Band Tips - Booking Shows
Hey there, good people.
In this blog, I thought I’d dig into some solid ways to go about booking gigs for your band. Yes, I know this may seem like rudimentary stuff, but if you’re new to being in a band or just starting out with booking shows, I’m sure this will help.
I find that when it comes to booking shows, tours, or just generally approaching any industry players, whether they’re booking agents, managers, or record labels, the best thing to do is look at things from their perspective. Try to think about what they’re looking for and how they’d prefer to receive it. This doesn’t mean making up false figures or stretching the truth just to impress or get your foot in the door, definitely don’t do that! But it does mean keeping in mind what their role is, what they need to achieve in that role, how many other people are trying to get their attention, and how little time they likely have to go through all the huge inbox of email requests they receive. The better you present yourself, the more likely they are to pay attention.
When you’re sending out emails to venues or booking agents, make sure you include all the important and impressive info about your band as clearly and concisely as possible. Keep it short and to the point, don’t give them long-winded tales about the entire band history and each member’s backstory. Be specific with the dates you’re hoping to book. Provide links to your music, video clips, bio, and if you have some great live footage, add that in too.
Make sure you present yourself well and put your best foot forward. Remember, people working in the music industry receive tons of requests from lots of great bands everyday. You need to grab their attention and make it as easy as possible for them to check you out. If you make it difficult, there’s a good chance you might get overlooked.
If you’ve got a list of bands you’d like to play with on the night, that’s super helpful too. It makes the booking agent’s job a little smoother and shows you know how to help get a night going. Scout around your local scene and find some other rad bands that would suit your sound and the vibe of the gig. Also consider whether those bands can help pull a few extra heads through the doors. At the end of the day, if a venue stays empty, it won’t be around for future gigs and keeping local live music alive is a group effort from everyone involved.
Another important point: make sure you address your email to the actual person you’re contacting. Don’t just send out a one-size-fits-all copy-and-paste job. Personalise it. Tailor it to the venue and the person you’re writing to. Check your spelling and grammar, and contact them well in advance—a minimum of three months, but more is even better.
Here’s an example of how an email I’d send might look:
……………………………………………………………………………
Hi [Booking Agent's/ Venues Name],
(Name) here from Sydney heavy rock act [Insert Band Name], how’s it going?
We’re looking to book a show at (Insert Venue Name) and I’m hoping you have availability on one of the following dates: [Insert a few date options].
We’re happy to provide a full line-up for the night. Here are some bands we had in mind:
[Insert support bands].
Over the last year, [Insert Band Name] have played venues such as X, Y, Z and have shared the stage with [Insert any notable bands].
[Add any other impressive info—brief and relevant. If you’ve had strong turnouts at previous shows, mention it!]
Here are some links to our music and socials:
Music: [Insert link]
Video Clip: [Insert link]
Facebook: [Insert link]
Instagram: [Insert link]
Website/Bio: [Insert link]
Thanks a bunch for your time, I look forward to hearing from you!
Cheers,
(Your Name)
……………………………………………………………………………
This kind of approach keeps everything neat and to the point. It gives whoever’s reading it all the necessary info without overwhelming them, and if they want to dig deeper, the links are there for them to explore.
Here’s the most important part: if you present yourself like this, it won’t take the booking agent a ton of time to check your band out. You’ll also show them that you’ve got your shit together and that you respect the time you’re asking for. That alone will improve your chances of landing shows by a mile!
Hope this helps some of you out!
Thanks for reading my rambles.
Much luv,
Milla