Members mynameistaken Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 I am pretty new to the being in a band and now that we are finally getting our songs down somewhat we need to start thinking about getting some gigs. But i have no idea how to do it. So my question is how do you get a gig? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members room240 Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 Do you know anyone in a gigging band in your area? If so, I would offer to open a show for them (for free). Or you you can bug the sh*t out of the club owner until they either take out a restraining order against you or give you a shot. Either way I would definately have a short demo cd available (no more than three songs, and not the complete song) and a promo pic with a short bio. peace,Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 You find clubs you want to play in and pester them. We have a promo package, but for the most part I haven't found it does much good. Just about every gig I've gotten has been by finding out who does the booking, visiting the club when they're there and talking with them personally. You'll have to be persistent. Don't just drop off a package and wait for a call. It will never come. If they say they'll call you back, they won't. It basically just comes down to persistence and not taking no for an answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cherri Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 You can save yourself some time and aggrievation by researching the area venues, to find those that hire bands in similar musical genre that you play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mynameistaken Posted November 7, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by room240 Do you know anyone in a gigging band in your area? If so, I would offer to open a show for them (for free). Or you you can bug the sh*t out of the club owner until they either take out a restraining order against you or give you a shot. Either way I would definately have a short demo cd available (no more than three songs, and not the complete song) and a promo pic with a short bio. peace, Geoff my bandmates are not that willing to play for free. I am the only NOOB in the group. I kinda fudged my resume so they think i have more "live" experience than i really do. how come only a portion of the song... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VSpaceBoy Posted November 7, 2005 Members Share Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by mynameistaken my bandmates are not that willing to play for free. I am the only NOOB in the group. I kinda fudged my resume so they think i have more "live" experience than i really do. how come only a portion of the song... Soo.. are you a cover band?? If your an original band then don't expect to get hardly any $$. You're in it to get YOUR music out. If you doin' covers then I you should expect to get paid. The reason he said not the WHOLE song is your trying to let whomever hear what you sound like. Like looking at the back of a new book instead of starting at page one. If you try doing whole songs they will tune out after 10 secs if you don't get to a hook or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members worthyjoe Posted November 8, 2005 Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 Originally posted by mynameistaken my bandmates are not that willing to play for free. I am the only NOOB in the group. I kinda fudged my resume so they think i have more "live" experience than i really do. They don't know what to do either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zookie Posted November 8, 2005 Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 Originally posted by worthyjoe They don't know what to do either? Here's what you do: 1. Put together a demo. Doesn't have to be anything fancy. Put 3-5 songs on it that are representative of the range of your band, or put clips from a bunch of songs, again, that reflect your range. 2. Your local newspaper probably has a weekend guide with a listing of who's playing where. Look through the paper for a list of local venues that appear to play your style of music. 3. Is possible, visit a few of these venues (I like spying on future venues) to get a sense of their vibe. Each owner is looking for a specific skill set and a certain quality from their bands. 4. During the week, when things are quieter in clubs, call the venue and ask to speak to whomever does the booking. That person will probably not pick up the phone, so make sure you get a name and, if needed, ask for a good time to call back. Follow through. 5. Ask the booking person what you need to do to be considered for a gig at the club. Follow their instructions to the letter. Sometimes they'll interview you over the phone. Mostly, they'll ask you to drop off a demo. Get the demo to them ASAP. The tough part will be following-up with them. Give them a week to listen to it, then start calling to bug them. 6. Nothing succeeds like success. As you get more gigs, more venues will presume your competence and will be more likely to book you. You may wind up playing a few dives in the early days. The other guys, if they've gigged a lot, should know that each time you organize a new band, you generally start from square one, unless they all have tons of local contacts with venue owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noisewave Posted November 8, 2005 Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 if your bandmates have more experience than you, don't they have any contacts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members room240 Posted November 8, 2005 Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 Originally posted by VSpaceBoy If you try doing whole songs they will tune out after 10 secs if you don't get to a hook or something. Exactly, most club owners are ADD, they don't have the time or desire to listen to a complete tune... Try getting to know the bar staff, a little inside help never hurts. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mynameistaken Posted November 8, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 Originally posted by worthyjoe They don't know what to do either? If i ask them then I will be exposing my ignorance. which is why i am choosing to do it here a little more anonymously. pardon my spelling please. Thanks for your responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mynameistaken Posted November 8, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 Originally posted by noisewave if your bandmates have more experience than you, don't they have any contacts? yes but I would like to contribute as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members worthyjoe Posted November 8, 2005 Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 Yup, basically you need a "press kit" consisting of a basic demo, and 1 page with photo and description/brief bio, 2nd page with a song list or list of artists you cover. I add a 3rd page for ours and list some of the venues we've played. If you are original music then i guess you can just do a demo and 1 page with photo and brief bio and contact info. Put them in a colored pocket folder and start handing them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HuskerDude Posted November 8, 2005 Members Share Posted November 8, 2005 I think the opening for another band thing is your best bet. You probably have friends who are musicians, right? Go to their shows, hang out, and eventually ask them about playing with them. You'll probably make little to no money (something you should get used to if you aren't in some lame cover band), but if you do well, the talent buyer will remember. So will the bands you're playing with and the musicians in the audience. Networking is the best way to get gigs. You'll probably start out playing a lot of thursday nights to a few bitter barflys, but over time, if you're any good, your gigs will get better and better. My band (all-original) plays at least a couple nights a month in the larger bars/clubs in town, and we're in the process of booking a tour, and we've never once even discussed making a "press kit". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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