How do you get your shows packed?

[illmusician]

Other than being a stud and haveing a band that rocks yes yes that is a given.

Agencies get you a gig but what about your own? Other than a lot of talking how do you get your shows packed? Girls, flyers, girls with flyers, online social networking, running ads, radio, tv?
Promoters play a big part of making money at a show that usually get forgotten about or ignored. One usually hires them on a set amount of time/ work/ pay or they get a cut of the profits from tickets sales. The more they successfully work the more they get paid.

[Din Of Win]

From my experience:

-Myspace/Facebook have done wonders at geting the word out. However, it's become flooded over the past few years.

-REALLY interesting flyers. Hand-drawn flyers are things of beauty. Any kid with MS Paint can make something up, but a rad ink drawing flyer will really catch the eyes.

-Flyer like-minded places. For instance, playing in punk-minded or DIY bands led us to flyer places like the organic markets, local colleges, coffe shops, bars, tattoo shops, art studios, organic/local restaraunts. Just keep in mind the fan base. Like, we wouldnt go and flyer at a mercedes benz dealership or something...

-Word of mouth. All but impossible to start out with, but by really having a good live show, word of mouth tends to be the most powerful force in getting people to a show. And these days "word of mouth" extends to internet-land as well.

-Playing off band-mates' former bands. Lame... maybe. But it works, especially if the new band isn't known. It's one thing to be a random band. But it's a whole 'nother monster to be a random band WITH EX MEMBERS OF SUCH-AND-SUCH.


Hope it helps some!

[dukeisdog]

Originally Posted by Din Of Win

From my experience:

-Myspace/Facebook have done wonders at geting the word out. However, it's become flooded over the past few years.

-REALLY interesting flyers. Hand-drawn flyers are things of beauty. Any kid with MS Paint can make something up, but a rad ink drawing flyer will really catch the eyes.

-Flyer like-minded places. For instance, playing in punk-minded or DIY bands led us to flyer places like the organic markets, local colleges, coffe shops, bars, tattoo shops, art studios, organic/local restaraunts. Just keep in mind the fan base. Like, we wouldnt go and flyer at a mercedes benz dealership or something...

-Word of mouth. All but impossible to start out with, but by really having a good live show, word of mouth tends to be the most powerful force in getting people to a show. And these days "word of mouth" extends to internet-land as well.

-Playing off band-mates' former bands. Lame... maybe. But it works, especially if the new band isn't known. It's one thing to be a random band. But it's a whole 'nother monster to be a random band WITH EX MEMBERS OF SUCH-AND-SUCH.


Hope it helps some!

Just to add to the list,

If you're playing with a few other bands, don't be too scared to announce upcoming shows that they may be playing at. There's nothing wrong with helping another band advertise. You can even ask them to advertise your upcoming shows at some of theirs.

Also, sell tickets, and give out posters at the merch table.

[Din Of Win]

Yep, it's also really not too hard to get a hold of some rudimentary recording device and burn a few CDs with a couple songs on them to hand out!

[illmusician]

Have any tbers used a promoter? or played a showcase that had one... a real one.

[jazzbass_5]

We have around 1400 members on our myspace for our local area and I try to invite as many as I can the week before a gig. Advertise, Advertise, and Advertise!

[illmusician]

so far it sounds like myspace and facebook are still on top for newer bands.

[tplyons]

Twitter is wonderful for something like this... offer free tickets to the first person who DM's you on Twitter... that forces people to follow up to follow you in an attempt to win tickets.

Contests work... basically, try to get involvement up.

Stickers are good, but don't expect to sell them... give them out instead. It will at least get your band's name out there.

Team up with other bands, play benefit gigs, etc.

[Etingi]

Name your band Free Beer.

[Taxt]

Originally Posted by Din Of Win

From my experience:

-Myspace/Facebook have done wonders at geting the word out. However, it's become flooded over the past few years.

-REALLY interesting flyers. Hand-drawn flyers are things of beauty. Any kid with MS Paint can make something up, but a rad ink drawing flyer will really catch the eyes.

-Flyer like-minded places. For instance, playing in punk-minded or DIY bands led us to flyer places like the organic markets, local colleges, coffe shops, bars, tattoo shops, art studios, organic/local restaraunts. Just keep in mind the fan base. Like, we wouldnt go and flyer at a mercedes benz dealership or something...

-Word of mouth. All but impossible to start out with, but by really having a good live show, word of mouth tends to be the most powerful force in getting people to a show. And these days "word of mouth" extends to internet-land as well.

-Playing off band-mates' former bands. Lame... maybe. But it works, especially if the new band isn't known. It's one thing to be a random band. But it's a whole 'nother monster to be a random band WITH EX MEMBERS OF SUCH-AND-SUCH.


Hope it helps some!

That last point is very good my singers last band was very good and always attracted a big crowd because of other bands

[Snakeman1066]

all of the above...

we also have several major universities nearby.....we invade campus and pass out as many flyers as possible....this seems to work really well....

[Microbass]

When using social networking sites DO NOT use some sort of automated machine. yes it takes longer but i generally find a personal invitation/comment on someones profile or pm is much better than some passionless, inhuman spammer.

place stickers everywhere! generally most venues are cool with this - dressing rooms are normally covered in stickers or wall drawings.

[bluewine]

Maybe some of the 55 plus guys will understand my thoughts.

Because of MTV and the way music goes to market. It will be alot togher for younger local bands to pack venues.

Back in the day there was a demographic that was more engaged with true talent, real musicians and good bands. Back in the 70s if the word got out that your band was hot, people would show up, you could pack a place very easily.

Today, a Stevie Wonder or a Ray Charles would not stand a chance, they wouldn't even get signed. I'm glad I grew up in the 60s.

