Very true but some still jump up and there might be a call list if a band cancels.
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Booking woes
- Thread starter invader3k
- Start date
Very true but some still jump up and there might be a call list if a band cancels.
Yeah, I fear it's already too late in the season but I'll give it a shot. We actually did play one festival last year, but now they're not having bands this year because it conflicted too much the other stuff they have going on. Ah well, that's how this year's been going.
I took over for the bass player in a working cover band two months ago.
My biggest problem with the band is that it seems they've given up looking for gigs. We are booked monthly at the same bar, (which is nice) but the lead guitarist and I would both like to play out 2-3 times a month. They gave me their go-ahead to help book.
I never knew anything could be so frustrating. 50 emails/Facebook messages with maybe two responses. I'm definitely going to be shaking some hands in the near future.
We play some of the same material you guys do. Another problem is that cover bands in the Cleveland region are a dime a dozen. We were welcomed back to two festival slots, but it seems most summer events were booked back in February. I'm making a list for 2014 to get a jump on them.
My biggest problem with the band is that it seems they've given up looking for gigs. We are booked monthly at the same bar, (which is nice) but the lead guitarist and I would both like to play out 2-3 times a month. They gave me their go-ahead to help book.
I never knew anything could be so frustrating. 50 emails/Facebook messages with maybe two responses. I'm definitely going to be shaking some hands in the near future.
We play some of the same material you guys do. Another problem is that cover bands in the Cleveland region are a dime a dozen. We were welcomed back to two festival slots, but it seems most summer events were booked back in February. I'm making a list for 2014 to get a jump on them.
Thing is what happens if that one steady gig falls apart. Then youre a band with no gigs and that's dangerous.
Booking is not the most fun part of being in a new band and it's going to be frustrating.
Think about putting together a plan with achievable booking goals.
You don't want to go into it "willy nilly" aimlessly knocking on one door after the other.
Get a pitch together that sells your band.
Ultimately you want to find at least a half dozen bar/clubs that will put you in a rotating booking spot, meaning your booked at each club every 2-3 months.
Blue
Yeah, good idea. My big mistake was waiting until late February to start trying to book for the summer...last year that was plenty of lead time, but not this year apparently. I should have been on things right after New Year's. Live and learn.
We just got asked last night by one of our regular bars to play their place during our town's biggest music festival of the year in late August. Still doesn't solve my June/July problem, but at least it's something. It will be a nice feather in our cap, as the place should be packed all day.
re: Facebook messaging. I've found it can really be hit or miss. Sometimes someone will respond to me right away and I can at least get the contact person's name and info. Other times I get your experience and absolutely nothing. I think like mellowinman said, you just need to keep plugging away. Any point of contact can't hurt unless you just make yourself completely annoying.
We just got asked last night by one of our regular bars to play their place during our town's biggest music festival of the year in late August. Still doesn't solve my June/July problem, but at least it's something. It will be a nice feather in our cap, as the place should be packed all day.
re: Facebook messaging. I've found it can really be hit or miss. Sometimes someone will respond to me right away and I can at least get the contact person's name and info. Other times I get your experience and absolutely nothing. I think like mellowinman said, you just need to keep plugging away. Any point of contact can't hurt unless you just make yourself completely annoying.
It's true. A lot of musicians are schlubs. Around here there seems to be a preponderance of bands that seem to have their "stuff" together though. There seem to be a couple very active booking agencies too. I'm kind of reluctant to go that route though.
Just a quick update: I went pounding the pavement earlier this week and visited a half dozen venues we haven't played yet. A couple seemed like possibilities, but nothing has happened yet.
We're going to record a semi-professional five song demo at a studio in Madison in June. We're hoping this will give us some more credibility and a tool to help get us into some new places. Otherwise, it looks like our gig this Saturday will be our last until August.
We're going to record a semi-professional five song demo at a studio in Madison in June. We're hoping this will give us some more credibility and a tool to help get us into some new places. Otherwise, it looks like our gig this Saturday will be our last until August.
1) Go see some local bands.
2) Choose a couple that you like and would like to play a show with.
3) Choose a venue that you would like to play, and could fill to 80%.
4) Propose a full lineup to the booking person at the venue.
5) Market the heck out of the show so you fill the room.
2) Choose a couple that you like and would like to play a show with.
3) Choose a venue that you would like to play, and could fill to 80%.
