If you're planning a special occasion, such as a wedding, private party, or even a large scale corporate event, it might be a good idea to hire a tribute band. Cover bands are very common, but a great tribute band can really get your party going with a swing and they're not as expensive as you might think.
The best thing about tribute bands is that they give us the opportunity to enjoy and celebrate the music of the originals (a) because the band is no longer together or (b) because they've stopped touring.
It is an undeniable fact that there are many great tribute acts working in the UK today, the sad truth of the matter though is that unless they get that elusive 'lucky break', they will never be recognized. Some of them are so close to the real thing that it's almost impossible to tell them apart. There are also some dreadful ones around too of course so you have to be very careful. A bad tribute band can ruin your special day or party, or be extremely embarrassing to say the least, so it's best to be cautious and do some research before booking the first tribute band that you come across.
Tribute band members are usually huge fans of the originals themselves and will go to great lengths to look and sound just like them, paying attention to every last detail so that their audiences get the most authentic experience possible. There have been numerous TV shows featuring tribute bands and impersonators simply because people love watching them. Some of the most popular shows include Stars In Their Eyes and The Next Best Thing.
The tribute industry is a huge niche market in the UK and growing in popularity each and every year. With a wealth of original talent to choose from, it's no small wonder that the tribute industry is extremely buoyant. From the very beginning of the pop revolution in the 1960s, the UK has been at the very forefront of the entertainment industry with icons like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Searchers, The Kinks, The Who etc, the list just goes on and on.
The tribute industry caters for the insatiable appetite of the general public who want to be able to experience the magic and excitement of this bygone era.
Being personally a big fan of The Beatles, undoubtedly the best pop band of all time, I never had the opportunity to see them perform live, but I did see a tribute band recently and the thrill was absolutely awesome. I even took my grown up children who had formed their own love for the music of the 'Fab Four' and they too were extremely impressed. It is a tribute in itself to the memory of the boys from Liverpool, but also to the brilliance of the tribute act we saw and the integrity of the tribute industry that we were able to enjoy this wonderful experience.
The other great thing about these tribute acts is that they tour around the country just like the original artists did, bringing this great music back to the people. The huge venues of yesteryear (like Shea Stadium for the Beatles) were amazing but so impersonal. The smaller venues that today's tribute acts perform in are large enough to fit hundreds or even thousands of people into but they still allow that more personal feel, that wonderful involvement.
It's one thing to rekindle memories from the past by listening to old recordings but quite something else to see a tribute band for real and hear music as it should be heard 'live'. There is nothing quite like live music, it has an undeniable attraction but when it's also the music of foregone maestros how could it possibly get any better?
As I've already mentioned though, you have to be very careful about how you go about finding a tribute band. There are plenty of unscrupulous companies around who would think nothing of taking your money and sending a second rate performer or band. You can shop around for the best price but remember that if a tribute band is extremely cheap, this could indicate that they are not very good. Hiring a bad band could ruin your party and be humiliating for you since you are the one responsible for booking them in the first place. If you want to hire a tribute band or tribute act, you should use a respectable tribute band agency.
For more information about tribute bands and tribute acts, why not visit http://www.tributebandreviews.co.uk - this site contains unbiased customer reviews, profile details, audio samples and video footage.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_O'Hara
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Friday, 6 November 2009
Musicians: How to find band members
Looking for band members is never an easy task. You may first want to ask yourself what exactly you're looking for - whether it is to join an existing band or find individual members to start your own band. Obviously, both have their differences and this should be answered first before you start your grueling search.
Join an existing band. This is a great way for enthusiastic musicians to gain some playing experience right away, although it is sometimes harder to find these kinds of opportunities. These are established bands that are looking for single or multiple members for various reasons (their guitarist overdosed on cocaine, bass player got fired for drinking problems, etc). This might go without saying, but make sure you really do like the type of music a band plays before deciding to join their group! There are many musicians I know that play in a band where they don't even like the music they play, all just to "gain experience" to get their foot in the door and hopefully move on to greener pastures. It can't be stressed enough that if you don't like the music you play, you're going to do a half-assed job at it, so why bother?
Also, know your playing experience and limits. For example, if you've only started playing guitar learning all Green Day songs for a few months, don't expect to join a thrash metal band that requires you to do sweep-picking, fast arpeggios, or any other insane guitar techniques. Make sure you choose a band where the technicality of the music they play is comfortable with your own skill level as a musician.
A huge advantage for joining an established band (maybe) is that most of the back-end stuff is already taken care of. This includes tasks such as finding an agent/manager to book your gigs, song development, contracts with music labels, etc. All you have to do is show up for rehearsals and play shows as scheduled.
A good resource to start finding these bands in need is going to your local rehearsal studios where most of them lurk. These are places where any musician can pay for a room to rehearse. Best of all, all the musicians you find there are often in your local area. Check out the bulletin boards where frequent bands post up classified ads that may go something like:
"Looking to join a band that rocks?! We are in need of a guitar player with lots of experience! Our influences include: Megadeth, In Flames, Black Sabbath, and many more! If interested, please contact Todd at xxxxxxxxxx."
Or even better yet, post up your own classified ad on the bulletin board so bands can contact you instead. Local, independent music stores often have a bulletin board for classified ads as well. These are some of the best free ways to find band members in your area.
Disadvantages of joining an existing band. First and foremost, you have to learn all their songs usually in a limited period of time. The band might have a show coming up and you have to be able to play all their songs flawlessly note-for-note. Needless to say, this might be stressful for some musicians (except if their music is very straight forward and easy with pure 3 note power chords).
Another disadvantage is often your own music creativity is limited. Most bands prefer their original tunes to be played and carried on without any radical change. For example, if you just joined a band and replaced their old guitarist, the way the former guitarist played a particular solo, is the way the band wants it to be played by you. Often you must follow the same note structure of a music piece composed by another musician.
