17 Things Local Bands Just Don’t Get

[Richland123]

17 Things Local Bands Just Don’t Get

What do you think?

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Here is the list.


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Thursday, February 27, 2014
by Ari Herstand

1. Trashing other bands in your scene isn’t hurting their rep. It’s hurting yours.

2. Acting disinterested with folded arms at the back of the room at other bands’ shows does not make you cool. Singing along at the front of the stage does.

3. Looking like a rock star isn’t as important as sounding like one.

4. Image is actually important. Cargo shorts are for dads at a barbecue. Not for musicians on stage.

5. Being respectful and friendly will take you much further than being superior and entitled.

6. Going to other bands’ shows is THE most important thing you can do to support your scene.

7. Your scene’s gatekeepers are friends with each other. Get in with one and you’ll get in with them all. If you piss one off, prepare to be blacklisted.

8. You don’t need press to pack a show. You need Invalid Link Removed

9. Physical promotional materials are still incredibly important. Get out into the world and put up some posters and hand out some flyers. Don’t spend all of your time on Facebook.

10. Facebook is dying. If your entire promotional plan relies on it, you’re doomed.

11. You need to conquer your hometown before you can hit the road. If no one cares about you locally, what makes you think people will care about you anywhere else?

12. Touring means nothing unless people actually show up to your shows. Do not tour unless you know how you’re going to get a crowd at every show.

13. Playing around town all the time weakens your draw. Spread out your shows so you can promote one big show every 6-8 weeks.

14. HOWEVER, when you’re starting off, you need to play out everywhere and anywhere all the time to get practice. Record every show. Once YOU love listening to your live set (and non-friends and non-family tell you they love your band) then you can book real shows and charge a cover.

15. If you suck, you do not deserve to be paid. Get good first. Then you can start charging.

16. No one in the industry cares about how good your music is. They care about how successful you have become on your own.

17. Go out of your way to help others in your scene. It will eventually come back around.

Ari Herstand is a Los Angeles based singer/songwriter and the creator of Ari’s Take. Follow him on Twitter: @aristake

 

[Gaolee]

People don't get those things? They all seem pretty obvious to me. What do I know, though. I only wear dark clothes because I don't want to wake up my wife trying to figure out what matches.

 

[hrodbert696]

Seems to me I know a lot of local bands that know all of this. It really seems more like a rant than anything. Rather interesting seeing #3 and #4 right next to each other. Image doesn't matter... oh wait yes it does. Work ethic means more than promotion... what about one's work ethic at promoting? etc...

 

[Rocker949]

I felt whoever made the list was trying to make it sound more definitive than it really is. It's just his opinion. And my opinion of his opinion, of course, is also just an opinion. There are lots of variables, beginning with the fact that each local scene will have major differences between them, etc. Some of it makes sense, though.

 

[fjadams]

First played in a band in 63. #1 was in effect then as now.

 

[friendlybass]

I like cargo shorts...

 

[SirMjac28]

I wish they would have added something about volume I stopped going to local live music venues because bands are getting louder and louder. I see bands where everyone is wearing IEMs or everyone has a monitor including the drummer and the stage is no bigger than a bar stool playing for a crowd of twenty people. I see full stacks and SVTs with 8x10s blaring so loud it's just a distorted mess so many bands simply can't manage their sound? maybe it's a generational thing and I'm out of the loop.

 

[AaronVonRock]

I think most of this is common sense and agree with pretty much everything on the list except #13. If you played every 6-8 weeks, that's only 7-9 shows a year.

 

[OldPlucker]

I wish they would have added something about volume I stopped going to local live music venues because bands are getting louder and louder. I see bands where everyone is wearing IEMs or everyone has a monitor including the drummer and the stage is no bigger than a bar stool playing for a crowd of twenty people. I see full stacks and SVTs with 8x10s blaring so loud it's just a distorted mess so many bands simply can't manage their sound? maybe it's a generational thing and I'm out of the loop.

It is as if the bands of today are using the big stacks in lieu of or in addition to the rolled up sock in their pants to appear more manly. Too large and too loud makes for indistinguishable noise instead of good music. Sort of like when the groupie finds the sock. My philosophy was to be loud enough to be heard clearly and low enough that they will get closer to the band to dance.

