Getting The Good Gigs, Talent, Networking Skills or Personality?

[Bluewine]

This might be a good discussion.  It's certainly something many of you deal with. Staying booked and getting the higher caliber gigs.

 

I have a buddy who's in a good 9 piece horn band. They might gig 5-6 times a year. Most members are professionals and play with other bands. My buddy wants more gigs but they have so many things working against them. 

 

It's hard to get 9 people together at the same time in the same place. And it's hard to pay 9 people. Their real issue is I don't think they have anyone in the band that's motivated to book the band. For some reason the agents won't touch them 

 

We're certainly not the best band around ,certainly not the most talented.  However, our manager loves the business, he's networked and here's my point. People like the guy. I think that's where our booking success comes from. My position is talent is only part of the picture. 

 

We deliver a professional product and we're nice to everyone when we arrive at a gig and we're humble. I know bands that arrive with bad attitudes and drama and then they wonder why they don't get asked back.

 

Let's hear your thoughts. 

 

Daryl

[Lozz196]

In my old band Knock Off the singer/guitarist got all the gigs, did all the Facebook stuff etc. he’s the typical cheekie chappie that just gets on with people, and enjoys networking.

We were offered far more gigs than we could ever do, yes we were a good band (they still are) but I’m sure a lot of it was to do with his networking skills, plus the fact that we were easy to get on with and work with, always on time, and no attitude.

[Sean]

I'm now playing in a band that has been around a long time (I'm new) and the majority of the gigs come either from an agency or rebookings from venues previously played. There's a few functions in the calendar too.

The band has a good reputation for delivering a good show and the guys are all very personable and no dramas. 

There's very little promo material and cold calling venues to get bookings is a challenge because there's nothing to show them, so it's a combination of reputation and having a good strong loyal customer base that brings in repeat business. 

I get the impression, though I haven't asked, that they don't play many/any venues they don't like mainly because they've been around for >15years and have learned what venues to choose to return to.

[martthebass]

I think, in the first place, it’s important to have sufficient skill and experience to perform at the correct level. If you’re crap the punter and venue will be quick to let you know.

Assuming you’ve got the goods, then having the professionalism to communicate well with venues, market and promote the gigs is a major selling point.

Lastly, simple things like turning up on time to gigs, being affable with the staff/organisers, talking with the punters before and after the performance consolidates a good impression and helps secure future bookings.

[SteveXFR]

If you're in a small town, lie about your location in your social media and any other bios. There's lots of small venues in cities who support the scene by only booking local bands as support acts. Those are the venues you need to get in to. Thats where you'll gain a following and be seen by promoters. 

Im in Frome in Somerset, our nearest city is Bristol so if we want to play there, we have to say thats where we're based.

Be as helpful as you can if you want repeat bookings. Send the venue logos and pics straight away if they want them and make sure they have a tech list so the sound tech can be prepared and have an easier night. If he's prepared for a standard 4 piece rock band and you turn up with 9 horns without warning then he won't want to see you again. 

Edited 10 hours ago by SteveXFR

[BigRedX]

I know it's probably not a popular opinion, but IME talent is probably the least import thing. So long as you don't mess up too obviously too often you'll be fine, and besides until you are totally without ability, you'll make less mistakes as you get more experienced. The other things are much harder to improve should they be lacking. I've managed to be a lot less obnoxious as a band member than I was in the 80s and 90s but it has taken 25 years of concentrated effort to achieve a more "chill" persona and being being in bands where I haven't been responsible for almost every aspect of the organisation has most definitely helped.

[SteveXFR]

The main talent needed is entertaining an audience. Its entirely possible to be musically amazing but boring to an audience 

[BassTractor]

7 hours ago, Bluewine said:

My position is talent is only part of the picture. 

Aye, and I think you described it well already.
Taking "talent" to mean "ability", in the midst of many factors, to me it seems like one of the lesser ones.

I've said it before, but I got some upmarket gigs not because of my abilities but because I was deemed "available and dependable". 

[SteveXFR]

I guess another major factor is what you play. Mainstream genres will get more gigs than accoustic free form blackened industrial death skiffle.

[Lozz196]

42 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

The main talent needed is entertaining an audience. Its entirely possible to be musically amazing but boring to an audience 

Most definitely. In my classic rock band we do stuff that we like and which stretches us as musicians. They are excellent songs which are great to play but I’d doubt many audiences would last our set out.

[miles'tone]

21 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

I guess another major factor is what you play. Mainstream genres will get more gigs than accoustic free form blackened industrial death skiffle.

😂

It has to be something like this, that sounds interesting, to get me to leave the house these days.

[SteveXFR]

3 hours ago, miles'tone said:

😂

It has to be something like this, that sounds interesting, to get me to leave the house these days.

 

Then you must be a fan if Igorrr. They're so weird they make Primus sound like Michael Buble

Weird but very clever

Edited 2 hours ago by SteveXFR

[Bluewine]

8 hours ago, Sean said:

I'm now playing in a band that has been around a long time (I'm new) and the majority of the gigs come either from an agency or rebookings from venues previously played. There's a few functions in the calendar too.

The band has a good reputation for delivering a good show and the guys are all very personable and no dramas. 

There's very little promo material and cold calling venues to get bookings is a challenge because there's nothing to show them, so it's a combination of reputation and having a good strong loyal customer base that brings in repeat business. 

I get the impression, though I haven't asked, that they don't play many/any venues they don't like mainly because they've been around for >15years and have learned what venues to choose to return to.

 

How long a band has been in business is definitely part of the equation. 

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

4 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Most definitely. In my classic rock band we do stuff that we like and which stretches us as musicians. They are excellent songs which are great to play but I’d doubt many audiences would last our set out.

 

A lot of bands struggle with this. Songs you like vs songs the crowd wants to hear.

 

At the local regional mid market level fairs and festivals, playing songs the crowd likes and knows is always a winner  

 

We have a few songs that I think we should drop from our set list.

 

Daryl

[BassTractor]

Someone has to say it, Daryl: your husband looks very ugly compared to you.
😉

[Rosie C]

40 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

 

A lot of bands struggle with this. Songs you like vs songs the crowd wants to hear.

 

 

The very last pub gig we did with our Renaissance-rock band was 18 months ago - as well as the usual early stuff we had a few of 20th century covers on the set list - Moonlight Shadow, Lightning Tree, All is Found, Meet Me on the Corner, etc. Once we'd played those the audience were asking for more songs that they knew. So we stopped taking any pub bookings as I'm not doing it as a job and I want to play music I'm interested in. 

 

We get fewer bookings, but they've been awesome - historic buildings, medieval fairs, etc.