Organizing your own band. This is where you try to find individual musicians to start a new band, usually with similar music skills and backgrounds. Thinking of starting a band is the easy part, but the actual process of searching for the right people is harder than most people think. There are tons of musicians out there in the world but only a small percentage of those you may be compatible with. In addition, ask yourself: are you going to play in a band just for fun, or are you trying to make a living out of it? This will influence where you are going to start looking.
The internet is becoming a popular method for musicians to find other musicians. If you search "looking for musicians" in Google, you will easily find over 12,400,000 results - so how do you find what you're looking for? Many ads posted in classifieds sections and on popular music forums will vaguely have descriptions such as this:
"Guitar player looking to form a band."
Well, that's just great.
Try refining your search to keywords such as the area you are in, what position you are looking for, etc. Example: "Looking for bass players in Toronto". The first search result is an ad posted on www.craigslist.org, which by the way is an excellent place to get started. Try to only focus your attention on well-written ads that describe the musician, which includes how much playing experience he/she has, the types of music they are willing to play, and the intention of playing in a band. Or you may also want to post your own ad in music community forums and add a link to your audio/video samples that will likely interest more candidates. Audio/video samples that show off your best work are often the most influential factor of candidates contacting you back.
Be consistent with this. Chances are you won't find someone right away on your first few posts, so try to refresh your ads on a weekly basis (but don't spam!).
The internet is a large resource but don't just rely solely on it. You may find you have better luck looking in local magazine's classifieds ads section where it's more direct. Also, because musicians have to pay to get their ads published in magazines, it shows that they are more serious about organizing a band.
Don't limit yourself in a location. If you are serious about starting a career as a musician, you don't just search for bands or members only in your local area. Living in smaller towns and cities won't give you very many options in choosing the right band or member for you. Expand yourself to larger urban cities where the potential to find band members is greater.
Finding band members is like finding a good job. Know exactly what you want before searching, always have a good portfolio ready, and be consistent in your pursue. Goodluck!
Webmaster @ GetMeABand.com - Looking for a band? Search through our directory of musicians to find band members in your local area - http://www.getmeaband.com
Join an existing band. This is a great way for enthusiastic musicians to gain some playing experience right away, although it is sometimes harder to find these kinds of opportunities. These are established bands that are looking for single or multiple members for various reasons (their guitarist overdosed on cocaine, bass player got fired for drinking problems, etc). This might go without saying, but make sure you really do like the type of music a band plays before deciding to join their group! There are many musicians I know that play in a band where they don't even like the music they play, all just to "gain experience" to get their foot in the door and hopefully move on to greener pastures. It can't be stressed enough that if you don't like the music you play, you're going to do a half-assed job at it, so why bother?
Also, know your playing experience and limits. For example, if you've only started playing guitar learning all Green Day songs for a few months, don't expect to join a thrash metal band that requires you to do sweep-picking, fast arpeggios, or any other insane guitar techniques. Make sure you choose a band where the technicality of the music they play is comfortable with your own skill level as a musician.
A huge advantage for joining an established band (maybe) is that most of the back-end stuff is already taken care of. This includes tasks such as finding an agent/manager to book your gigs, song development, contracts with music labels, etc. All you have to do is show up for rehearsals and play shows as scheduled.
A good resource to start finding these bands in need is going to your local rehearsal studios where most of them lurk. These are places where any musician can pay for a room to rehearse. Best of all, all the musicians you find there are often in your local area. Check out the bulletin boards where frequent bands post up classified ads that may go something like:
"Looking to join a band that rocks?! We are in need of a guitar player with lots of experience! Our influences include: Megadeth, In Flames, Black Sabbath, and many more! If interested, please contact Todd at xxxxxxxxxx."
Or even better yet, post up your own classified ad on the bulletin board so bands can contact you instead. Local, independent music stores often have a bulletin board for classified ads as well. These are some of the best free ways to find band members in your area.
Disadvantages of joining an existing band. First and foremost, you have to learn all their songs usually in a limited period of time. The band might have a show coming up and you have to be able to play all their songs flawlessly note-for-note. Needless to say, this might be stressful for some musicians (except if their music is very straight forward and easy with pure 3 note power chords).
Another disadvantage is often your own music creativity is limited. Most bands prefer their original tunes to be played and carried on without any radical change. For example, if you just joined a band and replaced their old guitarist, the way the former guitarist played a particular solo, is the way the band wants it to be played by you. Often you must follow the same note structure of a music piece composed by another musician.
Organizing your own band. This is where you try to find individual musicians to start a new band, usually with similar music skills and backgrounds. Thinking of starting a band is the easy part, but the actual process of searching for the right people is harder than most people think. There are tons of musicians out there in the world but only a small percentage of those you may be compatible with. In addition, ask yourself: are you going to play in a band just for fun, or are you trying to make a living out of it? This will influence where you are going to start looking.
The internet is becoming a popular method for musicians to find other musicians. If you search "looking for musicians" in Google, you will easily find over 12,400,000 results - so how do you find what you're looking for? Many ads posted in classifieds sections and on popular music forums will vaguely have descriptions such as this:
"Guitar player looking to form a band."
Well, that's just great.
Try refining your search to keywords such as the area you are in, what position you are looking for, etc. Example: "Looking for bass players in Toronto". The first search result is an ad posted on www.craigslist.org, which by the way is an excellent place to get started. Try to only focus your attention on well-written ads that describe the musician, which includes how much playing experience he/she has, the types of music they are willing to play, and the intention of playing in a band. Or you may also want to post your own ad in music community forums and add a link to your audio/video samples that will likely interest more candidates. Audio/video samples that show off your best work are often the most influential factor of candidates contacting you back.
Be consistent with this. Chances are you won't find someone right away on your first few posts, so try to refresh your ads on a weekly basis (but don't spam!).
