Death of Show Trades

When I started booking shows over a decade ago it seemed everyone wanted to do show trades. Show trades were so common it was almost expected when bands helped each other out. Now it seems almost impossible to find bands who are actually interested in doing show trades. This doesn't mean bands say they don't want to do a show trade, it's that they don't follow through on anything for their end.

Scenario: Band A hits up Band B saying they need help to setup a show in Band B's area but can help out B in their area when B tours. Band B helps setup the show, both bands play the show, show goes well and everyone is happy. A few weeks later Band B starts scheduling a tour of their own and contact Band A for the same help in A's town.

What Should Happen: Band A contacts Band B saying they will be happy to help and offer what they can. This could be as big as Band A actually booking the show or as small as giving a few references on local venues or promoters.

What Usually Happens: Band A contacts Band B saying they will see what they can do. Band B never hears from A again, even after repeated follow-ups.

What Happens Too Often: Band A doesn't contact Band B at all.

Now I'm not saying that every time you help out a band you should expect something in return, I'm just saying that it feels like one hell of a slap in the face to do a lot for dozens of bands and then almost all of them ignore you when you ask for the favor of playing their city. Makes me ask, "Where's the love?"

It's obvious to almost all bands that there is very little money to be made in the music industry, especially on the road. So why not actually help each other out? The funny thing about music, especially these days, is that even if it's not about the money the only way to keep afloat is by somehow making money. When on the road bands need help because most wouldn't make ends meat without it. Sure, the band you are helping may draw almost nobody in your area but every band needs to start somewhere in every city and that is the point of this whole system.

I always thought of show trades as the perfect tool for every band hitting the road, especially those who do the DIY booking. The music industry's version of "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours". It's great because bands from different cities are able to really befriend each other, each playing the other's city and pushing each other to both fan bases. Isn't that the whole reason of touring anyway? To make new friends, make new fans, and spread your music.

Hopefully show trades don't go extinct, it'll just require an active music community.

6 Reasons Why It's Important For Bands To Tour

For many bands who are reaching their year anniversaries they are beginning to look at getting on the road and playing in new cities. When it comes to touring there seems to be two major factors that hold bands back; Money and Scheduling. While touring can be fun sometimes it's better to start out by doing weekend warriors.

What is a weekend warrior? It is when a band goes on the road for only a few days to to play a handful of shows in new cities. It is a great way to save money and help ease scheduling for the band. Often the scheduling problem is due to the band member's need to work, which ties back into the money problems. As many who are reading this know first hand, most tours for local bands don't really make money.

While there is not a lot of money in hitting the road, even for weekend warriors, there is a lot of good that comes from it.

1. Learn To Handle Each Other - One thing I hear all the time is being in a band is exactly like being in a relationship, which I find to be quite true. In some ways it is even harder because not only are there more people to deal with in a band you also have to click musically with each other. One big step in seeing if your band can handle being a band is by going on the road with each other, just like when a couple moves in together. You are with everyone in a van or car the majority of the day having to drive through areas that aren't familiar and once you get to the venue you have to work together to unload the van and setup any merch. Even on a weekend warrior you will quickly find which members will butt heads and who has a short temper.

2. Musical Development - When bands begin to tour they start to come across a lot more music of varying styles. Not only do musicians hear lots of new music but they often befriend members of the bands making the music. It is very common for musicians to talk about what they do with each other, sometimes they might even teach each other how to play their songs. One of the best ways to learn new styles and techniques is by getting out and about, which is best done by going on the road.

3. Set Development - Just like musical development, set development is very important. By traveling and seeing the different ways bands from across the country develop their sets you may find new things you want to try in your own band. By having a well thought out set bands can draw in the crowd and create a better energy overall. Whether it be how to intro your band, how to transition between songs, ways to have audience interaction and involvement, or just how to end your set, developing a guideline for your set makes it much more interesting.

4. Networking - When it comes to being in a band you want to always be networking because you never know who might have an amazing opportunity for you. Learn how to meet new people and make an impact so they remember you. Just by playing the venue you are already establishing a relationship with the people who are there that night. So even on a weekend warrior where you play two shows in a three day period, that is a lot of new connections. Always be sure to talk to everyone while on tour, and I mean everyone. Cashiers, waiters, fast food employees, or random people on the street…just learn how to start a conversation with a stranger. You never know who can be a new fan or a big help to your musical career.

