All Gig-Getter Blogging activities have now transferred to the following:

http://gig-getter.blogspot.com/

The new Gig-Getter resource site for gigging and would-be gigging musicians:

http://www.gig-getter.com

No I haven't dissapeared off the scene (stop that booing at the back). I've had my head down working on  two new projects for amateur and semi-pro bands and musicians.

The first is Gig-Getter.COM which will be a resource aimed at giving gigging advice to musicians - both in terms of finding and booking the gigs, live performance issues, band member(ship), starting a band, online promotion etc etc. This will be launched in the next few weeks so watch this space for details - or subscribe to the newsletter at
 http://www.gig-getter.co.uk.

In addition I'm just finishing my second manual. This will cover the most asked-about topic in relation to gigging - namely how to get your audiences going. Here's an idea on the content - the manual ( a download initially) will be available from next month:

 

• Develop super-confidence onstage

 

• How to maximise positive crowd interaction every gig – no matter how large (or small) the crowd

 

• 3 key ways to make a crowd warm to you before you play a single note

 

• Secret ways to spot the most responsive crowd members in seconds- and how to use this to quickly build your overall crowd rapport

 

• 11 sure-fire moments in every gig where you can build your crowd connection

 

• How to rouse any crowd even without an extrovert front-person

 

• How to confidently talk to audiences in any situation onstage

 

• Tried and tested one-liners to win every crowd

More info to follow soon...

This blog has been neglected for a while, as what little time I've had recently outside of playing gigs has been spent on
the myspace blog:

http://www.myspace.com/more_gigs


Apologies for this - but, here's an interesting post about 5 major trends in music at the moment.

Just check out para 2 about the increasing need for playing live as part of the mix to get your band noticed and earn decent money from your music....

http://musicmarketingcenter.com/126/5-current-trends-in-music/

How to overcome fear of trying to Get Gigs   more »

If you listened to some people you'd burn your guitar now the economy is struggling more than it has in recent years.

I've long said that when times are tough for bars and clubs etc, live music should actually become more not less vital in order to make money. This is because venues will need some method of differentiating themselves, to offer some incentive to get cash-strapped punters up off their backsides and out into the night to spend some money.

One of these ways is by offering live entertainment, a show.

I saw a great example of this in a small Northern UK town last month. This town (I won't mention the name so as to spare the blushes) had only 2 bars open on the Sunday I went there. One of those bars was a venue which advertises live bands 6 nights a week. The owner told me that it was the bands which drew the people in and that without them he too would be closed on a Sunday. He also told me his bar was "as busy as it's ever been".

Not only that, but when I went to see a gig on this particular Sunday, they'd had live bands on all day prior to the evening performance by the band I'd gone to watch.

Who says live venues can't thrive as 2008 draws to a close?

A UK drummer and gig-getter newsletter subscriber contacted me last week about how to join a band - again.

I say again, because she’d been playing live with a band for a number of years until it split up. She'd been posting and answering ads on the usual sites (Party sounds, Gumtree etc) and was getting responses.

The problem was that none of the offers to audition were exactly what she wanted.  It reminded of a piece I'd just read in Bass Player Magazine.

The article was written the Weezer bassist Scott Shriner and it was called: "Just don't say no". In it, he spoke about the art of saying "yes" to offers more often. Specifically, about taking on musical projects which on the surface might not seem perfect at that time.

He talked about being open to try new genres or directions, about how this can ultimately improve a player’s creativity and technique.

He said that when he went through a period of being an unemployed musician, he had to start saying "Yes" to the kind of things musically which would normally make him "queasy".  Cover band gigs, recording with friends, switching the instrument he played to help a friend out etc.

Now to some people, this would be "selling out". To Scott, it got him busy again, got him back networking and got his name around again. Ultimately the attitude got him the Weezer gig.

Back to my drummer friend, she tells me the one thing she misses about getting gigs (almost as much as the social side and the high of drumming live) is the lack of ready cash by the time Sunday night comes around.

Well, perhaps taking a different view on what you'll accept from a musical project, at least for the short term, could be worth considering...

http://www.gig-getter.co.uk

Here's a sound piece of advice for your under-performing band management - or for you to adopt for yourself if you're the one who has to get gigs for your band   more »

Sometimes the most important things new band members can do for a band have nothing to do with how well they can play or can sing   more »

I wrote today on my myspace blog:
http://www.myspace.com/more_gigs about the importance of choosing the right band members if you're going to be  successful with band gigs.

This might sound obvious but often you can get blinded by a potential band member's personality or just how good they are playing etc.

We've been going through this recently and are taking a lot of time over it. In the past we've played with singers who were fantastic interacting with an audience for example. But their negative attitude, unless the gig were a high profile "ego-booster" was far too draining to continue with.

