06/03/2012
1. - If you're band is playing a show, get there early and stay late to support all the bands on the bill. If you guys don't support each other, then how can you expect anyone else to? DON'T sit in your van until it's time to play your set, then race out with your gear immediately after.
We NOTICE these things.. if you dont stick around and support the other bands playing that is one way for us not to book you again. ESPECIALLY when the rest of the bands get there early to see your band but then you split before they play. This is unprofessional and wrong. Network with the other bands! Who knows you might click with them really well and build a relationship and trade shows, go on tour together, etc.
2. - If your band only draws 3 people paid on the door....don't ask for a guest list. As much as we're in this for the right reasons...we still have to consider this is a business. Usually at the very least the sound person is paid off of the door split, so you can't think everyone can come in for free. The more people you want to come in for free, the more money that has to come out of the venue's pocket. When a venue consistently loses money on shows....THE SHOWS STOP! IF YOU DON'T PLAY YOU PAY! It is very simple! And dont think we don't know the carrying in equipment trick.. we do.. and if we see it you will not be booked again.
3. - PROMOTE THE SHOWS and get people out to see your band. It's difficult as a promoter to convince people to come out and listen to local original music. We're in a day and age where people are more content to listen to cover bands because its music they know. The best person to promote your band is you, first and foremost. WE CAN NOT REACH YOUR FANS ALL THE TIME! That is your job! Myspace is a great way to promote but you need to get out there and do more! Go to other shows, pass out demos and flyers, go to the venue and leave some demos and put up posters for your show.. I only see a few bands who actually do this!
4. - You need to bring people out for your shows...friends, family, people you don't even really like. It doesn't matter. There are very few places that allow original musicians to play. If the bar doesn't make money, then they close their doors, and another venue closes for good. HANG AROUND AFTER YOU PLAY! Make your crowd stay and check out the other bands.. one thing that annoys me the most is bands showing up when they are supposed to play... they play the show.. pack up their gear and leave with their fans! Who knows everyone might actually enjoy some of the other bands playing! This is also a great way to keep people in the venue drinking and socializing! Remember.. the bar is a BIG factor in this business.. if the venue makes money at the bar.. they will keep allowing original bands to do shows.. if they arent making money the shows will STOP!
5. - If your band doesn't have a show scheduled one night, but a couple bands you know of are playing.....come out and support them!! Bands need to come out when they're not playing and support other musicians who are playing. Bring copies of your band's cd, talk it up with the bands playing that night, trade shows with them, and just market your band in general to people who are there at the show.
6. - The scene can only exist if you create it. You can't go to a bar and just expect it to be packed with people eagerly awaiting to listen to new music. People are skeptical and chances are they already think you suck before you go on. So you gotta get up there and play and change their minds. Talk to them and pass out burned copies of your cd's for them to take with them. Get their email address from them and build up an email list to announce your shows. Not everyone is on myspace, although it's a great tool to use, not everyone checks their bulletins regularly.
7 - One of the biggest reasons people do enjoy local music is because they can get to know the band individually. They can attach themselves to this smaller band and make it their own. They know they can go to their shows, enjoy some drinks with them, and build up a relationship with them. That's what starts a scene and that's what needs to exist in order for original music to survive.
8. - Don't sit back and say "Why aren't people coming to our shows". Chances are people don't know who the hell you are. Spread the word. a 100 pack of CD-R's are cheap enough. Burn copies of them and pass them out. Even if it's only a 3 song sampler. Give a copy to the kid working the drive thru at Wendy's or pumping your gas at BP. Sure, everyone wants to press some legit cd's and look professional, but that costs money and then you need to sell them to make the money back. Then you're asking people to buy your cd when they don't even know you. If you hand them a simple burned copy, chances are they will throw it in their cd player in the car and check you out.
9. - DON'T BITCH ABOUT THE SET ORDER! If you're given a show and it's the first time playing a venue, chances are that you will be an opener or a closer. Suck it up, play with a good attitude, and I guarantee you'll be invited back to play on a better spot or better show. Especially if you prove you can bring out some people. If your band brings 2 people with them, you can't expect to get the best spot on the lineup. Every promoter keeps track of this stuff. We know who drew well on a show and who bi***ed and cried because they had to play first or last. This business is very much a "give and take" thing. If you can prove to a club that you're serious and you bring out people, we remember that and we make note of it.
10. - DON'T DROP OFF OF SHOWS WITHOUT AN INSANELY GOOD REASON FOR DOING SO!!! If you have a cold, suck it up and play. Dropping on a show with most venues will almost guarantee you'll never play there again. Also...we all talk to each other. If a band drops on me or worse yet just doesn't show up for it...I'm spreading the word about them to several other venues and promoters in the area so they don't have the same thing happen to them. So, when you think you just bailed on a show and might have ticked off some "small time" venue, you never know who they are friends with. Dropping off of one show could get you blacklisted from 5 other venues without even knowing it. WE DO TALK WITH EACH OTHER AND KNOW WHAT BANDS DROP OFF WHICH SHOWS! DROPPING OFF THE WEEK OF/DAY OF IS UNEXCUSABLE. WITHOUT GOOD REASON FROM DROPPING OFF WILL PREVENT YOU FROM PLAYING ANY OTHER SHOW AT OUR VENUE.
11. - EARLY, IS ON TIME ! ON TIME, IS LATE ! Be at the venue when you're supposed to be, READY TO PLAY! DO NOT SHOW UP 5 MINUTES BEFORE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAY AND GET MAD BECAUSE YOUR SET TIME GETS CUT SHORT! WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME FOR SHOWS AND THEY HAVE TO BE OVER BY A CERTAIN TIME. WE WILL NOT CUT ANOTHER BANDS SET TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE ON TIME AND YOU WERE LATE!
We work hard at this, just as you work hard at being a band and making music. There's no one person who works harder than anyone else involved in this scene. Everyone plays some type of crucial part. The kid who goes out and flyers, the bands who create music, the promoters who pull it together, the venues....they're all equal. This doesn't work without everyone pulling together to make this something that people want to be a part of. If we're putting on great shows and spreading the word out to people who might not have an interest in listening to original music, it may change their minds.
IT's ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC...and it's about being a family that rallies around the support of that music!
