You're a Great Band - qualities music venues look for in a cover band | Weekend Musician
What club owners look for in a band. Article written by Bo Cambern Back to Cover
When Arny Bailey, Chief Editor ___
of Weekend Musician asked me to do a write up on what clients expect from the bands, I thought, “What a great idea! I’ll have to give a copy of this to all my new bands and have them sign it!” I'd never do that, but there are many aspects to being a great band in addition to just playing well. I've had bands with amazing amounts of talent come across as a wet rag on stage and the patrons were just not interested. Playing music is not just about the musical performance, but about "the show" too. Let me put it this way, if you order a Filet Mignon and when you get it, it looks like corned beef hash, it just doesn't taste as good as that juicy, criss-crossed and garnished steak you had pictured in your mind. A performance is the same way. People want to be entertained. Give it to them!
Here are some pointers for your promotion and performance, especially if you're just starting up in the club music scene.
Make a great promo packet. I've had so many CD's given to me or left at the club for me to preview that have information written directly on the CD with a Sharpie and delivered in a CD envelope with no card, promo sheet, pictures, or anything else. I've also received promo packets with professional glossy pictures, professionally labeled CDs, song lists that look like liner notes from an LP (remember those?), all wrapped up in a beautiful binder or slipcover. Which one would you preview? Would it be the garage band look or the pro look? I don't at all advise you to go out and pay your hard earned money for all of that, but you could make a nice promo sheet (spell checked please!) with a song list, a picture and a CD. You don't have to professionally label the CD, but make it a good looking presentation or it could end up in the round file. Your promo packet is a reflection on how hard you work on your music and physical presentation at a gig. Do it well. Almost all of us know someone that is good with a computer. Use and abuse this person! It will pay off. I also really like to see a
band with a website. This promotes the band, lets fans know where they're gonna be and lets me know where they're gonna be in case I want to go hear them. I really like to hear a band before I book them. The CD doesn't let me know how they interact with a crowd or perform their music live.
Do what you say you're gonna do! I've had many bands tell me how great their following is, how they have an e-mail list 42 1/2 miles long and how they're gonna pack the place. Opening night, it just doesn't happen. I've also had bands tell me they will hand out key chains, glow in the dark trinkets, t-shirts and more. When they didn't produce, they didn't come back. I've had other bands go the extra yard without even promoting it and the customers love it! If you're going to do something special, let the club owner know so they can help with promotion. Sometimes the little things bring in that extra few patrons that you'll get and keep as fans forever. They’ll also tell their friends about you.
Provide marketing materials. Get great looking posters to the club at least two weekends before your gig (remember that person you know that's good with a computer that you can use and abuse?). That is 4 weekend nights other bands are playing and they get to see that you are coming to town! Don't sell yourself or the club short by not getting them to the club on time. You'll make a great professional impression on the owner and you'll generate a larger crowd. It is very frustrating to look at my window and see blank spots where posters should be. Posters are cheap when you consider they'll bring in more people. Two to three people brought in by posters will pay for them in cover charges. In addition to posters, it’s a good idea to have 200 or so black and white, half-size, flyers. These can be placed around the club on tables and can even be slipped in with take out orders.
Do a quick, professional sound check. Before you play, complete a good sound check. Make sure it is not too loud and that it is somewhat short.
Examples of promotional materials for bands playing at The Raging River Cafe & Club
Remember, people come to clubs to listen to music and also to visit. If the music is too loud and the patrons can't converse, they'll leave. I've seen it happen many times! It's not how loud you play, it's how well you play.
Also be cognizant of patrons during the sound check. Some clubs serve a full menu and have a dinner crowd to please. Loud and long sound checks can really ruin a nice relaxing dinner. If you know the club is set up this way, contact the owner to confirm the best time for sound check. They will appreciate your consideration of their customers even if those customers are not going to stay to listen to you. Remember, the bottom dollar is return customers. Whether it is to hear you, or just to come back in to eat with their family, that's what keeps the club in business.
Play really well. Flash and promotion only go so far. You have to play well and keep the place jumpin'! Unless you are playing a "sit down dinner and listen to the music club", you need to play stuff that will keep the dance floor _
Playing songs with an upbeat tempo will help the crowd stay on the dance floor. full. This accomplishes two things; One, the crowd is having lots of fun and you know you're keeping them entertained which will keep them at the club; Two, they're working off the drinks they've consumed and it helps to keep a club under control. Owners like that. Problems are not what we are looking for. By the way, for the most part, use only one slow song per set and keep it towards the end of the set then finish the set with a bang!
