New Aberdeen Band Seeks Gig(s): Take II

[Chris]

Music will always always speak with more volume then any words can. A confident tone should never be enough to merit the offering of a gig slot.

"It's bigger than words, and wider than pictures"

Rep points if you can identify the reference

Mogwai - Young Team.

[Alkaline]

Music will always always speak with more volume then any words can. A confident tone should never be enough to merit the offering of a gig slot.

"It's bigger than words, and wider than pictures"

Rep points if you can identify the reference

Mogwai Lyrics? Yes! I'm A Long Way From Home.

[Lemonade]

But come on, look at the tone of the post. It's not bragging, it's not in your face - but it is ridiculously assured.

There's a mature, grown up tone about the inital post. I don't know what it is - but it sounds like they know what they're doing and aren't afraid to say so.

You can read between the lines a little bit too much though, self-assured as it sounds it also says in plain black and white that they haven't even played one gig yet. If I were a promoter I would want to hear their music, or at the very least know that they had a track record as a band and a reputation for being good (and reliable). This band haven't played their first gig yet, and she hasn't even given their name. For all a promoter knows they could be absolute shit, and a bunch of drunken knobheads. I'm not suggesting for a second that they are, but would you book a band without having any information about them at all?

[ASFG]

I do a spot of promotions and I am not going to make the effort of contacting the band/artist to find out what they sound like, when it is the band/artist that is looking for gigs. The most investigation I would ever do is type in a myspace address or click a link.

And if a promoter doesn't care what an artist or band sounds like then why are they promoting? If a promoter doesn't really care what you sound like then I suggest you're playing gigs for the wrong promoters.

I realise this post makes me sound really arrogant. It's not meant to, but it's the only way I have of articulating my point. I, personally, as a live music promoter, would never book a band if they didn't have recordings accessible online, unless I had seem them perform live before or they went to the trouble of contacting me to offer a CD or an MP3 of at least one or two songs.

I respect your attitude and passion but when a fisherman casts his nets into the water he doesn't expect to catch every fish in the ocean. Yes, I'm looking for a gig, but there are plenty of promoters looking for bands.

All I'm doing is politely declaring our future availability to the wider world... and should any promoter fancy taking the risk of booking a new Aberdeen rock band comprised entirely of gig-experienced local musicians who will help with the promotion for what could very well be their debut gig and who play music in the vein of such popular bands as Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro and Brand New I certainly hope they get in touch.

I would also add that the few posts you have made in this thread making what was, and still is of course, a perfectly valid point probably expended more energy than a PM asking for an mp3 and offering us a gig might have.

To close, and in case there were any doubts about this method of gig-seeking, the last time we did this we were offered a fantastic gig from a very well known Aberdeen promoter which we accepted. Sadly, the gig was cancelled. After this circumstances meant we had to turn down a number of other interesting offers which we might otherwise have accepted.

Perhaps this time we'll be offered nothing, but returning to the initial point I don't see why we'd not bother enquiring about gigs simply because we don't have a myspace page with an mp3 on it.

[WoodyRATM]

I respect your attitude and passion but when a fisherman casts his nets into the water he doesn't expect to catch every fish in the ocean. Yes, I'm looking for a gig, but there are plenty of promoters looking for bands.

All I'm doing is politely declaring our future availability to the wider world... and should any promoter fancy taking the risk of booking a new Aberdeen rock band comprised entirely of gig-experienced local musicians who will help with the promotion for what could very well be their debut gig and who play music in the vein of such popular bands as Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro and Brand New I certainly hope they get in touch.

I would also add that the few posts you have made in this thread making what was, and still is of course, a perfectly valid point probably expended more energy than a PM asking for an mp3 and offering us a gig might have.

To close, and in case there were any doubts about this method of gig-seeking, the last time we did this we were offered a fantastic gig from a very well known Aberdeen promoter which we accepted. Sadly, the gig was cancelled. After this circumstances meant we had to turn down a number of other interesting offers which we might otherwise have accepted.

