The Ultimate Gig Booking Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intro - 

 

Booking regular shows is an essential part of being a musician when expecting to be heard by the public, and a question we here at Phosphene Productions get asked a lot about. Though everyone has their own technique when it comes to finding the perfect show, many artists new to the scene should devise a "template" to work by and to keep yourself organized when contacting so many different people.

Our goal in this article is to give you a sort of template to use when beginning to develop your own booking strategy, and by the end you should have all the necessary information to kick off your gig.

Finding a Venue - 

The first step in our booking template is finding the proper venue to be a host for your show. Where finding venues in town is a generally straightforward task, finding the right venue to suit your project (genre, scene, etc.) can be a little more difficult and takes some research and effort to maximize your potential.

When searching for potential venue candidates, a simple Google or Yelp search usually yields good results. There are many sites on the web that call themselves “venue-finders”*, and this is often a great place to start. (*List of useful links is at the bottom.)

Check out what your fellow bands in town are doing and where they are playing. Of course a simple phone call works, but if you need a little more you can check out a website like ReverbNation. Just about any local event calendar or ticket stub website can do the trick.  Use the tools at your disposal and results will follow.

I find that looking at the situation from the venue's perspective is beneficial.  The guy booking shows for the venue wants to ensure a high head count with alcohol sales, as that is how venues make their dough. Most venues will want to see that you have a web presence as well as a fair amount of fans that could potentially turn up to your gig, so make sure you've got your plan of attack worked out prior to contacting and be organized!

First Contact - 

Alright, we've found the venue(s) most suitable to our project, so now it's time to make contact with the venue and get this gig booked.  Good business practice shows that making first contact with a phone call solidifies a more promising first impression over other means, but that doesn't mean that following up with e-mail isn't essential to your success and return business - and ultimately your business relationship with the venue. Simply introducing yourself, asking a few questions, and ultimately letting the venue's booking manager know you will have an e-mail in their inbox is all there is to it.  As they say, keep it simple.

Following up with an e-mail really engraves your band in the minds of those looking to book shows, and we discuss the importance of e-mails and e-mail lists all the time here at Phosphene Productions. Here's a basic template you can start with; just remember to personalize it to your situation and try not to sound like a robot. 

Subject: [Band Name] Seeking Show for [time frame]. [Genre]
Body: Hello! I represent [Band Name], we’re looking to book a show for [List Dates].
We are a [Genre] band. We sound similar to (*list similar bands preferably well known acts).
I invite and encourage you to listen to our music and see our videos here: [Provide Link]
If the above dates aren’t available, we are flexible and open to playing other times, whatever works best! You can view our booking calendar for our availability: [Provide Link]
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you,
Signed, YOU~

Remember the key here is to establish a working relationship with the venue, and a level of professionalism goes a long way in this industry.  Chances are you won't get a response right away, and in this situation I love to say: "If at first you don't succeed, try try again!" Booking shows isn't really a science and can depend on any amount of varying conditions. Wait a few weeks and repeat your process, and when all else fails, retrace your steps and make improvements until you begin to see success.

Don't get discouraged if you get an outright "no", as it may have nothing to do with you. Chances are the venue is up to their eyeballs in show requests and it may just not be the best time. Give it a few months and try again, keeping in contact for any potential last minute cancellations. We understand not everyone can be available at the drop of a dime, but there are definite benefits to those that are.

Remember too there are always options outside the normal realm of venue shows that can be worth exploring. Some examples include house parties (or house concerts), restaurants, churches, malls, etc... Or even more fresh ideas including online shows through websites like Ustream, StageIt, Google Hangouts or StreetJelly.

A Word on Booking Agents - 

What I've been showing you thusfar is what a booking agent can (and with payment, will) do for you. There are many benefits to having a booking agent, and as your band grows in fans and gig size you'll eventually need someone to take the managing hassle off your back.  Enter the booking agent.

Though the role of booking agent has been somewhat blended into a band manager's tasks in recent years, a good booking agent will communicate with promoters to get you on the bill, negotiate gig contracts, organize travel accommodations, attempt to push you higher on the bill, and basically ensure your show runs as smoothly as possible.  Many agents (and certainly the better ones) will be taking full focus and responsibility of booking your gigs and will be able to pull you into better shows with more well-known acts such as the festival circuit.  Though finding a booking agent is again fairly simple, for the most part when an agent thinks you're worth representing, they will likely find you.