4) Propose a full lineup to the booking person at the venue.
5) Market the heck out of the show so you fill the room.
This was mentioned above, but getting on the alternate list can lead to gigs. We got a gig in Jan with 4 days notice when a band backed out. We played well and they got is in 2x since then.
We are booking fall gigs now, but dont have a lot of summer gigs planned since our guitarist is out of town a lot this summer
We are booking fall gigs now, but dont have a lot of summer gigs planned since our guitarist is out of town a lot this summer
Well, that's the other thing. Maybe not applicable to the OP's situation, but if you want to be busy during peak season, you have to be AVAILABLE during peak season.
That was the biggest reason I left my previous band. They didn't want to gig more than one weekend a month from May-Sept because that was motorsports season and two of the members were really into that scene. Well around here that's exactly when cover bands make hay because that's when the bulk of the high-paying gigs happen (street dances, private parties, etc.). After word got out that our band didn't take a lot of summertime gigs, it wasn't long before we quit getting offered. I split that band and joined another one that made themselves much more available and in the first two months with that band I played more gigs than I had played the entire year before with my other one.
Not saying everyone needs to put their personal lives on hold and gig hot and heavy all summer long... but the decision to back off during prime gigging season should be one that the whole band buys in to and not imposed on the rest by one or two members.
Yeah, that's definitely not our problem. By and large we are all available to play when gigs are available. Good point though. I will also try to get us on some "alternate lists" with some of the local bars and such.
I feel very validated after our latest gig this past Saturday night. Place we had never played before...we kept it packed the whole night, and the place was dancing from the first song (which pretty much never happens) until the very last. Very good possibility we get re-booked there. Unfortunately, I still have this three month gap in our schedule to contend with, but it felt good to go out with a bang, if it's indeed our last gig for a while.
I feel very validated after our latest gig this past Saturday night. Place we had never played before...we kept it packed the whole night, and the place was dancing from the first song (which pretty much never happens) until the very last. Very good possibility we get re-booked there. Unfortunately, I still have this three month gap in our schedule to contend with, but it felt good to go out with a bang, if it's indeed our last gig for a while.
Another thing I have noticed about this time of year is that short notice gigs seem to pop in more. We had the same thing with a very open June and now have the possibility of 3 gigs dropping in since last week. One is a club gig, one a biker fest and the other an outdoor private gig. So be patient and don't panic and keep networking and it will pay off.
That is true. I'm hoping we'll have at least a couple of those pop up. I did get one guy talking to us at our last gig about having us play a private party. I gave him my card. We'll see if he calls me or not.
Yup. These are usually one of two scenarios: 1) Event planner/club owner dropped the ball and didn't get a band booked sooner (or with multi-band events, realized they are a band short and all their first choices are already booked elsewhere... ) OR 2) Previously booked band cancels on a gig (member gets sick or injured, somebody quits, or one of the members remembers that's his anniversary and they can't get a sub... whatever). In those cases you can really be a hero by coming in on short notice and delivering big.
Reason #1 for the biker fest
Reason #2 for the club gig
The outdoor was just a late booked fundraiser which we will probably turn down since we will have to slug our PA...with subs for an outdoor...and play an hour for little to no pay in the hot sun. I've already cast my vote.
Yup. That's why we absolutely refuse to do any free gigs anymore. Our very first gig with this band was a free show for a local festival. We partly did it because our guitarist's employer was a major sponsor. They liked our show and said they would bring us back the following year, with pay. The following year, they called us up to be the opener again, but wanted to pay us in free beer and food again. We balked. It was particularly galling because we knew the headlining band was going to get well over two grand, but they couldn't throw even a couple hundred bucks our way.
*bump*
No worse feeling than having people constantly asking you, "Hey, you guys have any gigs coming up soon?" and having to keep saying, "No, not until August." This sucks. I'm calling and emailing places like crazy, stopped into a bunch of places last week, and so far nothing. Just feels like I'm exerting a lot of effort for no return.
No worse feeling than having people constantly asking you, "Hey, you guys have any gigs coming up soon?" and having to keep saying, "No, not until August." This sucks. I'm calling and emailing places like crazy, stopped into a bunch of places last week, and so far nothing. Just feels like I'm exerting a lot of effort for no return.
Shoot man, some of us don't even have a chance. My band has two members who live off summer jobs. No choice but to go on hiatus every year.
