Want to find some interesting places to play?
Tired of the same old venues and fighting the competition for a gig?
If you’ve run into too many other performers trying to get the same gigs you are trying to get, why not try something new, something off the beaten path.
Here’s a list of interesting places to play where people gather for other events and where you might find a fresh new audience to sell your merchandise and sign your mailing list.
- Wineries: Summer and fall are their big seasons for tourists and tastings. Do you live in or near an area that has many wineries. You will be surprised at how many states and countries produce wine. When I lived in Virginia, really the first state in the union to produce wines, thanks to Thomas Jefferson, there were 85 plus wineries throughout the state, many of them right around Charlottesville.
Many of the wineries have concert series to help bring people in for tastings. It is a great opportunity to reach a new listening audience in a beautiful setting.
- National and Local Parks: Parks often have lecture and entertainment series for their guests. They offer great captive tourist crowds looking for some entertainment around the campfire or in their lovely amphitheaters.
- RV Parks: Check the KOA listings starting with a local park near your home town and build from there. Again these RV Parks have a captive transient audience looking for something to do. You’ll find people from all over to help build your fans in far flung places for future gigs.
- Marinas: The boating crowd likes music too and this is a huge population all over the world. This could grow into boat or dock concerts rather than house concerts. Who knows, you might start something new.
- Aquariums and museums: They are always having special guest programs, lectures and concert series. Check with your local or nearby facility. Children’s artists often find great success in these venues. Artists with educational programs or programs focused on a current or upcoming exhibit might find a welcome home here with another appreciative audience and some very good money.
- Tournaments: There are all sorts or sports tournaments and they are likely to have an awards ceremony or party to celebrate the winners. Is there a sport you particularly like or play? Do you have kids who participate in a specific sport? Start there if you are looking to build a great community reputation.
- Small County Fairs and Festivals: Everyone looks to the large festivals, the ones that have a national or international reputation. But if you are trying to build a regional following then smaller county fairs and festivals ought to be on your radar. These are held all over the world and are very likely to book local and regional talent.
Try talking to one of these off beat venues in your home town first. Get them to give it a try if they’ve never thought of including entertainment before. Once they try it and you do such a fabulous job, it might turn into a regular local gig. But don’t stop there, get them to give you a great reference so you can try the same thing in a nearby town. When you hit your stride, you’ve just created a whole new niche for yourself—without any competition.
There’s still time this summer—try it this week, even it simply opens the doors and starts a conversation for next summer or fall.
Don’t just stick to the same old clubs, festivals and concerts halls if you want to build your fan base regionally. Find more interesting places to play. There’s more to every community than the few clubs on main street. Dig a little deeper, you just might find a whole new gold mine of interesting places to play.
Have you found a home in any of these interesting places to play? Are you frustrated with the same venues that are crowded with the competition?
Leave me a comment below or on the Performingbiz Success Strategies Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/PerformingbizSuccessStrategies.
I can’t wait to hear about your success.
Now, Thanks to the Band Curfew from the UK for providing the Biz Booster theme Music, Future Dance. Check them out at www.curfew.co.uk
And for more career boosting tips, articles, books, resources, tele-seminars and online courses, visit me at Performingbiz.com
