How To Fill Your Gig Book
Fall is arriving and it’s time to fill your calendar! That’s why I’m putting on my co-manager hat for just a minute to give you some tips on booking some upcoming gigs.
- Go local: One way to start finding local gigs is emailing the venue or showing up on nights when there are shows you want to see. Show up early and look for the booking agent. Be kind, courteous and (most of all) relentless. Making a good first impression is important, but making repeated impressions to always be top of mind is equally crucial. If you have good recordings, concert footage and reviews – those things also go a long way in speaking for themselves. Remember, these gigs are generally going to be booked 2-3 months out, so there’s no time like the present to get started.
- Be a campus crusader: Colleges are always looking for live music – and best of all THEY PAY YOU to PLAY! One good place to start is NACA.org. There are 7 regional conferences each year, meaning opportunity abounds. Make a list of colleges you can realistically make it to AND see if you can book local club dates in the towns you visit.
- Check out online booking services: The Internet is a great place to find just about anything, and locating gigs to play is no exception. Sonic Bids and Gig Maven are two of the many online booking portals where booking agents look. Artists ask me all the time how to book better gigs and I never hesitate to recommend either of these websites.
What is your favorite way to book gigs? OR, what is your biggest challenge in getting gigs? I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below. Happy gigging!
©2012 Cari Cole, Vocal Mag, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Her latest venture, CCVM a label services company, provides artists with a seamless path from creation to completion. After 30+ years of observing the overwhelm and challenges that artists face, Cari pulled together the best top creative professionals and designed a new approach to supporting our artists.
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