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Top Tips for Venues and Promoters

In my last post I gave a few tips for solo performers, now I would like to add a few words directed at promoters and venues.

I’m in the interesting position of being a solo performer as well as a promoter. I have organised and run events in venues as well as festivals so I have an understanding of both hats.

So,

Venues Top Tips

Advertise the fact that you have live music in your venue. I know this may sound like a no brainer but I was recently paid quite well to play in a more than half empty pub. One of the people that had come to see me told me afterwards that they loved the pub, it was at the end of their street but had only known there was live music there that day as they had read one of my tweets saying that I was playing. There was nothing to say that there was any live music at all. Britain has some of the best audiences in the world, just let people know there is live music and they will come. A few posters strategically placed is the least you can do, or is it? You COULD suggest that artists visit your venue before the gig and leave a few flyers or posters around and perhaps leave a cd with you to play on your sound system. Many venues have a collection of artists recordings and play them as a matter of course. I know because I have heard a few of mine played in and around Southampton.  If you have a Facebook page or website, put something about the acts that are playing with some links to their websites so folk can get an idea what to expect and can pass it on to friends that may be interested.

Slow Nights

Many is the venue that will get a solo singer/songwriter in to play on a dead night “to get the punters in” but never on a busy night. I would have thought a better strategy would be to book someone to play a Friday or Saturday (or both!) AS WELL as in the week. I know many do that with great success but so many don’t . The idea being that you create an ambience, a nice big crowd of people drinking and enjoying the music what could be better? THEN your punters will associate your venue with having a good time. If they see there is more music in the week (because you advertise the fact yes?) then you are giving them the opportunity to experience it again in perhaps a quieter setting.

Use FREE social marketing

There are dozens of ways artists market their gigs using this media so why not join them?

You can create venue profiles at sites such as Reverbnation, SongKick, Facebook, Eventful to name but four. One of the complaints that I hear a lot from artists is that they want to  promote their events on these sites but can’t as the venues aren’t registered. These sites give fans the opportunity to track gigs of their favourite artists and at the same time they can become fans of your venue, yes?

Do you REALLY want live music in you venue?

I really think a lot of venues should ask themselves this question as many often seem to regard musicians as a bit of a pest or necessary evil. I’ve witnessed landlords and bar staff talking over someones set, acting totally disinterested in the whole event and leaving artists to deal with drunken pests. If you’re not into the artists that you book then your customers won’t be either so why bother?

Top tips

So you can’t afford to pay the acts, why not “pass the jug round”? If the audience wants to chuck a few coins in the pot then give them the opportunity. It looks even better if you or a member of your staff does it. Also, on a personal point, do you really have to charge artists £3 for a lemonade?

Start a mailing list. Use a free site like Mailchimp and send a newsletter out telling people what’s on in your venue.

Get behind the artists playing, treat them like you would a good employee. If you don’t have faith in them then don’t book them.

DON’T LEAVE EVERYTHING TO THE ARTIST. Some artists are great at promoting themselves and others aren’t but it’s your venue, you want it to be successful,you should be doing your bit yes?

Introduce the acts. From an audience and an artists point of view this is a great thing. I have done it many times (to be honest it makes me cringe every time!!!) and artists love it and it gives the audience a focus. You can say a few things about the band and also tell your audience about other nights you may be putting on, promotion etc.

Have a peek at some of the popular music venues similar to yours and see how they do things. Do they have a website? Which artists go down well there and can you book them to play at your venue?

A lot of these suggestions may appear a little patronising and there are loads of venues I know that do it very well, have a great reputation and have artists as well as punters, queuing to get in – but also know too many venues that do practically nothing.

With many venues closing it’s in all our interests to keep as many venues successful and profitable.

 

Top tips for the Solo Performer

It’s a new year and many are planning a new year of gigging. I thought I’d put together a list of tips and advice that I have collected during my time as a solo performer and as a promoter. They are based on my experience, mistakes that I have made myself and have seen others make.

Before the gig

JOIN THE PRS!!!!!!!! Just do it. If you’re doing gigs for free then there’s even more reason to join. They have a pubs and clubs scheme that will pay you around £6 for every gig you perform and it all soon mounts up.

 

Write down the name and address of your gig on a piece, the telephone number of the promoter AND the venue on a piece of paper and put that piece of paper in your wallet/purse. Don’t just rely on putting it on your phone or finding that email when you get near. You can lose your phone, it can run out of power or you might not get coverage.

Be prepared

This is what I take to everygig

Although I only need one lead, I take two.

I also take my own mic, it’s a standard sm58 but I know it works and won’t shock me!

I have an old cd wallet that has two sets of spare strings in ORDER, a string winder and a small pair of cutters.

CDs. If you don’t have CDs to sell or give away you should really be asking yourself the question “Why am I gigging?” Seriously, most computers are capable of doing a basic recording of you doing your stuff. Just a few tracks and if you’re not happy charging money for them then just give them to folk who ask. If you want to record something better later, fantastic but in the meantime give people something to take home.

Badges. I love badges and so do audiences. Even if they don’t like what I do they will still take a badge!

A mailing list. I’ll talk about mailing lists in another blog so I’ll keep my powder dry on this subject.

The last thing I will say in this section is that you should write your name and telephone number on everything you take with you. I am forever leaving bits and pieces at gigs and have been very lucky in getting most of it back again.

At the venue

Getting there on time is a given but if you are going to be late give them a call as soon as you know. They may be able to juggle other acts around or if not then you did your best.

