Soundtrack for 2009

Here is a soundtrack for my 2009!

 

Bonnie Raitt- "I Feel the Same"

Elton John- "Take Me to the Pilot"

The Beatles- "Polythene Pam"

The Beatles- "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window"

Grizzly Bear- "All We Ask"

Ben Folds- "One Down"

Dave Matthews Band- "Shake Me Like a Monkey"

Hutch Heelan- "What Will Be"

Ray LaMontagne- "You Are the Best Thing"

Samuel James- "Black Ben"

The Rob- "Boogie On"

Salif Keita- "Yambo"

Caleb Hawley- "Taking it to the Skyway" (cha boi!)

dilly dilly- "Travelin' Man"

Jacob Augustine- "High Water"

Oscar Peterson- "Night Train"

Duke Ellington- "The Great Chicago Concerts"

Soulive- "Azucar"

 

 

Been a cool year...can't wait for 2010

Dear 1999

2010 is creeping up on us. It makes me think about the last 10 years and what's happened in my life personal and professionally. A few big music blog guys are writing a letter to the 1999 version of themselves and giving them advice. Here's what I would write to...well...me:

 

Dear 1999 Kris,

 

At approximately 8:00am someone will poison the coffee. Do NOT let ANYONE drink the coffee.

 

From,

 

Future Kris

 

-KIDDING-

 

You are 14 years old. You're so naive it's hard to describe but don't worry, you'll go through enough to knock that out of your system. You're dream to be on the radio may come true, but you'll have to work harder than you ever thought you would. And once you get there you'll find out that it's not the answer to any of your problems. Not even one. Keep working hard. Never let anyone tell you you can't do something because you WILL prove them wrong.

 

You'll go to college at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Don't waste too much time on girls. You need to submerse yourselve in your community and network. You'll be better off that way. Practice more piano and don't give it up for 3 years after you're done your primary courses. Keep at it!

 

Remember that everything bad that happens will help you grow and strenthen your core. While at this point much of it hasn't worked itself out yet, the things that have have helped me grow tremendously. Keep a positive outlook and don't get too down when things take a speed bump.

 

Oh...and you'll be able to play guitar. Pretty cool huh? Now practice!

 

From,

 

2009 Kris

Open your options and be a jack of all trades...

If anyone knows me and my history being in the music scene they'd tell you I'm a singer, vocalist, whatever. That's definitely true but it's not all.

 

Like I've said before, when you're 16-17 years old and you're starting a band for the first time, the singer is just the kid who sucks the least. No one can sing at first. No one I know anyway. Including me. It was pretty bad...at first. But you work on it and get better.

 

What most people don't know is that I've been playing the piano for over 15 years and actually have a music degree with a concentration in piano. Jazz, classical, rock, pop, blues...you name it I've played it. I've been a part of award winning jazz groups, played in numerous R&B ensembles and played my fair share of Bach sonota's. I usually only pull out the "piano card" as I call it in certain situations where it's needed.

 

I also mess around on a guitar a bit. Basically I can play almost any song but I'm not a soloing mo-fo that'll play leads all night. It's just not my bag nor do I have the energy to be the next Eddie Van Halen. But I can play rhythme, which is a plus.

 

So why am I telling you about all the things I can do? The point is, as a musician you can get much more work if you can do a variety of things. Here's a perfect exampl, which actually led me to write this post:

 

Sunday night I was at a practice for a new band I'm in called The Salesmen. I joined the group as the lead singer. It's a cool cover/function band. We're in it for the money and that's alright because the guys in the band are great and everyone for the most part gets the job done.

 

After the first practice we realized there were way to many keyboard/synth parts in the songs we were playing for just one keyboard so some of the guys asked if anyone knew anybody who could play piano/keyboards to fill in the synth/string parts.

 

"I do," I said.

 

So there we have it. I'm going to play the back up board parts while also being the lead singer. This is good because now the pay stays the same having not had to bring in another band member to play the parts.

