So your show is booked and your band is heading out to the venue, ready to play a great show. Nothing else to worry about, right? Not necessarily.
You see, while wowing the crowd from the stage is definitely a priority at any gig, your off-stage antics can still mean that you won’t be invited back for another show, no matter how amazing you sound. Making the wrong moves before and after your stage time can impact your ability to get new fans, can destroy your reviews — not to mention make some venues and promoters never want to work with you again.
So how can you avoid all that nastiness and make sure this show isn’t a one time deal? The next time your band plays live avoid these things.
1. Don’t Show Up Late Promoters and venues ask you to arrive at a certain time for a good reason. They need that time to load you in and get soundcheck set up. They are asking you to be there at that time so they can give you everything you need to have a great show. They’re not doing it to inconvenience you, and they’re not doing it because they just like to stand around for hours before a show actually begins.
Don’t decide that YOU think load-in is too early or that you won’t really need all that time for soundcheck. When you don’t arrive on time, no one else can do their jobs. Plus, it means that the promoter and venue may be paying people to stand around and do nothing while they await your fashionably late arrival — something that is not going to endear you to them. When you come late, you send the whole operation into panic mode and make what should be a calm time of prepping for a good show a completely stressful few hours instead – and that could affect your set.
If you are going to be late for load-in, call and let someone know as soon as you can. If you don’t plan to show up on time, arrange a later time up front, so you don’t waste everyone else’s time.
2. Don’t Abuse the Guest List Even if a promoter or venue loves your music, that doesn’t mean that they want to lose money on your show. It may seem to you like you should be able to bring anyone into your show you want for free, but the thing is, your guest list spots aren’t really free — they may just feel that way to you. Somewhere, someone is giving up the ticket price of every person who walks through the door. You should negotiate with the promoter or venue up front how many guest list places you’ll get — and then leave it at that. Don’t go out before the show, stroll around town, pick up an entourage and promise them all free entry to the show. What you’re really doing then is asking the promoter or venue to fund your friends nights out. How is that fair?
If something happens at the last minute like a journalist or manager wants to come out and see you or your grandma flew into town to surprise you and see you play, have a word with the promoter or venue. They’re likely to be flexible for good reasons — just don’t play “big man”(or woman) with their tickets and expect to win the friends you really need (the people who put on shows).
3. Don’t Drink Up The Whole Bar I know, I know. You’re in a club. There’s a bar. People are going to it frequently and buying things. It looks like so much fun.
Here’s the thing – if you want to be a musician, the show is your job. The sooner you make peace with that, the better. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a drink before you hit the stage, but it does mean that you need to manage your drinking pre-performance so that you’re still in control of all your facilities to the extent required to deliver a great performance. Make no mistake about it — if you get all sloppy drunk, hit the stage and act all crazy, the audience may well cheer for you. However what they won’t do is decide they need to see that again enough to buy a ticket to your next show. What they really want you to do is play the songs they like.
Besides delivering a garbage set, in turn making the promoter not want to book you anymore, and perhaps embarrassing yourself in front of fans, family and the media, getting hammered can breed other issues. As the drink keeps flowing and things get crazier, you may do things like fight with the sound person, break stuff backstage and other rock and roll fantasy crap that may make good stories but does little to make a venue or promoter want to work with you again. Save it for the afterparty.
4. Don’t Overstay (or Understay) Your Welcome This one is especially important if you are not the headlining band — but even if you are, it is important to adhere as closely to any pre-determined set length as possible. These stage times are drawn up to make sure the whole night runs smoothly, from changeovers to giving the venue enough time after your show to get everyone out and clean up. If you’re one of the support bands, if you go over, you’re taking time away from the headliners (a big, huge no no). If you are the headliners, the time you’re asked to wrap things up may have something to do with noise ordinance laws, licensing laws and all sorts of other regulations. Your failure to stick to the plan could have serious consequences for the venue.
The timetables are cast in stone at most venues, and there may be some wiggle room. The best way to deal with this, especially if you are the headliner, is to ask before you play exactly when you need to be done. That way there is no confusion.
On a similar note, if you’re expected to play for a certain amount of time, try to get as close as possible to that requested set length. If for some reason you can’t, discuss it in advance. If you’re unhappy with the size of the audience or anything else about the show, you need to handle that off stage with the promoters and venue. In other words, don’t handle it by leaving the stage eight minutes into your set because you think you deserve better.