Others have simply not had the commitment or motivation to invest in updating their gear when it was clearly needed. Its a bit formal (and hardly rock n roll) to say you should be "interviewing" potential band members to Gage their attitudes . But the idea really is to just try and find out how good a match their aims and likes/dislikes are for those of the band and rest of the band members. A little bit of extra time invested up front will save a lot of potential heartache later

http:www.gig-getter.co.uk

I've been asked this question a lot by the bands I work with who want to get started gigging and it came to mind again this week with a new band who have just formed.

Some bands think they should try and persuade local venues to host Live Music nights. This is possible but will need more persuasion than simply finding those venues which already feature live bands and introducing your act to them.

So where do you find them? It's incredibly simple when you think about it but these are the ways I've used which have met with the most success.

1. Other bands websites.
Search for other bands in your area and then check out the "Gigs" section of their websites. These will often include venue phone numbers.
2. Search for "Live Music venues Chicago" (or wherever you're aiming for)
3. Scan music and local press for music event/night ads
4. Keep your eyes open when visiting any town you'd like to target. Ask around while you're there for venue details
5. Networking. Talk to other musicians you know. Swap details so that if they're offered a gig when they're already booked up, you can pick it up for them. (You'll probably need to offer to do the same for them in return).

You may not believe it now, but when you start to build your reputation and numbers of gig bookings you'll be grateful for a substitute band you can offer to venues if you ever have to cancel. This can enhance your reputation as reliable and professional even when you're letting a venue down.

Remember:

* Build a long list of potential venues to target. Aim for 100 over time

* Always keep adding to your list.

Times change and some venues will stop hosting live music. Others won't be interested in your act. So, to continually maximize the numbers of gigs you can play - keep adding to your list of venues.

http://www.gig-getter.co.uk

Your manager must be "into" your music. Yes, he needs to know how to do the business, how to promote you, but you need him (or her) to do this with the enthusiasm that only a "fan" can have.   more »

Getting Gigs when everyone's complaining about a recession   more »

Last months survey of Gig-Getter subscribers revealed that more than 50% of semi-pro and amateur bands play both covers and original material at any gig. the remaining bands play either exclusively their own material or someone else's.

So an interesting post here:


http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2077423
 
about what's the most marketable era or type of covers for bands to play when they want to maximize gig numbers.

Useful info in some of the responses and if you care to scroll down to mine (posted today) you'll see what I've learnt helping acts around the world.

1. Playing covers AND original material will increase the number of gigs you can get
2. Even the most anti-covers band mate can get creative with a cover song by adding their own identity to the version  your band does.

Finally, and this is the one the original poster kind of missed out on with his post - you don't need to pick an era to focus on. In fact the more gigs you want t be playing, the wider your choice of material should be.

You'll need to have a lot of songs in your "portfolio" but you could consider having a 60's set, 70's, 80's, right up to present day. We also like to have a dedicated classic rock set for certain places. You can and of course mix these sets up when the type of venue or occasion calls for it.

This way, providing all band members are too precious about what they play, you'll be ready and available for any type of booking...

Getting the gig is one half of the job. Don't forget your crowd...   more »

Some interesting thoughts here for performing at gigs and even to stimulate your creativity if you're songwriting.

http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/blog/archives/183#comment-2100

As I mention on a comment at the foot of the post, if you too are in a rut playing the same gigs at the same old places, you need to extend your list of potential venues. Other bands websites are a great place to start finding the names of venues you can contact.

http://www.gig-getter.co.uk

Can you really sell merchandise at gigs even when your band is just starting out and you have no real fans?   more »

Here's something I found on a blog this morning which has some good info re gigs for bands.It's posted by an online "Artist development" company..

http://iblogarea.com/willasblog4061/2008/07/06/the-gig-is-up-getting-those-gigs/

I've posted a comment highlighting what I feel are some of the elements most often missed by bands trying to get started. The comments haven't been approved yet so I've added them below in for my readers. What do you think?

An interesting question posed on www.talkbass.com this week about how long people generally spend trying to get gigs.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=447978

Even though there are only a handful of responses so far you still get pretty much a full range of typical responses. From the guy who wastes hours in the bar hoping to talk with the venue booker, through people who want to avoid contacting anyone in person and do it all via myspace. As I say on my post, anyone who's spending more than an hour a week in order to fill up their gig diary is doing something wrong.

For me, driving to and hanging around bars hoping  the manager will grant you an audience, mailing CDs to people who haven't asked for them or even relying on venue bookers knowing their way around myspace is all a little too unreliable.

You can't beat asking the right questions with a quick phone call or the using the right words in a short regular newsletter to guarantee bookings piling in.

