The Best Time to Contact Venues Part 1:  Clubs, Performing Arts Centers, Festivals and House Concerts. (Still to come: Part 2 – universities, public and private schools, libraries and museums.)

So, if you are ready to start booking gigs, you have:

  • set up a good work space
  • tried and true promo material in place
  • a good letter to send to promoters
  • sorted your niche market and are ready to pitch to the right folks

As if booking gigs is not complicated enough, the reality is, each type of venue has it’s own booking time frame depending on who they are and what they do. Keep in mind this is a general rule, but one I have had success with. Here is what I have learned over many years of booking gigs for myself and artist I have represented.

An important rule of thumb: Quite often, the decision makers will sit down and do all the booking for several months in one or two sittings. If your name is in front of them, and you have contacted them many times (sometimes many, many) through email and phone calls, you stand a better chance of getting hired. Yes leaving messages with gate keepers and bar tenders does help. And when the bookers do sit down (often randomly) to book their shows, your name will in the pile.  Persistence is the key. 

Booking gigs in clubs:  Clubs tend to work on the shortest time line, between 6 months to 2 weeks out and sometimes up to a year. Sometimes they leave room for last minute bookings or cancellations and opening slots. However, this is a bit of a crap shoot. If you are on tour and already have your anchor dates, you can sometimes get lucky booking clubs at the last minute, especially when you are on the road and looking to fill in some empty days. Keep in mind it does take admin time which can be a precious commodity on the road. So try to plan at least a few months in advance if you can. Sometimes you can get a last minute opening slot but these may not become available until the main acts are booked, or there is a last minute cancellation.

House Concerts:  I LOVE playing house concerts. They can be a fantastic way to fill in your itinerary, make great money, build a loyal following, and make life-long friends. The audiences are attentive and there is no TV or cappuccino machine blasting in the background. They can sometimes come with accommodation and often lead to other gigs. House concerts book at least 6-8 months to a year out. Sometimes you can slip in with shorter notice, or organize them at the last minute through your friends and fans. But your best bet is to start early. Since playing house concerts is different from being hired to play at a party (which tend to be background music gigs) the hosts need time to promote you on their lists and to their friends.

Performing Art Centers:  Performing arts centers book 12 to 18 months in advance so it is best to give yourself around 2 years lead time all in. There are two ways to get into a performing art centers; booking conferences or directly through the artistic director or board members. Artistic directors and sometimes their board members go to booking conferences to find talent and get recommendations from other artistic directors. These conferences happen roughly between August and the end of February and are definitely worth attending. Unfortunately, a lot of performing arts centers like to do all their booking in a short window. You can submit directly to the artistic director or board members and they may add you to their consideration list. But there still is a long lead time. Building a long–term relationship with the artistic director or board members is an investment of time and energy, but can be worth it and keep you returning every few seasons. They will often save a spot or two for local acts and artists they know and like.

Festivals: FYI, there is a saying in festival land, although it is a bit tongue-in-cheek: they day after the festival ends, the artistic director starts working on the next festival. They may not ink their calendars right away, but they are thinking about it and this is where persistence comes in. Start contacting them a few weeks after their festival ends. Artistic directors attend festivals, showcases and conferences throughout the year and by three to four months before the next festival, they are booked. Of course this may depend on the festival. If it is a festival with only one or two stages, they are going to be almost completely full by 4 months out, except for maybe an opening act or two.  But if it is a festival with lost of venues ranging in size, you stand a better chance of getting in although you may not get on the main stage. It depends on the festival.

My name is Suzahn Fiering.  I am an international touring artist, successful songwriter, award-winning educator (presented by Sir Paul McCartney) and a Master Level Internationally Certified Business Coach.  I have helped many musicians and artists move forward towards their goals and dreams, and I am looking forward to helping you! http://suzahn.com/muisc-business-consulations    info.suzahn@yahoo.com

 

Suzahn’s Festivalnet.com, music business article:
Festival Booking: The 1% Rule (Reality Check 101)  11/21/2024

Did you know the percentage of times a festival will call you back is somewhere about 1%. And you only book about 10% of the festivals you pitch? So, to get 10 gigs, you need to contact 100 festivals. And if you are not putting the right info out there, that 10% drops even lower! Now more than ever, it is important to be in reality and educate yourself to the strategies successful musicians use to GET A YES.

It is a novice mistake to blame FestivalNet if you are not getting booked. FestivalNet.com is a resource only, not a talent agency. And it is a good one. So, take the time and learn the difference.

Start by educating yourself on the different roles people and organizations play and develop a lexicon of musical terms to understand how things really work (not just what you see on TV and in the movies).

Artists that get booked understand and implement the basic and necessary business strategies and practices to GET A YES. Artists that get booked are willing to make changes to their beliefs and face the realities of the music industry.

Here are some points to consider:
1. Consider your content is not as effective and take the steps to improve it.
2. Consider your pitching strategies might be weak and take the steps to improve them.
3. Consider your pitch email letter needs work, and take the steps to improve it.
4. Consider your marketing and promo materials need work, and take the steps to improve them.
5. Consider you are not offering anything either unique or above average, are in denial about it, and put in the time to improve.
6. Consider you don’t have the music industry know how to make it all work and be willing to learn.
7. Consider you don’t understand the level of hard work and commitment it takes to get booked.
8. Consider you need to learn how to get out of your own way as a songwriter and an artist, and be willing to make some changes.

It’s time to recognizing that this is a business, you must be your own salesperson, and it is up to you to GET A YES.

It’s time to realize with a little hard work, education, and perseverance YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

🔥Guest Article by Pro Member Suzahn Fiering: An international touring artist, successful songwriter, award-winning educator (presented by Sir Paul McCartney) and a Master Level Internationally Certified Business Coach. She has helped many musicians and artists gain an understanding of the industry and move towards their goals and dreams.