 

Then last practice our rhythme guitar player broke the news that because of the prior commitments with other bands he's in he can't fulfill a lot of our dates and it's just too much for him. I certainly understand that. So once again we had a gap to fill. The question came again, who's going to play rhythme?

 

"Kris you play guitar right?"

 

"Yeah I can do it."

 

Now we get paid more individually because we split the money between 5 guys instead of 6.

 

In The Salesmen, with everyone else already playing an instrument full time the only one left over to fill in any gaps without bringing in a whole new member was me, the singer. So not only was I helping myself get paid more money at the end of the night, but also everyone else in the band.

 

Another really great example of this is teaching lessons. I teach lessons in a variety of subjects including piano, guitar, voice, music theory, ear training, and music biz consultation. I'll go out on a limb right now and just say, almost every guitar player I teach is actually better at the guitar than I am. I'm serious. But because I know WHY the music works the way it does I have a huge advantage over them and hence can give them valuable information. We jam on soloing techniques and I can give them pointers and tricks on expanding their playing but a lot of the time I have to give them examples on the piano because the concepts are beyond my playing ability on the guitar. But it works, they get a great lesson and most importantly, I eat dinner.

 

Be a jack of all trades. You'll get the call over other players who might not be as versitile and you just might make an extra buck in the process.

Before the Music Dies...

Great film. Before it happens though, I have to get this off my chest.

Why is it that mainstream radio and major record labels HATE being dangerous? They're so safe with everything they do. That's what's killing the music, ya know?

It's crazy to think that Janis Joplin wouldn't have had a chance in hell at being signed to a major record label had she been born 40 years later. It's true. But she was REAL. That's what we need now more than ever. We need REAL artists.

I like Jacob Augustine because he is REAL. Fucking REAL.

The Beatles wrote great songs that were REAL and reflected REAL people. You and Me.

Grizzly Bear. REAL. Common. REAL. Bonnie Raitt. REAL. Pearl Jam. REAL.

Just be real. Not safe. Real. REAL.

Ok. Kill it.

Rodgers and Co.

New website! http://www.rodgersandcomusic.com !

A New Project: Rodgers and Co.

Over the weekend I made it official. By official I mean I paid for, and created my new website for my new project, Rodgers and Co. Now a lot of people say they have a new "project" or maybe they're going "solo" or whatever, but it's not for real unless they take the time and the money to create a website to which all their other social networking sites link back to. I have now done that. I am official.

 

On a more serious note, Rodgers and Co. is my new project. You can check it out by visiting www.rodgersandcomusic.com . I've got some demos posted up under the "Music" tab and you can see me on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and Reverbnation by going to the "Contact" page and clicking on the respectable links.

 

The reason I made such a big deal about creating your own website is because it's...A BIG DEAL. MySpace is great but what if tomorrow your account is deleted and you lose all your "friends" in the process. You've got no statistics for your music as to how many plays, etc. it's gotten and most importantly you lose your data. Data=Dollars. You need that data. Reverbnation is great in itself but it's only properly utilized if used throughout the web as widgets and things like that.

 

It's called the "Funnel Effect". You want all your social networking sites to funnel back to your official webpage. How do you think you get great SEO(Search Engine Optimization)? You're page get's to the top of the rankings on google by linking back to it from other popular sites ie. your MySpace page or Facebook profile. The more you link back the more your page will show up. Also, the more you link back to your site the more you make it a destination for your fans. Sure, they can listen to a new song or two on your MySpace page but they can get exclusive downloads via your official site. They can even purchase ticket packages directly from your website and you'll have complete control over the delivery of each product.

 

It's complete freedom!

 

Most importantly, you have your data. Because you're clever you're already using Reverbnation to compile your mailing list. Google Analytics is a free tool provided by, you guessed it, Google that allows you to keep track of your sites traffic. This is key when trying to get gigs into new markets. You can see what parts of the country, or world, are visiting your site and you can use your mailing list to help break into new markets.