Promotion -  

I don't want to get into promotion too much here as we have other content dedicated to the subject. However, once the show is booked it is time to get started on promotion, and though there are many different techniques, having a plan and schedule ready to go is key to successful promotion.  There are many tools across the web that can assist you in keeping track and gauging performance of your efforts, and we go over some of these techniques in other blogs.

Making sure to alert your fan base as well as the general pubic of your show is the idea. Creating events across social platforms, making regular posts and engaging your audience will lead to more pleasing head counts. Remember that the continued success or failure in relationship with the venue will balance on a successful first impression. Everything from flyers and YouTube videos, to ticket contests and press contacts are available in this wheel house.

We recommend checking out our Promotion for the Independent Musician, as well as our Online Band Marketing & Social Networking Crash Course for more information on this subject.
Just be sure to pull out all the stops!

At the Gig - 

Above all, the goal at the show is to play the best gig of your life. Play your heart out and give the audience a reason to pay attention. Remember the entire time you are at the venue you are on the job and a living image of what your band represents.

Having basic things like an e-mail/newsletter sign-up sheet available (preferably at your merch table) will really make a difference in the long run, and with constant contact will insure repeat customers for your band and the venue.  Try to be social and friendly, both with anyone interested in meeting you as well as the venue staff. Make yourself someone others will want to see, be around and work with and the success will follow.

After the Dust has Settled - 

Regardless of the success or failure of the show, following up is essential. Be sure to thank the venue for hosting the event, as well as the fans for coming out and participating. Be sure to update your e-mail lists and event pages. This is also a great place and time to share pictures and video from the previous night, really make those who weren't there jealous, then inform them of your next show, instill a determination for fans to catch you next time around.

Once the excitement wears down, review and take note of what worked and what didn't, adjust and improve.
Be sure to leave your own booking tips below in the comments!

 Other useful links and websites -

• LiveMusicEarth 
• Austin Live Venues 
• IndieontheMove
• JamBase
• BandMix (Venues search)
• Muzeek (booking services)
• Grouptones

Guide to the Artist Press Kit

 

 

 

Intro -

Continuing with our recent guides on promotion, this week we're going to discuss the Artist Press Kit. Because every artist represents its own "brand", it becomes necessary to package your brand in such a way that it is attractive to fans as well as potential investors from within the music industry, while showcasing your marketability and strengths. For successful artists, having a press kit available at any time is a must.

But what exactly is a press kit and why is it so important to have one?

Essentially a press kit is exactly what it sounds like:  A group of documents which present the artist's background, past shows, publishing achievements, current and future shows, as well as contact information. (Sounds kind of like a resume to me!)

Your image is your brand - you in a package - and is the key to selling venues and A&R representatives on the fact that you can make them money. Though this may all sound like a headache to put together, I assure you that you already have the majority of what you need!  It won't take long to format and compile, and like I always say, "you get out what you put in."

Basics of the Press Kit -

1. EPK - Electronic Press Kit
2. Traditional physical Press Kit

First and foremost are the types of press kits:  The online Electronic Press Kit, and the more traditional Physical Press Kit. While there are many options for EPKs, the traditional physical press kit is a must! Using a physical press kit leaves room for personal touches, and increases the likelihood it will be received and viewed by your recipients.

As with most things, there are both right and wrong ways of creating a press kit.  With the superabundance of artists creating press kits in the scene today, it becomes critical to have a press kit that stands out and has a higher chance of getting recognized by the important people. There are many things which can be added to your kit, as well as certain techniques that can be used to make your press kit stand above the crowd.

But before you can stand out, let's make sure you have the right information about yourself first.

(Remember: This is what writers and journalists will use to base review or article information on!)

Online Band Marketing & Social Networking Crash Course

This week we are going to take a brief look at the importance for you and your band to be an active member in today's social networks, as well as some basic brand marketing tips for your band.

In our current society we are constantly glued to our tech devices and continuously downloading massive amounts of data through both our personal computers and mobile devices. In fact, over 488 million people use Facebook over a one month span with numbers growing everyday. With evidence like this it is no wonder that it is so important for artists to "put themselves out there". Gone are the days of searching the Yellow Pages for a phone number, or buying a map to plot a course for vacation. These tasks and more are easily and efficiently carried out over the internet.

