I just moved to one of the largest cities in my country for college and have always wanted to play live at bars/pubs with some mates but I have yet to find a place that does not just have some shitty top global 100 list playing in the background or some DJ playing electronica while pretending to push buttons. Us not finding a place to play isn't even what bothers me the most, I just really want to find a place where I can meet up with other musicians and listen to other bands play live. So tired of these nightclubs where they just play studio recordings from Spotify on loop. Is it just my city that sucks or has the age of raw and complex live music passed and pop-hits played through streaming-services all thats left?
Get the band first, then a two-hour show, then take your 3-track demo plus one-sheet "About Us" handout and talk to the guy who owns/ manages the bar - don't bother talking to the numpty behind the bar, his job is to sell beer.
Agree the Fee basis in writing in advance, don't overcharge and make sure your gear is in good working order AND INSURED. Make damn sure you have Public Liability Insurance too - don't rely on the bar to have coverage on its own Public Liability Insurance to include live music. Make sure you finish on time, and if the bar says you have to go through their noise level cut-off kit then that's life and you just have to accept it if you want to play.
If the gig is profitable for the bar, then you might get a return gig and you can talk to the boss a couple of days later.
Do not play for free - Berhard Kerres (former director of the Vienna Konzerthaus) says that's "Modern Slavery"
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
