Generation DIY: Crossin’ State Lines!
posted in: Features
So you’ve been gaining a local following and securing your spot as one of the larger artists in your local music scene. Now what about the tri-state area? If you’re a band that has been making waves in your area but have not ventured into the unknown (or as some of us like to call it New Jersey) well have no fear. This week’s Generation DIY is going to touch upon different ways of pushing your music across your state borders and into the hands and ears of concert goers all around. Buckle up folks; it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Let’s start off with how to book a show at a venue that has never heard of your name until now. At this point you should have a pretty solid press kit ( or EPK“ electronic press kit ) and can use this to send out to various venues and promoters in hopes that they can put you on a bill that best suits your style. Now you may ask, How do I find promoters as opposed to venues that support young, unsigned bands? Well, get on the Internet. Search for bands, regional or national, that you know and see where they play or haved played (MySpace logs past shows so you may be able to peek around unless a band put on a block). Also, one tool that I have always loved and still use to this day is the The Musician’s Atlas. This magazine houses thousands of contacts ranging from venues, lawyers, radio stations (college and mainstream), PR firms, designers, etc. You can purchase this at any local bookstore or buy it online. After you gathering the needed resources, begin to compile a Top 10 list of promoters and venues your band would like to target but make sure that they suit your genre. Now comes the hard part.
Many venues won’t take out-of-state bands for the mere fact that they won’t draw a crowd. How can a band draw in their market if they’ve never played there before? There are ways to get around this obstacle. When other bands come into your area to play, make friends! Network! This is the easiest way to gather connections outside of your state and hope to trade shows in the future so that you can expand your fan base. Trading shows with another band guarantees a crowd as well as an opportunity for you to plant your musical seed in this fresh new garden. Now, since unsigned bands usually are made to sell tickets for a show (with a minimum of 10 depending on the venue) things could get a little tricky. However, you Generation DIYers know how to manipulate the Internet in your favor. If you know you’ll be playing a show in an area or plan to, start scouting possible fans in those areas on MySpace, Purevolume, Facebook, etc. and make a connection with them. Sometimes you’ll hit the jackpot and find a young kid who is a music enthusiast and will do anything to help any starving artist by promoting new music to their friends and selling tickets. When you find one of these mythical creatures my friend, don’t let them go. You’ll be sorry if you do.
Another way to help boost ticket sales for shows in different markets is by setting up a Paypal acount for your band and placing the info on your networking pages. Begin your viral promotion to those in the area and supply them with a safe secure link so that they can purchase tickets directly from you. If it’s getting close to the date of show, tell fans you’ll have their tickets on the “will call” list for them to pick up on the day of the show. It’s all about networking and getting your foot in the door. Make friends with anyone; don’t turn down a handshake, a hug or even a friendly conversation with anyone because you never know whom they may be. Hope this helps out with your conquest to take over the surrounding states. Next stop, the world!
Keep that hustle strong, Generation DIY. This is YOUR year.