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Gathering new fans

Discussion in 'Band Management [BG]' started by oniman7, Apr 18, 2012.

  1. Apr 18, 2012 #1
    oniman7

    oniman7

    Jun 1, 2010
    Saint Augustine, Florida
    When you play out, how do you go about gathering new fans?

    We play out a lot, and we have a draw of up to 50, but that's typically friends and family.
    We are what I like to think of as a good band: facebook.com/themagistrateband

    We are hard hitting but still catchy and musical.
    We are typically the youngest band there (now that we've parted ways with the singer in the recordings, we're all 16 and 17) so we have that going for us. Our stage presence ranges from lacking to pretty awesome.

    Only a few times have we ever made "real" fans who come out to support us at a bunch of our shows without having past affiliation. Our biggest fans are another band that we met when the opener we were playing for (Days of the New) cancelled to go back to rehab and it was only us two.

    What is it about a band that makes people want to remember them?

    Is it an awesome stage show? We've tried a mailing list and that didn't work. We mention our name and social networking sites a lot so people can find us after the show.
    We have merch with our name on it. We stay the whole night, watch other bands, and talk to everybody we can.
    Is it having a CD to take home with them?
    Is it a certain look? Up until just recently, we haven't really focused on look so much.

    I am focused on finding people who like our music and getting them to come out to our shows and/or buy and listen to our music at some point. How do you guys go about that?
     
  2. Apr 19, 2012 #2
    randyripoff

    randyripoff

    Jul 12, 2008
    Chicago
    Hmm...

    There's a few factors I can think of when I get into a new band/artist:

    * Uniqueness - Is there something about you and your band that stands out from everything else? An odd instrument, a different type of voice, a sound that no one else is copping? (ex. Tom Waits, Bow Wow Wow).

    * Presence - Do you put on a good show? Do you have a personality larger than life? Do you captivate the crowd? (ex. Van Halen pre-Sammy Hagar, Devo, Adam Ant, Prince, Barenaked Ladies)

    * Virtuosity - Are you a great musician? Better than most at your instrument? Is there someone who's so good they can pull me out of my chair playing 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star'? (ex. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Primus)

    However, not one of these will make a difference unless the music is rock solid. If I don't like your music first, you can have the most unique sounding band ever, jump around like a bunch of maniacs and play rings around everyone else within a 1000 mile radius and I'm still not going to come back a second time.
     
  3. Apr 19, 2012 #3
    droo46

    droo46

    Jun 16, 2011
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    +1
    If you look at a band from a business perspective, the music is the product. Focus intently on making that desirable and then move on to marketing, ect.