If You Want To Be A Rock n Roll Star, You Need to Play Those Live
If you want to be a star, you need to play live. It doesn’t matter what kind of music you play, there’s nothing like the live experience to build loyalty in your fans. It’s time to stop sitting there wishing you were a star, and go out and do the work to become one.
While playing live may sound old fashioned in this day and age of the internet, it is still an important part of your marketing arsenal. According to information at the MusicMarketingCenter.com, right now is a great time to build your career. There’s no ‘big thing’ right now. If you have something unique to your sound, there’s no reason you couldn’t become the next music phenomenon. If you fit into an existing style of music, people are always looking for something new yet familiar.
One of the most important things you need to do is to figure out what niche your music fits. In a future article, we’ll go more into depth on that topic along with all kinds of ways to get yourself heard in the digital world. But, for this article, we are going to concentrate on playing live.
Does your music fit into a category? If it does, then that’s where you start. Look for venues in your area that support the music you play. Even if it’s a place where you get paid by the money that’s put in a hat that’s passed around, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to start somewhere. This is the way to create a following in the real world.
That following… your fans is your number one asset. You need to bring whatever you need to create a mailing list. This is the most important thing you can do to nurture your career, and is the subject of quite a few posts at the MusicMarketingCenter.com. Try to get them to sign up right then and there for your mailing list (or fan club). Strike while they are excited about your music… when hearing it live. Bring a computer with an internet connection and let them sign up for your mailing list right there. If you can’t do that, at least bring a pad of paper and some pens. Just get that info so you can keep in touch with your fans. The better they get to know you, the more likely they are to tell their friends, and increase your fan base.
Who knows… maybe you’ll even make a t-shirt and sell it to your list at a profit. What a concept! actually making money from your band with something other than the music! Ever notice people walking around wearing a t-shirt from their favorite band? Ca-ching!!!
Make an announcement at the end of your set to join your mailing list so the audience knows to sign up. Also, put it next to you, because when the set is over you can talk to people and make a connection. Some love to have the recognition of the talented person on the stage talking to them, others do not. These people will just put their information on the page and leave. Remember to thank them. This is not the Punk era and that attitude will only get in your way.
What if your music doesn’t fit into any established category? Look for colleges. They love going against the norms of society and are always looking for something new. There are also still some clubs around that like to give different kinds of music a chance. Just like you want to be a rock and roll star, plenty of club owners want their club to become the next CBGBs.
Even audition nights and open mike nights give you a great chance to play. There are plenty of famous people and bands that started there. Bring in some friends who can be your cheering squad. People are often like monkeys. When they see others enjoying the show, they are more likely to enjoy it themselves. The more excited your friends get, the more excited all the people in the audience that never heard of you will become also.
The main thing to remember is that if you want to make it big in the music business, you need to get heard. And, for most bands and musicians, the best way to be heard is in front of a live audience. No other form of distribution of your music is going to have the impact of a great live show.
