Band Promo 101
Aug 23, 2011 Housekeeping
I’ve been back at Station 58 for about a week now, after a 2 year break from the business. I’ve been insanely busy working on our schedule for the fall, and now that I actually have the calendar filled for the next month (whew…), I’m going to take a minute to address an odd issue I keep running into.
Let me say this first – I totally get that most local bands are just in it for fun.
And the pussy, if we’re all being honest. 
A lot of younger dudes have aspirations of making it big, but by and large most groups around here play because they love to and it’s an awesome creative outlet. You get to be Saturday night rock stars, and there is nothing wrong with that. Rock on.
But here’s the thing – the people who book your bands are actually business owners. They need to put bodies in the door and sell booze. They might be fans, but at the end of the day they still have to pay the rent, keep the lights on, pay the staff and buy more more booze.
So they book you, The Local Band.
And they advertise, run an ad in the New Times, do a little radio, maybe hire someone like me to market the show and deal with the details. They are in the hole before you walk in the door.
You, The Local Band, like to play out. You like it even better when you can play in front of a big, enthusiastic, drunken crowd. And you’re positively orgasmic if you can do those things AND actually get paid for it.
I’ve spent the better part of the last 10 days sifting through Facebook band profiles. There are a few things that would totally help your cause – like including some really, really basic information on your site.
- What does your band sound like? “the new and upcoming band of the century”. What the f#ck does that mean???? Do you sound like Neon Trees or Nine Inch Nails? Originals or covers? Metal, rock, country, punk? Are you going to show up with an accordion, a stuffed horse or a coffin? Give me a hint…and yes, all of those things actually happened.
- Is there ONE reasonable picture of your band somewhere on your site? It doesn’t have to be professional – just in focus and your current members are all in the shot. A point and click camera will work just fine, and if you make it black and white it will automatically look artsy and cool. Easy.
- Where do you play? When I click on “Events” and there’s nothing there, I get a little concerned. It either means nobody else will book you, or you have shows booked you’re not promoting. Either scenario is disturbing. It’s tough to get gigs when you’re just starting out, but there is no excuse for not putting some effort into promoting your own shows.
I want YOU to have a good show.
I want the OWNERS to have a good show.
I want EVERYONE involved to make $$$$$.
I believe in the win-win.
Help me help you.
Peace, out.
Tags: Band Promo
