mcnach Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 It's kind of obvious, in a way. What is the best way to publicise your band? Posters? Internet campaigns? Well, that helps if you are well known already. Otherwise people just see a poster with a band name... We have done the above with varying degrees of success. Zero success at first, some success now that there seems to be a bunch of people who knows us and notice when we announce gigs. Having a CD has helped a lot, it seems, as people take it home, others listen to it... But we never really considered playing on the street. Until now. I bought a QTX QR10PA mini PA thingy to put my bass through and everybody else went acoustic. We went to try the set up one evening and within 40 min we had people buying a few of our CDs and giving us money. We did not mean to treat that evening as a proper busking session, but it worked well enough. Next evening we repeated the experience, again for just a little under an hour. To our surprise, we got a surge on Facebook hits, and sold some more CDs online around that time. Aha, so being seen is definitely a good thing! Then we decided to go electric... and bought three mini guitar amps: two Roland Mini Cubes and a Vox Mini. This way we sound a lot more like we do for real. Today we chose a couple of spots and did about an hour on each. It's busy, with the festival and all, so we sold more CDs and made more money, ok... It was also great fun, yes... but we got a girl who books the gigs for a local venue asking us for our details and whether we'd like to play a few nights this month. Result! Then after we finished the second stint, a guy approaches us and tells us he is from a nearby bar that just opened, and they want to start having live music.. so we are playing there tomorrow night and might become a regular spot for us if things go well. So... do you play originals and find it hard to get gigs? Invest in some street equipment and get out there! It seems to work wonders! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Good for you, that was well worth the effort then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 It`s strange, but people seem to be more positive about bands doing "odd" things. We had really good attendance, feedback, and sales, when we played a florists, and a record shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigster Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 did u have to overcome any sour mouthed bye laws that forbid spontaneous intervention in 'public' spaces? [size=4] [/size][size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1375575696' post='2163162'] It`s strange, but people seem to be more positive about bands doing "odd" things. We had really good attendance, feedback, and sales, when we played a florists, and a record shop. [/quote] Florists!!! we must try that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 [quote name='Jigster' timestamp='1375576118' post='2163165'] did u have to overcome any sour mouthed bye laws that forbid spontaneous intervention in 'public' spaces? [/quote] Perhaps Edinburgh is more busker-friendly than Coventry? The Council's rules are simple (and online), and as long as you are not loud and playing at reasonable spots, it seems it's permitted. Right now we have the Festival going on, so rules are relaxed even further. Certain areas are "no go areas" without registering as a street performer... which we have done anyway, and then you need to get in the morning of every day you want to play to a certain place for a ballot, and when your name comes up, you choose a location and slot from the ones available. But there are many other places you can still play outside that controlled area. I think the key remains not being loud. We have battery powered amps that could go MUCH louder than we have done... but you just have to be reasonable. The trumpet player remains the loudest BY FAR! The police are present, constantly, due to the large number of people present. All we had from them was a smile. Yesterday there was a moment where a pair going down the walkway, and a pair going up, met... almost in front of us... and stopped chatting to eachother for a bit. They did not really look at us, they did not talk to us... then they said their goodbyes to eachother and continued the way they were going. There are buskers in Edinburgh all year long... but it's especially easy at the time of the Festival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 It wasn't all fantastic, 'though... There was a homeless man, bearded, in his late 50s probably... very merry and up for a bit of dancing. That was great, he was very complimentary and funny... but I really did not need him kissing me on the cheek... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Jen and the Gents are doing the official Fringe slots on the Royal Mile this year. We signed up in advance and have specific slots booked, but we're on a little stage, with electricity, which makes life a bit easier. It definitely gets more CDs out there than playing venue gigs. Did your dancing guy have a kilt, big moustache/sideburns and a hat covered in badges, by any chance? If so, that's auld Lewis, King of Scotland! He always seems to dance to Jen and the Gents when we're busking. He has it down to a fine art, he comes and larks about for about half a song, then wanders off before he's outstayed his welcome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 [quote name='Jigster' timestamp='1375576118' post='2163165'] did u have to overcome any sour mouthed bye laws that forbid spontaneous intervention in 'public' spaces? [/quote] Or bye laws that prevent people shoving their unsolicited music down your throat when you're out for the day is another way of looking at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1375614244' post='2163393'] Jen and the Gents are doing the official Fringe slots on the Royal Mile this year. We signed up in advance and have specific slots booked, but we're on a little stage, with electricity, which makes life a bit easier. It definitely gets more CDs out there than playing venue gigs. Did your dancing guy have a kilt, big moustache/sideburns and a hat covered in badges, by any chance? If so, that's auld Lewis, King of Scotland! He always seems to dance to Jen and the Gents when we're busking. He has it down to a fine art, he comes and larks about for about half a song, then wanders off before he's outstayed his welcome... [/quote] Ah, nice one about the Royal Mile slots! We are going to play at the Royal Mile too brought by "Fortune Promotions", but I am not certain they have a stage or it's literally just a spot on the street where we will play with our battery operated amps. We were supposed to have gone last night but our drummer had a wedding gig, so we opted for a busking tour instead. Our guy did not have a kilt, no. I don't remember badges on his hat either... he may be Lewis's cousin There were some pictures and even video taken, so I'm sure he'll be on our facebook soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 (edited) [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1375616481' post='2163423'] Or bye laws that prevent people shoving their unsolicited music down your throat when you're out for the day is another way of looking at it. [/quote] Indeed. In the end, like with most things involving numbers of people living together in villages, towns and cities, it's all down to compromise. We cannot all get it just the way we would like it all the time, but we can find some middle ground. Not being loud when playing in open spaces is one of those compromises: the people who like what they see and want to ear you will come closer, those who don't can just walk away without being disturbed excessively. I wish I could walk anywhere unemcumbered by roads [1], having to wait at traffic lights... but again, that's another compromise. [1] except when I'm driving, of course Edited August 4, 2013 by mcnach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 One of the bands I played with suggested we played at a garden centre or in front of Tescos. My argument against is that you are not effectively targeting the people who will book you. We played a summer fair and got no bookings. After I left they played a garden centre and in front of Tescos (for charity). And got no bookings. It's a lot of effort to go to not to get any results. At a festival you have people there who are your target audience, they'll hang around and appreciate what you're doing. On the high street on a Saturday morning, you don't. People are there to shop and go home. The main reason I didn't want to do it was because it smacked of desperation. It's a good idea and obviously works well at the right time and place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Nice thread this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertect Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Well, my band had been hired to provide a couple of hours entertainment outside a café in Putney for the crowds watching the cycling event that was going on in London today. 60s and 70s covers mostly, with a few of our own numbers thrown in. In between sets a guy came up from the audience and, after a little negotiation about fees, booked us to play a party he is throwing on Saturday night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 [quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1375649908' post='2163952'] Well, my band had been hired to provide a couple of hours entertainment outside a café in Putney for the crowds watching the cycling event that was going on in London today. 60s and 70s covers mostly, with a few of our own numbers thrown in. In between sets a guy came up from the audience and, after a little negotiation about fees, booked us to play a party he is throwing on Saturday night. [/quote] great! True, nothing guarantees that someone in the crowd, someone passing by, will book you. There is a degree of luck involved, and choosing the right spot. What is absolutely sure is that nobody will walk into your house when you're practicing your scales to offer you a gig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.