The internet is a large resource but don't just rely solely on it. You may find you have better luck looking in local magazine's classifieds ads section where it's more direct. Also, because musicians have to pay to get their ads published in magazines, it shows that they are more serious about organizing a band.
Don't limit yourself in a location. If you are serious about starting a career as a musician, you don't just search for bands or members only in your local area. Living in smaller towns and cities won't give you very many options in choosing the right band or member for you. Expand yourself to larger urban cities where the potential to find band members is greater.
Finding band members is like finding a good job. Know exactly what you want before searching, always have a good portfolio ready, and be consistent in your pursue. Goodluck!
Webmaster @ GetMeABand.com - Looking for a band? Search through our directory of musicians to find band members in your local area - http://www.getmeaband.com
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Young Guns Band Review
Sometimes when you first hear a band you just know they are destined for big things. Young Guns are an upcoming UK rock band that have all the ingredients for a successful rock band.
They are certainly getting their musical careers off to a flying start by employing the talents of Wellerhill Productions (produced the likes of Haunts and Malefice). Paul Jackson will provide the artwork (Cancer Bats, Alexisonfire) for what is undoubtedly going to be a kick-ass debut. But why, you ask, are this little known band so exciting?
Well, taking one of their strongest songs into account, "In The Night" has just about everything you need for a respectable modern rock anthem. Not only does it cater for a more mainstream side of the rock market that the likes of Madina Lake and Paramore work within, but parts of their songs appear more gritty and raw with a more alternative vibe.
The track begins with a trademark drum fill which throws us into the solid riffs of the verse, accompanied by a crisp vocal harmony. The guitars have a distinctly safe sound to begin with, they are simple and fairly run of the mill.
Vocally the band are pretty tight, Gustav Wood has a great vocal range and uses it very much in the style of such bands as Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins. The chorus then seems to step up a gear and become much more compelling as opposed to the verse, which although worthy of a rock song, could appear a little conventional.
And, yes, we have a guitar solo. Nothing too ambitious mind, some tremolo picking and over bending does the trick to mix up the structure of the song. This then forms a rotation riff which continues to the end of the track, which does give it a more classic sound, and is ultimately, pretty impressive.
In a more shallow observation, you could just say there are a million and one bands like Young Guns out there at the moment, granted. But the thing that's different about Young Guns is that there is a certain perfection about the execution of their music, they seem to gel together and form a tight composition of convincingly home-grown rock melodies. Perhaps they are jumping on the alternative/rock bandwagon, but to be frank, this band write great catchy songs, they are touring all over the country in reputable venues, and I, for one, believe that they can go all the way.
You can check out Young Guns at their headlining tour all over the UK starting 18th July.
Avenue61 is a leading indie music site that specialises in breaking new bands and providing alternative music reviews.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_L_Hay
They are certainly getting their musical careers off to a flying start by employing the talents of Wellerhill Productions (produced the likes of Haunts and Malefice). Paul Jackson will provide the artwork (Cancer Bats, Alexisonfire) for what is undoubtedly going to be a kick-ass debut. But why, you ask, are this little known band so exciting?
Well, taking one of their strongest songs into account, "In The Night" has just about everything you need for a respectable modern rock anthem. Not only does it cater for a more mainstream side of the rock market that the likes of Madina Lake and Paramore work within, but parts of their songs appear more gritty and raw with a more alternative vibe.
The track begins with a trademark drum fill which throws us into the solid riffs of the verse, accompanied by a crisp vocal harmony. The guitars have a distinctly safe sound to begin with, they are simple and fairly run of the mill.
Vocally the band are pretty tight, Gustav Wood has a great vocal range and uses it very much in the style of such bands as Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins. The chorus then seems to step up a gear and become much more compelling as opposed to the verse, which although worthy of a rock song, could appear a little conventional.
And, yes, we have a guitar solo. Nothing too ambitious mind, some tremolo picking and over bending does the trick to mix up the structure of the song. This then forms a rotation riff which continues to the end of the track, which does give it a more classic sound, and is ultimately, pretty impressive.
In a more shallow observation, you could just say there are a million and one bands like Young Guns out there at the moment, granted. But the thing that's different about Young Guns is that there is a certain perfection about the execution of their music, they seem to gel together and form a tight composition of convincingly home-grown rock melodies. Perhaps they are jumping on the alternative/rock bandwagon, but to be frank, this band write great catchy songs, they are touring all over the country in reputable venues, and I, for one, believe that they can go all the way.
You can check out Young Guns at their headlining tour all over the UK starting 18th July.
Avenue61 is a leading indie music site that specialises in breaking new bands and providing alternative music reviews.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_L_Hay
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
White Lies - Indie Band From London
There is something about a band that calls West London home. First the Beatles from Liverpool and now White lies from North Ealing. Each has their own place in music history, albeit in different musical eras.
White Lies was formed in 2005 by Charles Cave and Jack-Lawrence-Brown. Both of these fine young chaps came from Pitshanger Village in North Ealing. They played together for the first time in a school talent show. That's primary school, not high school, so these two have been together for some time now.
Two years down the road, Harry McVeigh joined up and they began playing local weekend gigs under the name Fear of Flying. This "weekend thing" kept the 3 friends very busy (they were all around the age of 15 now) and also earned Fear of Flying a supporting position with three local headliners; The Maccabees, Laura Marlin and Jamie T.
In 2006, Fear of Flying released two double sided singles with an Indie label named Young and Lost Club. One was "Routemaster/Round 3" on August 7 and "Three's a Crowd/Forget-Me-Nots" on December 6 of the same year.
On August 10, 2007, Fear of Flying appeared at the Underage Festival in England's Victoria Park.
After that show, the band members were all slated to begin college, so took a gap year during which they explored a new, darker, more mature sound. States bassist Charles Cave, "I felt as though I couldn't write about anything personal, so I would make up semi-comical stories that weren't really important to anyone, not even me."
