low turn-out for gig

[comatosedragon]

Is it okay on the exterior of the box? Maybe the post supporting it?

Nope. My mother has been a postmaster for close to 26 years. Even putting the flag up on some random mailbox or putting anything inside is considered a federal offense. Attaching anything to the mailbox is also. That means those guys who distribute phone books and hang the bag from your mailbox ARE breaking the law. Tough to enforce, but technically illegal.

 

[Callused Finger]

Just keep going. Play as much as you can. Eventually things will build if the music is worth listening to.

GL!

 

[ak56]

Is it okay on the exterior of the box? Maybe the post supporting it?

Section 1725 of Title 18 of the United States Code states that Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such offense be fined under this title.

The Domestic Mail Manual (which you can find on the Internet at www.usps.com) goes into more specifics. It states that no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle.

 

[SactoBass]

The best way to promote your band is with good music.

Yep by golly, that'll do it!

It's kinda like hoping for success with running a restaurant. If the food is awesome, humans will flock to it as if the restaurant is giving away packs of $100 bills. If the food sucks, so will business!

 

[SactoBass]

Stop trying to figure out "how" to get people to your shows and start thinking "why" someone would come to your show.

Marketing is all about thinking like the customer, not like the business.

Well stated! All too often, humans focus on what is in their own minds, rather than what is in the minds of others.

 

[GManfromOz]

It's sad, but people have so many entertainment options at home these days, the cost and risk of DUI keep people from attending shows. What time did the show start? I can't figure out why venue managers haven't figured out that shows that end at 1:00/2:00 am are no longer a thing.

Watch touring musicians. Opener goes on at 7:00. Main act at 8:00, show over by 10:15. Why do bars think that pattern is only for well known bands.

Yes, this!

And after a lifetime in advertising I can honestly say that half of the money spent on every campaign is wasted ... you just never know which half.

 

[electracoyote]

There is so much more to it than being a good band that plays good music. Keep patiently building your network, it's a process.

Sometimes the room doesn't have a good reputation for good music because of bad or inconsistent choices. Not your fault.

Sometimes you're playing the right music in the wrong room and the regulars find something else to do that weekend. Not your fault.

 

[Odinbass]

Every band plays a stinker now and then. It happens.

 

[sean_on_bass]

If a band was leaving flyers anywhere on my property, I would blackball them on principle. Junk mail is only annoying. Don't be that band.

Haha, yep, same here. Thing is, people don't just go to random rock shows. Put as many fliers up as you want, where ever you want, it won't make a difference. For an original rock band, you have to work pretty long and hard to gain a following. Assuming the music is good enough of course. A cover band is a much easier sell. I've actually seen good cover bands slowly expand their originals over time to the point of becoming an original band. Once they got to that point they already had a good following and regular gigs from the cover stuff. They were a Grateful Dead cover band that eventually had a full lineup of original material that was actually good and went over great with the dead heads.

 

[RoadRanger]

I've actually seen good cover bands slowly expand their originals over time to the point of becoming an original band.

You mean like the Rolling Stones and other obscure bands? LOL. Dunno why modern original bands think they are too good for that...

 

[sean_on_bass]

You mean like the Rolling Stones and other obscure bands? LOL. Dunno why modern original bands think they are too good for that...

"Artistic integrity" haha. But seriously, it's a great way to ease yourself into the market. Bonus, you might actually get PAID to play somewhere.

 

[rtslinger]

Look at this reality of these 22 places we gigged in the past couple of years 15 are gone. And these are closed. Now this is say the past few years or so we had gigs at these clubs. Many others have gone before these that aren't even listed that is a scary stat.
1. LUNA ROSSA – CLIFTON gone

2. CLOUD 9 – PATERSON gone

3. SIDE DOOR - POMPTON gone

4. OLD FORGE – RINGWOOD gone

5. JIGGS - BUTLER

6. SMITH BROTHERS – RIDGEWOOD gone

7. COSMO’S – HARRISON gone

8. HUDDLE INN – FAIRFIELD gone

9. WATERLOO SUE’S – HACKENSACK gone

10. THE DOG HOUSE- WASH.TWP

11. EMERSON HOTEL - EMERSON

12. HANSIL’S - OAKLAND

13. DELMONICO’S – CLOSTER gone

14. BOGEY’S – CLIFTON

15. CARUCCI’S – SADDLE BROOK gone

16. SHORTWAYS – HAWTHORNE

17. AVENUE GRILL – PASSAIC gone

18. PAVINCI’S – LAKE HOPATCONG

19. 5th AND FRONT – SECAUCUS gone

20. MILANO’S – CLIFTON gone

21.THE PHOENIX CLUB-HASKELL gone

22. JKS Boat house gone

 

[EMoneySC2]

I'm a fan of the idea of creating lots of content for your fans, mostly since I'm into YouTube. The more I know about a band, the more likely I am to engage with them on social media and in real life. Pictures, videos, whatever you can muster up on a regular basis that people can be a part of.

