Building Blocks: Building Blocks: Gigging on a 10-Week Cycle
Author: Thomas Goss
Every band is different, but bands that make it all have one thing in common - audience development. Those are two big, important words that everyone reading this should remember for the rest of their careers. The bottom line in management is always attendance. If you manage yourselves, as many bands do these days, then you are going to have to book smart!
Here is a strategy that I have developed to help working bands organise their goals as performers and music business professionals. It includes various types of gigs, how to use them progressively, and gives bands a guide to plan ahead with promotion and audience development. It's called the 10-Week Cycle.
Basically, every 10 weeks, your band will host a signature headlining gig. Every other gig that you book will be used to promote and build your audience toward that one big gig, and you will focus most of your energy and creativity to make it happen. Let's break them down, so you can start planning now...
The 10-Week Cycle
-a guide to possible gigs
1X Signature headlining gig
2-3X Supportings gigs
1x All-ages guest spot
2-4X Covers gigs
2X Parties/events
1-2X Street fairs/festival gigs
1-2X Out-of-town gigs or local area tour
Total: 10-15 gigs per cycle for a working band
1. The Signature Headlining Gig
This is your baby. You can do whatever you like here in terms of mood, staging, and theme. What really helps make your show work are the supporting bands though, so choose the guest acts wisely. Promote the hell out of this show with posters, word-of-mouth, MySpace/bebo announcements, textlisting, and flyers passed out at all of your gigs leading up to the date.
Use one or more of the following media outlets: PSAs or interviews on the radio, a TV spot if you can get one, a newspaper interview or photo with caption, or a feature in street press and gig guides.
Offer something new every time, like a merch item (t-shirt, button badges, etc.), or a CD, or a new batch of songs.
Make this gig a party for your commited fans, and a special welcome for all the new audience you've picked up at other recent gigs.
2. Supporting Gigs
When you are playing at another band's headliner your responsibility to them is to keep the gig hopping. Play a short set - 25 minutes max. That gives the headliners the option of booking several guest acts, and you want more bands to play so that everyone can pick up on each other's audience. Make sure your flyers are lying around for the signature gig. Talk to people, hand out flyers, have fun, but most important stay at the gig.
Don't check out after your set and take your crowd with you, that is the lowest of the low.
3. All-Ages Guest Spot
More and more bands are trying this, and it's working well for them. With the all-ages scene growing stronger in cities like Wellington and Christchurch, and starting to blossom again in Auckland, it's good sense to get out there and support the scene.
These gigs don't pay much, but the appreciation is very gratifying, and the audience development factor is priceless.