5. Don’t Be a Diva For a live show to really work, it takes a team effort. The people working at the venue and the promoter don’t work FOR you. They work with you. Treat them as such. It’s cool to ask for things you need to make your show great, but your approach makes all the difference. Give them the respect you’d like to have from them, and when things go well, thank everyone. Even if you played the worst show of your life and only five people paid to get in, your good attitude will be in the bank that will help you get another shot at another show.
Ok so you want to be in a band (who doesn’t) but there’s some things you need to know in order to build a successful band. We’ll call them rules for the sake of this Pro Tip.
Rule 1: If you are surrounded by musicians who are truly success minded, there are no limits to what you can accomplish.
Rule 2: If you have a band full of unmotivated musicians, the chances of succeeding with your music business are close to 0.
Rule 3: In order to build success for your band, you will need to consistently put out a great deal of effort (this applies even once you’ve begun to “make it”). If your band only contains a couple of people who do all of the work, the amount of work will simply be too much to handle. As a result, the band will likely not achieve real success. Once you start to notice that the other musicians in your band are not putting out much effort to help the band (i.e. not doing homework, showing up late, leaving early) bring this up to them. Tell them that they have only one shot to change their ways. If they don’t, cut them from the band. These people will only drag your band down.
Rule 4: It is common for musicians to talk about becoming successful, but not actually follow up on what they say. Every musician wants to become highly successful in music, but very few musicians will truly put out the effort in order to achieve success. You will run into these kinds of people all the time. People like this will want to join your band, but won’t be able to help your band in the long run (they will only slow down your progress). Steer clear of these types of musicians.
Rule 5: Some musicians make for excellent band members from a purely musical standpoint. However, it is a very common situation that talented musicians actually prevent their band from making progress in music. This is because talented musicians (like any musician) can still be the ‘wrong’ people for your band. If you want to achieve success with your band, you will need to focus on the bigger picture of where your band is going. This means, if someone is the wrong person for your band, you need to let them go (even if they can “play” great).
Rule 6: Finding the right band members may sometimes seem like an impossible task. However, remember that the most dedicated musicians are also looking for you at the same time that you are looking for them. These people are also going through the same difficulties as you, and share the same desire to play in a successful band as you do.
Rule 7: There are many bands that have already achieved high success in music who are unsatisfied with some of their current band members. It is a mistake to assume that because a band is already successful, they are not actively looking to find the right musicians. It is very possible that people from these bands could join with your band instead or even that you could replace a member in their band.
Think about all that you will be able to do once you have found the right musicians for your band. This means being surrounded by musicians who not only “talk big”, but “do big”. These are people who are highly motivated, and work hard on a continual basis to make progress in their music. Once you have these people on your side, you will be totally unstoppable!
“What do you want to do with your life?!” the crazed dad shouts to the 14 year-old kid, barging into the bedroom, fed up with the sound of loud, non-stop music practicing. “I wanna rock!” the kid says. (Enter long-haired rock musicians. Cue loud music. Exit dad, crashing backwards through the window, from the force of the decibels.) They sing, “We’ve got the right to choose it. There ain’t no way we’ll lose it. This is our life; this is our song!”
Do you remember driving your parents crazy with your music listening and endless practicing? Hours of practice is a given. You’ve got to know how to play your axe. But what else do you need to do to get out of the practice room and onto the stage, especially when you’re playing other people’s music?
Cover bands have an extra challenge when they perform: Everyone in the room already has an idea of what the song is supposed to sound like.
Here are Five Things Every Cover Band Needs to Know
1. You’ve got to get out of yourself-imposed shell. Open your eyes and open your ears. When playing with other musicians, you’ve got to get out of your own little sonic world and listen to your band mates, not just yourself. Endless solo practice in your room isn’t enough. Making eye contact while you play is critical. If you’re a guitar player, practice standing in front of a mirror and look ahead instead of watching your hands. You need to be so comfortable with your own playing that you can focus on what the other people are playing at the same time. The band will be tighter, you’ll make fewer mistakes, and you’ll develop the ability to send signals to each other while you’re playing. This interaction is key to a good performance. Nothing will kill a band’s sound and stage presence quicker than everyone being in their own world, making no eye contact with each other or the audience. Boring.
2. You are entertainers. Think about the purpose for your performing. If you’re playing in a bar or some kind of restaurant or night club, you’re not just background music. You’re there because people want to hear you play and they want to watch you, listen to you and enjoy the whole experience. The key is to be relaxed. A musician who is moving with the groove and showing the pleasure of the moment on her face is entertaining. When someone takes a solo, turn and watch them. Being “in the moment” is what is entertaining. Finally, keep the vibe between songs. Avoid any discussion and talking between you. Make up your set list and stick to it. There is nothing entertaining about two people arguing about what went wrong in the previous song.
