how do YOU get gigs?

[hartke20g]

i didn't think this was the type of thread for the pit, so i put it here.
alright, i searched for this kind of topic but that option wasn't too helpful. what i want to know is how does your particular band get paying gigs? i.e. coffee houses, restaurants, anything that's not a house party that'll pay you to play. my guitarist knows how to get shows at parties almost every weekend (even though he thinks we need original songs to actually be heard), but i want to know what all of you do exactly to get restaurants, etc to hire your band.

cheers

[neatobassman]

you call them, go down there and talk to the owner, e-mail, myspace. You have to get in contact with them. And have connections. That's how my band has gotten all of our shows. lol. Some places will be btiches about it and not get back to you (currently in that situation with this club here in Sacramento), but you just keep bugging them. And they wont give you the best nights, especially if you are new to gigging. You just have to play anything you can and build it up.

[Radiobass81]

The rest of the band takes care of that, so I'm not entirely sure...

:upset:

[sixner]

I've done all the booking for my band's...
look up some venue's in your area, im sure they have a website, if not a Myspace (sad but true)... they likely have a phone number or e-mail address... simply email them with your info, a place to hear your music, ect...

if your friends with other band's, ask them to hop on a show or two if possible... but dont be surprised if they expect you to return the favor.

-sixner

[bottlerocket]

My 2 bands right now don't play shows...we're still working. Usually, local bands ask me to fill in on bass so that's how I play shows.

In the past, my band got shows a lot. We were friends with a bunch of other bands and people that booked shows so they'd think of us when asking bands to play.

All you need to do is call a rent hall, like a VFW or YMCA, and ask if you can book a show. They require cops to come to our shows but I don't know how it is as your scene. You need to pay for the hall and pay for the cop.

By the way, don't expect to get paid. If you're a local band, you shouldn't ask to be paid. Play to have fun. If you're offered money, take it. Don't ask to be paid, though. That's the worst thing in the world.

It seems like this is your first show, too, so there's a 0% chance you'll be paid and you'll probably play first. You gotta start somewhere.

-Gav

[sixner]

By the way, don't expect to get paid. If you're a local band, you shouldn't ask to be paid. Play to have fun. If you're offered money, take it. Don't ask to be paid, though. That's the worst thing in the world.

It seems like this is your first show, too, so there's a 0% chance you'll be paid and you'll probably play first. You gotta start somewhere.

-Gav

Agree'd... UNLESS!!.. your going on tour (like my band in summer), you need to make contracts with the venue to ensure you get a minimum pay out of (?) money.. to ensure you have funds for gas, food, ect...

i dont think you should base show's on pay, but if you've heard of bands getting paid there before, but they say nothing to you about it... it couldn't hurt to ask? save up for some new band equpiment.... PA, monitor's, RECORDING...

first shows generally are the least paid.. once you get a bigger fan base, you'll get more cash.
-sixner

[herrly]

My town has tweo music scene sites and show promotors are always looking for bands. So we just send them a PM with a few songs and bam, we get shows. And my bands last show, we put on ourselves, just rents a hall, got some bands, promoted it and such. Good turn out.

[HaVIC5]

By the way, don't expect to get paid. If you're a local band, you shouldn't ask to be paid. Play to have fun. If you're offered money, take it. Don't ask to be paid, though. That's the worst thing in the world.

You might call me greedy, but I see it differently. For small time venues and stuff where theres about 40-50 people and its a relaxed atmosphere, then yes, money shouldn't be an issue. But from there on up, bands definitely need to get monetary compensation for their playing, since after all, they are providing a service, one that requires skilled labor. I've played a gig once at this venue in DC where we, as in my band alone, brought in 100 people for a 5-band concert where the show was 8 dollars a ticket and we didn't see a dime of the money. We spent time and money on advertising, spent a considerable effort rehearsing and played for an hour, and the venue got 800 dollars for doing nothing (we didn't even have a sound guy or monitors or anything, just the venue).

Maybe I'm tainted from the jazz players mentality. When it comes to jazz, for all gigs - like cocktail parties and things like that - you get paid. A considerable amount, ocassionally. I was once paid 100 dollars for an hour and a half long gig with 10 minute break. The way I see it, is that if you're skilled, you should get paid well.

[Moon Flavor]

The rest of the band takes care of that, so I'm not entirely sure...

:upset:
123:upset:

[Efrim]

I cast Level 7 Book Show Somewhere.


No, my "manager" deals with that. She's also singer, so Iguess I'm just like Radio and jcs.

[BassVirtuoso]

My band plays all the time at school events and birthday parties. It's just a matter of knowing people.

[hartke20g]

thanks for all the answers so far everyone. the only thing is that we can get plenty of parties/shows at people's houses if we want to, but that's just for show. plus, since none of us can drive alone yet, i want to at least make my parents (and bandmates' parents) feel like we're actually getting somewhere and not just wasting their money on gas and letting my bandmates' parents be right (they think we'll never get anywhere with music, which may be true, but we're only in highschool anyway).
however, i'm definately going to try some of the things i've read in this thread. i was just under the impression from all the gig stories that club/restaurant/etc owners posted ads in newspapers, or at least looked for live entertainment on the internet.

[Guinpen]

Usually we just call the venue, and collaborate with other bands to set up shows. You shouldn't expect to get paid at things like parties, but if you play at a venue with a price at the door, and there are 50+ people, each paying maybe between $5 and $8, you WILL generally get a cut, unless the venue is a bunch of dicks. Around here, a venue will randomly decide you pay you or not, it sucks.

[rustyburrito55]

My band usually gets gigs through other bands that we have friends in. I recently have been emailing clubs and whatnot. No replies yet but i'll see how it goes.

[AlmightyPancake]

The most important thing when trying to get shows--and I haven't seen anyone mention it-- is a full press kit. When you get in touch with the owner of the venue, bring them a package with sample merch, band resume, and a demo hard copy. Don't give them a myspace--you want them to listen at their convenience, not yours.

[supercalifragilistic]

^^ good point. You need to make a good impression on the owner of the bar/restaurant/venue. You're prob not the only band trying to get a gig, so you want him to remember you. Make a good first impression. And personallt, I think you should make sure you get some money to pay for your expences.
good luck :thumb:

[Radiobass81]

The first shows we will pay we won't get paid for, as it's just for our name to get around. A local band "Oxygen", which at one point got very popular, was only given cash twice from the places we are going to play (not sure if they moved on to bigger things, or just broke up then).

[lemoley]

peeps come to our gigs like what they see and book us

[pitchfork]

I show up to bars clean shaven and looking smart, order a drink and ask if they take live bands, i leave a number even if they don't.
I have ads up and i'll go to anywhere willing to take us.
But the best thing of all is i know a full time band who can get us gigs as a supporting act or recommend us places to get gigs.

I don't use myspace or anywhere like it, pointless if you ask me.

[PaulR]

I don't use myspace or anywhere like it, pointless if you ask me.
Free promotion is never pointless.

[Left Shoe]

be social with bands who do play alot of gigs, then you get gigs

[Akira]

Free promotion is never pointless.
123
Myspace is an amazing tool.
But yeah, two of the things in my mind in this thread are to have a press kit and to play for fun and to get your name out before you do it for money.