Getting gigs

[Andyalfa]

We are a five piece covers band based in the Midlands, and I reckon we are pretty good at what we do. We generally get repeat bookings wherever we play and post gig feedback is positive, on the whole. So the question is, why is our gig diary is looking so very empty at the moment?

I think we are all feeling a bit de-motivated right now. We practise regularly and are always adding new material to the set in an attempt to keep fresh, but what we all want to do is play live. Pubs, clubs, weddings, functions...we really don’t mind.

The year started off really well. We played two gigs in January, but we’ve only got one possible and two definite so far for the rest of 2009, and one of those is my 50th bash in October. We’ve got a new website under construction and are recording a second demo CD mid March, but is that going to be enough? I doubt it somehow. This leads me to wonder what do you guys do to get work?

[HeavyJay]

[quote name='Andyalfa' post='419930' date='Feb 26 2009, 10:51 AM']We are a five piece covers band based in the Midlands, and I reckon we are pretty good at what we do. We generally get repeat bookings wherever we play and post gig feedback is positive, on the whole. So the question is, why is our gig diary is looking so very empty at the moment?

I think we are all feeling a bit de-motivated right now. We practise regularly and are always adding new material to the set in an attempt to keep fresh, but what we all want to do is play live. Pubs, clubs, weddings, functions...we really don’t mind.

The year started off really well. We played two gigs in January, but we’ve only got one possible and two definite so far for the rest of 2009, and one of those is my 50th bash in October. We’ve got a new website under construction and are recording a second demo CD mid March, but is that going to be enough? I doubt it somehow. This leads me to wonder what do you guys do to get work?[/quote]

You sound like you've got the basics down in that you practice regularly and add to the set to sound fresh. This keeps you tight and gives your regulars a reason to keep coming back. You get good feedback which is also a positive. What you really want is to get good feedback from whoever books you and pin them down for a repeat booking (or more preferably several repeat bookings, two or three over the year maybe) ASAP, preferably the same night or if not then definitely the next day (if they haven't got their diary on them).

The most effective way we spread the word is having flyers (with our next few gigs on) all over the places we play (pubs and clubs, not functions), and wondering around schmoozing with business cards after we play. Satisfied punters then pass these to friends in conjunction with the tried and tested word of mouth method for extra emphasis.

By way of approaching new places, we go through the gig lists of other local bands and see where they are playing, check alive and the gig listings in local papers and just give the venues a ring. Another good idea is to go to other gigs by similar bands and introduce yourself to the promoter / gig booker / landlord there and then.

To persuade them to let you play, you may have to give them introductory rates (don't do any for free though) or if you've been popular at other places, point them to the landlords / gig bookers / etc of these places for a reference.

We've found that some places ask for a demo so your CD could come in handy then but you could put them on your website to save CD printing costs and point potential customers there. I'm not a fan of cover bands selling CDs at gigs (I've never bought one) but that's not to say it's not good advertising and / or a money spinner. I generally email the landlord outlining where we've played and directing them to the website for places to get references and recordings. If they make me jump through too many hoops, I sack it off and consider it their loss.

A good website and / or recordings might help to seal the deal when someone is booking you but I don't think anyone is ever going to book us after finding the site through Google.

All of this is from my own experience in a covers band and is by no means the only way, just a way that worked for us.

Oh, and make sure you get posters up in the place a few weeks before you play.

I hope it helps.

[farmer61]

Easy, get all your band to find venues and get on the phone, it's the only way.

A good way to find new venues is to find out what other bands are playing at the venues you do have gigs, check out their websites and contact the other venues that they play.

But it's phone work and you'll have to book ahead. Also offer to pick up last minute cancellations from any pubs you contact!

[Andyalfa]

Plenty of good points, well made. Thanks.

We have flyers/business cards in the pipeline already. The interim designs have been passed back with comments, but hopefully we'll have them printed off ASAP. We already have a couple of tracks up on our MySpace page (the proper web page isn't finished yet), which were recorded in 2007. We did 6 in all, but 4 featured our since departed male singer, so don't really represent how we sound now.

Gigs will come, I'm sure, it's just that we are all feeling a little low at the moment, because things are moving so slowly. As you say, the encouraging thing is the positive comments we get from the audience after a gig. A few will be finding their way onto the website by way of customer endorsements, which always help.

At the end of the day I'm not really a "people" person (I work in IT), but the guitard is in sales and will, hopefully, prove to be a useful asset when it comes to tapping up landlords.

Patience seems to be the key, we’re just running low at the moment. I just wanted to check we weren't missing a trick, that's all.

By the way, the pub we played at on Jan 2nd wanted us back, but was issued with a temprary closure order after an incident involvling firearms....oops! Rock 'n' roll, eh?

[Adrenochrome]

I think it's been a funny year for bookings - lots of landlords playing wait and see, then booking in a flurry etc.
We got a high profile locally by playing loads of charity gigs, and organising a big one ourselves last year that went well.
I also pimp us shamelessly on a couple of websites (NorthWestbands and Rock Of The North) which cover venues over most of the North. We also played a lot of gigs where we knew people reviewed bands. We're nice to people and never p1ss soundmen off.
We rarely have to chase gigs now but we do jump on opportunities when we hear a decent venue is looking for gigs. We put a lot of time into being nice to the right people (people who run websites, gig bookers etc), make sure info on our website is up to date. I occasionally review gigs for venues. I regard the band as a part-time job and treat all aspects of the band as seriously as my career. I really think that every little bit helps.

