New bands - How to get up "out there"

bigphilscolari

Hi,

I play in a new original band based in Dublin called ECHOES and we're looking for advice on how to get ourselves "out there". And by "out there" I don't mean whacked out of it on LSD or anything - we could probably work that out for ourselves!

I've found alot of threads on the likes of boards.ie to be quite useful but as the music industry seems to change quite alot quite regularly not all of them are fully relevant to 2011.

We have a myspace (www.myspace.com/echoesceol ), facebook and youtube account and all that but I suppose the problem for us at the moment is getting gigs/ promotion. Any advice/ info / contacts / experience at all that anyone can share would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe other bands are in a similar situation to us or maybe the answer is staring us in the face and we just haven't got to grips with "the scene" yet? I've heard most bands have to go through this pay to play/ battle of the bands phase when starting out but we can only expect our friends and family to come along to these things for so long! How do we make the next step? Is there a site/ company to register with to get us working with booking agents / promoters / managment or do we just keep playing these nights and hope we get noticed?

We've no sense of entitlement or anything, we're more than prepared to work hard to become successfull but I just thought it would be interesting to put our situation out there and see what advice people have for us. We want to get out playing regularly and supporting other acts - i.e earning some gig going fans of our own.

Basically any gigging we've done has been a pain to organise or even find out it was on in the first place and it got me thinking - it's got to be easier than this!

Any advice/ info would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
Phil


Oh by the way I should probably mention we're playing Live & Unsigned in The Pint, Eden Quay on Thursday 10th March - just to squeeze a shameless plug in there! :rolleyes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBRFu2jsIOM

Shakey_jake

Work towards an album, seriously!

Then you'll have a product to sell and get on the radio, wouldn't worry too much about gigs tbh.

Why would anybody go and see you if they dont know your songs??

Plus, do u think the big A&r record company guys are checking out bands in dublin at the moment?? Hmm doubt it,

Act professional and you'll be taken more seriously, hook up with some of the better producers in the country. They are easy to contact if your willing todo some searching!

WilhelmFink

I don't have a band right now, but if I did how I would go about it is...
First, record a short demo of your stuff. Then just plug yourself out to every damn pub/bar/cafe/hotel/gym(!)/whatever, giving them a copy of said demo. Don't force it on them, but make your intentions clear (for this to work, it would be very handy to be able to totally support yourselves, ie gigging P.A etc)
Then it's just a matter of becoming the hardest working band on the planet!
And take every gig you get.
EVERY.

Captain Iggy

Heya lads. Here's a few thoughts based on what I've learned in the last few years. The key is very hard work and A LOT (and I mean that) of patience. There's no great secrets or revelations in this, just logic that is often overlooked by some acts.

It is not what you know, it is who you know. Go out and network. Go to see bands play, everywhere you can in every style you can. Go talk to the bands (and their support) Don't shmooze like an asshole but congratulate them on their gig, ask what they're up to, when they're playing next. IF they're doing something you could realistically be part of, offer your help or support. Make your face and name recognized. Familiarity is one of the key elements in this business.

Also, meet and make friends with as many people as you can at these gigs. These are people who come to see live music, something you are looking for. Friends will come to your gigs, Friends are invaluable at helping getting your name out there. Make as many friends as possible.

Sounds good so far, goin out to gigs and meeting people and maybe a few drinks along the way While you're out though, remember you are working and networking. Pay attention to the band and the sound engineer and anyone else who is also working. Look out for what equipment is used, what needs to be mic-ed up and what's coming through the PA best. Look out for what songs and styles are working for the crowd most - and at what point of the night they are. Attain a professional knowledge.

Have business cards ready in case you meet someone that can ever help you - Promoters, DJ, Journalists etc. All it takes is a chance encounter to open up a new world for you- Don't be left behind because someone couldn't get in touch with you. On these cards, have links to all your online spaces. You should be present on every major social network. It is one of the key tools a band has in the modern day business. All contact details should be kept up to date and correct. All content should be entertaining and reflective of what you want to present your band as.

As you won't get many gigs at the start, concentrate on your online presence and on your craft. It goes without saying that you must always always improve yourself as a musician. And you must constantly strive to improve yourselves as a band and as songwriters. Always set your goals as high in this regard - as they are in your expectations of success.

Save up (or beg, borrow, steal) and get 3 of your best songs professionally recorded. Have them on your Myspace, Facebook, Soundcloud, Youtube etc etc etc. Post interesting things to say about (or around) your band on Twitter, at least once everyday. Get some photos taken. There are loads of people out there always looking to grow their portfolio. Find them. This doesn't cost you and you get some high quality product. Play to the strengths of your band, if someone is good with web design, media production etc, use them for that. If someone has a degree in commerce, put them in charge of money....

You can guess where the newly acquired friends come in with all this. Ask them to share your page / share links. Don't pester them, don't update your pages unless you have really something to say. Remember they are your friends as well as your audience.