When you get there BE FRIENDLY. You may not be the outgoing gregarious type but you can at least say hi and introduce yourself to the promoter, venue staff and the other artists. Gigs are great networking events where you can find out about other venues and events.

DON’T GET DRUNK!! This may also be a given but I know a few artists that find it hard to play certain venues after drinking too much. Sometimes a venue will let you have a few free drinks but even then I would advise having something soft and it gives a good impression. Drunk people aren’t cool and you want to be cool yes?

Recently I have started taking my own soft drinks to gigs especially to one that I’m not getting paid for. I have been charged £2.50 for a small bottle of coke, not cool.

I have got drunk at gigs and will probably get drunk again but I generally regret it.

As for drugs and being stoned at gigs, people ALWAYS notice ALWAYS. Get a reputation as a pot/coke head will limit you to pot/coke head venues. If that works for you then good luck….

When you are performing

Things to remember.

You may not be good at chatting with the audience but always let them know who you are and what the name of the song is.

Never NEVER apologise before a song
“I only just wrote this song this morning/ This isn’t my guitar/ I’m not feeling very well today” or my favourite “I’m sooo hungover today so I’m sorry if I get it wrong” . If you apologise before then it looks like you are unprepared and the audience just wasn’t worth you making an effort. Make every performance the best you can do.

Never NEVER apologise after a song. If you messed a few chords, repeated the second verse,  chances are they didn’t notice as they may not have seen you before and don’t know how the song goes. Also someone may have really got into that song and you telling them it was crap just undermines them. Which takes me to…

TAKE THE DAMN COMPLIMENT!!

Ok so you are a tortured soul and a perfectionist but if someone comes up to you at a gig and compliments you on your set NEVER NEVER NEVER say something like “Oh, I was rubbish tonight”.  It’s as good as saying “You think you know about music, well what you thought was good was actually garbage, you know NOTHING!!” You may as well just kick them in the balls. If you have trouble taking compliments then try this phrase “Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it” and think of me!

After your performance

If you have a mailing list then now is the time to use it. I go around the venue giving away badges. If they take a badge then they might want to go on your mailing list. If they say no then just say thanks and move on. If you are performing in the U.K asking folk to add their email address to your list whilst you are performing will not work, never. Also if you suggest that they can come up to you afterwards and add their names will have limited success. But as I mentioned earlier, I will address these things at a later date.

This may be a good time to sort out the money. If you’re a bit English about the whole money thing (what the hell is wrong with us?) then a good opening line to the money person is “How do you think it went?” Then see if he comes good with the agreed sum. This can often be a complicated affair depending on the deal you struck.Keep it friendly but also don’t be afraid to stick up for yourself if you think someone is ripping you off BUT be very very careful and make sure you are 100% sure you are being ripped off before you start getting shirty as you may want to play this venue again.

You may want to stick around and chat or you may want to dash, that depends on your personality, if you meet some nice folks or need to catch the last bus or whatever. Just make sure when you leave you say farewell to the sound crew, promoter, venue staff and other artists and don’t just slink off into the night. Shake some hands, say thanks and leave them a cd if you have one. I have swapped many a cd with artists and have left cds with sound crew as well. You never know they may even play it at the venue at a later date?

Well I think that’s enough to be going on with. I think I’ve covered the basics. I hope you take away something positive and if so thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!

 

 

Would you like to take a flyer? I’m a rather damp Singer Songwriter

Thats was my opening line last night as I met some of the lovely but also damp crowd of people who were queuing to see Seth Lakeman at The Brook in Southampton last night.

This was my second bout of “flyering” this week. I started for the first time on a very cold, but at least dry, Wednesday night at the same venue but for Squeeze front-man Glen Tilbrook. To be honest I was more nervous giving out flyers than I would have been playing! I knew it had to be done so I packed my bag with some flyer, badges and a few cd’s (you never know!) and drove off to Portswood.

I got to the venue about 20 minutes before the doors opened. I had been thinking of my opening line and decided on “Take a flyer?” and used this as I walked from the front to the back of the queue. On reflection I could have tried to have a chat with more people, explain that the flyer was about me, but I was a bet nervous and didn’t want to come across as pushy. At 6 foot 2 I didn’t want to scare people!

Never the less I handed out over 100 flyers. As a bonus, when the queue had made their way inside I got chatting to the doorman who offered to pop a few flyers inside which was brilliant. I also managed to slip the soundman a cd  and a badge, I knew they’d come in handy! He was very supportive and said that he wondered why more artists didn’t do the same. “Delays used to do it” he went on “Used to come down in all their makeup and leggings” and suggested that I come down the next day (last night) “Seth Lakeman is on and it’s sold out” he said.

So last night in the cold and rain I tried my luck again and, thanks to the rain,  an new line “Would you like to take a flyer, I’m a rather damp singer songwriter”  I went on to suggest that they might want to fashion the flyer into a hat to help them keep dry, which helped break the ice. I managed to give about 200 flyers away and managed to chat with some really nice people.

I do think that “Flyering” is a worthwhile thing to do but it’s a long haul. Picking the right crowd for my kind of music is key, I won’t be flyering the Rolling Stones tribute act that is playing at The Brook next, it’s not my crowd, but I certainly will be looking for other major acts that match the kind of music that I play.

I would like to say a big thanks to Matt Stevens , a good friend and a great mentor, for encouraging me. He’s been flyering the Marillion queue in central London for the last two nights and he’ll be out there again tonight. I hope he meets as many nice people as I did!