VALLEYARM MUSIC MONDAY: Tips to get you more gigs!March 21, 2011

Gigging is one of the best ways to build up the fan base for your band, to play live, and to get your music out into the public.

A lot of bands just starting up find themselves stuck when it comes to booking their first gig – to get a gig you need an audience, but to get an audience, you need a gig. Booking your first gig can be a lot easier than you think, just be confident in yourself and your music and don’t be afraid to make contact with people you don’t know personally, we’re all in the industry for a common love, music! Gigging is an absolutely essential part of the music industry, and here are a few tips in securing yourself one!

Have a social networking presence: Make sure you’ve set up a Facebook page, Twitter profile and Soundcloud account, as well as profiles on genre and geographic area. Ensure that your contact details are obvious so bookers and bands that are interested in getting you on board for gigs can contact you easily. It’s also great to have a short, attention-grabbing bio, a list of upcoming gigs and your best tracks.
Promote the shows you already have booked: Show the bands and bookers that you’re already working with how professional your act is, and get your band name out there so the public and the industry become familiar with your act.
Have a professional electronic press kit: A well-crafted press kit will make it easier for bookers, venues, record shops and media outlets to get all the info they need about your act in one place. It’ll make the band look more professional and venues are more likely to work with acts that look like they know what is going on.
Always have a demo on you: You never know who you could meet! Make sure your demo has your contact details on it, and where possible have a one-page press release in the sleeve.
Offer to open for great bands for free: Support bands you like or know of and work your way up from the bottom. Keep your options open. Offer to the bands themselves or contact a booking agent at a certain venue saying you’re keen to be a support act for anyone in your genre.
Have reliable gigging gear: Make sure your gear is good enough to play regular gigs with, and bring back ups of all your equipment if possible. If you’re a guitarist, bring extra strings and a tuner and drummers should always have more than enough drumsticks. It also pays to be wiling to share gear with other bands because you never know when you’ll need the favour returned. The point is to make sure you aren’t known as that band who always has technical difficulties (and as such doesn’t get booked).
Think about community events: Approach your local city council, town fetes, schools, university clubs, country venues or public spaces and ask for support slots for upcoming community events. Rotary, RSL, Lions and community clubs also regularly put on events and may be interested in music acts.
Compete in Battle of the Band gigs: These usually have great prizes and judges and can give you great feedback on your progress, but more importantly you can meet lots of other bands interested in more gigs.
Network with as many bands and music industry related people as you can: Extend your bases and be easy to get along with. People will remember you being reliable and friendly. Always go out thinking of what you can provide to others rather than what you can get.