keeping the momentum

[eddiewagner]

hi guys, i am the "bookerguy" of my own little band. i find it very, very hard to get into gear and talk to promoters, clubowner, bars and such. once in a while i wake up in the morning and feel like "doing it" and then i get into action. but it is not my favourite job. how about you friends? eddie

[Martin R]

Around here, (well, just about everywhere I've been), the booker is an ambitious bartender or wait person that thinks it will be fun. It's not.

The usual song and dance for getting a gig involves:

Contacting the booker. Calling the club will often get you the name of the booker, sometimes it's even correct. Finding an e-mail, phone number or when that person is actually there is problematic. It usually takes 1-4 days to get in contact.

Waiting for the booker to respond. This takes weeks and months. Even if you have the booker's schedule you'll usually piss himoff by showing up during his real job. Sending constant e-mails becomes counterproductive and calling just never seems to work.

Selling yourself to the booker. The booker usually has a very narrow view of music and not much business sense. If he likes your music, you're in. If not, it doesn't matter how you did at the club down the street, you'll never get in to his club. However, if somebody cancels and he needs a band tomorrow, you may get a call.

Oh, you want to get paid? That's a whole different thread.

Right now we're talking to a local club about an August date. This is after we've played there twice with decent crowds. He wants us to get two other bands for the night but won't give us a definite date. So we have to call up friends and say, "well, maybe in August, a Friday or Saturday...or not. And it could be September, but if there's a cancellation it could be next week...Are you in?"

Geez, I sound negative.

[Tim Armstrong]

We really dislike going out and finding work! Fortunately, we're well-established around here, and play the same places every summer, plus we get approached by new venues.

Took a lot of time and work to get to that point, though!!!

Tim

[claudel]

In the unlikely event that I ever join another band the first three full time members will be:

Good drummer. - On time ( both to the gig and at the gig ) and plays the spaces.

Competent sound person. - Knows the gear and the materiel and will make things go as smoothly as possible in spite of substandard installed equipment and coked out/egomaniacal installed sound operators.

Business/road manager. Hustler. Lives to beat up on hapless owner/bookers. Fee collector. Marketing major. Connected.

Where would Led Zep have gone without Peter Grant?
The Beatles minus Brian Epstein? - Still flogging 8 sets a night in some smelly German bar?

After those slots are filled, then I'd worry about other guitards, singers, etc...

The "lets get together and play a bunch and wait for the gigs to come rolling in" approach hasn't worked well so far for me.