Finding The Right Venue

In my years of talking with venue management regarding live-music, I've learned that not every 'music venue' is right for every musician/band. Here are some tips on how to find the right venue for your music.

1. Genre - Ask what type of music the venue usually features. What's the average age of the venue's target market? Make sure you fit with the program.


2. Draw - There are two basic types of music venues. The first type has an embedded base of music-loving customers that show up to hear quality acts. The second, and more prevelant type, needs the performers to bring their fan base with them. If you've got a good following, great, you can pick and choose where to play. If you don't, just tell the truth. Misleading managers will end badly for you and it reflects poorly on all musicians trying to earn a buck.


3. Pay Scale - It may seem abrupt, but discussing the pay scale with management up front will save you a lot of time. Why go into great detail about how great your band is if you need $900 and they only pay $300?

Like it or not, selling yourself is an important part of getting gigs.

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