 

You: "Hi Mr. Booking Agent, I'd like to get a gig down in your area"

Mr. Booking Agent: "Cool, how many people do you have on your mailing list down here?"

You: "Uhh...well I do have 100 friends on MySpace that say they are from your area"

Mr. Booking Agent: "Would they come out and see you?"

You: "Maybe"

Mr. Booking Agent: "Listen man, I dig what you're trying to do but I need something concrete. I need to know that there are 100 kids that will come out if that's whats going to come out. Most importantly though, so do you. You should know that stuff. How many plays you have, how many mailing list members you have by region, how many visits you get to your site and from what parts of the country. If I'm going to go out on a limb and book you here, I need some DATA that lets me know it isn't a risky move. A 100 capacity club isn't that big, but it's HUGE when it's empty and no one wants that."

You: "Yeah I here that. Maybe next time then"

 

So you just learned a lot from the agent, but unfortunately you made yourself look a little like an ass in the process. Be prepared! Get serious and get a website. Then take all your traffic from every other site you have and filter it back to YOUR PAGE. Because it's YOUR CAREER.

 

Ovah and Out

Definition of Insanity

It always amazes me, specially when I do it, when people do the same thing over and over and over again and expect a different ending result.

That there my friends, is the definition of insanity.

If people aren't telling their friends about your music, stop promoting it and improve your product. Go back to the drawing board, write some more songs and promote those. Don't waste time promoting music people aren't latching on to.

Take my band, Highway Jackson, for example. We put a LOT of money into recording our latest release, The Dirty Bar Campaign. We got picked up by radio and everything. It was great. Things looked on the up and up. Something wasn't right though. People weren't losing their shit about our music. In fact, no one was really spreading the word at all. We released it 4 months ago. We're already writing and recording new music to get it out there ASAP so we don't lose any buzz. The product didn't work this time around. Next time we'll be better prepared.

If you're not getting the results you thought you would don't promote, improve!

Why MySpace should have said "No" to MJ Memorial

MySpace is doing the exact opposite of what it was created to do. I remember in 2005 when I signed up for my first MySpace account for my band Highway Jackson (4.20.05 to be exact) and seeing other bands on the "space" and thinking how fucking (excuse my french) MySpace was. Back then you could go to a band or someone's personal page and it wouldn't take a half hour for it to load because there was no customization of pages and back then...it WAS...all about the music.

Just like everything else in life, the first ones are the lucky ones. Being one of the first bands (and by first I mean first million) to sign up for MySpace made it very easy to network with other bands and show swap. I remember getting a message from a band asking if we wanted to open up for them in Boston (thanks to the guys again in Sad Marvin) and thinking, "Wow this is EASY". Of course that only happened a handful of times until MySpace was over saturated with everyone and their grandmother making a music page. This however, is not the ultimate problem.

The problem with MySpace is at first they were rebelling against the mainstream for a place to discover new music. Now MySpace IS the mainstream and just like independent bands have done many times before, we're rebelling against the mainstream. Against MySpace.

Signing on to stream Michael Jackson's memorial service is exactly what MySpace shouldn't do. It's as mainstream as mainstream gets. Instead of setting up some sort of musical tribute page(which would still be mainstream but not half as bad) they ignore the music and deal with the celebrity aspect of MJ. Does MySpace think they're MSNBC or CNN now? News coverage? Really?

Dear MySpace,

Get rid of all the ads. Get rid of MySpace Records too since all the bands on your label are already signed somewhere else. Delete music pages and individual pages that haven't been logged into for over 3 months. Drop the customization of pages because it just clutters everything up.

Thanks,

Former MySpace Users

P.S. Facebook is kicking your ass...if you don't already know that...and you don't see them over at the Staples Center do you?

