A Smart Approach To Gigs
12 Steps to Performance Success

by Peter Spellman
 

There's more to playing a killer gig than plugging in, saying a prayer to the gods of groove, and wailin' away. In fact, the rule for performance is pretty much the same as the rule for success in just about any line of business: It's all about being able to maximize limited resources.

Live performances are one of the most potentially rewarding avenues for bands in terms of networking and exposure. Yet few take full advantage of the opportunities that gigs present. Each live job should be seen as an opportunity to expand your skills, your fan base, and your media contacts and industry relationships. Sound complicated? Don't worry: We've boiled it all down to twelve essential points. Follow them, and you'll not only rock the house--you'll kick your career into a higher gear, and improve your chances for long-term success.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE SHOW

1. Find out about the room where you're going to play. Know the stage size. Find out what time bands are expected to soundcheck, and to begin and end playing. Learn whether there's a dressing room. Check out the sound and lighting system, if they're provided, and talk to the club's sound tech. If possible, ask other bands who've played the room for tips and pointers. Remember, you're there to perform a show, not worry about all these details once the show begins. Get the right information before the gig, and you'll have much less anxiety while you're onstage.

2. Rehearse your show straight through as if it were the real thing. Your show should be a visual feast as much as an aural banquet, so pay attention to your stage presence as well as your stage sound. Practice any movements or dance steps you're planning to use at the gig. You may also want to hold a full dress rehearsal and have someone snap some photos or shoot a low-budget video of the group, so that you can actually see what the audience will see. This is always educational--and often humbling! But swallow your pride and learn from what you see--remember, you're trying to make the most of this gig.

3. Publicize the show. Print up a bunch of flyers with all pertinent information, including contact number. You're competing with a lot of other events, so you want your flyer to stand out. Use colorful paper and eye-catching graphics. Seek the advice of a friend who's an artist, or go the extra distance and have a professional create a killer gig poster, leaving a blank space at the bottom for all relevant info.

Once you have your poster in hand, it's time to send it out. First, mail it to your fans, your primary support base. Second, you'll want to send it to all music writers in the local media. To find out who they are, check the most recent edition of the Musician's Guide to Touring and Promotion for information about your area. You can also visit your local public library and look for Gale's Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media, which lists more than 36,000 print and broadcast media, and the Broadcasting Yearbook, which covers radio, television, and cable outlets throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Write down contact information for all dailies, weeklies, and monthlies within a ten-mile radius of where your show will happen. Your list should include music publications as well as mainstream press. Chances are you've already started such a list, but now's a good time to make sure it's comprehensive. Jot down phone numbers as well as addresses, because you'll want to call each publication to find out two things--first, the name of the arts and entertainment editor, to whom you'll send your notice; and second, how much "lead time" the publication needs for printing a concert listing, so that you can be sure to get your information to the publication in time for it to be printed before your show.

You'll also want to send a good photo of your act. It's worth the expense to have one taken, since your gig listing will receive lots more attention--and a better display in print--with artwork. Make it as easy as possible for the editor to use the photo by finding out the exact specifications required for photo submissions when you call about the other items.

The next list you'll want to assemble involves local radio. Most stations have regional concert listings as part of their news segment, so be sure to target a flyer to each. If the gig is extra-special--in a high-profile showcase venue, for example--you may also want to send out personal invitations and free tickets to local music industry representatives, including record executives, A&R contacts, booking agents, personal managers, entertainment attorneys, and radio personnel. Think maximization: It's better to invite too many than not enough.

Besides your mailings, you'll want to post your flyers in music stores, hangouts, inside the venue (don't forget the bathroom stalls!), and on all college and community bulletin boards in the area.

If you want to save money on the mailings, you can reduce your flyer to one-quarter size, from 8-1/2" by 11" to 4-1/4" by 5-1/2", and print it on postcard stock. This lowers your postal rate by thirteen cents per piece. If you're doing huge mailings on a monthly basis, check with the post office about getting a bulk mail permit for additional savings.

THINGS TO DO DURING A SHOW

Okay, the big night is here. You walk into the club, greet the sound engineer (you've already made sure that you know each other), park your belongings in the appropriate space, and start setting up on the familiar stage. Smooth. But there are a few more things you can do to make tonight's show truly memorable.

4. Have a banner with the band's logo hanging behind the stage, high enough to be easily read by everyone in the house. You'd be surprised how many people wander into clubs and hear bands without having any idea who they are. A visible banner solves that problem. You say you don't have a banner? Try calling Bannerama at (617) 899-4744, or the Banner Barn at (800) 537-7469.

5. Place "table tents" with band information and gig schedules on each table around the club. Use sturdy postcard stock for best results. And here's a tip from singer/songwriter Lisa Stansfield: Try putting the lyrics to one of your songs on the tent to give people more reason to take it home.

6. Set up a visible area for merchandise, including T-shirts, tapes, and CDs. The person--not a band member, incidentally--in charge of selling this stuff can also make sure that new fans add their names and addresses to your mailing list. Be sure there are lots of writing instruments and plenty of paper on hand. Put the T-shirts on hangers for greater visibility. And keep a bowl of candy well stocked on the table.

7. Make sure everyone in the band and support crew has plenty of band business cards in their pockets throughout the gig. Distribute them liberally.

8. Remember to make your show visually as well as aurally exciting. You're on display, and all your clothing, colors, movements, and lines should blend with the music you're playing. Give the people what they want: a feast of sight and sound.

THINGS TO DO AFTER THE SHOW

Alright, you just had a great gig! A lot more people know about you now than before this evening. There's a small buzz brewing, and now it's time to heat it up.

9. First, before you leave the club, try to secure another gig with the owner or booker while you're fresh in their mind. At the very least, seek a verbal commitment, then call within a few days to confirm and formalize it.

10. Make sure the dressing room is in the same condition in which you found it. This may sound trite, but it's a basic human consideration. An un-trashed dressing room will speak well of your act.

11. Strike while it's hot! As soon as possible, follow up on any industry contacts made at the gig. Call and thank them for coming to the show. Build rapport. Network.

12. Send a personal letter to all new fans, thanking them for coming to the show and informing them further about the band and other ways they can support you. Try encouraging them to call club owners, request your songs at radio stations, buy your music at local retail outlets, and tell their friends about you.

Of course, you can forget about all of this and just play the gig. After all, you're musicians, not publicists. Music is what you do best, right?

Right . . . but more and more, we see success going to the smarter bands, the ones that go beyond just performing, because they know how to organize publicity, work the radio, boost promotion, and generally maximize and optimize their limited resources. After all, why should one gig equal one gig when it can have the impact of ten? Maximization is the key. Go for it!

Contributors: Peter Spellman is career development coordinator at Berklee College of Music and author of Music Biz Know-How: Do-It-Yourself Strategies for Independent Music Success. Contact him at www.mbsolutions.com.