7 Ways to Get People to Your Shows (Part 2: Gig Frequency)
Yesterday, I shared seven tips to improve band rehearsals. Today, I’m pondering the second point Ari Herstand made in his article, “7 Reasons No One’s Coming to Your Shows.”
Herstand says, “You play out too damn often!”
This is not a new warning to bands, but it can be perplexing. This point is rarely analyzed fully, and it’s not a black-and-white issue.
Here are seven considerations about how often to gig.
* * *
A. Recognize cover gigs are not the same as original shows.
Cover gigs are not the same as originals shows. If you only play cover gigs, ignore the rule.
Yes, attracting an audience is always important for all gigs, but most cover gigs can’t expect a solo, acoustic musician to bring lots of people five times a month. Also, if you live in a tourist town, then you can play a lot since there are new patrons weekly. If you live in a college town where 21 year olds go out every night to the same bars, then play covers till your fingers bleed.
To those wanting to play original music, do recognize there is a glass-ceiling to what you can accomplish doing cover gigs.
B. Be aware of the type of venue you play.
While I said a bar shouldn’t expect a cover musician to bring a crowd five times a month, some do. (Even coffeehouses!)
Gigs are a business exchange, for both parties. Be aware of the facts about the venue. Is this a place that has a loyal patron base? Is this a brewery that sells food? Is this a sports bar where you are playing in the corner while people stare at 20 flatscreen TVs?
Is the place a good fit for you and your music style? If not…
C. Stop playing venues with unreasonable expectations.
It’s hard to turn down paying work, or a gig opportunity, but stressful situations often diminish our energy, enjoyment, and earnings over time.
D. Be honest about your draw, always.
My friend Nate Dorough, a concert promoter, has shared this many times.
If you only can draw 5-10 people, maybe that’s fine! The promoter might know of a small venue with a showcase night. Being honest helps a venue or promoter find the right fit for you. Exaggerating gets your booking requests ignored after one poorly attended gig.
E. Use a strategy of overplaying, for a while.
If you are starting out, overplaying can be your strategy for a short while; however, you must choose the right type of events where you can get experience, but not at the expense of someone else’s pocketbook (the promoter’s; the venue’s).
Examples: Relays for Life events, house shows, volunteer events, community festivals, tiny venues that let you play for tips, open mic nights…
To those scoffing at playing for free, I see you in the corner. But I’m not talking to you folks with 20, 10, even five years of live performance experience. There is a time and a place to play for experience. You decide if, when, and where.
F. Recognize venues have different booking schedules.
That local bar gig down the street might book for this weekend with a few days notice, but venues have different schedules. Small club shows (100-500 capacity) often need 3-5 months notice. Folk series that do six shows a year might book a year in advance and have a long waiting list. So…
G. Have a calendar and plan one year ahead of time.
It’s almost February in 2014. Wait, you don’t have a rough plan for the entire year by now?
Caroline Aiken shared this tip at a workshop: Have a calendar and plan out your booking goals a year, even two to three years, in advance! Plan in how early to pitch to venues, too.
* * *
Right now, I make my living as a cover musician who plays 200+ gigs a year, many in my home state. I recognize there is a time in my career where this must end if I want to do only original shows.
Both, Nate Dorough and Ari Herstand are advising correctly. The fact remains that it’s more productive to play one sold out show in a town every six months, then many little gigs with sparse attendance in that town.
7 Ways to Get People to Shows (Part 1: Practice)
Ari Herstand’s article “7 Reasons No One’s Coming to Your Shows” spread like wildfire across the musical corners of the Internet yesterday.
Some readers thought Herstand’s article is too negative or too blunt. I don’t feel like it is.
Instead, Ari’s article got me pondering in a positive fashion, and I thought I’d share seven, positive actions for change around each one of his points.
Today, I’ll start with the first one: “You Suck.”
1. You have an opportunity to improve.
Try:
A. Taking some lessons
If you feel like you are above lessons or vocal training, read this article about “Coaching a Surgeon” from the New Yorker.
We all need coaching at times! All musicians reach plateaus in their playing, and we often need another set of ears to give us a new techniques and exercises to grow.
B. Beating the computer distractions
There are days I spend too much time on my computer that my time practicing.
If you fight this distraction, too, download a widget or app on your computer to turn your Internet off during a set practice/rehearsal time. (Read the book 4 Hour Work Week for more on this idea.)
C. Conquering the beasts
Band practices can get redundant, especially if we spend too much time on the easy parts of songs, and not enough time on the difficult parts.
Spend more time conquering the beasts–often sections, not full songs–during rehearsals. Save the songs you know for the end. Some songs might only need to be played during the set list run-through.
D. Keeping a list
My prolific wife, a full-time writer, would tell you to hang a whiteboard in your rehearsal room.
