You have brought together three or four of the optimum musicians in town, and they’re jamming to your tunes. You have spent days and evenings writing and rewriting lyrics, and you have been working hard to optimum your sound. Finally, following many months of practice, you are ready to reap the advantages of your hard work. But how do you begin?
As a new band, the idea of booking your first show may prove to be a daunting task. However, it doesn’t have to be. By following these easy steps, you may turn a apparently overwhelming process into a productive one.
Making sure that the members of the performer are all on the same page is an essential 1st step in the booking process. Agree on a number of concert per month that everyone will play. Put together a performance of your optimum songs and make a demo. Your demo ought to not include full-length songs ; several short snippets of your strongest material will showcase your band’s strengths and will sell your performer to potential Clubs with little or no quest. With your demo, include a photo of the band, a short statement about the music or genre that the performer plays, and your contact information, including the band’s web site. Decide what Clubs you’re interested in playing and how much you’ll charge them for playing, if anything. Getting these details out of the way early will create wonderful communication among the performer members, thus avoiding misunderstandings in the future.
Next, do your research. Scope out the Local/Regional scene; find out who your competition is, which artists performance where, what Venues cater to your specific sound, and who your target audiences is. Talk to seasoned Local/Regional acts; a number of times times, your fellow artists will be your optimum sources of information. Getting to know your competition, your audiences and your Local/Regional scene will prove to be an indispensable tool when you are selling yourself to venue owners and booking agents. additionally, be open to anything. Limiting yourself to venues and bars will hinder your occasions of booking your band. Find out about open-mic nights in your area, offer to open for other artists for free and find out about Local/Regional fairs and festivals where your performer might get some exposure.
When you are out and about checking out potential Venues, ask for the names of the people responsible for booking performers at that location. Get their contact information and keep track. Use all of your contacts and, when calling them, be brief and to the point. Ask them If they have time to talk, and if not, when it would be a wonderful time to contact them. Ask for permission before submitting your demo. Be persistent, but not pushy, and realize that it will take some time to get that job. Once you do get the gig, be sure to discuss payment, if any, as well as what you will need to bring as opposed to what the Venue will offer. Be professional and be honest.
With determination, a little know-how, and some clever self-promotion, you may land that first show and be on your way to success in no time.
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