3. You exist for your audience. Every musician has a double task when performing. First, you are paying homage to the composer. You’re responsible for interpreting or reproducing what the composer intended. Second, you’re entertaining the audience. If the audience is educated in the music you’re playing, they’re also judging how well you pull it off. That’s pretty intense. Those people out there pay your bills. They are the ones who are supposed to benefit from your work. If your audience is happy, the event organizer is happy. You are partners with the event organizer, or whoever happens to be in charge of the room you’re in. And the goal of your partnership is to make the people happy. Satisfied audiences mean they’ll want you back!
4. People will treat you like servants. Plato said, “He who is not a good servant will not be a good master.” Everyone talks about being there to serve the audience, but no one likes being treated like a servant! You really have to be careful out there as a professional. Depending on the type of gig, any number of unplanned events could befall you. People will make unreasonable, last minute requests. They will shout things out at you. They will talk to you while you’re singing, or when you actually playing guitar. They will come up and ask if they can play the tambourine. They’ll want their nephew to come up and play his trombone during your wedding gig. Or, God forbid it should happen, on a crowded dance floor, someone will smash into your microphone stand and potentially knock your teeth out.
As musicians, we’re putting ourselves out there, and quite a few things are beyond our control. The worst thing is to give and say, “I don’t need to take this crap!” and walk away. The main thing is to be super flexible, and be nice.
5. You need to respect each other. What kind of person are you when you’re not playing? Guaranteed at some point your real personality will influence your on-stage behaviour. If you know you’ve got a short fuse or are a perfectionist, then you’ll need to be extra careful when on stage, especially since you’re under pressure.
Picture this. You’re playing along and someone totally screws up: e.g. hits a blaring wrong note, forgets the changes, her equipment fails, feedback squeals, screws up that special part you practiced. Argh! Everyone makes mistakes. The biggest musical train wreck should leave you visibly unflapped. Rescue the music as quickly as possible. Count it in again and start over. Don’t let any frustration show on your face while you’re playing. The audience might not even notice if they don’t see you looking worried!
Remember, you are the performance as much as the music. You can crucify your band mate in private, after the gig. At least you’ll be able to talk about the musical rescue feat you accomplished in front of your audience. Work out your differences. Man up and move on. No-one wants to work with an *@^*% and it had better not be you!
“We know that there are some for whom music is so compelling and innately powerful, they are unable to contain it within themselves. They can no more separate themselves from music as they could their own limb.” – Musicians and the link to mental illness
Tis the season to be …. Depressed? Unfortunately for many this is true.
Being highly creative is a double edged sword. Gifted musicians are prone to periods of depression and the real “blues”. In fact, from my experience and observations, I would suggest that many if not most musicians go through a low period of life that they barely survive. The good news is with insight comes power. Becoming aware of depression is the first step towards being able to change it.
DO NOT IGNORE CLINICAL DEPRESSION. It can become a soul abscess, robbing you of the joy of your music… and of your life. If you think you could have it, get professional help, and don’t wait one more day to do it.
Triggers of Depression in Musicians
Trigger 1: A high in your musical career. Strange but true, just on the other side of a significant accomplishment in our musical career (our “baby” is metaphorically finally born) , we can experience a plunge in state of mind. I refer to it as artistic “post partum depression“.
Typical scenarios:
A cd project you’ve been working very hard on is finally finished, to your great satisfaction. The following day you feel strangely let down, tired and even sad.
You win a talent award you’ve been deeply hoping for that will launch your career to another plateau. Soon after you wonder why you are feeling so down and scared.
You get a deal… on a label, with a publishing company, with a booking agency. You celebrate, then feel empty.
You conquer a difficult vocal issue such as chronic tension in your voice. You are elated at your voice lesson, but soon after become afraid that you can’t really do that consistently. It becomes a self-fullfilled prophecy when your voice assumes the old nasty habits next time you sing. You feel like giving up.
How can you deal with a high-low cycle?
Know what it is. Just recognizing a post-high low can keep you from being afraid of it, and can take it’s power away to hurt you. It’s like a coat hanging on a coat-hook that looks like a monster in the dark… if you know it’s a coat, even though the lights are out you stop being afraid of it. You can even use the lows to rest, reflect, pray and get back to the source of your strength and get ready for what you’ll do next. Choose to see low is just a temporary balancing so the highs don’t burn you out!
Trigger 2: Too Much Sensory Input/ Too Little Self Care
Too much to do, too many people to be around, too many promotional events and phone calls, too many things happening at once, too many people talking, too tooo toooooo much! You find yourself on edge, unsatisfied, unhappy no matter what is “going right” and you don’t understand it.
