THE ARTIST: Silence Kid (Baltimore, MD) THE QUESTION: Here’s my dilemma: My band is playing it’s first out-of-town gig this weekend, and we were just informed that our set would only be 20 minutes long. Obviously, my drummer and I are both pretty disappointed about this. We’re a dedicated and hard-working band, this won’t be a short drive [...]
We had someone anonymously send us this question last week…and we’re glad they did! Having to spend out-of-pocket money on health insurance is probably the bane of most artists’ existence. Still, its a necessity. We decided to ask some full-time touring artist what they do. Check our PART 2 of this post. ily Aimy [...]
Today’s post is the fifth and final installment of a 5-day series where 5 different full-time artist share what it looks like to pursue music for a living. Today’s contributor is ilyAimy, a Baltimore, MD-based duo. These guys are an interesting two (you’ll catch that below)! *hehe* They’re pretty honest folks, from my personal encounters, [...]
Todays interview is with Daren, booker of Baltimore’s Joe Squared and member of Disco/Pop/Hip-Hop Group, Claire Hux. Daren shares an overwhelming amount of knowledge with readers about how venues run and how to book and successfully promote your show. The below information will certainly make you re-think the way you or your band operates. It’s [...]
On Wednesday, I’ll be interviewing Daren, booker and promoter for Joe Squared, a pretty cool, hipster venue in Baltimore, MD. Joe Squared is a venue (one of the few) that puts as much energy into promoting its events as the artists it books. They’re cool people and they’ve got great tips on how artists can [...]
Coming out of a short Ohio tour, I thought I’d write this post based on a few things I experienced. These tips also apply to your local shows. If you have additional reccomendations, please post them in the comments. Grab a City Paper in Each City You Visit There’s likely to be a major [...]
So here’s what a couple other bands are doing to push through these economic times. “TOURING WIH JOBS” “The model of touring [involving a bus and several weeks of shows scheduled across the country] is gone. The recession has made it so that bands have to focus on their geographical areas, which is regionalizing [...]
…ABOUT YOUR DRAW Never assume that you’re going to get a good turnout at a show…especially when you’re not actively promoting. Liz Rueger of Independent Artist Representatives says it best: “You should go into every show assuming no one has ever heard you.” That said, don’t just expect people to come. This is especially important [...]
New venues and fresh audiences are usually worth the hassle of touring but below are some ideas on how to get the most out of your trip. Do Your Research Nothing sucks more than playing for an empty audience in a new city…especially since you’ve driven so far. Do your research to find out the best [...]
Money-related issues are undoubtedly the most-shared frustration among all independent artists. Its hard to fund your art while also trying to fund yourself through your art. This post offers suggestions on how and when to ask for money Asking for Compensation Don’t be afraid to ask for money! If you’re providing a service to people, you [...]
To read the first post in this series, visit Stand-out Artists and What We Can Learn from Them #1 Artist #1: Wisdm O.N.E Wisdm O.N.E. If you keep in mind the fact that your music travels much faster than you do, it will hopefully make you think twice about how much emphasis you put on the production [...]
Creating content can be hard to do when you’re just starting out. How do you get people to visit your website or myspace if you have nothing to put on it? How do you get your CD reveiwed if you don’t have any way to prove its worth listening to? Here are some ideas… Endorsements [...]
If you’ve read any other posts on this blog, you know I’m huge on always having an email list at each of your shows. Its important to keep it in a visible spot (merch table) or pass it around the room. Every email matters! More on this here: “Drawing Traffic To Your Website(s)“. By [...]
I’m currently working on a trip to Baltimore so the idea of planning and thinking ahead is fresh in my mind. I’m thinking on average that shows are booked anywhere between 3 weeks - 2 months in advance (on the local level). Assuming that this is true, how are you going to promote your show. First, its important [...]