That said, it's a lot of work and it requires quite the commitment, which is why I haven't fully gone for it yet...I like to think that it'd be a great way to build and audience that actually shows up to concerts, but since I haven't tried it yet I can't say for sure.

 

[sm49341]

lI've actually seen good cover bands slowly expand their originals over time to the point of becoming an original band...

Im not in a originals band, but if i was this would be exactly my plan. Get established doing popular covers, build a reputation, build skills, then slowly introduce an original, then another. Then when youve got enough, branch out as your own act. Seems this is how the young Nashville stars have always done it. I think its called paying your dues....

 

[vulturedog]

Wow been here done this! This is why when my last band broke up (we did originals) I decided to join a cover band.... became tired of playing gigs with 3 people in the crowd .... cover bands (as long as your good) normally get a bigger draw and better venues. People are so distracted today you have a lot to compete with! Also look at album sales from the 1970's to today... big drop off especially people going to live concerts not many bands playing big arenas any more they play smaller venues this is current trend but it won't last forever ....but truly nothing is better than listening to your favorite band play live!

 

[Tony In Philly]

 

[wintremute]

Lots of good thought and advice in this thread.

Here's my suggestion. When you play with other bands, get all of the bands to agree to "talk up" each other, to try to get the fans to stick around.

For example, the opening band could say something like "Next up is XXX, a great band with some good grooves. And make sure you stick around for YYY, they've got some hot new songs." The middle band(s) could give props to the previous band and talk up the next band, and the closing band could give props to all of the other bands.

Also, when you're not playing, get in the crowd and do some talking. Get some feedback. Get personal. Be a face for the band. Talk about things other than you or the band so that you seem like a real person. If you see a fan of one of the other bands, talk to them and talk about the band they like. Socialize.

 

[tbz]

I saw Tosin's OG band Reflux play to like 13 people at the Knitting Factory in LA in 2004. Reflux tour schedule | Comments | Lambgoat. That was despite the fact that they were signed, and that all three instrumentalists in that band were shaging AMAZING.

Quality doesn't really matter. Unless you're so amateurish that it's uncomfortable to watch or listen. So it's weird people are asking about things like set lists. Probably should ignore any advice that mentions that, as again, not relevant. I've seen stadiums full to the brim to see bands that can't play as well as guys I've seen jamming right before closing time, to 6 people, at the Potato.

Unless I'm missing something, no one in your band is famous, so reason #1 why people go to shows in 2017 is *right* out the window. People's music watching habits are extremely boring in this day and age, and tend towards "maybe I'll go to a concert or something a few times a year, then take a selfie that prominently features me in front of the stage."

In 2017, just flyer-ing and asking friends to show up won't yield favorable results. Flyers worked in the pre-internet era because people literally had nothing to do on the weekends and would then see a band flyer and think "well, let's do that." In the age of social media that process doesn't work the same way. Everyone with an internet connection always has something better to do, than to pay to see an amateur band that's begging them to attend.

So, honestly, unless you're in a town with an active scene, and you're working to be a member of that, or are doing paid cover gigs, it's better to make YouTube videos than gig.

Hit 20,000 subscribers on YT, *then* do a show. If you're lucky maybe 100 people will show up.

 

[tbz]

Haha, yep, same here. Thing is, people don't just go to random rock shows. Put as many fliers up as you want, where ever you want, it won't make a difference. For an original rock band, you have to work pretty long and hard to gain a following. Assuming the music is good enough of course. A cover band is a much easier sell. I've actually seen good cover bands slowly expand their originals over time to the point of becoming an original band. Once they got to that point they already had a good following and regular gigs from the cover stuff. They were a Grateful Dead cover band that eventually had a full lineup of original material that was actually good and went over great with the dead heads.

Flyers worked at very specific times in history.

As you mention, this is *not* one of them

 

[LowActionHero]

Just did a gig last weekend that was really fun but few people showed up despite a lot of effort to promote the show. We went old school and put up a bunch of flyers around town as well as bought an ad in a local weekly paper that has good readership and features arts & entertainment events. We bought a couple of ads on facebook to promote the show. None of this seemed to have done any good. We had a few faithful friends come out and a handful of regular patrons of the venue, but no more than what we could have done without spending a dime.
We're going to record some original tunes in a month, and I would love to expand our audience. Finding and reaching new listeners is a challenge I'm willing to work to achieve, but I don't think I know a good way to do it. I don't know what works. There seems to always be a lot of events on any weekend so people have a lot of options for entertainment. Any suggestions on how to effectively promote our band?

That sounds about normal.

At least at first. Just keep rocking it and wait for word of mouth to spread. Keep promoting any way you can. Invite everyone every time. You never know what random people are in the audience. We've had lots of bigger gigs come up because someone happened to be there and dig us.