How to get gigs

Flamadiddle28

Junior Member
I've been playing drums for a while now and everyone has been telling me lately to play gigs, but I have no clue where to start because I'm only 15. I just wanted to know how to start gigging and getting my name out there.
 
Well, I'd start by finding some people around your school or neighborhood that can play at your level or better, and try to start putting a band together. Than just look around for places that you guys can play. Even a show in your backyard would be cool if it gets your guys name out. I find facebook is a great place to advertise your gig. Whenever my band is getting ready to do a gig, we will create a facebook event for it a few weeks in advance, and invite everyone on our friends list.
 
Your 15 bro, you should be blowing up this whole social networking thing. It's your generations baby. Back in the day we had to walk into a music store and post our faces on a flyer with the style of music we wanted to play. It was the way it was. Anyway, video yourself playing and toss it on craigslist saying you are avalible for gigs. Put in all the details and don't fluff it. Or like the other poster said. Work your school, neighborhood etc. If your generation was not so stuck on sitting in front of TV sets and playing video games it might be a little easier. Us older guys had to network at a young age. Just kidding bro. Good luck to you. :) And keep at it, it will happen.
 
Gotta take it in steps.
1. Get your chops up. Playing along with CDs is good.
2. Check Craiglist, local music stores, and local arts papers for bands looking for a drummer.
3. Either get a tight set of good material, or join a band that already has one.
4. Find out where local bands are playing.
5. Promote the heck out of the show.
6. Play your gig to an adoring crowd, launching your career as a rockstar!
You're welcome. Actually at your age it is probably much easier to establish a following. Once you are old and you work all the time and have less friends, it is more difficult.
 
Get out there and meet people. That's all there is to it. Want to play at a particular venue? Get in touch with the owner or whoever does the booking and negotiate a gig. Want to play in a band with a musician you know? Talk to them. Want to play weddings? Get a booking agent (after you get a decent band together, first...) Need to put a decent band together? Meet musicians at their shows, scour craigslist, go through ALL of your contacts (somebody knows somebody who knows somebody...), put up flyers in your local music shop, etc...

Nobody gets handed anything, gig-wise, even in this era of "I can type ______ into Google and get immediate feedback." You've got to get out there and make it happen. The cool thing is, with all of the social-networking media and ways to get yourself seen/heard, it's easier than ever to make yourself known to others, but it's also easier for everyone else. Make your stand, make yourself stand out, and then get out there on the bandstand. The people that figure this out are the ones who get gigs. You're 15 and ready to gig--you've got a good head start. Go get 'em!
 
It's really pretty simple...

--You get some songs recorded professionally, maybe 3 or 4. Put them on a CD with your band name and contact info on it.

--Write a bio and put it on a brochure with some pictures and cool artwork. Make sure there's a pocket in the brochure to put your demo CD in there.

--Go to the places you want to play, or where your friends go to see bands. I don't know what kind of city you live in, but after you get good in the backwoods of Idaho, you may want to consider trying your luck out in Seattle too. There are clubs where you don't have to be 21.

--Find the person who does the booking for the place and hand them your bio/CD directly, or at least get the contact information where to send the bio/CD to. If you do send it, follow it up with a phone call. At least when they see your band name, they will remember the phone call and take a listen. Hopefully they call you back.
 
one of the things i did when i first started getting gigs with my band was to play pretty much at every opportunity we could...even if it meant playing for free.

here in the UK, bars and clubs that have bands in often have "jam nights" or "open mic sessions" where new bands can perform a few tracks. if a booking agent is watching and likes what he or she hears you may get booked for a show. thats how my musical adventure started.

I don't know how it works where you live, but surely it's gotta be vaguely similar...

also, get to know your local scene. talk to as many other musicians as you can find, you'll be amazed and what you pick up from just talking to people.
 
If you're not a formally trained musician then I think that it's best to play parties when you're young.

Not much pressure or expectation - if you have fun playing with energy and attitude they'll forgive any hiccups or sloppiness.
 
Well, I'd start by finding some people around your school or neighborhood that can play at your level or better, and try to start putting a band together.
FWIW, the key here is "at your level or better" because then you're able to play as well as you can, with lots of incentive to play better. When you play with people who are below your level it can be stultifying, to say the least.

Hmm, maybe I'd better look up "stultifying" and see what it really means....
 
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