Gig
sharing is a technique your band can use to build
your following, sell your CDs, generate press and
play gigs to new audiences. This technique involves
another band in a nearby city, and by offering your
help to them, you get their help, by return, in their
hometown.
You
need to find a band in another city who you can work
with. It's a good idea to team up with a band who
have a similar musical style to your own. Since
they're familiar with their hometown and visa versa
you need to work out an agreement with them. They set
up a gig in their hometown and you set up one in
yours. The agreement could be the visiting band opens
while the hometown band headlines.
By
using this technique, when your band goes into a new
market you don't have to enter it blindly which has
some great advantages. The other band can tell you
which are the best clubs to play, who to send your
kit to for some press, where to stay and a multitude
of other information. Another idea is to use their mailing list to promote
your gig there. Tell them they can use your list when
they play the gig in your town. If the other band is
extremely cool they may also allow you to sleep in
one of their houses, however, if you ask for this be
prepared to do the same for them when they play your
city.
To
hook up with another band you can advertise in the
other city's music paper. If you don't know the name
of the paper or if one even exists, go to your
library and get the yellow pages of that city and
call some music stores. Most musicians who work in
music stores can give you this information and they
may know a band who might be interested in gig
sharing with yours. Another idea is to take a trip to
the city and post flyers in music stores, clubs, and
record shops. Make sure you put some details about
gig sharing on the flyers.
Don't
forget to ask the other band about their media
outlets as the press might be interested in what
you're doing. You could also build up a gig sharing
network with a few bands so you can play in a few
markets other then your hometown. After you get this
network established you'll be drawing more people to
the shows, selling more CDs and making more money at
the gigs. Gig sharing works because there are a lot
of other bands out there (just like yours) who are
willing to help in order to get some of your help in
return. It's the ultimate example of two heads are
better than one or in this case, two bands are better
that one.
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