• 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.

Waste of time things your band should avoid

#61
michael_atw said:
It can if you waste enough of your time making and maintaining 5 different social/band networking sites for your band, with all of them containing the same group of friends...over, and over...and over.
Click to expand...

I don't think it wastes my time. All of our band member's FB profile's are linked with the band's. So any of us can post on that page as the band and edit the profile without having to login a seperate account. It takes about 5 minutes to upload the flier, make and event and invite people, and post on our wall about it.

With Myspace, we just login with the band account, post a bulletin with a pic of the flier, and add a new show which includes all the info, including address. Takes 10 minutes tops.

We'll have to agree to disagree. For my band social networking via the web has been great.
 
#62
michael_atw said:
Indeed. It started at Harvard, expanded to all colleges with a school account (if you didn't have a school email, barred from using it)...I remember in 2007 when they opened it up to anyone with a valid email (that's when I got on - my CC didn't have an email for me, but my 4-year school gave me one when I transferred), and now everyone and their mother (literally) are on it. The only reason he opened it up was to rake in the money by selling everyone's data to advertisers. The more hits he gets, the more money he gets. But anyways, any social networking will support music acts. I just personally don't look at facebook as my source for that stuff. I look at facebook as a glorified twitter (even though twitter sucks...then again, facebook is starting to straddle the sucky).
Click to expand...

Yup.
I had my band on myspace, but now that thats going out I use Reverbnation.com
Much better than a facebook site. I dont use FB or Twitter these days, dont really use my Myspace anymore either really. Just email list/text list/reverbnation/flyers
 
#63
Want a waste of time?

How about incorporating your as an LLC when you have 1 full length CD, had 2 members leave since that CD, rarely (if ever) get paid for a gig, and have such an attitude problem that other bands are starting to refuse to play with you.

(This is a real band, I will not divulge the name)
 
#64
Burlington said:
Have to disagree with number 4. Clubs where I live just don't pay bands unless you're signed and can draw over 100 people. Also, not many charity events or public parks want metal bands.
Click to expand...

Maybe that's because of the over abundance of indie metal bands that are willing to do FREE shows. We have the same issue where I live too. The reason is because they know they can get you in for free. How about putting on your own event? Invite some people maybe another band or 2. Call it a charity event and rock out. Who knows, you just might meet some important people that can help you out.
 
#65
DougD said:
Maybe that's because of the over abundance of indie metal bands that are willing to do FREE shows. We have the same issue where I live too. The reason is because they know they can get you in for free. How about putting on your own event? Invite some people maybe another band or 2. Call it a charity event and rock out. Who knows, you just might meet some important people that can help you out.
Click to expand...

Have some bands play at my apartment? Great idea.

NONE of the local bands here make money. If I wanted to make money gigging I'd join a cover band. I already have a day job, my band is about having fun and (someday, pipedream I know) getting signed.
 
#66
DougD said:
Maybe that's because of the over abundance of indie metal bands that are willing to do FREE shows. We have the same issue where I live too. The reason is because they know they can get you in for free. How about putting on your own event? Invite some people maybe another band or 2. Call it a charity event and rock out. Who knows, you just might meet some important people that can help you out.
Click to expand...

Putting on our own event, where, exactly?

You don't think that we would, if we could?

Because yeah, getting the cops called really makes for a fun show!
 
#67
Sartori said:
Putting on our own event, where, exactly?

You don't think that we would, if we could?

Because yeah, getting the cops called really makes for a fun show!
Click to expand...

Art Galleries
Meeting Halls
Rec Centers
Church Basements
Outdoor Park Amphitheatres
Medical Marijuana Dispenseries
Warehouses
Theaters
ETC...

Get 4 or 5 bands in on it if it's a "festival" or 2-3 bands if indoor, make arrangements, permits if necessary, make an EVENT. Happens all the time.
 
#68
Art Galleries want to have a bunch of metalheads playing loud music in them, with all their valuable art inside? I don't think they'd go for this.

Meeting halls... I don't think City Council will be too keen on having their chamber used as a concert venue. Nor would it make a very good one, either.

Rec Centers? Like what, a park? Most of them are closed at night, and the cops would be called.

Church basements? Oh yes, I'm sure the few churches with basements (neither of the churches I'm most familiar with have them) would be reeeeal keen on having their holy grounds desecrated by black metal bands.

I'm not sure we have any public outdoor amphitheatres.