I hate to say this but in age of Brittany Spears, Ashley Simpson, ect. we have trained people to only care about image and not music.

I noticed that when I would take a chic out to a concert, even the chics that were so called music lovers, concert goers, ect. They had no clue what was going on with the band musically or any other level.They are just there to be there and maybe acknowledge the beat. These women would not know if a vocalist was hot or if the sound mix was good, a super hot bass player or drummer, not a clue.

I took a woman to see Jeff Beck and Tal. I explained his career from the Yard Birds, who they were and what they stood for.We were 3 feet away from Jeff, she did'nt get it at all. Geez, we were standing next to Rick Neilson, from Cheap Trick. Even that, meant nothing to her.

I go to shows alone now, it's not worth the aggrivation.

To close, it's better to play to a small corner bar thats packed and you have the people in there drinking and getting into the music, then a larger venue and nobady cares.

[illmusician]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Maybe some of the 55 plus guys will understand my thoughts. Because of MTV and the way music goes to market. It will be alot togher for younger local bands to pack venues. Back in the day there was a demographic that was more engaged with true talent, real musicians and good bands. Back in the 70s if the word got out that your band was hot, people would show up, you could pack a place very easily. Today, a Stevie Wonder or a Ray Charles would not stand a chance, they wouldn't even get signed. I'm glad I grew up in the 60s. I hate to say this but in age of Brittany Spears, Ashley Simpson, ect. we have trained people to only care about image and not music. I noticed that when I would take a chic out to a concert, even the chics that were so called music lovers, concert goers, ect. They had no clue what was going on with the band musically or any other level.They are just there to be there and maybe acknowledge the beat. These women would not know if a vocalist was hot or if the sound mix was good, a super hot bass player or drummer, not a clue. I took a woman to see Jeff Beck and Tal. I explained his career from the Yard Birds, who they were and what they stood for.We were 3 feet away from Jeff, she did'nt get it at all. Geez, we were standing next to Rick Neilson, from Cheap Trick. Even that, meant nothing to her. I go to shows alone now, it's not worth the aggravation. To close, it's better to play to a small corner bar thats packed and you have the people in there drinking and getting into the music, then a larger venue and nobody cares.

+1

I understand all to well what you are posting about. I have had numerous discussions with other musicians about if our musical heroes were not signed in the era they were, they would never be signed today. Could you really imagine 5 55+ year old guys gigging on Rhoads, horns, Clavinets, etc and be signed as a soul group in today's market. It kills me that the musical touch I strive for is not appreciated by all but my peers. Even then most of the time I want to not sound dated, nor do my peers. I like it a lot more when I can see the staff of where ever I am playing getting into it, usually a better payout too. But playing a small venue being the background noise makers is much more depressing than being the early on early off opening act.

[megadan]

Originally Posted by Din Of Win

From my experience:

-Myspace/Facebook have done wonders at geting the word out. However, it's become flooded over the past few years.

-REALLY interesting flyers. Hand-drawn flyers are things of beauty. Any kid with MS Paint can make something up, but a rad ink drawing flyer will really catch the eyes.

-Flyer like-minded places. For instance, playing in punk-minded or DIY bands led us to flyer places like the organic markets, local colleges, coffe shops, bars, tattoo shops, art studios, organic/local restaraunts. Just keep in mind the fan base. Like, we wouldnt go and flyer at a mercedes benz dealership or something...

-Word of mouth. All but impossible to start out with, but by really having a good live show, word of mouth tends to be the most powerful force in getting people to a show. And these days "word of mouth" extends to internet-land as well.

-Playing off band-mates' former bands. Lame... maybe. But it works, especially if the new band isn't known. It's one thing to be a random band. But it's a whole 'nother monster to be a random band WITH EX MEMBERS OF SUCH-AND-SUCH.


Hope it helps some!

Pretty much, couldn't have said it much better.

[funkytoe]

Do you just want to fill a small/medium club or do you want them lined up around the block?

If you want to fill clubs, canvass the local colleges, myspace, flyers are all legit methods that work.

If you want to line them up around the block, you need to create buzz. Do you know any famous musicians? Get one or two of them to come to a gig. Better yet, get a photo of one wearing your band's T-Shirt. I can tell you that Faith No More's paid attendees shot up 10 fold back in 1986 after James Hetfield was photographed wearing a Faith No More T-Shirt that Jim Martin had given him. Between 1983 and 1986 these guys travelled around in a broken van and could barely fill a room. A couple weeks after the photo of Hetfield wearing the T-Shirt appeared in Kerrang magazine, they were lining up around the block. People like Slash and Duff started showing up at FNM's L.A. Shows and asking if they could come onstage to play the encore with the band. Metal writers like Steffan Chirazi started to take notice and FNM's name started to get more and more print. A year later they are on the cover of SPIN.

The point is this... FNM did not all of a sudden become these world class musicians. They were the same band that had been struggling to sell out these small clubs for three years. What they got was BUZZ. They became HOT because the musicians people looked up to like Hetfield and Slash had proclaimed them "Hot."

So start some buzz for your band. Make your concert the place people want to go and be seen. Then, you will not have to worry about selling seats.

One caveat -- Be careful what you wish for. Most struggling bands have a hunger to succeed that makes for some really great music. Successful bands ofter try to recreate some formula that produced past success and wind up losing everything original and exciting about their music and their playing.

Strive to be hugely successful if you like. But strive to be the best band you can be first, foremost and forever.

[rokkitt]

Originally Posted by bluewine

we were standing next to Rick Neilson, from Cheap Trick.

THAT would be friggin AWE some!!!!!!!!


I would just be like....whoa!



ok, I am done being star struck...



big al

[illmusician]

That is a classic; who knows you, who do you know, what you know kind of story funkytoe