The most important person you need on your side in the music biz
Musicians interact with many people to make music business happen successfully: booking agents, sound engineers, venue owners, media contacts, other bands’ mates…The list goes on and on, but I’m going to let you in on a secret. The most important person of all is sitting right behind the bar.
The most important thing you can do as a musician is tip your venue’s bartender. And tip them well. (Even if your drinks are comp’d. Especially if your drinks are comp’d!)
The bartender is one of the main faces of the bar. The bartender is the one that interacts with customers, fields complaints, works four jobs at one time, shares compliments with the owners; the bartender often has to be in charge of the venue’s stereo, take reservations, do the work schedule, count the inventory, tell the band to turn the volume down (which they hate doing, but have to), usually while working long hours.
So tip that person. With cash. Know his or her name. No matter what. Do it because you know how hard the job is. I guarantee it’s harder than yours.
And if music isn’t your field, I guarantee there is another unthanked gatekeeper who deserves credit at your office.
At my school where I taught, the entire staff knew the place couldn’t run without the amazing people in the front office. Mrs. Shepherd saved me so many times my first year teaching, she deserved flowers everyday.
Remember, the most important person at the venue is the bartender. Not the band.
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