Medical Marijuana Dispenseries... that's a great idea for a place to have a doom concert, actually. As long as they're not in residential neighborhoods, since, otherwise, cops would be a problem.

A warehouse would need to be empty of anything easily broken. Otherwise that would work, potentially.

Theaters? We only have one, and then there's the problems of the seats.

Remember, I'm mainly referring to metal bands, here. The folk rock band I play in is quiet and inoffensive enough to play lots of places.
 
#69
Sartori said:
Remember, I'm mainly referring to metal bands, here. The folk rock band I play in is quiet and inoffensive enough to play lots of places.
Click to expand...

yeah, some good points---did not catch the Metal band angle.

We have a few Underground Clubs here in Sacramento. Just can't publish the address on the flyers---mostly word of mouth, Facebook, Myspace, and referrals, etc...BYOB and all that.
 
#70
It really is frustrating. Venues don't usually result in a lot of pay. I think most other places to organize events ourselves would require some money to rent for the performance.

Some underground clubs? Hmm. Might be cool to play in Sacramento.

Sorry about not making it clear earlier that I was mainly referring to metal bands.
 
#73
Don't assume people will hate you, ask them if they hate you. Some of them might not. It'll take a lot of cold calls, or wandering around downtown as a door to door metal band salesman.

The most successful metal band whose members I personally know played their first gig at a pizzeria. A death metal band I know here has played several charity events (granted, those were big multi-band bills, so on this thread's list of things to avoid) and has opened for local rock bands. They've also played several times at a sports bar that has concerts on "slow sports nights" in the middle of the week when there's no World Cup or Olympics or anything like that and the place would be pretty empty.

Art galleries that want to be modern and edgy can also be receptive to black metal. You can ask gallery owners if they'd like a band that will bring in a new crowd and expose them to the art, but you'd be even better off knowing the artists who's having an exhibit at one, then having them suggest to the gallery that you can play (probably not too loud) at the opening. Hell, I've even done a black metal cover of Bob Wills' "Faded Love" that was part of some audio-video installation in a gallery in Italy.

Renting someplace cheap, then hoping to get the money back by selling tickets and/or band shirts is also an option that will work even when the owners of the place don't like your band. A warehouse that's temporarily unused because the last business renting it went out of business or whatever.
 
#75
dj150888 said:
Keep in mind, for some people, music IS running a business. Your way is no more or less valid than theirs. Its only time to stop when you think its time to stop, you can't judge when its time for someone else to stop.

I auditioned with a very attractive , smart 27 year old female this week. She a had a good voice, but admittedly not much gig experience.

She told me she didn't want music to become a business and that she did not want to be an entertainer.

I really didn't know what to say after that.
Click to expand...
 
#76
bluewine said:
dj150888 said:
Keep in mind, for some people, music IS running a business. Your way is no more or less valid than theirs. Its only time to stop when you think its time to stop, you can't judge when its time for someone else to stop.

I auditioned with a very attractive , smart 27 year old female this week. She a had a good voice, but admittedly not much ig experience.

She told me she didn't want music to become a business and that she did not want to be an entertainer.

I really didn't know what to say after that.
Click to expand...

She must have been indie.
Click to expand...
 
#77
bluewine said:
dj150888 said:
Keep in mind, for some people, music IS running a business. Your way is no more or less valid than theirs. Its only time to stop when you think its time to stop, you can't judge when its time for someone else to stop.

I auditioned with a very attractive , smart 27 year old female this week. She a had a good voice, but admittedly not much ig experience.

She told me she didn't want music to become a business and that she did not want to be an entertainer.

I really didn't know what to say after that.
Click to expand...

How about: "Good luck, thanks for your time, & see you around!"
Click to expand...
 
#78
michael_atw said:
Facebooking your band. It's the last place I'm looking for legit music. I'd Myspace a band before I Facebooked them. Old people and bands DO NOT belong on Facebook.
Click to expand...

I must disagree. My band does the best part of our online promoting through facebook as its easy to invite all our fans on there to a gig than it is on myspace. Couple of clicks and theres a request sent to hundreds of people.

Liam
 
#79
LiamPodmore said:
I must disagree. My band does the best part of our online promoting through facebook as its easy to invite all our fans on there to a gig than it is on myspace. Couple of clicks and theres a request sent to hundreds of people.

Liam
Click to expand...

+1000
I don't know why people would be adverse to using a popular social media platform to promote their band. Makes no sense to me, but to each his/her own.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sartori

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back