16 Tips for Working Musicians.....

baimun

baimun

Funkasaurus Rex
"16 Tips for Working Musicians on How to Be a Successful Club or Bar Cover Band"

http://hubpages.com/entertainment/T...Working-as-a-Band-in-a-Club-Bar-or-Restaurant

Well we must be doing something right because this is almost like a "paint by numbers" version of how we run our band. :embarrassed:

The only thing I would add is:

17. Marketing Make sure your band has a name and/or logo that is memorable and get it out there. Stickers, T-Shirts, posters, etc. :helper:
 
Have a written contract of what you will provide for payment and when payment is expected signed by both copy to both.
 
following #1 thru #15 seriously, pretty much eliminates #16.
i agree with some of them.....especially HAVE A SET LIST AND FOLLOW IT. unless, of course, you decide to do a request.
 
jelloman said:
#7 is why I can't be in bands...
Click to expand...

I spent most of my college days playing metal to rooms full of guys (mostly guitarists) standing next to the stage with their arms crossed. I wish I would have realised #7 back then.

It's much easier to do what I call "pill in cheese" which is to play a song of substance that you're really proud of when you surround it with guaranteed crowd favourites that have asses already on the dance floor than it is with a smaller, less animated crowd.
 
Yeah. Usually those lists are bullshit but thats pretty much it right there.

People need to understand that as soon as you step on a stage in a public place you are an entertainer and not a musician with all of the responsibilities that entails.
 
A lot of these apply to original bands as well.

1. Yep
2. YES, especially the goddamn drummer
3. Yep
4. Yep
5. YES. Trying to do this with The Bird Index
6. Yes, but maybe NA for an original band. For an original band maybe it should be "make sure your songs don't suck"
7. Fair enough for a cover band. For originals I think it's more, find your own audience and play to them.
8. Yep
9. Yep
10. So much YES here. In the Buggs we have one guy who is constantly fiddling with knobs, settings, etc between songs. Bitch don't kill my vibe!
11. Sure, why not? I like the tequila bottle filled with apple juice bit too.
12. Eh, I guess so. "Be sure to tip your bartender" is a pretty cheeseball thing to have to say.
13. Yep
14. This is especially true for original music
15. Yep, if only to get a reality check on how bad you actually are
16. If you're not having fun what's the point? Oh right, money. I'd say have fun, but if you're not having fun at least get paid.
 
i am an artist.
if you didn't come here to hear my art, then you are in the wrong place.
:grin:
 
17 (which should actually be 1). Never ever ever ever call what you do an original band. In fact I think the term original should be completely struck from all bands vocabulary.

As a cover band I understand the desire to label yourself as such. It implies we are going to play songs you know, you're girlfriend will get drunk, and you'll probably get laid.

The implication for an original band is not one you necessarily want to be associated with. We're not famous, we don't play any songs you know, you're girlfriend will want to leave after 20 minutes to meet her friends on the other side of town to go dance, you'll have to pay another cover charge, but you'll probably wind up getting in a fight about it and you won't get laid.

As a band that writes their own material, the response to what type of band or what kind of stuff do you do should always be "We like to have a good time, generic 2 to 3 word description, if you feel the need to let them know you have your own material this would be the place to do it by saying something along the lines 'we even do some of our own material,' then most importantly tell them again, "but mainly we like to have a good time."
 
Great list...

#7 is key!!!

I was an on-air personality for a short while in Hawaii and our demographic was focused on women 25-45 years of age.
 
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