

  • Tips on How To Book A Tour


    music gigs and touringTips On Booking A Music Tour

    Some may think that a few calls to surrounding venues are enough and bam! Your foot is in the door. Not so much. Sadly the reality of the fact is that, if your name doesn't garner in a decent amount of patrons through the front doors or sell tickets...you will be booted from the club.

    Tip 1. Don't have a manager or agent? Booking shows mean living and breathing your iPhone. Sending emails, texting, exchanging numbers and more emails and more texts. From venue operators, supporting band slots to possible cancellations. However, the alternative route is to educate yourself into becoming your own booking/band manager. Taking a few classes via online would benefit that process highly and make the transition a bit smoother.

    Tip 2. Send other bands who could be traveling through your area, a demo or a track. Again sound simple right. Typically most bands will post something on their social media accounts about needing an opening band for said city. Keeping on top and tracking which bands are going to your hometown could be that foot in the door.

    Tip 3. Accounting. No one wants to be an accountant, yet this is a necessary skill to have. Depending on the venue operator, bargaining a few round numbers means splitting the cost of ticket sales, or even the entirety of your ticket sales with the big man that runs the place. If so, have a stocked merch booth because that extra change can go towards gas, food, and pedal to the metal on your mini tour.

    Tip 4. Make a detailed map. If a major record label has not signed your band, that means one thing. Airplanes are out of the picture for now and driving to each show is the only transportation. Making out a detailed time map from point A to point B will save your skin. Between bathroom breaks, traveling on the highway and arriving early enough to do soundcheck. Time-management is all up to you.

    Tip 5. After a few bumps in the road now is your chance to double check everything. Never assume showing up to the gig, venue, club or hole in the wall is still happening. Cancellations happen on a dime's notice. Keep in touch with either the headlining band's manager as well as venue operator. Because if not, it means wasting a tank full of gas and not nearly enough money to the next stop. Plus no one wants to start selling merch on the side of the road (yet that would make for a great story ten years from now).

    Bonus Tip For Music Gigs - Once you've arrived at your tour destination...make friends with the house guy. Yeah, the guy behind the big mixing board in charge of the sound system. Getting on his bad side will cause the sound to diminish and more than likely never to return to that city ever again. Word gets around, so never, never make enemies with the house guy. 

    --
    Kristen Fisher
    Photographer name katcigarette

    websites: bleachnegative.tumblr.com
    dirtylegszine.tumblr.com

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