This was sent out by a few promoters, but I think it applies for promoters/bands everywhere.
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Nice Guy Booking
Date: Nov 27, 2007 11:02 PM
I am going to repost this again because i strongly agree with the points Terry makes here and I run into these problems alot of times... I am also adding some points that I think should be added.
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Ok, I'm going to vent a little bit here on some things that I consistently see going wrong with the original music scene.....
1. - If you're band is playing a show, get there early and stay late to support all the bands on the bill. If you guys don't support each other, then how can you expect anyone else to? DON'Tsit in your van until it's time to play your set, then race out with your gear immediately after.
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: We as promoters NOTICE these things.. if you dont stick around and support the other bands playing that is one way for us not to book you again. ESPECIALLY when the rest of the bands get there early to see your band but then you split before they play. This is unprofessional and wrong. Network with the other bands! Who knows you might click with them really well and build a relationship and trade shows, go on tour together, etc. IF WE DON'T SUPPORT EACH OTHER THERE WILL BE NO SCENE LEFT!
2. - If your band only draws 3 people paid on the door....don't ask for a guest list. As much as we're in this for the right reasons...we still have to consider this is a business. Usually the sound person is paid off of the door split, so you can't think everyone can come in for free. The more people you want to come in for free, the more money that has to come out of the venue's pocket. When a venue consistently loses money on shows....THE SHOWS STOP!
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: Bands you get PAID on the amount of people YOU bring in. If you only have 3 people paid and try to sneak in or get people in for free this will affect your payment. IF YOU DON'T PLAY YOU PAY! It is very simple! And dont think we don't know the carrying in equipment trick.. we do.. and if we see it you will not be booked again. The key here is.. the more people you bring in, the more you get paid and the better of a chance we will book you again. We don't want to lose another venue due to lack of people paid, or lack of money the bar is making. IT IS UP TO YOU HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN MAKE!
3. - PROMOTE THE SHOWS and get people out to see your band. It's difficult as a promoter to convince people to come out and listen to local original music. We're in a day and age where people are more content to listen to cover bands because its music they know. The best person to promote your band is you, first and foremost. As a promoter, we push your music, we convince bars to allow you to play your music, and we get the bar to run drink specials to help bring in people. That's all we can do...the rest is up to you to spread the word, make some friends, and get a good crowd for yourself.
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: WE CAN NOT REACH YOUR FANS ALL THE TIME! That is your job! Myspace is a great way to promote but you need to get out there and do more! Go to other shows, pass out demos and flyers, go to the venue and leave some demos and put up posters for your show.. I only see a few bands who actually do this!
4. - You need to bring people out for your shows...friends, family, people you don't even really like. It doesn't matter. There are very few places that allow original musicians to play. It's hard enough to convince a bar owner to allow original bands to play. The only way it can continue is to show the bar that it's working and the bands are bringing people out for it. All a bar owner sees is if this is making them money in order to stay in business. If they don't make money, then they close their doors, and another venue closes for good. This is their livelyhood and the way they feed their family. If original music isn't working...they're not gonna continue it.
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: HANG AROUND AFTER YOU PLAY! Make your crowd stay and check out the other bands.. one thing that annoys me the most is bands showing up when they are supposed to play... they play the show.. pack up their gear and leave with their fans! Who knows everyone might actually enjoy some of the other bands playing! This is also a great way to keep people in the venue drinking and socializing! Remember.. the bar is a BIG factor in this business.. if the venue makes money at the bar.. they will keep allowing us to do shows.. if they arent making money the shows will STOP! And we will lose more venues in New Jersey.
5. - If your band doesn't have a show scheduled one night, but a couple bands you know of are playing.....come out and support them!! Bands need to come out when they're not playing and support other musicians who are playing. Bring copies of your band's cd, talk it up with the bands playing that night, trade shows with them, and just market your band in general to people who are there at the show. The guys in Local Demise have been really good about this lately. It's awesome to see a band who is trying that hard to build their fan base up.
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: IF WE DONT SUPPORT EACH OTHER THERE WILL BE NO SCENE LEFT!!!
6. - The scene can only exist if you create it. You can't go to a bar and just expect it to be packed with people eagerly awaiting to listen to new music. People are skeptical and chances are they already think you suck before you go on. So you gotta get up there and play and change their minds. Talk to them and pass out burned copies of your cd's for them to take with them. Get their email address from them and build up an email list to announce your shows. Not everyone is on myspace, although it's a great tool to use, not everyone checks their bulletins regularly.