Keep lists of goals. This list could include parts to songs that need improvement, the week’s setlist to rehearse, whatever. But write it down, and keep it posted so the band is on the same page.
E. Estimating how long it will take
One of the easiest things a teacher can do to improve student homework completion rates is share an estimate of how long it will take to complete.
Same should go for bandleaders. Plan out how long rehearsing parts of songs and set lists will take. Make goals for what needs to get done before band practice.
F. Disabling mobile distractions
If your bandmates are checking Facebook between songs or texting grocery lists to their partners, you have a problem. Distractions extend rehearsals and impair focus.
Bandmates should advise significant others not to call or text during rehearsal times, except for emergencies. Or plan in breaks where texting can happen. Respect band practice time like work.
G. Practicing less, more often
Is band practice two times a week for four hours not helping the band? Try doing three practices a week for two hours. If band practices are unproductive, it might be because you are trying to do too much at one time.
* * *
Herstand’s first point ruffled the most feathers, but I think it was the most important reminder.
Getting people to attend shows is difficult, but if the music performance isn’t where it needs to be, nothing else will overcome that obstacle. Plus, practicing is something the band controls with the least expense!
OK, I’ll address number two, tomorrow. I should go rehearse before my gig tonight.
Keeping your eyes, ears, mind & heart open
Susan Cattaneo, a professor of songwriting at Berklee and great songwriter, wrote an article about the magic of songwriting published in American Songwriter today. (Read the first article in a five part series here: “Abracadabra“)
“But, writing songs is something everyone can (and in my opinion, should) do,” she says.
That point jumped out at me, and I can hear some silent naysayers scoff, “Ha! I’m not creative! I’m not a songwriter. I don’t have the magic.”
We believe that there are some people who are creative and others who aren’t. Which isn’t true. We all have an imagination. We all have an inner artist waiting–needing–to emerge.
Question: Everyone enjoys coloring with crayons when we are children. Everyone enjoys hitting pots and pans like drums when they are toddlers. Why do some close off this allowance of creativity as adults?
Answer: Fear.
And it’s dangerous to close off your inner artist.
Closing off the inner artist allows violence to brew, negativity to fester, sadness to drip inside us like drops of water from a leaky faucet.
Plus, the last decade has been so focused how the digital world is changing how we read books, how we listen to music, how art is shared, we have lost sight of the bigger picture. Technology is just the tool. We will always face the great big questions of the human experience, that are often unanswerable.
Only finding your inner artist can help us do that.
Susan Cattaneo’s article reminds us that being a writer is simple about keeping your eyes, ears, mind and heart open.
That’s the same trait that makes us better friends, partners, parents, teachers, neighbors and citizens.
I’m excited to read her second article the next Tuesday.
Starting a new goal or project can be overwhelming.
During the exposition of planning, we are excited, our energy levels get us focused. But then the work starts, often the tedious stuff. That’s the danger zone, when we procrastinate, when we quit.
However, a lot of projects only need us to get through the hump. Then they get into the “maintenance zone.” That’s where we can reap the benefits of the hard work!
For example, my friend Garret told me last year he was designing his own educational guitar videos.
His videos went live a few months ago, and they look incredible. Checkout this cool video about blues triads:
http://garretsguitarlessons.com/?portfolio=blues-triads-2
A lot of hard work went into these videos, but I bet once Garret got through the tough work (design, structure, the background song (which he self recorded), the concepts), it’s much easier maintaining it.
Sure, he’s still has to power up his camera and edit new videos each week, but once you get in the routine, the work time is cut in half, or more.
Garret’s work reminds to avoid quitting right before our work gets to the maintenance zone.
OK, let’s learn some new guitar licks!
The myth of “I can’t work under pressure”
Every week, I watch my wife find, pitch, and write stories for her freelance journalism career; as well as write a monthly column for the Bridge, self-publish her first book, brainstorm her next book, write weekly blogs, etc.
She writes 35-50 articles a month. That doesn’t count her own blogs she does for fun.
She’s a writing machine.
She’s my writing hero.
And she’s proof that all of us can write under pressure.
In fact, deadlines are essential for work to get done. Artists and songwriters often self-prescribe too much freedom to create, and never finish much.
Give yourself a deadline, one that has a consequence if you don’t make it.
17 of my friends joined me on a self-created deadline for 2014. We are writing a song a week. If we miss a deadline or two, we’re out.
It’s scary, but it’s also rewarding. It gets the ego out of the way when one must finish it.
And if I find myself saying, “I can’t do this,” I’ll also be hearing Natalie on the phone saying, “Hi! This is Natalie Burg from Concentrate Media, do you have time for an interview?” again and again and again.
Her actions say, “Yes you can.”
So call yourself. Give yourself a deadline. Make 2014 productive. Let’s create some stuff.
