At what point do I have to stop calling back to get gigs?

We have a decent resume, are well liked by the houses we play at and have a better than average sound...we always have gigs and get the $$ we ask for but it seems I always have to make the follow up calls and ask about available dates...

At what point should people be calling us back to ask if we are available or do I just resign myself to the fact that there are a bunch of bands hounding every pub,club and restaurant owner for gigs so it's just easier for them to wait for the bands to call and that that's just the way it is?

We're in central NJ.

Been supporting myself as a singer/picker for 27+ years...about 80% of all my gigs involve me calling them back, even places I've played for many years...

Just the nature of the biz...

Shortly after your first platinum album. Maybe.

They have people calling them all week for bookings. It's up to you to be one of them.

I'm in central NJ as well. I've played almost every club there is to play in the region over the last 10 years. I think 2 times ever, did a club booker/manager/owner call me to book a show.

Usually, you must make multiple phone calls or go in person and usually you're completely blown off anywhere from 5-10 times. The plain fact is they have hundreds of bands calling them, they don't need to call anybody. You have to be the squeeky wheel.

If they like you and ask you back, THAT's when you say, "Let's talk!" Whip out your day planner right in front of him/her, so the club knows you're serious.

It will never be easy to get into a club for the first time, but once you're in, work the connections that you've made. Why waste any opportunity?

Once you hire somebody ELSE to call back and get gigs for you.

As others have said, it's the nature of the game.

Thanks...this helps me from being too discouraged.

The best way like someone else said is to do it right after your show...when they say they want you back. Whip out your calender and say when. We did this for years and basically worked 2 nights every weekend.

They will call you when you are drawing more than everybody else that they book into their club. If your crowd drinks alot then they will like you even more. Its all about how much money you bring them. Its the music BUSINESS. At least that is my experience. Otherwise, you better pick up the phone and make them remember you.

A little follow up 2 years later (lol!)...our band is booked every weekend and now we have at least one place calling us for dates. It was tight there for a while but if you're good enough and believe...you know.

www.stillsmallvoice.info

So let me get this straight:

You are in a position where you can call a club. Book a gig. Get the money you ask for. And then call and get another gig and repeat the process?

Are you too lazy or spoiled to go to the effort and lift the receiver? I mean seriously... {censored}.

You don't know freelance work very well, do you

What restaurant manager would have the time for that, seriously? They're very busy people. Squeaky wheel gets the gig!

To be honest, we're too good. We pack all the places we play and we're better than 90% of the cover acts out there (I always knew we were). Now when we finally secure a gig in a place (past the other 100's of beggin bands - the real hard part) we're a lock and the managers are calling US to book/play. They know WE put asses in the seats...and we aint cheap either.

It's great to enjoy the fruits of your effort.

oh..I've got to call someone back now...she just called wanting to book us for the spring. lol.

Dude. Too good? Obviously you aren't too good, or they WOULD be calling you back. I think the market dictates your worth not the other way around.

I'm sure even U2 has a guy in some office somewhere that calls arena owners and books them places, thats how the business works.

Is picking up the phone that hard, or is your ego just in the way?

Just too busy. We now have people steadily calling us for gigs. Hardest part of booking now is telling people "Sorry, we can't".

I'll live with that!

so whats the problem then?

The thread was 2 years old at the beginning.

He just updated it to say that they don't have the problem they had at the beginning.

You have to look around post 11 where he says

One big thing, I think, is to see what other band they have going there. You need a sales pitch, kind of. If you see some holes in the other bands, focus you pitch of how your band can fill those gaps.

I've always done very well for myself and the bar, to suggest new directions. I just started doing a solo thing for a new place on my bi-weekly open Thurs nights. She can find a nice acoustic niche, that's not right around for the rich boat yard folks round here in the summer, but many have summer houses that they can use year round.

Find a spot that works for them and talk specifically about that spot. It's all marketing.

Whip out your day planner right in front of him/her, so the club knows you're serious

That's so big. Most of us don't do contracts and I've been screwed a bunch of times on things like the nephew's band at a place in Ply, MA. If you show the day-timer, that's pretty formal. He sees you writing that in- that's big.

Always have a contract. I never used to use one till one night, after the gig, the bar owner (while counting stacks of twenties) said "Sorry just didn't make enough tonite" and paid us half what we'd agreed on.

Contracts will also protect you if the club double books and tries to cancell at the last minute. And if it's an outdoor gig always have a bad weather clause that lets you get some cash even if the show is rained out.

If you have a history with the club, they should have no problem with a contract as it protects them as well. In my current band we have a list of backup players incase somebody gets sick and all 3 singers know every song (once I lost my voice for 3 weeks).

Remember some club owners will try to get out of paying no matter what. Once, at a door gig , the owner complained that too many people left even though we had 200 people pay the cover and he sold out of bud, bud light, miller lite, and coors. we had a rider that let us get a couple of cases to go (so we could party after the gig as cut off time here is 1 am) and he didn't want to honor it. the place had seating for 40 so I think we did our job.

As an aside we charge more for 1 niters.