5. Learn If Being In A Band Is For You- When it comes to being in a professional band the majority of your time will be spent on the road. If you spend a week on the road and don't really enjoy yourself then you might want to rethink whether this is for you. Just imagine then spending 30 days doing that…or even 8 months of every year. On the reverse, after one week on the road you may find yourself dreaming of being back on the road meeting new people and partying in cities you've never heard of before.

6. Expand Your Fan-Base - This is one of the most obvious reasons to go on tour...get new fans. Just like networking you need to learn how to start talking to people and learn how to introduce your music to them, even if you aren't at a show. When on tour always have CD sampler to hand out for free and have something to instantly sample your songs (easy to do with a smart phone). New fans are lurking everywhere, you just need to make a connection 

I'm With The Band: Guest List Etiquette for Local Bands

The guest list at a show is a very interesting thing that isn't discussed often. There are different rules for the guest list at each venue and each promotor will do their guest list a certain way. When it comes to local shows this is something that is often abused by local bands. While it seems innocent enough to want to get your friends or family into your show for free bands need to consider the implications of putting people on their list.

The obvious thing about putting people on the guest list is that is one less paying person which means less money in the door. If there are 4 bands playing and each member of each band has 1 person on the guest list, assuming there are 4 members in each band, that is 16 less people paying. If tickets are only $5 then the door is losing $80 from the guest list, a number higher than what most local bands will be paid for said show. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing to put guests on the list but if you are in a band that is drawing on average under 20 people then you shouldn't be putting anyone on the guest list except in a few situations.

1. Merch Table - You have a friend running the merchandise table.

2. Photographer - You have someone taking photos of the show (this does not mean a friend taking pictures with their phone).

3. Videographer - You have someone taking video of the show (same thing about a friend just taping with their phone).

4. Press - You have someone from the press attending the show. It could be someone from a school paper for all I care, any press to get the word out about the bands and local shows is a good thing. 

5. Music Industry - You have a record label exec, A&R rep, Sponsor rep, or anyone who has an important role in the music industry.

6. Important to Band - By this I mean someone whose help ensures the band can play. This would include someone who is lending equipment, someone hosting the band's practices,  or possibly someone who drove the band members. This does not include some friend who came with you at load-in to help you load-in. 

In my opinion every band should adhere to these rules unless they are drawing over 100 people locally on average, especially since the majority of local fans at this level are friends and family. I find it odd that so many friends of bands feel entitled to get into the show for free because they are "supporting" their friend's band by attending. 

The last thing I will mention is the girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other of a band member debacle. Some people think it shouldn't be a big deal to let them in for free and some people think they shouldn't be on the guest list. I've had door-guys at shows just let them in for free despite what the promotor says because they basically consider them part of the band. This is something that I don't see as a problem once a band can consistently draw over 20 people but if a band draws less then their significant others usually make up a big chunk of their 'fan base'. 

7 Things Promotors Do To Make Bands Frustrated

After receiving some response about my previous post, "7 Things Bands Do To Make Promotors Frustrated", I felt the need to write a follow-up article. There are many other posts out there quite similar to my article which seem to always go after the bands, so I thought I would turn it around. Promotors are far from perfect and to be completely honest, there are some promotors who frustrate me more than any band could. Here is my list of 7 things promotors do that make bands frustrated.

1. Pay-To-Play - This is one of the biggest pet-peeves that bands not only talk about but many other promotors talk about as well. Some larger promotion companies, who I will not name but many probably know exactly who it is, will seek out any band who is willing to play on a Sunday on a 10 band bill and then make them sell overpriced advanced tickets for no pay or very little pay. It isn't just the large promotion companies who do this but also local and regional promotion agencies. There is a pretty big movement in the USA and the UK criticizing the practice and even a website dedicated to informing bands about who does the practice and why it sucks.

2. Horrible Communication - When it comes to contacting promotors it can be a crap-shoot, even if you have worked with them before. When it comes to booking shows all bands can expect a large amount of their inquiries to receive no response. But horrible communication becomes a terrible problem when you get a promotor to take on a show. Once you get that email of "we've accepted your offer" then it is time to play the waiting game of show details. It is absolutely and horribly frustrating to have waited 3 weeks, contacted the person multiple times, and have received no word about anything. If something is wrong with the show and it falls through this is ample time lost I could have been setting up another show. Some promotors don't even take the initiative to tell the bands the info for the show, so if you don't follow-up you won't know load-in, set times, or anything.

