Articles

So many performers shy away from doing benefits, most often because they think "benefit" means they don't get paid. I would like to offer a different perspective on performing benefits. In fact, I suggest that you strategically incorporate benefits into your tour plans every year.First, let me dispel the notion that playing a benefit means you play for free. That is simply not always the case. In reality, most organizations that attempt to use a concert as a means of raising money for their cause, are likely to select a performer with some recognition in the community, but not always. Most notable performers charge a fee for their performance. Sometimes…

Have you ever felt frantic about getting more dates on the calendar? So often, I find that many artists are fixated with filling up their calendars with any gig that comes their way. Depending on your goals, that may be exactly the thing to do. For those of you attempting to create a long lasting career, that has some momentum and progresses from one level up to the next, I would like to help you examine the types of gigs you are booking.As you begin to book your act, it is important to play as much as possible, build a fan base and create interest in the act. It is…

When you are in the start-up phases of establishing a new group, you may not want to make an investment in a touring vehicle. Instead, more pressing items require investment dollars such as promotional packages, photos, and recordings. Rather than increasing the wear and tear on one of the group's own vehicles, renting a touring vehicle may be the best method of getting around.In these early stages, the tours may not be more than one or two weeks long, sometimes even four or five days each. These are the perfect situations for renting. I offer some strategies to make your rental experience become more fluid and hassle free.Before making calls…

We can discuss booking strategies and marketing plans forever, but until your group has established a working group dynamic, success may be elusive. One of my first concerns when I worked with any group, is to see how the group worked together and interacted with each other away from the music. I've seen situations when a band can make incredible music together, and as soon as the rehearsal or the gig is over, everyone disappears into their own world just so they don't have to interact with one another. There is so much more to creating a successful band than just playing the music. I want to know that the…

I often get calls from artists who want to know more about using a radio promotion company to help boost airplay and build new audiences. Most artists believe they ought to launch into a full-blown campaign as soon as they have their hot-off-the-press CD. Some artists should do just that, others should not, depending on your career goals, of course.Use radio promotions to identify hot markets for touring. Be prepared to tour in the markets where airplay is greatest. The best use of a radio campaign is to track the cities and radio stations that have added the recording. Plan support tour dates in those cities no later than four…

While driving through Missouri on my way to teach a seminar, I heard a report on National Public Radio about the power of a song. All Things Considered former producer, Marika Partridge, had attended a festival where she heard a song by Pat Humphries nearly one year ago. Her story was about how this one song influenced her, inspired her and stuck with her after all that time.That, in its self, is impressive. To me, though, what is more, impressive and of importance to this article, is how a single event or performance may influence future results beyond your power of comprehension.The above-mentioned event took place at a sing-along at…

So you're barreling along, booking tour dates, doing your promotion, playing the gigs and generally feeling pretty good about the way things are going. Yes? But you're thinking to yourself, "How can I spice things up, make them more exciting for everyone, especially the media and bring a bit more attention to this road show?" The answer—Themes.Upon returning from New Orleans where I moderated a panel on "Accessing the Media." My panelists were a music critic, a publicist and a radio programmer. At one point during the workshop, our attention was focused on creating media events to capture audience, press, TV and radio. We were not talking about media events…

Not everyone is an emerging artist. You might be starting a new phase of your career with new band members, a new release and a whole new outlook on the business. In the past, your band had some success, achieved some recognition and toured extensively. Don't just bury the past; use it to boost your new efforts. As you begin to promote your new release and book the release tour, tap into the good will you developed earlier in your career. Your inclination might be to launch this new act without any reference to the past, a clean, new start. That's fine, but why reinvent the wheel? If you had…

Networking—is it an industry buzzword or is there really something to it? The word is bandied about in relation to conferences and showcasing but how can one take advantage of networking on a daily basis.The first suggestion I make to consultation clients is to use the resources you have at hand, rely on what and whom you already know. When asked, most people can come up with a number of contacts they have made in the past that might be helpful to them in their current situation. One example that comes to mind is contacting a local media person with whom you have developed a relationship in your hometown to…