sarahsaturday

Dear Sarah,

I love my friend's band and I really think they have what it takes to make it. They've recently asked me to help them out and I'm trying to book them shows. I'm still learning the ropes about the business aspect of running a band and what it takes to get venues to book. They've done pretty well locally, but they really want to play some of the more famous local LA venues (Roxy, Troubadour, etc. etc.).

I've been told that info such as who they've played with, where they've played, and other bio info isn't really relevant for the talent buyers, so what are some of the best strategies to get venues to book them?

Submitted by: http://xxrccola.buzznet.com

Dear Booking Rookie,

This is a great question and I appreciate the thought that went into it. Whoever told you that talent buyers don't care about that kind of information was wrong (you should tell them to send me advice questions so I can set them straight). You definitely want to send promoters the kind of information that will show them -- as quickly as possible -- that the band has a strong working resume and will mean ticket sales for the show. So you want to go through the band's list of accomplishments and statistics and pick the most impressive ones to list in the press kit you send to the promoter. This usually includes your band's average local draw, big-name bands for whom your band has opened, well-known venues at which your band has headlined, the number of regional and national tours your band has done, total number of albums sold to-date, and then press clippings such as positive record or show reviews from local or online publications / zines.

It's great that you have the goal of getting shows at bigger venues; goals are what keeps a band moving forward, and no goal is too lofty! As for your specific goal of playing at the bigger LA venues: just keep at it. Send a proper press kit, follow up regularly, be polite and friendly, and think of as many different avenues as you can that might help to achieve your goal. For example, you definitely won't be able to book a headlining show at the Troubadour right off the bat, but maybe you can talk to bands who are already booked to play there in the coming months about landing an opening spot. Stuff like that.

There are some good articles about this stuff on my website, EarnItYourself.com, in the "EIYpedia." Check those out and get your band involved with the DIY/EIY community over there:

How to write an email to a promoter or venue...
Hey Sarah! What should go into a promo pack?
What are the biggest mistakes that young bands make? [Answered by the EIY Panel of Experts!]

Love,
Sarah