• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Getting great gigs

Naggon

Naggon

Nov 8, 2006
215
24
Vancouver, BC
#1
So, my band has been playing the same kinda small crappy pubs for the past three years or so, and I'm sure we're ready to move on to bigger things.

Those of you who have been successful at doing this: how did you do it?

I've been shooting emails and sending demos to all the local venues, managers, and promoters....and it's working sometimes, but not as much as I'd like. I always find it frustrating when I go to a big concert, and the opening band is just....well...terrible. How do these bad bands get these great shows, and how can my band get them instead?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!:D
 
#2
BUMP

cmon, you know that feeling you get when a bandmate calls you up and says "I've got some good news...I just got us a spot opening for (some big band)!!!"

Isn't that one of the best feelings ever? For me, theres not one single thing I like more in the world than playing an awesome show, the bigger the better. I know lots of you guys agree with me, so help me out eh!:bassist:
 
#3
one common response to these sorts of questions is to befriend local musicians and bands (and club owners) who get (host) the big gigs.

then when your local big draws need to fill a spot, they call you.

Other than that, evidence that you can consistently draw a big crowd is a sure sell.
 
#7
hmmm...so, networking, seems to be the main thing, and kindof an obvious one. I aussume this just takes time, and going to shows, intoruducing yourself, etc.

As far as releasing some recordings, how important do you guys think it is to have a really professional sounding one over a home made demo? My band's been thinking about hitting a good studio, but one of my bandmates wants to wait until we're more ready, have lots of bigger shows, etc. We've kindof been arguing over which should come first/can you have one without the other?

If you guys have a minute, give a quick listen to the recordings on my myspace Link Removed and let me know how much of a priority getting professional recordings should be. How far can we go with what we've got?

Thanks!
 
#8
Those songs on myspace should be good enough and you sound tight enough as a band.

However, I wasn't too convinced about the vocals; he sings in tune and so, but his phrasing (and perhaps a bit his voice character) could be improved. Has he had any lessons? A teacher or at least some singing instruction CD's/books could be useful for him. I'm taking lessons, and I got a practice CD yesterday made by a guy named Roger Kain. That one suits a lot of music including rock and metal well. Steven Taylor actually participate on that one.. I could sing fairly well before starting taking those lessons, but it has been very interesting anyhow and I've learned a lot of new things and expanded my vocal abilities. Really worth considering.

EDIT: This is the CD I got: http://www.singers.com/instructional/rogerkain.html, "Complete Vocal Workout", the first one on the page.
 
#9
We do a lot of promoting, have built up a nice little fanbase, we get quite a bit of airplay on a local rock station, and we are on top of booking gigs. We play latenight afterparties at larger venues when a big touring band comes to town.

I think a lot of it boils down to how professional you are and how well your band name is known in the area.
 
#12
Naggon said:
So, my band has been playing the same kinda small crappy pubs for the past three years or so, and I'm sure we're ready to move on to bigger things.

Those of you who have been successful at doing this: how did you do it?

I've been shooting emails and sending demos to all the local venues, managers, and promoters....and it's working sometimes, but not as much as I'd like. I always find it frustrating when I go to a big concert, and the opening band is just....well...terrible. How do these bad bands get these great shows, and how can my band get them instead?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!:D
Click to expand...

isn't there a promo 101 thread or something like that?

better gigs and venues come with band growth....i'm sure there are 100 threads on here about that....

playing the same 4 pubs will get you nowhere. you need to play everywhere all the time to get your music out there and heard. open for every local band you can. promote like crazy...my band has probably hung up 30,000 flyers and passed out 4,000 free cds in our day.

pack the small club in a town...then the medium club will take notice....then pack that club....and the big club will take notice...pack that club and you'll be in line for national acts..

yes networking is a part of it but you need to get to a certain level before it will make a huge difference....ie if you just play a few pubs on the west side of the state networking contacts will not get you a huge gig on the east side of the state (generally).

basically just play your ass off....promote like crazy....network...and keep your fingers crossed.
 
#13
Bayou_Brawler said:
playing the same 4 pubs will get you nowhere. you need to play everywhere all the time to get your music out there and heard.
Click to expand...

Thats sorta the trouble :D I'm trying to figure out how to do that. Fully agree with ya though!

Bayou_Brawler said:
promote like crazy...my band has probably hung up 30,000 flyers and passed out 4,000 free cds in our day.
Click to expand...

Hmm...yes, I've been thinking about stuff like this...but do you guys really find that postering is that effective? I once put up over 1000 posters in a relatively small area (just the residence part of my university campus) and the show just bombed anyhow...I havent done much postering since, but I was thinking of giving it another go anyhow.

As for the CD thing, I know that works, its just sometimes a financial difficulty :p But hey, you've inspired me Bayou! Its all about the tireless work...I'm gonna stop wasting time and start shamelessly advertizing!:bassist:
 
#15
It's all pretty simple....

