if you want to be a legit band...

[MCCVIII]

There's no posts in here yet, but there is a wealth of informed people in this city about the topic. We have a lot of legit bands. And we have even more people in this city who are in bands that have a tremendous amount of potential. Let's ask some questions and share some pointers:


keep good records - write shit down. save files in your computer. don't delete important emails. you can learn much more about where your band should be by looking at your own past than you can from any message board topic.

play out of town - playing shows for strangers is always an experience. sometimes it's amazing. sometimes it is awful. usually it goes okay, and you come back home with a few extra dollars in your pocket and a story to tell your girl/boyfriend. this doesnt necessarily mean "go on tour". playing in dayton or yellow springs or columbus or indianapolis or athens or louisville or lexington are all out of town shows, and you can play them on a thursday night and be back home for work on friday.

PRACTICE - you could use it. the beatles could have used it. while sometimes not feasible, establishing a regular practice schedule with your group is one of the best things you could do if you want to take your band seriously. and as long as they're you're friends, you're just hangin out and having fun, anyways! which brings up...

don't be in bands with people you don't like... - unless the band is paying all of your bills. if you're reading this, your band is not paying all of your bills, and life is too short for putting up with that kind of stress.



additions? id like to see this be a running list and resource...

[IanBolender]

I've got a million little pointers, but the most important one I can think of..

Do it yourself - Don't go delegating tasks to friends, and definitely don't let strangers do your business for you at first. There are lessons to be learned by trial and error. Sure, it's time consuming.. But when it comes time to hire someone (to manage or book your band) you will have a better idea of what it takes & you will be able to make more informed decisions.

[tom_kse]

as a band, set goals and then review periodically.


examples:

1: 2 shows a month
2: acquire and sell merch
3: record by june

It insures everyone is on board with something agreed upon. And makes things less stressful.

For me, since we agreed to 2 shows a month, I don't feel guilty about turning down shows. And when you meet a goal, the whole band gets to enjoy the sense of accomplishment. And it keeps you focused.

By the same token, if you have a problematic member, it's easy to find a reason to get rid of them because you will likely have support from the rest of the band, if you don't, then you didn't set goals as a band.

Goals also define boundaries that everyone is comfortable with. That way, everyone enjoys the experience and that goes a long way towards success.

In January we reviewed how we did on our goals from last year and it was pretty fun to look back and see what we accomplished and honestly I think we are even more focused for this year and I can't wait to see what we do this year.

[MCCVIII]

I've got a million little pointers, but the most important one I can think of..

Do it yourself - Don't go delegating tasks to friends, and definitely don't let strangers do your business for you at first. There are lessons to be learned by trial and error. Sure, it's time consuming.. But when it comes time to hire someone (to manage or book your band) you will have a better idea of what it takes & you will be able to make more informed decisions.

incredibly true. its funny to think about how there's this fantasy about how "all we need is to get this manager" or booking agent or whatever it may be and how that's suddenly going to solve problems and take you to the next level. far from true, ESPECIALLY at the young band stage. and plus, people acknowledge and respect that sort of thing. venues and promoters like to work directly with bands who do their own business, a lot of the time. there's no middleman!

audience and fans love handmade things too. not really NECESSARY to be a "legit band", but it certainly turns a few extra heads.

[ElRey]

BE PROFESSIONAL

Whether its dealing with a booking agent for a club or the guy that screen prints your merch, always treat it as if you were operating a small business. Be responsive. When somebody gives you a call, respond back quickly. Even if you don't have an answer for that person let them know you are working on it. Communication is key. If you haven't received a reply back in an email, don't assume it was read, follow up with all correspondence.

Let one person handle band business. It's not a power trip, it makes it easier and avoids confusion.

Promote, promote, promote. Don't rely on the venue to do anything. Don't rely on your Facebook friends to spread the word. Putting up an event and status update the day before your show will not result in good attendance. Also, don't spam the hell out of facebook. Setup an event one month prior and send reminders sparingly up to the day of the show. Remember that the only people actually seeing these updates are your current "fans". Go Old School, put up fliers at the venue your playing at least 2 weeks prior to the show. Make small fliers to leave on the counters of places people that would like your music frequent.

[MCCVIII]

BE PROFESSIONAL
Go Old School, put up fliers at the venue your playing at least 2 weeks prior to the show. Make small fliers to leave on the counters of places people that would like your music frequent.

totally. hanging posters on the streets, in local restaurants/coffee shops, and other spots you know may not directly result in more people coming to that show, but it does directly translate to people seeing your band name and you staying relevant to potential fans.

printing/copying 4-to-a-page handouts on a standard piece of copy paper is cheap, easy, and you should always have some in your bag or back pocket the week or two before a show that you care about. simple! effective!

[tom_kse]

[
totally. hanging posters on the streets, in local restaurants/coffee shops, and other spots you know may not directly result in more people coming to that show, but it does directly translate to people seeing your band name and you staying relevant to potential fans.

that's what buckra did.

[MCCVIII]

[
totally. hanging posters on the streets, in local restaurants/coffee shops, and other spots you know may not directly result in more people coming to that show, but it does directly translate to people seeing your band name and you staying relevant to potential fans.

that's what buckra did.

see, they got you, too!
buckra are damn good promoters.


adding to the list:

TUNE YOUR INSTRUMENT
and keep it in tune while you play. sure, most people at a bar probably can't tell that two of your guitar strings are out of tune, but it makes a difference. if your instrument doesn't stay in tune, take it to the shop and get it set up and/or repaired. your songs sound much better when all the notes in a chord are in tune and build each other up, instead of working against each other. attention to the little details in your live show will really shine through.

[transfusion666]

When you take your band out of the garage or jam room and put it on a stage in a place of Business then you need to start treating your band like a business. Local bars/venues are not in business to help you live out your dream/fantasy/or mid life crises. They are there to turn a profit. Unlike many band's who just do it for fun or to get laid. If you are not treating your band as a business you should stop trying to play in bar's/clubs/ or anywhere else that relies on people coming to their bar to keep them open. For your band to have a place to play... If you are in a band that does not treat it like a business then get out of the way and stop messing it up for the band's who do want to make a real go of it. Your mudding up the water's.