So what are some of these social networks, and which ones do I need?

Guitar Effects Pedals - Part Two - Effects Explained

Effects Pedals Explained -

Welcome to part two of Phosphene Productions Guitar Effects Pedals blog.  This time around I'll show you the different types of effects guitarists use in their tone arsenal, a little bit on how the pedals themselves are made, even a little history and some brand favorites.
In today's world of guitar pedals we have so many choices; analog or digital, tubes or solid-state, even choices in minor variations of capacitors, transistors, circuits, etc... And things get even hairier when you start throwing in variations in effects types or tone!  For these reasons (and others) we can attempt to separate these effect types into several categories, though some pedals use similar technology, and in some cases are considered one in the same.  The hazy area in-between is negligible (getting even blurrier when we bring in digital technology). We have done our best to separate the categories as best we can, though some variations we felt didn't need a whole dedicated section.  In these cases you can find a short description towards the bottom.

Guitar Effects Pedals - Part One - Introduction and the Evolution of the Effects Pedal

Phosphene Productions -
Introduction and Evolution of the Effects Pedal -

In this blog my intention is to shed a light on guitar effects pedals.  I have broken this blog into three sections which will break down the evolution of the effects pedal into modern-day music:  The creation of the pedals and their early implications; the effects themselves and how they work; and finally some tone tricks and how to maximize your tone with effects pedals.
Please also understand that I am neither an electronics engineer nor a historian and that this article is based partially on fact and partially on opinion. I hope you will enjoy it either way.

Lets start from the beginning:

Treating Your Band As A Business: Making Music Your Career

Treating Your Band Like a Business:

Your music is your art. This article is not going to focus on the morality of commercializing your music, but rather to guide you along the way to your goal of creating income from your music! Think of the hours upon hours you have spent refining your musical talents. You deserve compensation for the work you've put into your craft and the first step you need to take is to start treating your band like a business! With the average career span for a band hovering around about seven years, the sooner you begin to view your music from the entrepreneurial perspective the better your chances of advancement will be. Treating your band as your business is not an overly difficult concept when approached with an open mind and a willingness to learn; in fact, you could be half way there already without even knowing it!

Phosphene Productions Studio Tour Video

Greetings and Salutations!

Not too long ago now we had the idea of making a video to share with everyone that could somewhat 'show-off' our studio in which we record out of. We instantly got to work on filming, music, effects, scripts and managed to put together a really great Studio Tour Video.
Our idea was to be able to share this video with those who maybe can't make it up to the studio to have a personal tour, or maybe whom live too far away.
It's also a great way for our fans to get a closer look at where we work and how its all done.
We hope you enjoy, feel free to leave comments, and of course, give her a thumbs up!

Cheers!~

Filming and Music by: Jakob Mantei
Production, Effects and Scripts by: Carter Greeves

Online Copyright Guide - Phosphene Productions

Phosphene Productions: Online Copyright Crash Course.

1. Right off the bat I'd like to start by saying You can register as many songs as you want to at one time. So it might be a good idea to wait until you have a few songs piled up (that way you can squeeze as much as possible out of that $35 copyright fee!)
   
2. To start off It’s usually a good idea to create separate word documents with lyrics, chords if possible, and date of writing for each song.
3. After your lyrics are written down the next thing you need to do is create audio recordings of each piece either with music or sung a-Capella. Doing so will assures that both the melody and music of the song are included under the copyright along with the lyrics.
4. Next up its time to submit your copy-write claim, head on over to the U.S. Copyright Electronic Copyright office (https://eco.copyright.gov/eService_enu/start.swe?SWECmd=Start&SWEHo=eco.copyright.gov)
5. When you log in, select "Register a New Claim." Click "Start a Registration." Select "Work of the Performing Arts" and click "Next."
6. On the next page, select "New" and then select "Title of work being registered" next to "Title Type." Type the title of your first song and click "Save." Click "New" again and continue this process until you have entered all the titles of the songs you are registering for copyright.
7. After paying the $35 registration fee, Allow several months for your request to be processed. The current processing time for an online registration is three months after which you receive a document in the mail certifying that your song or songs are registered with the Library of Congress, and you will be able to look up the records at the U.S. Copyright Office website.
   
   Before copy writing your work I highly recommend scrolling through the eCO tutorial pdf here: http://www.copyright.gov/eco/eco-tutorial.pdf