That year, in October, Fear of Flying was suddenly disbanded. The band's MySpace page announced boldly that "Fear of Flying is DEAD ... White Lies is alive! " The name change was mainly to address the members increase in maturity both as individuals and as musicians. The new sound and lyrics were of a much more honed, sharp clarity.
During a radio interview, Jack Brown said, "We just thought that we should perform these songs as a different band. We had songs that we felt weren't suitable for the band that we were in and we thought White Lies would be the perfect vehicle for the songs." This puts the change in name in pretty good perspective, I think.
Their first live gig as White Lies proved to be a most fruitful one, indeed as several A&R Records execs were in attendance. The band was inundated with record deal offers and finally signed with Fiction Records.
The next almost two years were an absolute blur of live shows, television appearances and marathon practice sessions. Numerous festivals were the order of the day and culminated in White Lies first ever tour as a headliner to 13 United Kingdom venues throughout 2008.
Their debut album, To Lose My Life, was released in the UK January 2009 and made White Lies the first British band to score a number one album in 2009. March 2009 saw the album's release in the USA. A single, Farewell to the Fairground, included a "B" side cover of Kanye West's Love Lockdown.
The band continues to tour actively and is said to have a style that is "quite danceable Indie." Among the many obvious influences are the Talking Heads, Editors, Tears for Fears and The Killers. Another album, Death 2 x 7, is slated for UK release in December 2009. The following US release is greatly anticipated.
Check out http://ChinaShopMag.com - the written word on music, art, fashion and film culture. You'll see pics and video of exclusive events and interviews from the music scene, with a review and exclusive pics of Indie band White Lies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Lawrence
White Lies was formed in 2005 by Charles Cave and Jack-Lawrence-Brown. Both of these fine young chaps came from Pitshanger Village in North Ealing. They played together for the first time in a school talent show. That's primary school, not high school, so these two have been together for some time now.
Two years down the road, Harry McVeigh joined up and they began playing local weekend gigs under the name Fear of Flying. This "weekend thing" kept the 3 friends very busy (they were all around the age of 15 now) and also earned Fear of Flying a supporting position with three local headliners; The Maccabees, Laura Marlin and Jamie T.
In 2006, Fear of Flying released two double sided singles with an Indie label named Young and Lost Club. One was "Routemaster/Round 3" on August 7 and "Three's a Crowd/Forget-Me-Nots" on December 6 of the same year.
On August 10, 2007, Fear of Flying appeared at the Underage Festival in England's Victoria Park.
After that show, the band members were all slated to begin college, so took a gap year during which they explored a new, darker, more mature sound. States bassist Charles Cave, "I felt as though I couldn't write about anything personal, so I would make up semi-comical stories that weren't really important to anyone, not even me."
That year, in October, Fear of Flying was suddenly disbanded. The band's MySpace page announced boldly that "Fear of Flying is DEAD ... White Lies is alive! " The name change was mainly to address the members increase in maturity both as individuals and as musicians. The new sound and lyrics were of a much more honed, sharp clarity.
During a radio interview, Jack Brown said, "We just thought that we should perform these songs as a different band. We had songs that we felt weren't suitable for the band that we were in and we thought White Lies would be the perfect vehicle for the songs." This puts the change in name in pretty good perspective, I think.
Their first live gig as White Lies proved to be a most fruitful one, indeed as several A&R Records execs were in attendance. The band was inundated with record deal offers and finally signed with Fiction Records.
The next almost two years were an absolute blur of live shows, television appearances and marathon practice sessions. Numerous festivals were the order of the day and culminated in White Lies first ever tour as a headliner to 13 United Kingdom venues throughout 2008.
Their debut album, To Lose My Life, was released in the UK January 2009 and made White Lies the first British band to score a number one album in 2009. March 2009 saw the album's release in the USA. A single, Farewell to the Fairground, included a "B" side cover of Kanye West's Love Lockdown.
The band continues to tour actively and is said to have a style that is "quite danceable Indie." Among the many obvious influences are the Talking Heads, Editors, Tears for Fears and The Killers. Another album, Death 2 x 7, is slated for UK release in December 2009. The following US release is greatly anticipated.
Check out http://ChinaShopMag.com - the written word on music, art, fashion and film culture. You'll see pics and video of exclusive events and interviews from the music scene, with a review and exclusive pics of Indie band White Lies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Lawrence
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
How To Put Together A Working Cover Band
There are a lot of factors that go into getting prepared to book shows for your band. I learned early on that there are many important factors that go into getting a band performance worthy. Many times I have went to see a band perform and have been disappointed at the final result. These bands are never around for long, and are not bands that I would wish to join.
MEMBERS
The first thing that is required are members. The most crucial part is often finding members who have the same level of interest in the proposed project. Many bands are composed of friends or of other local musicians found in the close knit community of musicians in your area. Potential members can be found through many free websites offering musician placement on the internet, or at a local music store that often provides a bulletin board for musicians looking for bands.
Another key issue is the number of members that will be needed for the project. I have worked with three piece bands and have made a nice payday, and I have worked with six piece bands and have barely broken even. I have always found it safe for most cover band settings to go with at least four members, consisting of Lead guitarist/vocalist, rhythm guitarist, bass guitarist, and drummer. The best thing to do is listen to the songs you plan to do and decide what you will need musically to perform them, and then base the number of musicians you will need on that.
SONG SELECTION
Remember this important factor in song selection that is often overlooked: It is not what you want to hear and like to play that will make your band popular, but it is what the crowds will pay to come and hear that will make you popular.
Song selection can be tough at times. I have always found it best, in a cover band, to go with the old popular songs that the crowd loves, and the newer popular songs on the radio. If I had a dollar for every time I have performed Paranoid or Roadhouse Blues I would be rich. These songs are usually on the set lists for most rock cover bands.