3. Knows Nothing - When a band arrives at a gig they usually look for venue staff or the promotor to find out the where to load-in and the times for the show. The venue staff may tell the band where to load-in but will usually just direct the band to the promotor. It's one thing for the promotor to not know the drink policy for the venue or the closest place to get food but to not know where to load-in, band order, set times, ticket prices, or anything that is their job to decide is just ridiculous. I've played some shows where the promotor just kept saying "I don't know, you decide", which is not just stupid but pretty damn lazy. Which leads into the next part…

4. Does Nothing - When a promotor sets up a show I always see the promotor as the lead-person for the night. They are the director of the show and need to be active with the show. Shows always seem to be rough when the promotor just sits back and does nothing. The promotor should be all over the venue all night; checking on the bands, checking on the door, checking on the sound guy, making sure everything is on schedule, making sure the switch-overs run smoothly, and just gauging everything for possible problems that could arise. If you go to a show and see the promotor sitting all night, expect a shitty show.

5. Horrible Promotion - When it comes to working with a promotor there is one main job everybody thinks about…Promoting. It is the promotor's main job to get the word out about the show and create a buzz. This doesn't mean bands shouldn't promote, everybody involved in the show should promote because it helps all involved in the end. Yet it is the promotor's job to go a step above. You can tell when a promotor's only work was putting up a facebook event and posting on twitter.

6. Mis-matched Bands - I think this is the biggest under-rated qualm I hear from bands these days. It is okay to put bands of different genres on the same bill together but the promotor must make sure there is a theme that can tie it all together. I can't even begin to tell you how many bands have told me they had so much fun at a show I booked just because "the line-up actually made sense".  It definitely happens that shows will have an outliar in the line-up, a band who just didn't quite fit, but to have a 4 band bill with only 2 bands somewhat similar in style is just mind boggling.

7. Being Sketchy - There are many ways a promotor can act sketchy but the biggest tell-tale sign is they always seem to beat around the bush when answering certain questions or give unrealistic answers. Sometimes promotors will deduct things such as food, drink, or supplies from the band's pay without telling the band until the end of the show. Sometimes promotors will promise you a guarantee and then tell you at the end of the night they can't pay you or even leave before the end of the show. Some promotors will lie about the ticket count, expenses, door split, or whatever to squeeze some more money their way. Obviously this doesn't apply to every promotor but there are definitely some conniving promotors out there.

In the end I think promotors and bands should understand that they both have reasonable complaints about the other. This article puts it pretty well, even though it is based in the UK it translates well to what I've experienced (although I don't recommend the video, it's pretty lame).

8 Things Every Musician Should Know About Music Publishing

One of the most overlooked and complex aspects of the music industry today is music publishing. Many musicians have no clue what exactly music publishing entails or why it is so important. The biggest reason any musician should understand music publishing is because music publishing is how musicians make money for their intellectual property. Here is a list of 8 things every musician should know about music publishing.

1. Musical Composition vs. Sound Recording - When it comes to music publishing this is a concept so important the copyright office has a singled-out page about it. The musical composition is the specific ordering and structure of musical notes, sometimes accompanied by words. The sound recording is a phono-record copy of the composition being performed in some manner. Basically, the musical composition is the actual song and the sound recording is the recording of the song.

2. Publishing Share = 50% of the song - When a song is created it automatically has two rights associated with it; publishing rights and songwriter rights. Publishing rights represent a 50% share of the song and songwriter rights represent the other 50% of a song. If a songwriter publishes their own work they will own 100% of the song. If the songwriter signs a co-publishing agreement for a 50/50 split, the songwriter owns 75% of the song. This is because the most any publishing contract can cover is 100% of the publishing rights which only accounts for 50% ownership of the song.

3. Length of Copyrights - The length of the copyright for a song lasts until 70 years after the death of the songwriter(s). If there are multiple writers then the 70 years is determined to last after the death of the last surviving author. So if you write a song that becomes a hit and it has lasting effects, your great-grandchildren or even 2nd-great grandchildren could be receiving royalty checks from your work.