I was emailed by a new Gig-Getter Newsletter subscriber last week. A young guy clearly in a rush and looking for a "short-cut" to get him and his band mates out there live as quickly as possible.


Many musicians have asked about the key steps to getting gigs and I can generally condense it down to around 10 steps. This though was the first time I'd had to consider whether there was one factor more important than the others.

It certainly focused my thinking but ultimately getting gigs as a weekend warrior or for a new band, revolves around a series of inter-dependent steps. To maximize your live work, to "Get more gigs than you can play" (as I say about the Gig-Getter system), you need to work on all the steps.

There is though, as I told the enquirer, one key to making all this work. That key is commitment. You have to commit to your gig-getting goals, how many times you want to be playing a month, what price you want to go out for, what sort of venues you'll play at. And, not least of all, commit to pitching your band to new venues every week.

This last point doesn't need to take up a lot of time. But when you've done all the preparation I talk about in terms of understanding your bands USP's, rehearsals etc you should be approaching new venues every week. Devote at least an hour a week without fail. This is real commitment and is very different from the kind of band which occasionally calls into a bar with a demo CD.

http://www.gig-getter.co.uk

Although my main focus is on helping bands get gigs I've been asked more than once about building a band following.

There are a number of activities musicians can and should be engaging in to get noticed and create an interest. You can't do any of them though unless you're out there and your music is being heard.

You might be able to build up a following on myspace in splendid isolation, but the best way to get your music heard is still through playing live.

Plenty of us play live just for the love of doing it and the social aspects without trying to make a name for ourselves or work full-time as musicians.

Others want to attract management, music agencies or record labels for a career in the industry. Once you learn how to get plenty of live work you can satisfy your needs no matter which of these aims you are striving for.

As long as you can play a bit, have material that appeals to your audience and most importantly, know how to market yourself; top quality gear can come when you're able to afford it.   more »

Having had Xmas Eve and Xmas Day at home we're off out again tonight. This time to a local hotel which is part of a large national group.

It's always useful to think about how you first got a particular gig in order to work out how and why you can find more live work.

Like many places we play live now on a regular basis, this place was phoned on spec to see whether they might be interested in us. I knew from local press ads that they had party nights with DJs and Pop Tribute acts. We're "Covers" (Rock), not a tribute but the fact was there was a potential market there for us because they used live acts and DJ's. This is a much easier sell than trying to persuade a venue to give live music a try.

So, I'd called this place and asked them about their current acts. They were using an agent to supply acts for their party nights. With a couple of questions I tried to gently probe the venue booker for areas of dissatisfaction with her current situation.

It seemed the hotel (in common with many used by business people during the week), had very few customers using their bars at the weekend. We discussed whether a regular Friday night rock slot, distinct from their party activities in their function room, might start to pull  crowds in to help them with their bar takings. Of course I assured them it would and that we were the band to do it for them.

This was over a year ago and since then it's become a regular venue for us. I've even helped the hotel to source other acts if we can't play a particular date they have in mind.

Remembering how tonight started for us re-emphasizes the benefits of phoning venues on spec. "Cold calling" if you like. Not everyone always feels comfortable about this idea. Yes of course you can wait for people to email your website (if you have one) about playing a gig. The fact is though, once you know how to do it, you can't beat making a few phone calls from the comfort of your own home in order to get pro-active and secure all the bookings you need.

http://www.gig-getter.co.uk

I'm regularly asked by Gig-Getter readers about various aspects of performance once they've achieved a regular supply of gigs.

one of the best guides I've read for anyone who isn't natturaly comfortable delaing with an audience as a front man is "Win the crowd" by Steve Cohen. Cohen is known in the US as "The Millioniare's magician" because: A) He's a magician and B) He plays to wealthy clients.

The cover of his book promises you'll learn how to "Unlock the Secrets of Influence, Charisma and Showmanship".  I've posted a review on Amazon but as it's not yet been published (due in 10 days or so), here it is beneath.

AMAZON REVIEW....

First off let me say I'm a performing semi-pro musician, writer of "How-to" gigging information for the music press and author of "Gig-Getter: How to get more gigs than you can play".

 

A few months ago a change in personnel in my band meant that we were without our regular front man, our extrovert who handled the majority of the audience interaction. I was looking for a guide that would help me and the rest of the band be able to deal with those sometimes awkward moments in between numbers. Something that would enable us to feel more relaxed ourselves and encourage the audience to have a good time.

 

Although this book is written by a performing Magician, Steve Cohen's book promised me I could "unlock the secrets of influence, charisma and showmanship". Perfect for any performer but a tall order to deliver in my case.