It helps to go out to your local clubs that offer live bands and watch to see what songs the bands are playing that really get a good response from the crowd. Listening to local radio stations to hear what is hot and being played is a good tool for song selection as well.
Depending on the type of venues you are going to play you are going to need 10 to 12 songs per set, based on one hour sets. You will need a good set list based on 40 to 50 songs for a four hour show. The venues in your area may want 'two' hour and a half long sets, or just require you to play from 10pm until 2am. However the venue is set up you will want enough songs to play the whole show.
PRACTICE
Here is the key to being a productive and popular band. The more time you put into practicing individually and collectively, the tighter the band will be and the better it will sound. Practice does indeed make perfect. It does take time and effort to get the songs down and get them tight.
I suggest at least two to three hour long focused band practices per week initially. Don't overdo it and burn yourself or the band out with 8 hour marathon practices. This ends up being counter-productive and usually after a few hours into the practice everyone goes on auto pilot and just tries to get to the end.
Practice on making the songs interesting by starting and ending some of your songs differently than anyone else is doing. Make sure the song is recognizable, but don't be afraid to add your own artistic flair to the song in order to make it something that people will remember you by.
If the band is having problems with a song and no one is able to click with it, replace it with another song. I have often found that beating the problematic song into the ground takes up too much time...plus, it usually gets cut after a few shows anyway. If you are not feeling it, the crowd will not be feeling it either.
Once you have your song list down and you are comfortable with it, practice on the show itself. Do not focus on merely reproducing the songs on stage, but also practice to perform the songs. Putting on a stage show helps people to remember you. Standing like a statue on stage is not entertaining, and you will soon be forgotten. At the same time do not let your musical quality suffer for showmanship. Practice your show and when you are comfortable with it, practice it some more.
BOOKING
Select your venues wisely. I cannot stress this enough. Do not agree to book a show without knowing about the venue first. I have showed up to gigs with my gear and found out the stage will not support our show, and had to downsize my kit at the last minute.
Usually one of the members of the band will handle bookings. There are a lot of important factors that go into this stage of the game.
Start Local. If you want to extend your range, I would suggest doing so after you have played successfully at the local level for a while.
Have a press kit together to give the club owner. Press kits should consist of set list, band biography, contact information, and a CD with at least four songs of your band performing the songs on it.
Visit the venue in person to discuss booking with the owner. Get a feel for the venue, and look at how the stage is set up, so you can plan in advance of how much gear to bring. Check to make sure how easy your load in and load out will be in advance.
Negotiate your price. Don't agree to play for free at one venue for exposure...the other venues may learn that you performed for free and ask you to do the same at their club. You want to make sure that there are no hidden catches, such as agreeing to play for the door and getting to the show and learning that there isn't a cover charge that night; or agreeing to play for a percentage of the profits the bar makes for the night, only to learn that the percentage is based on a few hours at a section of bar with little traffic.
Check to see if the venue has hose pa and lights. If so, contact the person who runs sound and lights and let them know in advance what you plan to do, and see what kind of equipment they have.
Remember that often you will play for a certain fee the first time in order for the venue to see how well you do. You will get raises if you bring in a good crowd and are popular. Naturally you want to continue to rebook a venue only if it is worth your while.
When you book a date, make fliers for your show and drop them off at the bar so they can place the fliers throughout their bar to promote your show. This not only helps you, but it helps the venue owner. Post fliers on public bulletin boards that allow for such so you can promote your show. Many local newspapers will spotlight up coming venues for free, or little charge, if you contact them in advance.
PRE-SHOW
Now that you have a date booked, get your band together and practice the whole show through a few times to plan on how you want to execute your performance. If the theme is Halloween, you may want to adjust your show to fit with the theme, such as, playing in costumes or omitting a few songs for a costume contest the venue is having at midnight.
If the venue does not have house sound and lights, and you do not have pa and lights, you will need to contact someone who provides this service. This service can be found in the phone book. Many musicians know of popular sound providers from their prior experience in other bands. Pull your resources together and find a good sound provider. Keep in mind of what you will be getting paid for the show. Do not contract a sound provider if you are going to have to pay more than you make at the show. Shop around and find the best quality for the best price.
Make sure that everyone in the band knows how to get to the venue and what time load in will be, so no one is late. Decide in advance how you are going to transport all of the gear to the show, and make sure to keep in contact with anyone you have contracted for the show, so that they know when to be there and where it is.
SHOW TIME
Here is what we all live for. Now go out there and put on a memorable and entertaining performance. This is what you have worked hard for and this is what the patrons are paying to see. Make the patrons happy and the venue owner will be happy and that is always good news.
MOVING FORWARD
In order to maintain your popularity and continue to be booked, don't give up on practicing. There is always room for improvement and there will always be alterations in the set list that need made. You will want to stay on top of your game because there are other bands out there and other bands working to get out there who would gladly take your spot.
Alter your set list as needed adding new songs that become popular or songs that people keep asking about. Listen to the crowd and make them happy. If a song isn't getting good response, then drop it, and select a different one that will.
Continue to book shows. Ideally you want to play at least four weekends a month. At least one night per week that you do perform, but it is even better if you can play two nights a week. Be careful not to over saturate one area. You don't want to play four clubs that are within a two block radius four weeks in a row. People will generally not come and see your show every weekend if it's in the same area, but will go see other bands they like or have heard of.
ONE LAST POINT
Always remember to be flexible in the scheduling for the band. Many members of cover bands do it part time and hold full time jobs. There will be trying times in the practice schedule, or conflicts in booking certain dates due to band members' availability when work or family issues arise. The most important thing to remember is to work hard, but have fun while you are doing it. Give your crowds 110% and entertain them. They will come back to see you again.
Ricky Roberts is a drummer who is currently working with the artist Brian Smoot on an original project.