You need to play music people like enough so that they are willing to take the time to see you. Once you have that down you then need to keep them well informed on when you are playing and give them reason to come back.

Once you do this and have a following it gets pretty easy, club owners want people in their bar/club who spend $. If your bringing them in they're happy, ask you back and the word spreads quickly.

It has to start with really good music and that is not easy or sometimes even definable....
 
#16
invader3k said:
A lot of times the reason those opening acts aren't that great is because they're playing for free. I know of a venue not far from here that gets local bands to play for free before the big name national acts play. The local guys figure they're at least getting exposure, I guess.
Click to expand...


Haha, yeah, I have no problem with this at all. I'd love to open for a big name band for free, any day! I've heard people say that bands who play for free are cheap, or sluts, or whatever, but you know what? I'm playing because I love to play. Any money at all is an extra. 99.9 percent of bands don't make it anyhow, so I'm not gonna sit around snobbishly aussuming that everyone had better pay me the big bucks because I need to make a living off this.

peterpalmieri said:
You need to play music people like enough so that they are willing to take the time to see you..
Click to expand...

Thats always the trick isn't it :) I'd like to think I'm doing that. We all try our best to do it, don't we? Well, give my songs a listen and let me know if you think I'm succeeding :D

Link Removed (let the shameless self promotion begin!:D )
 
#17
Naggon said:
Thats sorta the trouble :D I'm trying to figure out how to do that. Fully agree with ya though!:
Click to expand...

Like we said you have to network and promote and play like crazy. open for other bands. the best way to get into a venue you want to play is to open for a band playing at that venue. Also, like i said find a small place YOU CAN play in the town with your ideal venue....promote like crazy....build a crowd..then approach your ideal venue it that town.

in relation to opening for a band to get into a venue....there have been many times where a venue will just flat out ignore us even though we are MORE than qualified to preform there...we open for a band that we know there....all of a sudden that venue wants to book like 4 shows with us 6 months out....sometimes you just got to get your foot in the door somehow...



Naggon said:
Hmm...yes, I've been thinking about stuff like this...but do you guys really find that postering is that effective? I once put up over 1000 posters in a relatively small area (just the residence part of my university campus) and the show just bombed anyhow...I havent done much postering since, but I was thinking of giving it another go anyhow.
Click to expand...

i know it works. it's a time old tradition...tried and true. you have to be smart and put them where people will see them. one town we play a lot is a walking town so we cover the streets with heavy foot traffic (we'll put up 300 for a show easy).....one town may have light foot traffic but a university...so we cover the university...and ask local stores to hang one...etc..etc...also spread small handbills around..

but yes it works. maybe not right at first but you NEED to get your name out there....say for the first show you flyer for...100 people walk by and think "hmmm i don't know who that band is i'm not going to go see them".....the next show 100 people walk by a flyer and think "hmmm i guess they play around here a lot MAYBE i'll check them out sometime"....the third time you play that town 100 people walk by the flyer a few think "man i see those guys name everywhere...my friend saw them and they said they were good i'll go check them out"...the next show 100 people walk by the flyer and 20 people think "i've heard of those guys....i know a bunch of people who have seen them...i'm going" and on and on....it's a long process but you have to give it time to snowball.

you have to get your name out there. you have to let people know you are playing. how else are they going to know??? you think people are checking your website and myspace page?

Naggon said:
As for the CD thing, I know that works, its just sometimes a financial difficulty :p But hey, you've inspired me Bayou! Its all about the tireless work...I'm gonna stop wasting time and start shamelessly advertizing!:bassist:
Click to expand...

again you think people are listening to your myspace page track or website? you and your band need to make 200 cds....find three shows that will have a decent crowd and in the same genre of music...and go pass out those cds...how else are people going to hear you?

it's a long process man. my band smokes, if i do say so myself (not because of me though :) ), and we were playing for dead rooms for over a year....and we still do from time to time....it takes time and a lot of work.
 
#18
Bayou_Brawler said:
say for the first show you flyer for...100 people walk by and think "hmmm i don't know who that band is i'm not going to go see them".....the next show 100 people walk by a flyer and think "hmmm i guess they play around here a lot MAYBE i'll check them out sometime"....the third time you play that town 100 people walk by the flyer a few think "man i see those guys name everywhere...my friend saw them and they said they were good i'll go check them out"...the next show 100 people walk by the flyer and 20 people think "i've heard of those guys....i know a bunch of people who have seen them...i'm going" and on and on....it's a long process but you have to give it time to snowball.
Click to expand...

wow, man, thats really good. I'd never though of it that way, and I've even been conned by that trick myself many times :P Makes perfect sense! I'll start putting em up as soon as I get out of work.....
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back