 

Several months on now and I have to say Cohen's book delivers. It enabled me to successfully "front" our band at the Hard Rock Cafe earlier this year; one gig I felt which would really expose our lack of an extrovert on stage.

 

Cohen gives simple to follow guidelines which really help you to feel in control and less at the mercy of circumstances on the night. His whole approach is based around faking it 'till you make it. Basically, audiences want their performers to appear confident and in control. If you don't feel it at least pretend you do. This will relax both the audience and you.

 

Some of his gems include:

1. Practise the words and phrases you'll use on the night - beforehand, alone and in the dark.

2. It takes three attempts at "banter" with an audience before they succumb to you. It takes a little while to establish credibility, you can't do this in one phrase. So, don't worry if at first they don't respond to you.

2. Audiences don't want their performers to be too slick. Some top performers fail at certain things to show their fallibility. The audience generally wants you to succeed if they see a small failure. This was a great help in terms of taking pressure of to be word perfect when speaking to the audience.

3. If you're not offending some members of the audience you're too middle of the road (I liked that one!)

4. Don't take yourself too seriously

5. Establish eye contact with audience members to show you're in command

 

Other tips which helped me greatly were to raise my voice so that it sounded too loud to me. That way it would be about right to an audience. And, to slow my words down so they sounded unnaturally slow to my ear. Again that would be about right to the public.

 

A final killer tactic to get an audience going and which I can guarantee which works like a dream is this. Early on look for the most receptive members in an audience, anyone mouthing the words to a song, or dancing along etc. Play to them, in terms of your in between chat and you'll receive the best responses. As Cohen says, "it only takes a few to get the rest of an audience going". Using his advice, I would look for a couple of different groups or a handful of people scattered about every audience. These would also be the people I'd get up on stage later in the night or that I'd wonder off wireless to "serenade" if the mood took me.

 

All in all a great guide for helping you feel more comfortable in front of an audience and full of practical tips so everyone enjoys themselves more on gig night(including you).

If you want to read more postings on gig-getting for semi-pro bands and performers I've posted a link to the right of this blog's home page under "Favourites". New pieces normally appear on the Myspace blog every Monday.

Very busy at the moment trying to put our own stamp on WhiteXmas in time for the party season. We like to try and do what we call "signature" versions of songs which on the face of it wouldn’t suit us. For example, we play "Can't take my eyes off you" in the vein of Andy Williams mutating 1/2 way through into Sid Vicious.

Anyhow, we have versions of White Xmas by Bing, Twisted Sister and Stiff Little Fingers to listen to so Lord only knows how this one will end up..

http://www.gig-getter.co.uk 

I've been lucky enough to get some great coverage for the Gig-Getter: How to get more gigs than you can play manual/instant download. (http://www.gig-getter.co.uk)

A number of features I’ve written have appeared in Bass Guitar magazine, along with other pieces about gig-getting for Total Guitar and Sound Control's Reverb mag.

 

However, the issue of Bass Guitar Magazine which came out today and features my piece about getting gigs for the Xmas/New Period appears in their special "Punk" issue. I've had articles published alongside Metallica, Hawkwind and even the PS3 features. Tragically though, for a man in his mid 40's to appear in the issue of a publication which came out today and which features Glen Matlock on its cover with the tab to "Anarchy in the UK" inside is going to prove difficult to beat!

I was talking to a gig-getter (http://www.gig-getter.co.uk) reader who emailed me recently about a side-benefit of becoming the main gig-getter for your band.

He hadn't been in his band long, and as perhaps the least technically accomplished of all his band members (and the last one to join), he'd always felt a little insecure about his place in the band. Learning how to get bookings for the band had changed all that.

I had to admit that this was something I wasn’t thinking about when I originally wrote Gig-Getter, making people more secure in their roles in the band. But when I thought about it, I knew what he meant when he said how he was now feeling. When I first joined our band I had only recently learnt how to play bass and at the time, we had one date in the diary, several months ahead at a private party.

To try and get some bookings we invited numerous agents to come and see us at the rare appearances we did make. None of them ever showed up. We were all pretty disillusioned and soon on the verge of breaking up. Like my drummer friend mentioned above, I too realized I needed to do something about it and fast.

I put into practise what I’d learned over the years in my day career in sales & marketing. In a few weeks our gig diary was full for the year. After this other bands would ask how we managed it. We were no better than a lot of other bands, but much busier.

So Gig-Getter was written as a low-cost, quick and easy
way any part-time or amateur bands and musicians could get gigs for themselves.

 I too found that something else happened as well while the gigs
were coming rolling in. I felt much more secure of my place in the band.

As the drummer who just emailed me now says:
“I know now I could go to any band and offer them more than most drummers because of  all the bookings I know I could bring in”