Songs vs. Albums

Over the past few years there has been a trend amongst independent musicians. What used to be the album is now turning into the song. Instead of a band putting out a full length album and touring or gigging on it for a year or two, bands are putting out smaller EP's and creating a constant flow of new content for their fans. It makes sense though, right? If you disagree, let me explain.

If you're an independent musician you know how important each fan you have is to you. Without your fans your nothing. Hypothetically, if you put out an album every two years that means your fans have to wait two years every time they hear new material from you. In today's age where attention spans run on average about 30 seconds before it's, "O.K. what's next?", you've got to get more content into their hands (or ears) sooner rather than later.

No one likes going to see a band playing the same songs over and over and over again. What you want to do is give your fans a reason to come see you. A reason to spend their hard earned cash on your show, your record. Instead of putting out a ten track album once a year, put out two five track EP's twice a year. This gives more a reason to create a buzz around your band and also gives the fans something to get excited about. It's strategic marketing. It's OK to hold back on new music!

Apple is a great example of this with the new iPhone features and models. The Apple iPhone 3GS just came out adding video functionality to the iPhone. Apple already has other features available but will not add them to the iPhone until the next model, giving them a reason to put out another model while getting consumers excited about purchasing a new product. All of a sudden people who have iPhones are trying to get another iPhone with updated functionality. The same thing goes for your music.

Even though you may have 13 songs recorded and ready to release, maybe it's smart to release only a portion now and a portion later. I've heard of some artists releasing one song a month for a whole year. At the end of the year that artist pressed the top ten songs voted by his fans. How's that for keeping your fans engaged all year long?

What stories, tips or advice do you have about keeping your fans engaged and interested in your music?

RIP MJ

I really don't want to be "that guy" and start posting about how amazing Michael Jackson was, but let's be honest here OK? The guy was beyond incredible. It's one of those things where you realize you've taken someone for granted for so long and now we realize that we let go of Michael Jackson the performer and hung onto someone who was just a little different than everyone else, and exploited him. I don't want to defend or accuse Michael of anything. But I just want to talk about his music.

Having not entered this world until 1985, I never knew music without Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bach, Mozart, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Parker, etc. It had ALWAYS been in my life. The media was ALWAYS following Michael Jackson and was ALWAYS reporting on what he was doing no matter how private it should have been. My parents grew up with Michael Jackson, then I grew up with Michael Jackson. It would have been great for my kids(or pets since I don't have kids) to grow up with an old Michael Jackson, still touring like The Stones, Aerosmith, etc at the age of 65. If you look back on Michael's life, you'll notice something.

Michael Jackson spent most of his time, trying to please others.

Whether it was fans, friends or family he was always just trying to please everyone. He holds his new child up in front of a mass crowd to let them see and we claim he was "dangling his child from a balcony" and call him a bad father. Unfortunately that's just one of the many instances where we misunderstood Michael. Whether you think he was guilty or innocent in his recent court trials, you have to admit that he was shaped by us, the public, to be who he was. If you'd like to know what someone is like when their entire life is made up of making mass amounts of people, in excess of tens of millions, happy...now you know.

Unknowingly and unintentionally through his family, the media, and yes you and I, the fan we collectively denied Michael Jackson a childhood. He spent his entire adult life trying to relive it and just when things looked like they were looking up for Michael, having been equitted on all charges in his trial, and getting ready for a 50 date stint in London at the 02 Arena, he was denied his old age.

I quote Bob Lefsetz when I say, "How fucked up is that?"

I watched in 2001(at least that's when I viewed it, but I think it was live) as Michael took the stage with his brothers to be on stage once again as The Jackson Five and although he stood out like a sore thumb, the performance gave me goosebumps. Michael Jackson was the epitome of the word "performer". No one could out dance him, out sing him, or out entertain him. He was the Michael Jordan of music. The best, EVER.