This happens a lot to highly creative people. Many times artists fall into the trap of substance abuse just to find some peace. Here’s a better way… find some S P A C E! Silence and space can be restoring and healing. You don’t have to have money for a big sabbatical, just tell everyone you’re taking a break for an evening, day or week and then DO IT. Turn off phone, tv, limit talking, just chill. Ways I do this include my morning meditations and prayer, walks in the woods, time sitting on my deck outside, walks on any ocean shore.
Also, make sure you are attending to your physical needs… especially getting enough healthy food. This is one of the most overlooked causes of depression. Malnourishment, dehydration, toxic food/drink/drugs, lack of sleep and exercise, – all these things mess with your brain chemistry.
Trigger 3: Bitterness and Resentment
OK, if you say you have not fallen victim to these twin mindsets, you are lying, friend… or you are not from this planet! (I, by the way, am also from Earth) And those who don’t admit their imperfect attitudes are in the most peril of all… because a stuffed resentment can fester and even create more internal havoc than a confessed one. For instance:
You notice someone’s career moving faster than yours. (And there’s always someone…)
Someone else wins an award you were competing for. (Competition monster strikes again.)
You think someone has stolen your gig. (A big nasty trigger… especially if it’s true.)
Someone diss’ed you (critiqued or assessed your performance negatively).
You got hurt by an unfair music business reality or decision. (Radio won’t play you anymore, the label folds, your point man left the organization, the venue gypped you, your songs/music/production are not chosen for ___ project).
You hate yourself for your mistakes, failures and inabilities. This is a big contributor to depression, which is also defined as anger turned inwards.
There are so many reasons a musician lets bitterness and resentment take hold because we as artists are often fragile. This can turn into the end game… unforgiveness, which is truly a happiness, joy and peace killer.
We MUST turn these thoughts around, and the sooner the better. It helps to have a sane circle of friends to who we can be accountable, so we can say “I am having trouble letting this go. I admit it and I want to stop it.” You may have heard the phrase “The first step to getting out of a hole is to stop digging”. If this friend will help you STOP DIGGING THE HOLE of resentment deeper, but will instead agree with you that you need to forgive, forget, let go, wish the person well… and get your mind on your gratitude list… that’s the talk you need to have.
Hope you enjoyed the Article written by Judy Rodman. I will tell you that I’m no stranger to having those ups and downs as well and I’m a believer that when we collectively work together, we improve each other not just in talent but in spirit. The biblical, iron sharpens iron thing. Rock on.
Thanks to Mary at band-vans.net for this excellent article.
Many bands think that if they master their instruments, write good songs and maybe even have some fans that the rest will somehow fall into place. They forget to ask themselves how other potential fans shall come across their band.
The big advantage of the internet is that you can present your songs and videos online. Similarly, the big downside of the internet is that all bands present their songs and videos online. More bands than ever before vie for the favor of music lovers. So, just as it is important to have a good band, it is equally important to make sure that the band is heard.
Who are you? – Your band as a brand
Make your band a brand. You have to define yourself first. If you describe your style, promoters and potential fans must be able to picture it immediately. This is the exact opposite of, “we can’t be put in a drawer”, “we make a mix of many different music styles”, or “we actually go down well everywhere”.
Do not try to please everyone; your product has to please you first and foremost. Find your unique selling point. What else can you offer that others do not offer? Why are you unique? Why should people choose your band from the many different offers?
Write a short and entertaining band info that tells people what they can expect from a show. For starters, you can skip a band biography (in my opinion) as that will only become interesting once you have a certain degree of popularity.
You can vary, but you will be successful if, by and large, you remain true to your style. This includes not only your music, but usually also a certain lifestyle. Everyone loves authentic bands that are true to themselves. Stand by your product, then you can sell it best.
How do you present yourself to the world?
Social Media
Only create profiles on the social media platforms that you can really look after. It’s rather counterproductive if you’re there but never publish anything. Which platform is best for you depends, among other things, on your region, age, political views, and the average lifestyle of your followers.
Website
I also strongly recommend a website as it has many advantages over a social media profile. First of all, it makes your band look more professional. A website is timeless while social media lives from news and is constantly changing content. A website can also be much more creative than a standardized page on a platform.
You have full control over your website while in the social media you are exposed to constant changes from the platform operators. You are also dependent on the rise or fall of the platform. Apart from that you can offer song or album downloads on your website.