 

[petergales]

I wish they would have added something about volume I stopped going to local live music venues because bands are getting louder and louder. I see bands where everyone is wearing IEMs or everyone has a monitor including the drummer and the stage is no bigger than a bar stool playing for a crowd of twenty people. I see full stacks and SVTs with 8x10s blaring so loud it's just a distorted mess so many bands simply can't manage their sound? maybe it's a generational thing and I'm out of the loop.

+1 for that

 

[SirMjac28]

It is as if the bands of today are using the big stacks in lieu of or in addition to the rolled up sock in their pants to appear more manly. Too large and too loud makes for indistinguishable noise instead of good music. Sort of like when the groupie finds the sock. My philosophy was to be loud enough to be heard clearly and low enough that they will get closer to the band to dance.

I totally agree I find it amusing the same bars and clubs my dad played in the 60's and 70's with cheap little no name tube amps are now being played by bands with full stacks and a sound guy?and my dad's band rocked the crowds out of their shoes.

 

[Jay Corwin]

I disagree with the Facebook statement. That sounds like some old curmudgeon stuff there. In my area Facebook is far more powerful than any other method for promoting shows. I agree that it shouldn't be 100% of your promotional efforts, but it should be at the top (along with other social media). Young people that go to shows aren't roaming around the streets looking for a cool flier staple gunned to a telephone pole.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I wish they would have added something about volume I stopped going to local live music venues because bands are getting louder and louder. .

When I was doing a bit of live music engineering I used to get the bands telling me how the sound on stage was good but occasionally complaints that the FOH wasn't loud enough. My counter was that it sounded good and the bands could hear themselves (not so much fighting against feedback from open mics) and noone in the audience needed earplugs.

I carry earplugs with me to gigs and have been since the late 1990s.

I have a 300W amp and a 1x15. It can cover bars, and somewhere bigger I would hope FOH would help.

Edit: grammar!

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I disagree with the Facebook statement. That sounds like some old curmudgeon stuff there. In my area Facebook is far more powerful than any other method for promoting shows. I agree that it shouldn't be 100% of your promotional efforts, but it should be at the top (along with other social media). Young people that go to shows aren't roaming around the streets looking for a cool flier staple gunned to a telephone pole.

We did a big press, leaflet and poster campaign for a high profile gig and then I did an audience feedback form. Noone that responded had seen any of the leaflets or posters. Direct mail can work. You need to be careful about holding personal information which is why setting up an email group that people can opt in and out of themselves can be helpful.

 

[Mattsochistic]

Be nice, Write from your heart not your ears, Have fun!

 

[ColonelZulu]

6. Going to other bands’ shows is THE most important thing you can do to support your scene.

Ok, I don't disagree...but supporting my scene is not my biggest priority.

If I didn't have a family, a home, two other jobs, homework, I might have time to go out and watch other bands.

But, I'd more likely use that time to practice/rehearse/play out with my band.

 

[Jay Corwin]

We did a big press, leaflet and poster campaign for a high profile gig and then I did an audience feedback form. Noone that responded had seen any of the leaflets or posters. Direct mail can work. You need to be careful about holding personal information which is why setting up an email group that people can opt in and out of themselves can be helpful.

Even email lists are really a thing of the past at least for me. Maybe it's a generation gap type of thing. I haven't bothered with one in years though. Slap an invite up on Facebook and hundreds of people can either opt in and have the show on there calendar or ignore it if they aren't interested, and do it all in about 15 seconds from their phone. Been that way for years now.

I've also booked several gigs through Facebook. That's usually for for younger, hipper places that care about the music at there establishment. There are still plenty of bar owners that operate like the internet hasn't been invented yet though. I rarely deal with them because you know they aren't going to be bothered with helping promote past maybe hanging a sign behind the bar or on the door.

I guess it all depends on your target audience, and the places you intend on playing. Some places have a built in crowd, but in most cases social media is currently the most efficient way to promote for local bands.

 

[brianrost]

I think most of this is common sense

Most people have no common sense, though.

 

[brianrost]

Ok, I don't disagree...but supporting my scene is not my biggest priority.

No scene, no gigs.

If my wife let me I would be out listening to music every night unless I have a gig.

 

[OldPlucker]

I totally agree I find it amusing the same bars and clubs my dad played in the 60's and 70's with cheap little no name tube amps are now being played by bands with full stacks and a sound guy?and my dad's band rocked the crowds out of their shoes.

That was part of the basis for my opinion. I started out playing clubs with a P bass and a B-15. The audience was able to hear us and understand us. End result was we had a decent attendance wherever we played. Good money too because club owners like it when people stay and spend money.