Every couple hundred years someone comes along that defies everything we know and hold true as a standard to the threshold of human beings. Bach created music notation and was the foundation for what we now know as classical music and contemporary music notation. Mozart was unmatched in his ability to compose and hear arrangements. Miles Davis revolutionized jazz and contemporary music as we know it. Michael Jackson is in that category. Everyone knows Bach, Mozart, and Miles Davis. And 500 years from now when we're all gone and music has reached levels we'll never be able to comprehend in our lifetime, someone somewhere will be popping in Thriller for the first time(probably downloading it directly into your body for listening pleasure from within...no headphones or speakers...hey it's the future I can dream!) and wondering, "so who's the Michael Jackson guy?". Then they'll be blown away.

We won't remember Brittany or Justin. But our history books and archives will always have Michael Jackson.

Michael is now being welcomed by the musical genius' of the past, but he will forever influence our future.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson.

The Importance of Promoting Your Show

I'm sure this is not secret to anyone out there. Promoting your show is the MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE SHOW. Getting your band ready, having a great merch booth, and learning how to throw your guitar around your body while your play is only cool if you've got people to play for.

I'm sure everyone is sick of playing for the same 25 people or else you wouldn't be reading this, so I'm going to list a few things you can do for your next show to get some more peeps through the door, and leave with a few new fans.

1. Flyers. Now 10, not 50, not even 100. I'm talking 4-500 flyers, everything Friday and Saturday night 2-3 weeks prior to the show. If nothing else this will help brand your band. I expect to take some heat for pushing flyering out their as many will say it's a dinosaur, but mark my words, you flyer it...and they will come.

2. Radio Advertising. This may be a little advanced for some of the bands out there, but having an advertisement on the radio for your show is a big help to get new fans. People think if something is on the radio it's a big deal. $4-500 should get a you a great package for the week or so before the gig. Investigate it, and if you've got a good ticket percentage/garuntee with the promoter, give it a shot...it may make the difference between $200 and $800 at the end of the night.

3. Social Networking. I've said it before and I'll say it again, MySpace and Facebook are two of your best assets. Use them. For more info check out my post on Social Networking/Marketing here.

4. Clubbing. This is what I call going to the club you are playing at and handing out free CD's and swag every Friday and Saturday 2-3 weeks prior to your gig. This is also a great way to see the other bands on the scene, as well as see what their draw is and how they operate. If you're a little weary about giving your CD away for free, let me ease your mind a bit. You are NEVER going to make a penny off your CD without fans, and until you have them you might as well give it away, or at least a sample of it away. And please, at the show don't make your disc more than $5. I'm not going to buy a band's album if it's got 8 songs and is $10, specially if it's my first time seeing them. Keep it cheap or go home with a full box of CD's.

5. Contests/Fan Interaction. If you've got at least a small fan base this is a great way to get them involved. Have them sell tickets for you. For the first fan to sell 5 tickets gets free entrance to the show and a free t-shirt. Get creative and give your fans a reason to come back, even after they've been to your show 5 times and you haven't written a new song in months.

The five ways listed above to promote your show is only a sample of the possibilities. Bands that make it get extremely good at promoting. At times it seems like too much work, but that's the game. It's sad but true, the next Led Zeppelin is in some basement in Your Town, USA...and no one will ever know about them because they have no idea the importance of promoting.OVER AND OUT.

My next album will cost $80,000...per song

The Capitol Records vs. Jammie Thomas-Rasset case has finally reached a verdict. Jammie Thomas-Rasset was proven to have downloaded and distrubed at least 24 songs using Kazaa's network. She actually had over 1700 songs on her computer in the "shared music" folder that were most likely illegally downloaded, but she was only charged with 24 songs.

The verdict rewarded Capitol Records the amount of $1,920,000, or $80,000 per song downloaded and distributed.

You may think this verdict is a little harsh.

It is.

$80,000 per song is 228,571 times the actual damages.

