A Strategy For Getting Gigs

Musicians are in bands so they can play in front of people, but getting gigs is probably one of the most difficult things to occur during the lifetime of a band. I came across the following article about getting gigs at your local venue in CD Baby's DIY Musician, and it really made sense. Here are the main points.

Step 1. Get familiar with the venue’s calendar – There are many inside tips and secrets that can be gleaned just from consistently checking out a venues calendar. Most clubs are meticulous with their calendar (which are usually posted online). Start looking for specific clues. Do they have a standard number of bands on the bill every night? Is there a night where they tend to give new bands a shot?

Step 2. Look for holes in the schedule – Once you pick up on a club’s booking patterns, you can start finding holes in their schedule where THEY are in need of a band.

Step 3. Make sure your music is a match – Now that you have identified the shows where the venue is most likely looking for bands, narrow it down to the shows where you music is a true fit (time to be honest folks!). Remember, in order for this strategy to work, you must only pitch to the shows where you fit!

Step 4. Target that specific show in you email pitch – Now you are prepared to approach the club booker in a way that HELPS THEM out! Just put the show name and date in the subject line of your email and politely let them know that you would be a good fit to round out that bill (Keep the email brief!). The chances of getting a response to your email, and better yet a gig, just went way up!

Go to the DIY Musician for the entire article entitled, A Booking Strategy That Works.

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