4. Performance Rights Organizations - Also known as PROs, these are organizations who collect royalty fees for artists and distributes them amongst the artists accordingly. In the USA there are three societies; ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Most artists join ASCAP or BMI because they offer open membership but if you want to affiliate with SESAC you'll have to submit an application for consideration. In order to join any of these you will need to have a composition released in an area which the PROs issue licenses; radio, television, film, interactive streaming, mechanical reproductions, or public performance (not a performance as in you playing it live, this refers to restaurants, shops, and businesses playing songs over their speakers). The societies are currently working to pass the Songwriters Equity Act (SEA) which would re-establish many current rules including the statutory rate for mechanical licenses and royalty payment for interactive streams (i.e. pandora, spotify, etc).

5. Mechanical Licenses - A mechanical license is the licensing of a copyrighted musical composition for use on CDs, records, tapes, and certain digital configurations. You can think of it as a mechanical reproduction of a copyrighted musical composition or the sale of one. A mechanical license does not give the right to sample from any phonorecord of the original recording, it just allows the reproduction of the composition. In the USA these licenses are mostly issued through the Harry Fox Agency but there are smaller agencies who also collect the royalties from mechanical licenses.

6. Synchronization Licenses - A synchronization license is the licensing of a copyrighted musical composition for synchronization to a visual media outlet. In layman terms it is a license to use a composition in a tv show, movie, video game, advertisement, promotional video, or any other visual media. Similar to the mechanical license a synchronization license does not give the right to use any part of the studio sound recording, this would require a Master Use License issued by owner of the recorded work (often a record label).

7. Publishing Contracts - Signing a publishing contract is kind of similar to a record contract in that you are given an advance (basically a loan) which is often recouped through the royalties earned. A music publisher's main role is to collect royalties for the songs in it's catalogue and distribute them accordingly. Many music publishers also actively sell the songs in their catalogue and maintain relationships with other personnel throughout the entertainment industry who buy music. MOST IMPORTANTLY, you do not need to sign a publishing contract to copyright your music, license your music, or collect royalties for your music. Signing a publishing contract is very risky and should be done only after consulting your lawyer (if you are offered a deal and don't have a lawyer, find one). It can be quite profitable to team up with a music publisher as they can help advance your career quite heavily but it isn't necessary.

8. Copyright Royalty Board - Also known as the CRB, this is the board which decides the royalty rates for copyright statutory licenses. The board consists of three judges who are appointed by the Librarian of Congress. The board currently consists of; Suzanne M. Barnett(Chief Copyright Royalty Judge),David R. Strickler, and Jesse Feder. Each judge must be an expert in either economics (Strickler), copyright (Feder), or adjudication and trial procedure (Barnett).

7 Things Bands Do To Make Promoters Frustrated

Having played the role of booking agent, promoter, and musician for a decade I've found that many bands will do things that promoters absolutely hate and have no clue why the promoter is angry. Promoters have to worry about a lot of factors for each show and having a band who doesn't respect or understand their role in everything makes the process that much harder. And this isn't just limited to local bands…this includes touring bands as well. A lot of this stuff will frustrate anyone who works with the band and can often lead to people in the music industry ignoring you and your band because they see no potential.

1. Bands Who Don't Understand This is a Business - Yes, this is a business. While every show promotor usually starts for the love of music they need to actually make a profit at their shows in order to continue doing their job. Every good promotor is not only investing a lot of time spreading the word of their shows but they are also investing a lot of money. The biggest thing bands do which show they don't understand this concept is expect the promotor and venue to do ALL the promoting. This leads me to my next point...

2. Bands Who Don't Promote Their Shows - Not promoting a show you've been booked on is a slap in the face to everyone involved in the show, especially the promotor who put you on the line-up. It isn't hard to promote. What makes me especially crazy is when I call a band out for not promoting and they insist they have been "telling all their friends." That's great but that's about the lamest way to promote and a sure fire way to never build a fan-base beyond your close friends. Post on your facebook, twitter, instragam, or whatever. When you get new fans who don't know you they will often connect to your social media pages or check your website. If you don't announce your shows then how will they ever know about them? And don't wait until the week of the show to announce it, give your fans time to schedule it in so you don't have one of those nights full of people telling you they were busy and couldn't make it out. No promotor or venue can reach your fans as easily as you can and there is no reason to not post about your shows online. But DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF TO JUST ONLINE PROMOTIONS!

3. Bands Who Don't Use Street Promotion - While online promotions and social media is wonderful it doesn't come even close to the power of street promotions. Unfortunately many bands think street promotions is simply printing flyers to put up at local coffee shops and music shops. While that is part of it you can also print off handbills of the show flyer and hand them out around town. My favorite thing is to bring an mp3 player so you can play your tracks for people you meet who are interested in coming out. Even if the people don't come out they now have heard of your band which is the first step in creating a local buzz. Once that buzz is going you've got to keep it up by promoting your band!