This case has been plagued with different issues ranging from testimony to evidence. One side was over-lawyered while the other was under-lawyered. Not to mention the fact that the plaintiff was not required to prove infrigment of the distribution right. Google "Capitol Records vs. Jammie Thomas-Rasset" and you can see all the problems involving this case. The reason I'm writing this post is because I can't wrap my head around the idea of $80,000 per song.

There are so many legal ways to download a song. You can go to iTunes and rip it for $.99 per song, you can go to Amazon and get one for $.79, and you can even go to lala.com and get a web song for $.10. That's right. $.10.

Now before we talk about the reasons why Thomas-Rasset couldn't download the song legally, let's talk about the value of a song. How much is a song worth? What does the artist who created, put blood, sweat and tears into, and labored over it think it's worth? Here's a better question,

Who is the RIAA to decide how much a song is worth?

Let's just get this straight. Jammie Thomas-Rasset absolutely illegally downloaded at least 24 songs. She broke the law. That we know is true. But how can you justify and prove (although since the plaintiff wasn't required to prove many things, this verdict is not suprising) that the damages incurred for downloading and distributing music illegally results in $80,000 per song?

You can't.

That's rediculous.

I'm an artist. I'd be ripped if my record label went to court over something like this. The artist will never see a dime of that $1,920,000. I understand that the RIAA and Capitol Records are just trying to make an example of Thomas-Rasset, but what they're essentially doing is making an example out of the United States. Let's give the rest of the world ANOTHER reason to laugh at us.

On a more positive note, Jammie Thomas-Rasset will never pay a dime of that money. The case will go to trial a third time.

Quick Fix: Charge Thomas-Rasset $.99/song and make her pay $24.00. The retail value for each song. Hell, you can even charge her tax so Uncle Sam is happy.

Getting Your Music Reviewed

Over the past few weeks I've been submitting Highway Jackson's album for review in a number of publications across New England. I've also been seeing this topic spring up on online forums so I thought it'd be a great time to touch upon the subject of how to get your record reviewed, whether it be through your local paper or a music blog.

Build a Relationship:

One of the most important things to remember, and this goes really for anything, is that building a relationship is so much more important than getting your record reviewed. If you go about the task with that mentality it will help the process along ten-fold.

It's way too easy to just grab a list of 25 emails and put out a massive email like this:

"Hey So and So,

I'm sending along [insert artist name here]'s new album and I was hoping you would consider it for review.

Thanks!

-You"

On a local level you really want to establish a relationship with the person you're hoping to review your album. If you can't do that, a simple email like this should suffice:

"Hey So and So (make sure you know their actual name!!!),

This is Your Name from the Portland based band "Your Band Name". I am contacting youin regards to possible inclusion in an upcoming local music section to focus on our new EP"Album of the Year", which is set for release on September 1st. I'd be more than happy tosend a copy of the CD over to you but have not been able to find an actual mailing address. I'd love to get some more info on how to go about this. Oh and I also wanted to thank the "8 days a week" crew for the very large photo and caption of us that was placed on page's 12 and 13 of the July 25th-31st issue. It was a nice surprise. Thanks.

-Name Here
www.myspace.com/yourbandpage"

By metioning a past issue of the publication you let the reviewer know that you're familiar with the magazine. I happen to know this particular reviewer and band. Because of this initial email they recieved a review in the magazine. Because of their music, it was a positive review.

Building a relationship also helps for future releases. A reviewer that you've already worked with in the past is that much more likely to review your act again if you've maintained that relationship!

So next time someone says, "Let's keep in touch", do it. It'll pay dividends in the end.

Over and Out! -Kris

Gigging 101

Getting the Gig:

1. Send the promoter/club owner an initial email introducing the band with a link to your electronic press kit, or make an initial email requesting an address to send a traditional press kit to.
2. Follow-up with the promoter/club owner 1-2 weeks after sending the email or kit making sure they received it. If they have, ask if they’ve had a chance to check it out. If not, ask them to take time to look at your press kit.
3. After you know the promoter has received the kit, follow-up in 2-4 weeks to negotiate a date.