7 - One of the biggest reasons people do enjoy local music is because they can get to know the band individually. They can attach themselves to this smaller band and make it their own. They know they can go to their shows, enjoy some drinks with them, and build up a relationship with them. That's what starts a scene and that's what needs to exist in order for original music to survive.
8. - Don't sit back and say "Why aren't people coming to our shows". Chances are people don't know who the hell you are. Spread the word. a 100 pack of CD-R's are cheap enough. Burn copies of them and pass them out. Even if it's only a 3 song sampler. Give a copy to the kid working the drive thru at Wendy's or pumping your gas at BP. Sure, everyone wants to press some legit cd's and look professional, but that costs money and then you need to sell them to make the money back. Then you're asking people to buy your cd when they don't even know you. If you hand them a simple burned copy, chances are they will throw it in their cd player in the car and check you out.
9. - DON'T BITCH ABOUT THE SET ORDER! If you're given a show and it's the first time playing a venue, chances are that you will be an opener or a closer. Suck it up, play with a good attitude, and I guarantee you'll be invited back to play on a better spot or better show. Especially if you prove you can bring out some people. If your band brings 2 people with them, you can't expect to get the best spot on the lineup. Every promoter keeps track of this shit. We know who drew well on a show and who bitched and cried because they had to play first or last. This business is very much a "give and take" thing. If you can prove to a club that you're serious and you bring out people, we remember that and we make note of it. We have blacklists of bands who don't think this applies to them....and guess what, we all talk to each other. We have friends who promote for other venues and we share that info.
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM!!! When you book a show be prepared to play any spot you get! BE HAPPY JUST TO PLAY! LEAVING OR DROPPING OFF A SHOW BECAUSE OF YOUR SET TIME IS UNEXCUSABLE!
10. - DON'T DROP OFF OF SHOWS WITHOUT AN INSANELY GOOD REASON FOR DOING SO!!! If you have a cold, suck it up and play. Dropping on a show with most venues will almost guarantee you'll never play there again. Also...we all talk to each other. If a band drops on me or worse yet just doesn't show up for it...I'm spreading the word about them to several other venues and promoters in the area so they don't have the same thing happen to them. So, when you think you just bailed on a show and might have ticked off some "small time" promoter, you never know who they are affiliated with. Dropping off of one show could get you blacklisted from 5 other venues without even knowing it.
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: THIS IS VERY TRUE. WE DO TALK WITH EACH OTHER AND KNOW WHAT BANDS DROP OFF WHICH SHOWS! DO NOT TAKE A SHOW IF YOU DON'T PLAN ON SHOWING UP OR YOU DROP OFF FOR NO GOOD REASON! THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THERE WERE OTHER BANDS WHO WANTED TO PLAY THAT SHOW! DROPPING OFF THE WEEK OF/DAY OF IS UNEXCUSABLE. DO NOT TAKE A SHOW WITHOUT TALKING TO THE REST OF YOUR BAND! WITHOUT GOOD REASON FROM DROPPING OFF WILL PREVENT YOU FROM PLAYING ANY OTHER SHOW AT ANY OF OUR VENUES.
11. - EARLY, IS ON TIME !
ON TIME, IS LATE !
Be at the venue when you're supposed to be, READY TO PLAY!
NOTE FROM MICHELLE: DO NOT SHOW UP 5 MINUTES BEFORE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAY AND GET MAD BECAUSE YOUR SET TIME GETS CUT SHORT! WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME FOR SHOWS AND THEY HAVE TO BE OVER BY A CERTAIN TIME. WE WILL NOT CUT ANOTHER BANDS SET TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE ON TIME AND YOU WERE LATE!
We work hard at this, just as you work hard at being a band and making music. There's no one person who works harder than anyone else involved in this scene. Everyone plays some type of crucial part. The kid who goes out and flyers, the bands who create music, the promoters who pull it together, the venues who thankfully still allow this to go on....they're all equal. This doesn't work without everyone pulling together to make this something that people want to be a part of. If we're putting on great shows and spreading the word out to people who might not have an interest in listening to original music, it may change their minds.
IT's ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC...and it's about being a family that rallies around the support of that music!
***If you agree with this, please repost it***
Thanks,
Terry
www.myspace.com/deadsceneproductions