Ricky has performed with a wide variety of cover bands and original projects in his 31 years of playing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Roberts
MEMBERS
The first thing that is required are members. The most crucial part is often finding members who have the same level of interest in the proposed project. Many bands are composed of friends or of other local musicians found in the close knit community of musicians in your area. Potential members can be found through many free websites offering musician placement on the internet, or at a local music store that often provides a bulletin board for musicians looking for bands.
Another key issue is the number of members that will be needed for the project. I have worked with three piece bands and have made a nice payday, and I have worked with six piece bands and have barely broken even. I have always found it safe for most cover band settings to go with at least four members, consisting of Lead guitarist/vocalist, rhythm guitarist, bass guitarist, and drummer. The best thing to do is listen to the songs you plan to do and decide what you will need musically to perform them, and then base the number of musicians you will need on that.
SONG SELECTION
Remember this important factor in song selection that is often overlooked: It is not what you want to hear and like to play that will make your band popular, but it is what the crowds will pay to come and hear that will make you popular.
Song selection can be tough at times. I have always found it best, in a cover band, to go with the old popular songs that the crowd loves, and the newer popular songs on the radio. If I had a dollar for every time I have performed Paranoid or Roadhouse Blues I would be rich. These songs are usually on the set lists for most rock cover bands.
It helps to go out to your local clubs that offer live bands and watch to see what songs the bands are playing that really get a good response from the crowd. Listening to local radio stations to hear what is hot and being played is a good tool for song selection as well.
Depending on the type of venues you are going to play you are going to need 10 to 12 songs per set, based on one hour sets. You will need a good set list based on 40 to 50 songs for a four hour show. The venues in your area may want 'two' hour and a half long sets, or just require you to play from 10pm until 2am. However the venue is set up you will want enough songs to play the whole show.
PRACTICE
Here is the key to being a productive and popular band. The more time you put into practicing individually and collectively, the tighter the band will be and the better it will sound. Practice does indeed make perfect. It does take time and effort to get the songs down and get them tight.
I suggest at least two to three hour long focused band practices per week initially. Don't overdo it and burn yourself or the band out with 8 hour marathon practices. This ends up being counter-productive and usually after a few hours into the practice everyone goes on auto pilot and just tries to get to the end.
Practice on making the songs interesting by starting and ending some of your songs differently than anyone else is doing. Make sure the song is recognizable, but don't be afraid to add your own artistic flair to the song in order to make it something that people will remember you by.
If the band is having problems with a song and no one is able to click with it, replace it with another song. I have often found that beating the problematic song into the ground takes up too much time...plus, it usually gets cut after a few shows anyway. If you are not feeling it, the crowd will not be feeling it either.
Once you have your song list down and you are comfortable with it, practice on the show itself. Do not focus on merely reproducing the songs on stage, but also practice to perform the songs. Putting on a stage show helps people to remember you. Standing like a statue on stage is not entertaining, and you will soon be forgotten. At the same time do not let your musical quality suffer for showmanship. Practice your show and when you are comfortable with it, practice it some more.
BOOKING
Select your venues wisely. I cannot stress this enough. Do not agree to book a show without knowing about the venue first. I have showed up to gigs with my gear and found out the stage will not support our show, and had to downsize my kit at the last minute.
Usually one of the members of the band will handle bookings. There are a lot of important factors that go into this stage of the game.
Start Local. If you want to extend your range, I would suggest doing so after you have played successfully at the local level for a while.
Have a press kit together to give the club owner. Press kits should consist of set list, band biography, contact information, and a CD with at least four songs of your band performing the songs on it.
Visit the venue in person to discuss booking with the owner. Get a feel for the venue, and look at how the stage is set up, so you can plan in advance of how much gear to bring. Check to make sure how easy your load in and load out will be in advance.
Negotiate your price. Don't agree to play for free at one venue for exposure...the other venues may learn that you performed for free and ask you to do the same at their club. You want to make sure that there are no hidden catches, such as agreeing to play for the door and getting to the show and learning that there isn't a cover charge that night; or agreeing to play for a percentage of the profits the bar makes for the night, only to learn that the percentage is based on a few hours at a section of bar with little traffic.
Check to see if the venue has hose pa and lights. If so, contact the person who runs sound and lights and let them know in advance what you plan to do, and see what kind of equipment they have.
Remember that often you will play for a certain fee the first time in order for the venue to see how well you do. You will get raises if you bring in a good crowd and are popular. Naturally you want to continue to rebook a venue only if it is worth your while.
When you book a date, make fliers for your show and drop them off at the bar so they can place the fliers throughout their bar to promote your show. This not only helps you, but it helps the venue owner. Post fliers on public bulletin boards that allow for such so you can promote your show. Many local newspapers will spotlight up coming venues for free, or little charge, if you contact them in advance.
PRE-SHOW
Now that you have a date booked, get your band together and practice the whole show through a few times to plan on how you want to execute your performance. If the theme is Halloween, you may want to adjust your show to fit with the theme, such as, playing in costumes or omitting a few songs for a costume contest the venue is having at midnight.
If the venue does not have house sound and lights, and you do not have pa and lights, you will need to contact someone who provides this service. This service can be found in the phone book. Many musicians know of popular sound providers from their prior experience in other bands. Pull your resources together and find a good sound provider. Keep in mind of what you will be getting paid for the show. Do not contract a sound provider if you are going to have to pay more than you make at the show. Shop around and find the best quality for the best price.
Make sure that everyone in the band knows how to get to the venue and what time load in will be, so no one is late. Decide in advance how you are going to transport all of the gear to the show, and make sure to keep in contact with anyone you have contracted for the show, so that they know when to be there and where it is.
SHOW TIME
Here is what we all live for. Now go out there and put on a memorable and entertaining performance. This is what you have worked hard for and this is what the patrons are paying to see. Make the patrons happy and the venue owner will be happy and that is always good news.
