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Post by Pistol Pete on Aug 17, 2014 1:14:43 GMT -5
I'm trying to book a solo tour for the autumn, and struggling with people not returning my calls! So what does everyone else here to to get gigs? Posting demos? Sending emails? Phone calls? Just letting your agent deal with that stuff?
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Post by celeste on Aug 17, 2014 22:14:56 GMT -5
I am not gigging right now, but social media is what got me all the gigs I had in the past. Stalk folks out on facebook.
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Post by JamesP on Sept 2, 2014 7:18:28 GMT -5
I'm trying to book a solo tour for the autumn, and struggling with people not returning my calls! So what does everyone else here to to get gigs? Posting demos? Sending emails? Phone calls? Just letting your agent deal with that stuff? If you have an agent, yes, let him deal with that stuff and if he isn't getting you the results, fire him and get another one. Since I didn't have the luxury of an agent back in my day, it was all about networking. The more "in-people" you knew - i.e. Club owners, music publishers, other artists, etc., the greater your chance of getting gigs. But if you're booking a tour, you probably need an agent. p.s. Have you reviewed your demo material? Perhaps your demo recordings need refreshing??? Just a thought. I remember I used a demo tape back in the dark ages that didn't hit the mark on the places I was trying to perform. I had to redo the demo to fit the times.
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Post by Pistol Pete on Sept 13, 2014 7:16:45 GMT -5
Talented artists often find the gigs come to them. Just sayin' Smart alec Plenty of gigs come to me, but I'm looking to expand my audience.
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Post by celeste on Sept 14, 2014 19:51:39 GMT -5
All you have to do is listen to the radio to find out that plenty of untalented people get gigs. It is more about who you know.
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Post by steve on Oct 7, 2014 14:54:54 GMT -5
I am lucky in that my band has a manager who rings around, posts cds and gets us the gigs. Once we've played a venue we usually get repeat bookings and it goes from there but we also get people booking us for parties when they've seen us playing a pub.But I think you just have to persevere and have a thick skin and keep at it. In Britain the pubs are closing at an alarming rate and the venues are diminishing and so we have to cast our net ever further afield but having said that we get about 60 gigs a year but our Manager works hard and we are lucky to have her.
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Post by JamesP on Oct 7, 2014 15:34:52 GMT -5
Steve, what is the going rate for managers in the UK?
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Post by steve on Oct 7, 2014 15:44:49 GMT -5
I don't know, in our case we give 10 to 15 % of whatever we get but that can vary as she is na friend of the band and enjoys the social side. I don't know if that is representative. Also we give extra for phone calls and promo materials as and when required but we get a better fee than most bands on the same circuit it seems (though I can't be too sure except that I do sit in with other bands from time to time and never seem to get as much).
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Post by JamesP on Oct 7, 2014 15:47:22 GMT -5
I don't know, in our case we give 10 to 15 % of whatever we get but that can vary as she is na friend of the band and enjoys the social side. I don't know if that is representative. Also we give extra for phone calls and promo materials as and when required but we get a better fee than most bands on the same circuit it seems (though I can't be too sure except that I do sit in with other bands from time to time and never seem to get as much). 10% was typical back in the 50s and 60s here in the US. And worth every penny!
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Post by earleg on Oct 16, 2014 13:17:33 GMT -5
My friends have been booking gigs by phone with success. The lady band member does the calling and booking. She has a good voice and tact for it I think. That and get the feeling her voice attracts call backs.
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