How To Book A Gig For Your Band

The talent buyer will book a monkey banging on a cymbal, if it will draw drinkers to their establishment. Occasionally, you will get a "hip" talent buyer who actually does care about the music and wants to showcase groundbreaking live art. Just know that those types of talent buyers are few and far between. Most of the people who book the music do so because the owner trusts them the most or they are the lead bartender.

Typically, the talent buyer walks a fine line between booking good music, band's that draw well and bands who have fans that are known to drink a lot. The facts of life are that the owner of the establishment has rent, lights and a bar staff that depends on income and tips generated from people who attend the shows. Why should they book your band with no proven track record, when they know they can book one that has a guaranteed draw? Understanding the venue side of things will help you better navigate the waters of getting your band booked.

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(To understand what a "honey badger" is go YouTube and type for the search 'honey badger'. If I post the link here, it would break the Squidoo TOS)

They have heard every song and dance. They know all of the "pitches". When you make the rounds and try to get a gig, be honest and show some integrity. Talent buyers see through the sales pitch and the fakeness. Tell them who you are, the name of the band, what your style is and be genuine. Proper etiquette when you make the rounds is to order a beverage of some kind and spend some time at the place. Try to talk to the bartender a bit to see who the right person is to talk to about a show. Don't be too pushy and don't feel that you are justified to ask immediately about the place and your band. Relax. Enjoy your beverage, slow play it a bit. Spark dialogue with the bartender about non-music related stuff. Maybe ask questions about the bar. How long have they been around? What are the weekends like? You want to make a good first impression and the bartender is always the first step. The best time to go into a venue is during the day or possibly "happy hour". They are less crowded and have a few extra minutes to talk.

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I hear what you are saying......."It's about our music, man. It's about the art." Yes it is, but you also need to understand that from the other side of the coin, this is a business. Understanding and embracing the balance between art and commerce will be crucial to the growth of your band.

If you are a new band with no proven track record, you should take any show you can get. If there are certain days of the week you can not play due to other commitments, know what those are up front. There isn't much wiggle room for your band, in the beginning. The person that will be in charge of getting your band live gigs is called the "Booking Agent". The person at the venue that books the bands is called the "Talent Buyer." The booking agent needs to have a band meeting and ask each individual member what days they can't perform. Those are called the "blackout" dates. On the master calendar, you need to blackout every date the band is unavailable and the agent needs to know what those days are BEFORE they get to the venue. One of the worst feelings in the world is booking a few shows and having to turn around and cancel them because a member is going to be out of town. It makes you all collectively look like chumps, is embarassing and a major pain for the talent buyer. Be more professional and have your schedule with you when you go out to the clubs.

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So, the talent buyer decides to take a chance on you. Now what? How are you going to promote the show? What are you going to do, in terms of marketing, to get the word out? Time is of the essence! It's the little things you do that will reap the most dividends. Do you know someone that is really good at making flyers? Does someone in the band work at a print shop? Are any of your members internet savvy? It's a digital age and in this time, it is easier now for bands to market and promote themselves than at any other point in music. Releasing songs is cheaper than ever before and there are dozens, if not hundreds, of websites to visit, in order to get the word out about your show. If you have a less than stellar draw at your show, the talent buyer might still be willing to rebook you due to all of the effort you've demonstrated. Sometimes having people out there promoting the venue is better advertising than in the local paper. Put forth the effort and establish your band as "hard working". Talent buyers really like hard working bands, as opposed to ones that just show up and collect their payday.

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We've determined that your band wants a gig. Unfortunately, the talent buyer isn't interested or is booked up. So how do you get a gig? The best thing to do in this situation is be professional. Let the talent buyer know that your band would like to be "on call" in case he has a band cancel at the last minute. You would be interested in pick up gigs, if they can give you a little bit of notice. By doing this, you are demonstrating that you can handle being told "No" and still turn the other cheek and be willing to take a few scraps, should he be left in an emergency. This shows the venue that you have some sort of business acumen and are eager to perform.

Another thing you might inquire about is whether the venue has an "Open Mic" or "Open Jam" night. Ideally, being able to go up on stage and play 1-3 songs might be the taste test the venue needs to book a proper show for you.

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You have a lot of options at your disposal, towards landing a performance in front of other people. If you have a new demo, EP or music release that is available for purchase, talk to your favorite local record store and see if they will let you do an in-store performance (electric or acoustic). Record stores are more likely to give you an opportunity than a venue, especially if it will bring in some more foot traffic. There really isn't a point to doing an in-store performance, unless you have a physical product to offer (unless the store wants you to participate in an event, of course).

Acoustic shows at coffee shops are also a way to get noticed. Other types of gigs include : open mic nights, open jams, singer-songwriter nights (those are usually acoustic), and festival slots (depending on the size, you might be able to get your band in the mix - if you're new, take any slot you can get).

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At the end of the day, this is YOUR art. To be true to your art, collectively you and/or your band should be doing everything in their power to get shows and build up some sort of fanbase. Keep in mind that the center theme for all of this dialogue is that you are musicians. Your job is to create music. Stay true to yourselves and hopefully, you will have some industry folks and fans resonate with that and become interested.

I hope that this lens has given you some food for thought. Just because a venue tells you that they are booked up or are not interested in your band, doesn't mean you should not keep plugging along to get a show. Perseverance is the key to success. Once you get a few gigs under your belt, it will get easier. If word gets out that you show moxie, hustle and have a good following, more places will be inclined to give you a chance. Feel free to share your stories and thoughts by either contacting me directly or posting in feedback. Good luck.

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Websites :
MUSICIANS ATLAS | INDIE MUSIC | POLLSTAR | JAMBASE | SONICBIDS | MUSIC XRAY

Books / Magazines / Reference Materials :
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN BOOKING AGENT
THE GIRLS GUIDE TO ROCKING
UNCLE RHYTHM'S COSMIC RIFF & GIG GUIDE
MORE GIGS NOW (Kindle E-Book)