Concerts
Play live as often as you can and present yourself to the world. In the beginning, you have to invest time and money. As musicians, you are still much more fortunate than artists of other genres who (usually) have very high expenses in order to be able to present themselves at all, e.g. in galleries, at art exhibitions, art fairs, etc.
Although there are also showcase festivals for musicians that can be worthwhile, you can usually find opportunities to perform without participation there. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get paid for the chance to present yourself.
There are idealistic local promoters who take the risk of letting an unknown group play, and you should be grateful for that. However, you cannot expect that these promoters shoulder all the advertising for your show on their own. There are bands that do not even share the Facebook event to their shows on their Facebook band page, let alone promote them for a fee.
However, the better you promote your shows, the better your chances are of being booked again in the same club. Many types of advertising cost you nothing or are very cheap. Create a local press distribution list and send press releases for your concerts to the local media in each city. Send your confirmed tour dates to fanzines and magazines; at least online, they are often published. Also, add your shows to online event calendars.
Create online flyers with tour dates and distribute the printed version at concerts. Share all Facebook events of your shows as soon as they are released and at least once more shortly before the show. Invite your Facebook friends in their respective cities to the concerts. You can also promote the Facebook events with relatively little money.
Banner
Have your logo printed on a banner that you can hang behind you on the stage. If you play as one of several bands and people like you, they will immediately know who you are and remember your name better. A banner should be at least 2.50 x 1.50 m in size so that you can see the print well from a distance.
Videos
Create videos for YouTube, Instagram, Facebook etc. It doesn’t have to be expensive. If the video is good, people will share it. To convey a good impression of your performance, a live video with good sound from a well-attended show in your hometown should do. You can arrange the show as a party, perhaps with invited guests along with free admission, a good support act and free drinks. This will always put people in a good mood.
Fan Loyalty
You should find out who your fans are. Trying to convince people of your band who are not interested is never the right way to gain fan loyalty. Tastes are different and you cannot force anyone to like your music. Instead, try to find and keep those who appreciate your music. If you have found these people, be nice to them and do everything that you can to keep them as fans.
In the beginning, your fans are the most important people for you. They are much more important than the bigger bands you want to support and also much more important than A&R managers, music journalists, booking agents, or producers who really aren’t good for anything without fans. Sure, they can help you to play in front of more people, but they only do that when it pays off. It’s much easier to get the average concertgoer excited than people who deal professionally with music on a daily basis.
So, give your promotional albums, downloads, or merchandise to the right people. These are not just artist agents or label managers, but those who love your music. If you have a lot of loyal fans, the agents and label people will eventually come by themselves or at least will be easier convinced.
Newsletter
Send out an attractive email newsletter to share important news like the release of a new album or an upcoming tour with your fans. Invite people to register at the merch table and through your website and social media pages. You can, for example, offer a discount for your new album for people who sign up, there are many possibilities.
Merchandise
Be creative and offer your fans something special. Your album cover does not necessarily look good on a shirt. I wouldn’t buy a boring T-shirt from a band just because I like them. If I buy it anyway just to support the band, I probably won’t wear it, and as a result, you (the band) miss out on an important advertising opportunity. When your shirts become your fans’ favorite shirts, you will often see people walking around with your logo.
If you know your fans, you can better match your merchandise. Is it particularly important to them, that the shirts are fair trade and organic? Do many women visit your shows? Do most of your fans wear black anyway?
You should always have a selection of products, different colors and sizes, etc. It is also important to have something to fit every budget from badges and fabric bags to shirts, albums, and collector’s editions. Then, even people who do not have much left at the end of the evening can support the band. Additionally, package deals are always a good idea.
Success in new regions/markets
If bands are already successful in their home region, they often expect that they will magically do well in other regions or countries. When marketing any other product(s) in an entirely new region, most people realize that they will have to invest a lot of work and, most likely, a lot of money in advertising.
It can, of course, help if you already have a certain degree of popularity in your homeland, especially if the scene there is comparable to that of the new target region. However, people will want to convince themselves first, so you usually have to start from scratch as long as you do not have a big international label behind you.
I recommend that you first establish yourself in a region where you are doing well and where there is a market for your music. It does not necessarily have to be your hometown, but this will make it easier to find a label or agency in new regions later.
Showcase festivals
In addition to regular audiences, people from the music business and other music scene actors are present at so-called, showcase festivals. These festivals exist in all sizes, orientations, and as mixed forms all over the world. You can apply for performing at these festivals, but you should be ready for it. You need to know where your band is going and your performance and promotional material should be professional. Once you do that, these festivals can be a good place to gain contacts, especially if you want to extend to new regions.