MOVING FORWARD
In order to maintain your popularity and continue to be booked, don't give up on practicing. There is always room for improvement and there will always be alterations in the set list that need made. You will want to stay on top of your game because there are other bands out there and other bands working to get out there who would gladly take your spot.
Alter your set list as needed adding new songs that become popular or songs that people keep asking about. Listen to the crowd and make them happy. If a song isn't getting good response, then drop it, and select a different one that will.
Continue to book shows. Ideally you want to play at least four weekends a month. At least one night per week that you do perform, but it is even better if you can play two nights a week. Be careful not to over saturate one area. You don't want to play four clubs that are within a two block radius four weeks in a row. People will generally not come and see your show every weekend if it's in the same area, but will go see other bands they like or have heard of.
ONE LAST POINT
Always remember to be flexible in the scheduling for the band. Many members of cover bands do it part time and hold full time jobs. There will be trying times in the practice schedule, or conflicts in booking certain dates due to band members' availability when work or family issues arise. The most important thing to remember is to work hard, but have fun while you are doing it. Give your crowds 110% and entertain them. They will come back to see you again.
Ricky Roberts is a drummer who is currently working with the artist Brian Smoot on an original project.
Ricky has performed with a wide variety of cover bands and original projects in his 31 years of playing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Roberts
Monday, 2 November 2009
Finding a Gig - How to Book Engagements Regardless of Your Locale
Your band is just getting ready to start playing for money. Finding a gig may not be as hard as you think. Here are a few tips to think about and help you get going on your musical venture.
First, what type of music do you play? Are you a country band? Do you do mainly cover material or are you ready to hit the road with a couple of cd's worth of original material? There are always clubs that are featuring the type of music you play. Especially if you live in a large metropolitan area. Do you have what it takes to be a headhunter? This is dangerous territory, but if you are willing, find a club that has a band that is not as good as your band and approach the manager about playing for free on an off night. Then promote like your life depended on it. You better be ready if the owner says yes to your proposition.
Second, find a club that does not usually have music on a regular basis and offer to play for one night for the door. The main clientele will not want to pay to get into their favorite drinking hole, so be prepared to make some concessions. You will have to hire your own door man. Make sure he knows that those that see the sign about a cover and pull out cash without question are the ones you are looking for. Anyone who complains let them in free and just say, "Look it's all going to the band anyway. Why don't you just come on in and if you like what they are doing visit the tip jar." That way no one gets their feathers ruffled. And you certainly do not want to run off paying customers.
Third as soon as you book a night somewhere, make sure you have some other club owners lined up to come and spend an hour or so listening. Here again I can not express how important it is to promote this night with friends and relatives. You will have to make sure you are good and you will have to make sure the room is packed. Club owners know each other. The competition aspect between them is good for you. Fear of loss is a big motivator. Just be sure you can pull of your end.
Have more than a MySpace site for promotion. Visit clubs you want to book and hand deliver a promo packet. This packet should have photos of the band, short bio's, song lists, references, and a cd of your sound. Start delivering these at least a month before you set up a room. Then visit these club owners and tell them you think your band is a good fit for his venue and that you can make him some money. Make sure you stay in contact and get him to wherever you are playing. As always, the fortune is in the details and the follow-up.
Roy Gene Horne is a songwriter, musician, performer with over 30 years professional experience. He has written hundreds of songs, recorded, performed, booked, managed, and fronted his own band for all of those years. He has a created a website to help the aspiring musician/songwriter and offers resources which will enhance and teach music and the business of music as well. He invites you to visit. http: http://www.royhorne.ws and you can visit him on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/rghorne
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roy_Horne
First, what type of music do you play? Are you a country band? Do you do mainly cover material or are you ready to hit the road with a couple of cd's worth of original material? There are always clubs that are featuring the type of music you play. Especially if you live in a large metropolitan area. Do you have what it takes to be a headhunter? This is dangerous territory, but if you are willing, find a club that has a band that is not as good as your band and approach the manager about playing for free on an off night. Then promote like your life depended on it. You better be ready if the owner says yes to your proposition.
Second, find a club that does not usually have music on a regular basis and offer to play for one night for the door. The main clientele will not want to pay to get into their favorite drinking hole, so be prepared to make some concessions. You will have to hire your own door man. Make sure he knows that those that see the sign about a cover and pull out cash without question are the ones you are looking for. Anyone who complains let them in free and just say, "Look it's all going to the band anyway. Why don't you just come on in and if you like what they are doing visit the tip jar." That way no one gets their feathers ruffled. And you certainly do not want to run off paying customers.
Third as soon as you book a night somewhere, make sure you have some other club owners lined up to come and spend an hour or so listening. Here again I can not express how important it is to promote this night with friends and relatives. You will have to make sure you are good and you will have to make sure the room is packed. Club owners know each other. The competition aspect between them is good for you. Fear of loss is a big motivator. Just be sure you can pull of your end.
Have more than a MySpace site for promotion. Visit clubs you want to book and hand deliver a promo packet. This packet should have photos of the band, short bio's, song lists, references, and a cd of your sound. Start delivering these at least a month before you set up a room. Then visit these club owners and tell them you think your band is a good fit for his venue and that you can make him some money. Make sure you stay in contact and get him to wherever you are playing. As always, the fortune is in the details and the follow-up.
Roy Gene Horne is a songwriter, musician, performer with over 30 years professional experience. He has written hundreds of songs, recorded, performed, booked, managed, and fronted his own band for all of those years. He has a created a website to help the aspiring musician/songwriter and offers resources which will enhance and teach music and the business of music as well. He invites you to visit. http: http://www.royhorne.ws and you can visit him on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/rghorne
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roy_Horne
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Guide to Booking Entertainment
Booking!