Promoting the Gig:

1. Don’t expect the promoter to promote! Some promoters will do advertising for bigger shows, but if this is your first time at a club, DO NOT expect the promoter to do as much as put a flyer up. It’s up to YOU!
2. Make a flyer, and email it to the promoter. Also put it up in any and all local shops within 10 miles of the club who will let you. CD stores, book stores, coffee shops are all great places to start.
3. Invest some time in finding local press and media companies who would be interested in checking out your show for review. Send them a package with your album, and some information about the band and the show. Many times the local press will do reviews of albums by the bands coming through town the week they will be there. What better way to promote a show to thousands of people than through press who is praising your work!
4. If you’re a local artist, build a buzz through radio advertising. Most packages start out at $400, and play at great times for bands. To the naked ear, if your name is on the radio, you’re the real deal. Even if people have never heard your music, they’ll be intrigued to see you just because they heard you on their favorite station.

Before the Gig:

1. CALL/EMAIL THE PROMOTER confirming the gig one last time. It’s not cool when you show up and you find out the gig has been cancelled, especially if you’ve driven hours and hours to get there. Be SURE the gig is still on!
2. Arrive on TIME! Nothing pisses off promoters and club owners more than bands who put them behind schedule with soundchecks and getting the club ready for the show.

Your Merch Table:

1. Set up your merch booth. BRING LIGHTS! Every merchandise table needs lights so people can see what they’re buying. Black T-shirts, CD’s, and stickers do not sell well in a black room. And no offense to the guys out there, but it’s a proven fact that a pretty girl behind the table dramatically increases sales.
2. Make sure you have EVERY size t-shirt! There are extremely thin as well as extremely large people out there, so just getting medium and large sizes will NOT cut it.
3. It’s a harsh reality, but no one is going to by your 6 track EP for $10. CD sales have been declining for the past 10 years, so keep it cheap! Good rule of thumb is, 10 songs is $5.00. I know you’re saying that’s low, but I’m serious, you want to get your unknown band known? 10 songs $5.00. Lose the ego.
4. Make a deal. T-shirts 10, CD’s 5, buy both for $12.
5. Many all ages venues that allow 21+ to drink will sell tickets for $10.00, then give $3.00 back to 21+ at the door. If you’re at a club like this, make your CD available for $3.00. It might be a little less than you want, but EVERY person in that club has $3.00 on them. If they like your music in anyway, they’re two times more likely to purchase something when it’s exactly the amount of money sitting in their pocket.

At the Gig:

1. Make a mailing list sheet and ask EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the venue to sign up for it. This is the only way you can track and keep up with your fan base.
2. Have a stage show. No one wants to see Billy, John, Bob and Larry stand on stage with their heads down. Practice moving around and interacting with each other. Performance is more important than the music. Deliver it with passion.
3. Thank the promoter and everyone for coming.
4. PLUG PLUG PLUG PLUG YOUR MERCH BOOTH!
5. Let everyone know about your myspace or website, and have them friend you!
6. Try to talk to everyone there and ask them how they liked the show, it will also help you build relationships with your fans.
7. Don’t get drunk and suck. That’s the biggest turn off for a music fan. A musician who doesn’t take their craft seriously. You’re nothing, remember you’re like a new business trying to get new customers. Be as professional as you can. When you’re backstage and Aerosmith is opening for you, that’s when you can have Jack Daniels delivered to your room so you and Jay-Z can have a good time before you go on stage.

After the Gig:

1. Email everyone that signed the mailing list thanking them for coming to the show.
2. Email the promoter/club owner thanking them for the show opportunity and establish a contact for a follow-up show.
3. If any press or media companies came to the show, or reviewed your album before hand, thank them and offer to send them a merch package or free tickets to your next show.
4. If you’ve gotten pictures of the show, upload them to your myspace/website and put out bulletins letting everyone know they can check them out.