If you have access to some home recording equipment, Record a cover in your band's own style and post it for free download every month / fortnight. This will improve your creative processes as well as provide content that people will enjoy and for free. Always give credit to original songwriter and always keep it fresh and interesting E.g don't just do classic rock covers, don't do just a indie version everytime. By the way, if you don't have home recording equipment, it is well worth investing in some. To record demos, as a songwriting tool and a way to learn about production.

As I said earlier, you won't get many gigs in the early days especially if you are doing your own stuff and especially if you want to get paid. There are however lots of little showcases around the place (especially in Dublin) that give a stage to indie bands. Now, I don't have a lot to good to say about this type of thing so I'm not gonna. However, It will be essential to hone your live set and there is no garage or practice space in the world that will allow you to do this. So get out and play. You will get depressed at stages, you will feel under-appreciated but you will learn and you will grow some much needed tough skin. Never pay to play though, ever. You've paid to buy your equipment, you've paid for any lessons you've gotten. You've paid in the hours you spent learning your instruments and writing your songs. You should never take it up the ass just to put it all on stage. If you make one new fan on these nights, consider it a success. Do this as much as you can at the start, get comfortable on stage. The more people you can bring to these things the better, it shows the bar manager (who knows other bar managers) or the promoter (who knows other.. yknow) you can bring a following to a place.

Now you're probably thinking at this stage (if you're still reading) "Yeah I know, get on with it".. What all of this is leading to is... If you want to play at the bigger venues or you can't understand why it can't be easier is that you have to have your crowd before you can have your venue. Unless you know someone in the business, you won't get in - unless you have a crowd, and to get a crowd you need to be truly special (like Jimi Hendrix special) or you need to be patient and work hard for years. If you work hard, you will get up the ladder eventually, it's called paying your dues, there are no quick fixes unless you are really lucky. You need to be in the right time at right place to be lucky, and to do that you need to be in as many places as you can (with a business card hopefully ). If you have a friend / relation that's in anywhere in the business. Hustle and get your band in there!

Think of your bio (that should be on your webspaces btw) as your CV and think of what a booker / promoter would like to read if they read that CV. Be patient and be innovative in getting those facts actually on your bio. Look outside of the music world at people who are promoting other things with innovative (and hopefully inexpensive ways) then steal their ideas and use them for your band.

You need to have as many songs/sounds as you can to hit as many people as you can. Also, think of all the acts that broke out because of their versions of other people's music (a free download is a great way of spreading those;)). So try and have a huge output of material and be good at your instrument to allow that output. Basically throw as much stuff as you can at the wall - and then you will have more chance of something sticking.

Lads, it is hard. It is soul-crushing. It is de-moralising. Often it's just one bad thing after another. Just work hard and be patient. Remember that you are in a business that can't exist without the music, but also music can't exist without the business. Have a foot in each camp, and think in both ways. The people who can help you most are often more interested in the business side - and that means they're after the people who are following you, so again the more you have the better. Also, there are some who actually care about the music so what you can do counts for more. So be good!

I hope, in some small way the above helps - as I said, no great revelations.

maccored

Shakey_jake wrote: »

Work towards an album, seriously!

Then you'll have a product to sell and get on the radio, wouldn't worry too much about gigs tbh.

Why would anybody go and see you if they dont know your songs??

I cant agree with this on so many levels. First up, go out there and gig. gig anywhere, gig for free and find places people normally dont gig. Look further than dublin and the usual rent a venue idea - go to naas, carlow, kilkenny etc .. loads of small venues that'll let you play for the door. These days its all about getting out there and doing something first and foremost. I still havent worked out why bands arent doing more webgigs either .. its simple enough to do.

DONT work towards and album, as theres a zillion bands 'releasing' albums and none are getting anywhere. Dont rush into that - release a few online EPs, craft the art of writing and when you are ready, then look at an album. they arent cheap to make though - but its worth taking your time and releasing something worthwhile, not releasing something jsut to have an 'album' out. You dont need an album to get on the radio. ive recorded stuff in my shed thats got decent airplay on 2fm and today fm.

bigphilscolari

Hi thanks to everyone for your replies, particulary Captain Iggy who's reply obviously took some time and consideration, cheers man. Not to take away from anyone elses replies or anything!

Anyway, all great advice and alot of things to consider. Some of which we were considering anyway but now we have a better overall plan for the band.

It's hard for "young" bands to know what to do next sometimes especially as you don't have the benefit of experience/ hindsight to call upon. Maybe I'll start another thread to try and get together some good contacts for other new bands!

Things are already looking up for us and we'll be gigging a lot more (not just in Dublin!) as well as getting some good recordings done soon with a view to give away a free EP and promote the f**k out of it! And lashing out business cards to beat the band


Thanks again lads, really helpful stuff

Phil