“Initial fears that people have with planning the music and entertainment for their event are reasonable, as it is an integral part of the event and can even be part of the main focus. There are many factors to consider when planning your entertainment, not only whether the act you are booking for your event will suitably entertain your guests, or fit within your budget or them;, but you also need to consider whether they will be reliable and professional. In the worst case scenario we have heard of cases where artists have failed to turn up on time or cancelled without giving enough time to book another act in their place. Even if they do arrive, how do you know that they are going to be as good as their demo or showreel? And this is all on top of the rest of the event planning process of organizing catering, a venue or conference facility, florists, guest invitations, transportation, accommodation… need I go on? It can be a very daunting task.”
With this in mind, here are the key elements to think about to help get you started:
The Venue
When booking the venue it is important to check that they have the appropriate entertainment licence and the conditions of their licence including the type of entertainment they are allowed (some venues are not permitted to have amplified music), finishing/get out times, performance area size/space restrictions, if they have any noise restrictions (such as sound limiters), access times for the band/artist, power supply etc.
If you are considering a speciality act that uses fire or pyrotechnics, you also need to make sure that this is permitted in the venue.
These points are always good to know early on as this may dictate the kind of entertainment you can look for. For example, some venues have sound limiters that cut out sound automatically when it goes over a certain volume, so if you have booked a band, this can damage their equipment and most importantly can disrupt the whole evening.
However, all is not lost, even with a limitation on sound, there are still many acts that can be employed such as acoustic artists, but knowing this in advance will help you narrrow your search or review your venue.
Band Hunting
So you know have an idea of the kind of act your venue will accommodate, lets go and look for your entertainment.
Armed with the information acquired from the venue you can now approach the artists, but where do you look? Well, there are a few options available to you:
Option 1 - Search the internet. You can do a search for a certain type of artist/ band, listen to their website demos or watch their showreel and contact the artist directly. Although many artists have their own website, a great website does not necessarily mean a great artist. So not only can this method be quite simply mind numbing and time consuming, it is also a bit of a lottery if you are booking an artist you have never heard of.
Option 2 - Go on recommendation. This can narrow down your search quite fast, but do remember that colleagues may not have the same tastes and what one person may think is great might not be ideal for the guests attending your event.
Option 3 - Go to an agent. There are lots of agencies out there, (I should know, I am own one of them.) Obviously there is going to be a fee increase for this service, (normally between 15- 20 % ) but, if the agency is a reputable one they should be able to earn their commission by verifying the acts and their ability, negotiating their fee to meet your budget, contracting the artist (more on that later) and communicating to the artist exactly what you need.
A note on professionalism. Many people place an importance on the performance but it is important not to overlook the other elements involved with booking an act/band for example, the way they conduct themselves both on and off stage, their dress code and also making sure they turn up in plenty of time etc.
Things to ask the band/act
Whether you are going through an agent or directly to the artist, the questions are still the same.
Here is important information you need to know about the artist:
Availability:
You must first check that the artist is available on the date of your event and that they are happy to travel to the event location.
How long will the artist perform for:
Performance times will vary depending on the kind of act you are booking and the event you are holding.
There are so many different possibilities depending on your requirements, but to give you an example, a typical live performance by a function band would be something like the following:
2 x 1 hour live sets (I like to include CD music in between and up to 45 mins after the performance)
Or
3 x 45 mins live sets (again with the bands would be quite happy to provide CD music in the price)
Act/Band styles
Some artists are available as a ‘walkabout’ act as well as a stage act and some bands can perform as an acoustic duo or trio, as well as a full party band.
If you have a larger event then you may wish to have a reception performer when the guests arrive or are eating lunch/dinner. This could be a walkabout act, close-up magician or acoustic duo or trio band.
We have supplied many events with walkabout Mexican Mariachi bands, acoustic Hawaiian trio band, close-up magicians, human statues and Gypsy jazz musicians. It’s an upbeat and fun start to the evening before the main act, as well as a brilliant ice-breaker if your guests don’t know each other.
The latter part of the event can then incorporate a stage show or band for dancing, either using an artist from earlier or a different artist altogether.
Repertoire:
If you are booking a band, you should be able to get a sample set list from the band. I generally advise my clients to let the artist gauge the event as to what songs are played but within your initial enquiries it gives you a great idea of what they can do.
Fees:
Once the artist has all your requirements, they will then be able to quote you formally.
The fee you are quoted will be dependent on the location of the event, the performance you require, what day of the week your event is being held and the time of year your event is being held.
Barter!!
Don’t be afraid to barter, most artists/agents are happy to negotiate their fee, as every event is different.
The Booking
Let us assume you have narrowed down a selection of acts, what next?
If you have decided on the artist you wish to book, but you need to get the go ahead from your MD or person paying for the event, it would be recommended to ask the band to hold that date for you.
Most artists will be happy to pencil in a date for you if you require time to make a firm decision about booking. This ensures that they won’t take another booking while you’re in the decision making process.
Deposits and contracts
Any reputable band or artist will insist on a contract to be signed by all parties once you confirm your booking. This should include all of the information that both sides have agreed to.
More often than not, the contract will also include a requirement for you, as the client, to provide refreshments and lockable changing facilities/dressing room for the artist during their time spent at your event.
You may also be sent an artist rider with the contract which is a list of artist requirements that you will be expected to provide as a courtesy.
Things to confirm within the contract:
Artist Name (making sure that the performers are the same ones as the demo/showreel!)
Location for the artist to appear
Date of performance
Time for arrival and set up of the artist
Performance times
Fee and payment terms (i.e deposits and payment due dates)
Artist contact number
Cancellation terms
Any special requirements regarding the performance/venue/guests or artist rider
As soon as you have signed and returned the contract and paid your deposit, your booking is confirmed.
The artist should be able to contact you a week before the performance to confirm any changes that you might have and you can rest assured that you have done all you can to make your event a night to remember.
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