Gareth Bird - Gig-getter: How to Get More Gigs Than You Can Play

GIG-GETTER

How to get more gigs than you can play

Gareth Bird

Gig-Getter Copyright 2016 GBA Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages in reviews.

Disclaimer and FTC notice

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the publisher.

While all attempts have been made to verify the information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omission, or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein.

This book is for entertainment purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author alone and should not be taken as expert instruction or commands. The reader is responsible for his or her own actions.

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What the music press say about Gig-Getter:

Top Gig-Getting tips...youll be playing more shows in no time. - Total Guitar

Full of useful tips on how to organise and sell your band to promoters and press.....consider it a wake-up call. Guitar & Bass Magazine

Covers everything from finding potential venues then successfully approaching them...to keeping venues sold so they book you time after time...readers will be able to steal a march on their rivals. Performing Musician

Excellent. Bass Guitar

Feels like a labour of love, written by someone with genuine experience...filled with advice and ideas on how to market your band. Guitar Buyer

Get more gigs with Gig-Getter...informative and practical steps to help any band get all the gigs they desire. Guitar Techniques

A fresh perspective...impressed me a great deal. Play Music

Fantastic! Its about time someone did this. Play Pick-up Magazine

Some reader feedback about Gig-Getter:

True to its title! Excellent guide for taking you through the essential steps to get your band out there and working. Amazon US, 5 Star Reviewer

I thought that I should finally write and just let you know how useful I have found your book. The responsibility for getting gigs has fallen to me (because if it was left to the others we'd never play!) and I didn't really have a clue about how to go about it. Your book helped to give me a lot of confidence, particularly around phoning venues to try and get gigs. Despite only having been gigging for 4 months we now have regular work...- I guess you do know what you're talking about! Nick H. , Exeter

An excellent book...valuable information. Michael A. Richmond, Virginia

Your points and method all make perfect sense...you've given me a lot more confidence." - Maurie B., Queensland

Packed with useful advice...thanks for writing the book. Kim W., Topsham

"Great tips and information." - James G., London

A sort of Bible. Chris G., Glasgow

"Invaluable information - would benefit even the most established acts. A must read for any band looking for gigs." - Shane S. Dublin, Ireland

The coming year is looking even better....we have 24 gigs already booked in with more promised that we have to fit in during the first half and at least another 8 for the second half. Our three gigs a month target is being ignored at the moment!

Thanks for all your help and for the excellent book. Clive M., Warwick

Best Ive read on the subject Simon C., Cardiff

"I really recommend Gig-Getter" - Karl D., Leeds

I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for your excellent book....just by getting ourselves a little more organised and doing a little research (on venues and other bands in the area) we suddenly find that we are booked up to play throughout every weekend in June !!!

Being based in Cambridge there are a great many student type bands in the area and the city centre venues cater mainly for that audience. As an aged 40+ band (i.e. old enough to know better!), we found it a struggle to get bookings.

All the best and thanks again for a great book Paul K., Cambridge (5 days after receiving his copy of Gig-Getter)

INTRODUCTION

So youve got your band and your material together Now what?

C ongratulations! This is the time and place for you to take all your learning and rehearsing and turn it into a new way of life, playing as often as you like in front of other people for money. A new way of life that can give you the creative outlet, admiration and satisfaction that youve only ever dreamt of through your music. In this manual, youre going to be given my own proven step-by-step guide for starting out with little more than a few songs and a desire to play them, to making a good second income as a semi-pro entertainer. None of these steps are difficult to understand and they dont require any skill to carry them out.

One or two of the techniques Ill give you might seem obvious when you first hear them but most will not. Each step will demonstrate a different, successful gig-getting approach. A number of these approaches or a combination of them are bound to be right for your current situation too.

You should understand though, right at the start, what this manual is not. It is not just another book of general ideas about how to make it big in the music business or about getting a record deal. Nor is it about how to form a band or write songs. If you need to learn how to put lyrics together, play your instrument better or get together with other musicians - there are countless books and websites out there that can teach you those things.

Getting all the gigs you want neednt involve a lot of time, expense or sacrifice.

This is not the kind of book that recommends you spend a fortune (or anything at all for that matter), advertising your act. Nor do I believe that you have to work every hour God sends trying to sell your band to other people in order to get gigs. You dont need to perform for free and your day job, studies or social & family lives certainly dont have to suffer in order for you to succeed in creating a following for your act. Most of the performers I meet who pay money to promote their band or who play for nothing do so because they feel they cant get gigs any other way, or because their shows are as dull as dish water or, in my experience, theyre playing for no fee because theyre scared theyre not really worth being paid.

Ive never understood how performing music can be thought of as enjoyable if it doesnt improve things like your social life, bank balance and overall happiness. A working semi-pro music act, if you run it the way Im going to show you, will significantly improve your lifestyle in terms of the numbers of people youll get to know, your own personal happiness & satisfaction, your income and your musical creativity. Hopefully, this manual will demonstrate to you that you can have a very successful 2nd career as a performer AND a life at the same time.