This post is accompanied by a vlog on YouTube. You can view it here:

Get yourself organized!

Before you contact a venue are you ready to answer their questions?

Do you have a demo? You need either an audio recording or a live video performance you can link to. It should be uploaded to a site with an easy link (your webpage, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, YouTube). Do not make anyone have to download something in order to hear or view it. They won’t take the time.

Have you done your research?

• Which venues book in your genre? (bars, art spaces, community centers, coffee shops, festivals)

• Check out the websites for the venues you’re interested in. If there is one, check out the comments section. That can give you an idea of what experiences people have had there.

• Go see shows at that venue – is it the right vibe for you?

• Chat up established bands to find out where they like to play.

Have some dates in mind. Coordinate with your band members and find some dates that you know are available for everyone. Venues will be able to tell you if the dates are even available.

Have your “elevator speech” ready. You should be able to describe who you are, what you sound like and why the venue’s customers will love you…all within 3-4 sentences.

First contact

Once you’ve decided which venue to approach, determine if they prefer contact via telephone, email, or FB messenger. You may have to scour their website as the email address may be different for the booking agent than for other venue business (like food catering or party space rental). If they prefer text, I’m always a little suspicious…

Telephone. If the venue prefers contact via telephone or, the telephone number is the only thing you have, try calling at a time you suspect they may not be terribly busy. Don’t call during lunch or dinner rush if you know the venue serves meals.

Once you’ve got someone on the line, greet them, identify yourself and quickly explain that your representing a music act that you wish to book. The very next words out of your mouth should be, “is this a good time to talk?” If they say, “No.” ask them when a good time to discuss booking would be, the name of the person you should contact and if that person can be reached at this number. Then, thank them for their time and and let them get on with what they’re doing. Don’t try to keep them on the phone. You’re not a tele-marketer.

If they confirm that you’ve reached the booking agent and, it is a good time to discuss possible booking, launch into your “elevator speech.” Make sure you’re able to describe your sound accurately and why you think your act would go over well in that particular venue. Remember, that the venue is a business and any agreement you strike must be mutually beneficial. Just because you think you’re fantastic doesn’t mean the venue will benefit from you performing there. What if you’re fantastic but you don’t bring in any fans? What if you’re fantastic but loud as fuck so you scare off any existing patrons of the venue who aren’t used to loud music? It wouldn’t hurt to ask them, what style of music they prefer to book. What makes their customers happy? If you’ve done your research, they’re going to tell you that they do, in fact, book the kind of music you play. But this simple interaction tells them that you’re sensitive to the needs of their business.

If you have a following, and can speak with confidence that you can bring a crowd to the venue, let the booking agent know. Offer to point the booking agent to links of audio tracks or, better yet, live performance video tracks. Remember, you’re selling a performance. Ask for an email address so that you can send those links and any other promotional material you might have (flyers, links to your website and/or social media sites).

If the booking agent is ready to book right then and there, have some dates that you’re available and suggest them so that you can “seal the deal.” In the rare instance that a booking agent is willing to agree to dates, sight unseen, don’t let them off the phone until you know what they expect of you: How long should you play? Is it a multiband gig? Is a backline provided? Is a PA and sound engineer provided? Is there a cover and/or guarentee? What is the start time and report time?

Email or FB messenger: If you’re contacting a venue via email, make sure your subject and first sentence clearly states your purpose. Then, you can include your written “elevator speech,” links to audio and video samples, a couple of possible gig dates and links to website & social media. I would also include info as to previous gigs in the area (at other venues) that you’ve played and how well you were received.

If you’ve been to their venue before, let them know. Specifically, let them know that you appreciate what they’re doing or what they’re all about.

I usually give a venue about a week to send a reply and will send a follow up email if I haven’t heard back (forwarding the initial email with a polite comment/reminder will work). You’ll have to determine for yourself what to do if you still don’t hear back from the venue. Check your email address as it might be incorrect. You might call the venue to see if they’ve switched booking agents. Or, you might just move on to the next venue. Maybe the venue you were trying to book only books well known/proven acts. Don’t take it personally, just move on.

Follow up contact, stay in touch!

If you manage to secure a date at a venue, make sure you’ve gotten all the information you need. Some venues will send a written contract but many will not. Once the date is set it’s not too early to start asking specifics you need to know:

• start time

• end time

• backline

• PA (full or partial)

• Sound engineer

• how many bands are on the bill and what’s the sequence

• number of sets and length of time you’re expected to play

• cover and/or guarentee

• media list

• flyers/posters

If you book a gig several months in advance, make sure you ping the venue at least once 2-4 week prior to the actual show. A courtesy email informing the venue that you’re really looking forward to playing there and how you’ve been promoting the show to local media, social media and your fan list. They want to know that you mean business!

Conclusion and “deeper thoughts”

Remember, you’re not just booking one gig. You’re building a partnership between you, your band, the venue and the venue’s booking agent. These relationships can help you be successful in the long run. If you’re easy to work with, reliable and respectful, re-booking you again and again is a “no-brainer.” Don’t be a self-centered jerk. Your performance is something to be shared and enjoyed by everyone in the room. If that’s not your goal, stay home, record and release your music online.

Speaking of relationships, if you’re new and no one has heard of you before, it’s time to start getting out there and meet the rest of the local music community. Start going to shows. If you like what you’re hearing, let members of that band know it. Ask those more seasoned musicians what they think of the venue and if they’d book there again. They can help guide you to make good decisions for yourself. I wouldn’t try to hard sell them by telling them you’re in a band and could you open for them. That’s just not cool. But if you genuinely like what their band is doing, you might ask them, “if I booked a show for my band, would you be interested in being on the bill?” If they’re agreeable, you can use that leverage when you’re talking to booking agents. “Look, you may not know me but, I’m friends with ‘such and such band’, if I can get them to headline the show and we opened for them, what would you think of that?” Venues that book multi-band lines ups often like it when you can provide them with a full line up from the get-go. Of course, now you’re having to coordinate the schedule of two or three acts but, sometimes, you just have to work a little harder when you’re first starting out.

Good luck and good booking!