Perhaps this time we'll be offered nothing, but returning to the initial point I don't see why we'd not bother enquiring about gigs simply because we don't have a myspace page with an mp3 on it.

Hmmm this style would interest me to see/hear.

[Guest idol_wild]

I would also add that the few posts you have made in this thread making what was, and still is of course, a perfectly valid point probably expended more energy than a PM asking for an mp3 and offering us a gig might have.

But this is a discussion forum, and I was contributing to the discussion.

Good luck with getting gigs. I'm sure someone out there will give you a show (I suggest you contact Hen at The Tunnels - he's always willing to give almost any band a platform on which to show what they can do. If you promise him a decent number of people along then he'll give you a chance.

When you do get a gig, I suggest you ask the sound engineer if it is okay to record your set from the sound desk via a mini-disc player.

Just so you have an audible insight to what you actually sound like to stick online.

[ASFG]

But this is a discussion forum, and I was contributing to the discussion.

Good luck with getting gigs. I'm sure someone out there will give you a show (I suggest you contact Hen at The Tunnels - he's always willing to give almost any band a platform on which to show what they can do. If you promise him a decent number of people along then he'll give you a chance.

When you do get a gig, I suggest you ask the sound engineer if it is okay to record your set from the sound desk via a mini-disc player.

Just so you have an audible insight to what you actually sound like to stick online.

Thanks for all your advice, it's appreciated.

[mistersticks]

aye these folks are speaking sense, i wish i had followed that kind of advice when we started gigging. we got out first gig in the tunnels, and we played pretty well, because we practiced very hard, its just our songs were not up to standard...ach, we were young.

however i know how you feel, you cant wait to get out there and play some gigs, but you'll make more of an impact if your first gig is a blinder. will try and get along to see you when you land a gig.

cheers

[RF Scott]

Surely if you're experienced like you say, and are willing to help with promotion, you could just book your own show, rather than trying to rely on a fairly vague thread ('band comprised of people who have played gigs before seeks gigs with this new band, we sound like foo fighters') ???

[ASFG]

But I'm not relying on it.

[ASFG]

Okay, we could only consider gigs at the very tail end of October or in November now as we've confirmed a date at the Moorings on the 18th of October.

Thanks.

[Guest treader.]

Funnily enough I was just reading a thread about this yesterday. See here for how not to do it.

http://www.aberdeen-music.com/forums/feedback-forum/20775-leave-egon-track-online.html

hahahahahahaha leave it to egon. no way!

[ASFG]

[Alkaline]

And now it all makes sense

[Guest idol_wild]

Yes! Thwesound engineer will record and mix the live set for a fee. Do it.

I will try and make it down to check the set out.

[The Milner]

And now it all makes sense

finally

lets keep it between us eh ??? lol

[Alkaline]

finally

lets keep it between us eh ??? lol

Haha, i knew who was in the band i twigged it was before, but i didn't associate the username with the band despite it being blatantly obvious.

I am a slow one indeed

[Lemonade]

Haha, i knew who was in the band i twigged it was before, but i didn't associate the username with the band despite it being blatantly obvious.

I am a slow one indeed

It's OK I didn't get it either, until this week I got a text from a member of ASFG saying "So ASFG might be a bunh of drunken knobheads eh?" Then it twigged who they were.

[GraemeC]

And if a promoter doesn't care what an artist or band sounds like then why are they promoting? If a promoter doesn't really care what you sound like then I suggest you're playing gigs for the wrong promoters.

I realise this post makes me sound really arrogant. It's not meant to, but it's the only way I have of articulating my point. I, personally, as a live music promoter, would never book a band if they didn't have recordings accessible online, unless I had seem them perform live before or they went to the trouble of contacting me to offer a CD or an MP3 of at least one or two songs.

Having managed a band a few years ago who couldnt take all the gigs they were offered by promoters who didnt like their music but loved the crowd who did (Slipstream), I find your post to be flawed. I believe the job of a promoter is to book bands who people want to hear and will help fill a venue, they will bring their own crowd for the first gig or two and if they are any good then the future looks after itself.... so no demo required!!!