4. Bands Who Don't Promote Themselves - I will never understand why bands love to skip this step. I've seen some great bands who start to build a local fan-base from playing shows and then just plateau because they don't actually market themselves. If you want your band to be taken seriously and actually go places you need to understand the band is a business and all businesses need marketing to find customers. Hand out free CDs at shows, malls, college campuses, or anywhere that it is allowed. Make a press kit to send to radio stations, magazines, reviewers, writers, and other music related platforms to get some press. If you don't have recordings then go get some done in a studio so you have a professional sounding product. I once heard a saying that I think is a great segue into my next point, "Bands should be spending money on 3 things; equipment, recordings, and promotion."

5. Bands Who Don't Invest In Themselves -  When I say invest I mean literally putting money into the band fund. When I say this many musicians will instantly think of all the money they have spent buying equipment or recording. That's great but you are basically spending money on making a product that you aren't properly marketing. Every band should have a budget set aside to put towards marketing and have an actual business plan thought out (writing it out is even better). Each member should be putting money into this or you need to work out a deal between each other so you aren't at each others throats a month later. Start out small with social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Music based websites like Reverbnation and Purevolume also offer different opportunities to help promote your band. Order merchandise to hand out for free, especially CDs so they don't have to look for you online to hear your music. See how much ad space costs in local radio, newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Don't limit yourself, think outside the box and look for opportunities which present themselves. If you aren't willing to invest in your band why would anyone else?

6. Bands Who Overbook Their Hometown - This is one of those things that frustrates everyone; the promotor, the venue, the bands, and even the fans. Most local bands, especially today, don't have very large draws and by overbooking your hometown you are thinning out your crowd which ends up hurting both shows. Some promotors and venues will kick a band off of a show if the band books another local show too close. I've had two separate bands I had booked on a show book another show in the same city on the same weekend, one of them was even playing a third show in the same city the next weekend as well. That is a surefire way for a venue or promotor to lose interest in working with them again. The rule of thumb for this is called 30 and 30, as in 30 days and 30 miles. This means you shouldn't book a show within 30 miles and 30 days (15 days before the date and 15 days after) of a date your band already has booked.

7. Bands Who Don't Understand The Music Industry - The music industry is a very complex beast with all kinds of twists and turns that each musician who wants to do this professionally should understand but many have little interest in doing this. The six previous points all tie into this but on top of all that a promotor will have little interest in working with a band who doesn't know what they're doing. If you want to really get serious look into forming your band as an LLC, talk to local managers and agents, research local entertainment lawyers, read up about licensing and publishing, and just learn as much as you can about the industry. I suggest reading "What They'll Never Tell You About The Music Business" by Peter M. Thall to get a really good overview of the whole industry.

Check out the follow-up article "7 Things Promotors Do To Make Bands Frustrated"

Time To Get Serious

Things have become much more serious for me in the music world and I have grabbed some attention locally and throughout the country. My booking agency is back in swing and I am trying out some new types of shows which I hope will innovate the collective local scenes in my area. What I mean by this is that I have found each music genre has its own scene with few people jumping from scene to scene, even though they would like the music. As well there are art scenes, comedy scenes, dancing scenes, and other artistic/entertainment scenes with decent crowds.

These new style shows will feature musicians, artists, comedians, and other entertainers of all styles. This will meld the different scenes and allow people to be exposed to new things they may like but would have never otherwise seen. We already have two of these shows setup, one in April and another in May, and will be getting more setup soon. I have a good amount on the line here but have also found ways to innovate my cash flow from these shows. As most promotors know, especially in todays scenes, it is very easy to lose money and being able to make money gives me more ability to help the scene as a whole.

As well as booking I am doing much more musically. I am now teaching guitar and have 2 students, both of whom seem to really enjoy and take in what I teach them. I still haven't written a new song in a while in hopes of finding inspiration but I may need to stop waiting and start getting to it. With my current band I am trying to expand my drumming and we have a new song and new cover which both push me a little in different ways. I am getting much better as a drummer and felt quite flattered at my last show when I noticed a good amount of the crowd air drumming along to our songs. Makes me feel like my hard work may begin to really pay-off.