[farmer61]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='420166' date='Feb 26 2009, 03:55 PM']I regard the band as a part-time job and treat all aspects of the band as seriously as my career. I really think that every little bit helps.[/quote]


+1

[Deep Thought]

We are finding it hard work at the moment as well-pinning landlords/owners down to a date is hard going, and a lot don't want to know you if they've never heard of you-we've not been gigging that long. We've had good results in actually turning up at the venue in person, and handing over our demo and press pack-venues have expressed gratitude that we bothered to do that rather than just using the phone. Even then it's a war of attrition-having to continually go back and keep showing your face until they give way. Getting repeat gigs once you've played a place is easier (if you're any good!), it's getting the foot in the door that's the hard bit. And venues seldom if ever ring you back when they say they will-you have to ring them.
Actually this is becoming a bit of a sore point with us-I'm fairly shy, and going to places blowing my own trumpet and trying to sell myself is a real struggle for me. I've been doing very little so far-our drummer's been doing most of it, he seems to have the necessary attitude, but now he's getting the hump and me and the guitarist have to do some-which is a thing I'm having to steel myself to do, to be honest, but needs must.

[farmer61]

[quote name='Deep Thought' post='420221' date='Feb 26 2009, 05:18 PM']And venues seldom if ever ring you back when they say they will-you have to ring them.[/quote]


And keep on ringing them, luckily (or not) I'm in recruitment (sort of sales) and you get used to knock backs all day every day and learning just to keep plugging away. Our guitarist (my brother) is the best blagger in the band and just keeps on ringing till he gets a response. Then as someone says above be professional in all contact that you have with the venue/client.

We've done demo's which help but the best way is how you present yourself once you get to speak to the venue.

Plus one lesson learnt very recently, if there's a resident DJ in the pub, be nice to him cause he may just put in a good word for you!

[darwin]

My band plays mainly parties and weddings and we always seem to start the year slowly... My theory is that most of our gigs such as weddings etc tend to be in the warmer months then when the weather cools down and those gigs drop off... then we start on the xmas parties. That leaves Jan and Feb which are always dead. We always say we'll book some pub gigs for Jan/Feb but never get round to it...

I'm sure things will pick up for you...

Edited February 26, 2009 by darwin

[Andyalfa]

Nice to know we aren't the only ones having trouble. I guess it's always the same when you are relatively new on the scene. And I too find phoning venues or tapping up landlords hard work. As I say, our Guitarist is in sales so he does most of the leg work. I work on the stuff I know, like keeping the website up, designing logos, researching possible venues for him to call, that sort of thing.

Thanks for the advice guys, it's all been taken on board.

One last question, is it worth signing up for an agency to get weddings/functions?

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='Andyalfa' post='420872' date='Feb 27 2009, 01:28 PM']One last question, is it worth signing up for an agency to get weddings/functions?[/quote]
If you're doing it for money, yes. If you're doing it for fun, no. The gigs will often be miles away and you'll be treated like staff. My experience anyway.

Worth signing up to the free wedding website though, if that's the sort of thing you're after. Defo need a good, professional looking website for weddings as a lot of couples now browse the web at work to find a band.

If you just want pubs and parties, it is a marketing thing as rightly said above. It sounds like you're being a bit shy about spreading the word. Don't be! Posters, flyers, group emails, business cards, demo CDs, t-shirts, Facebook, whatever.

Lots of people watch bands in pubs but only a small % will come and ask you what you're called or for the contact details. Make sure the band name is on the front of the kit. Get flyers on the table.

It's all about creating a bit of a buzz around the band.

Edited February 27, 2009 by stingrayfan

[farmer61]

[quote name='Andyalfa' post='420872' date='Feb 27 2009, 01:28 PM']One last question, is it worth signing up for an agency to get weddings/functions?[/quote]

Interesting question and one I posed not long ago on here. The general feeling was no although we are getting together an info pack to send to prospective agents for functions, we're keen to get onto the Armed Forces circuit. For weddings personally I would NEVER take a booking unless someone in the wedding party has seen us, so a blind booking from an agent would be too stressful for me.

So far my exposure to the agencies (v. limited) has not been great, they seem not to give a crap. I reckon it's phone work followed by recommendations that'll see us through. BTW we had booked up 2009 last Oct (only 2 per month) and a lot of these were new venues, I think timing is key cause I think by Jan most pubs have booked ahead.

We've also got our first gig for Jan 10, a private do from our last gig so we're well chuffed at that.

Keep on plugging away it'll happen eventually!

[crez5150]

I'd say steer clear of agencies as they are a complete waste of your time..... you just need to promote yourselves properly.

[teej]

We hit a busy shopping centre every dry saturday in the year, sometimes fridays or sundays instead or as well (and we now have an invite into a covered mall we're keeping for rainy days), armed with a generator, pa, box of cds, flyers and plenty of business cards. Works a treat.

[Adrenochrome]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='420884' date='Feb 27 2009, 01:43 PM']Worth signing up to the free wedding website though, if that's the sort of thing you're after.[/quote]

Which website?

[elom]

I'd suggest you have a look at [url="http://www.gig-getter.co.uk/"]http://www.gig-getter.co.uk/[/url] and [url="http://www.lemonrock.com/"]http://www.lemonrock.com/[/url] both of which I'd thoroughly recommend.

Treat gig getting as a job and be persistent. It sounds wrong but the music is only one element of being a successful band - you need to work on your sales technique too!