[Guest idol_wild]

Having managed a band a few years ago who couldnt take all the gigs they were offered by promoters who didnt like their music but loved the crowd who did (Slipstream), I find your post to be flawed. I believe the job of a promoter is to book bands who people want to hear and will help fill a venue, they will bring their own crowd for the first gig or two and if they are any good then the future looks after itself.... so no demo required!!!

Perhaps that attitude and approach is appropriate for inhouse venue promoters. Where, essentially, profit is involved.

Not DIY promoters. DIY promoters book bands because they like the bands and want to support them and help them and hope that others who come will like them.

[RF Scott]

Having managed a band a few years ago who couldnt take all the gigs they were offered by promoters who didnt like their music but loved the crowd who did (Slipstream), I find your post to be flawed. I believe the job of a promoter is to book bands who people want to hear and will help fill a venue, they will bring their own crowd for the first gig or two and if they are any good then the future looks after itself.... so no demo required!!!

I think you're getting 'booker' and 'promoter' confused. Also, what if a promoter is looking for a local support for a pretty good touring band? Without a demo or anything like that, they could be any old dogshit (sure, they could be any old dogshit WITH a demo, but it certainly cuts down the chances), making the promoter look ill-informed to the touring band and their crew (TM, etc). Bringing 'their own crowd' isn't a given either.

[GraemeC]

Perhaps that attitude and approach is appropriate for inhouse venue promoters. Where, essentially, profit is involved.

Not DIY promoters. DIY promoters book bands because they like the bands and want to support them and help them and hope that others who come will like them.

That may be the case with a number of promoters but in my experience I stick with my previous post...

[GraemeC]

I think you're getting 'booker' and 'promoter' confused. Also, what if a promoter is looking for a local support for a pretty good touring band? Without a demo or anything like that, they could be any old dogshit (sure, they could be any old dogshit WITH a demo, but it certainly cuts down the chances), making the promoter look ill-informed to the touring band and their crew (TM, etc). Bringing 'their own crowd' isn't a given either.

Any promoter with half a brain will of course book a band that he knows is half decent and has a lot of friends to support a touring band with unknown pulling power.

Booking a band for their first gig without hearing what they sound like is no real risk, its in the bands best interest to be as good as they can be and to drag all their mates/relatives along for the show....I know from vast experience by the way, im not just making this up...

[RF Scott]

Any promoter with half a brain will of course book a band that he knows is half decent and has a lot of friends to support a touring band with unknown pulling power.

Booking a band for their first gig without hearing what they sound like is no real risk, its in the bands best interest to be as good as they can be and to drag all their mates/relatives along for the show....I know from vast experience by the way, im not just making this up...

In theory a promoter should be booking a band that he/she knows is half decent, but the reality is a lot different! The amount of times I've seen an absolutely terrible local support (not just in Aberdeen) that doesn't fit the bill or audience at all, with no audience of their own, is pretty shocking.

It is a risk though! Bands can be pretty clueless, it's not a given that their friends and family will come along (they might not even have many friends!), so it's obviously a risk. I could just make up a band with no recordings, book a gig, and spend the duration of my 'set' picking my nose and polishing my shoes, and not bring along any friends/family. Like I said before, it's still a risk booking a new band that has a demo (being that bands can vary A LOT between the live/recorded domains), it's just not as much of a risk as booking a band who don't have anything at all.

Also, please don't pull the 'vast experience' thing, it's a bit patronising!

[GraemeC]

In theory a promoter should be booking a band that he/she knows is half decent, but the reality is a lot different! The amount of times I've seen an absolutely terrible local support (not just in Aberdeen) that doesn't fit the bill or audience at all, with no audience of their own, is pretty shocking.

Yes me to, promoting isnt an exact science, some you win some you loose, if it was easy we'd all be doing it.

I could just make up a band with no recordings, book a gig, and spend the duration of my 'set' picking my nose and polishing my shoes, and not bring along any friends/family.

And why would you do that? Who the fuck would that benefit?

please don't pull the 'vast experience' thing, it's a bit patronising!

Why, how else would you know "I know what I'm talking about"

Peace....