Have a great song list. This goes along with the last one. You can only keep the dance floor full if you have a great, upbeat, recognizable song list. I went and saw a band recently that had great musicians, great stage presence, and walked out into the crowd to get them interested and energized. The place was packed and not one person danced until they recognized the music and that came three songs before the end of their first set. They just got the dance floor going and they quit for a break. All of the songs were copy songs from great bands, but not ones the audience heard on the radio, they ____
were songs the band liked. It just doesn't work well that way. If you have a song you like that the crowd may not know, or an original tune you wrote, play those during your set while the dance floor is full and don't break the music flow to do it. Bands should play a medley of about four to six songs in a row with no talking in between the songs. Put that obscure or original song during these songs so _
you don't lose the energy you've built on the dance floor. You can always tell them the last song was an original after the medley is done. Not playing a medley of songs is one of the biggest downfalls of potentially great bands.
Start on time, take short breaks, and get back up on stage together. One of my biggest pet peeves is having a band start late. If _
you are popular, you will undoubtedly have people show up early for a good seat next to the dance floor. They've been waiting a long time to hear you and you should be courteous to them by starting on time. You will also make a good, professional impression on any new fans and also, me, the club owner.
I truly believe the last set should be the longest and I have successfully convinced many bands this is the best way to organize your sets. If you're doing a three set, four hour show, you may want to do it something like this: 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM, 10:15 PM to 11:15 PM, 11:30 PM to 1:00 AM. Here's the reason, if you play your second or third set till 12:00 AM or 12:15 AM, many people are going to leave. It's no fun playing your last set to an empty house. No one will leave, for the most part, at 11:15 PM or 11:30 PM. The night is still young! The bar and club owners will appreciate it and so will the fans! The longer you keep them there, the more money the owners make and they will want you back. Also, get everyone in the band _
back on stage after the break at the same time and start your next set
on time. It looks professional and keeps the owner from barking
at you. I absolutely hate it when a customer has to ask me when
the band is going to start again. I also hate it, and it looks
really amateur, when the band has to page the other band members to get
back on stage. You might as well be making announcements about
someone leaving their lights on in the parking lot! Not very entertaining!
Arrive
on time & time your sets wisely
Be polite, accessible, and above all....HAVE FUN! There is a lot going on at a club, from serving customers, _
running a kitchen, to solving customer’s problems and much more. Realize that you are an employee for that evening and as much as we love you (you know we love the musicians!) we are going to take care of the customers first....for the most part. We realize you have short breaks and we always try to make sure the band is taken care of during their breaks, but we can't always assure that. I've heard bands tell of horror stories of clubs or bars that treat the band members like a piece of dirt, owners don't even come up to introduce themselves, and bartenders that ignore them on purpose. I hope these are few and far between experiences, but I know they exist. If you really want to continue to play any club, be polite, have patience, and don't bad-mouth a club. Everything gets back to us eventually, and if you rein in your feelings and bite your tongue, it may just reap rewards for you. If club owners hear you talking behind others backs, what do you think they’ll determine you’ll say about them?
Don't use foul language. Some people love to swear and to hear swearing. That is the minority! I can't tell you how many times I've had customers complain because a band or band member was cursing or swearing on stage. An expletive here or there can be funny at times, but not as a rule. Appeal to the biggest part of the audience and use common sense.
Smile and have fun. This goes back to my comment about the Filet Mignon in the beginning of this article. If you're having fun, the audience will too! It will also show up in your music and make it sound better. Really! For example, if you're talking on the phone to someone and they're smiling while they're talking, you can totally hear it in their voice. If you're working the crowd and looking and smiling AT them and not turned around looking at your drummer, it'll show up in your performance and believe it or not, in the sound of your music. This is one of the biggest things I can emphasize in a band's performance. It makes a huge difference. I've not booked bands again just because they couldn't
interact well with the crowd, even when the music was played well. Make 'em happy!
Ask for feedback. Club owners love to know that you value their opinion. We know our clubs (for the most part!) and we want to help you succeed. If there is negative feedback, use it the right way and fix the problem. None of us are perfect and neither are our performances. Every club is different and every owner is different. Be resilient.
I hope this will help your gigging and help make your band more popular. There are bands out there that are, for the most part, doing everything right but most bands need to re-evaluate their performances often. It is easy to get into a rut and just play gig after gig. Learn new material often. It will keep you and your performances fresh. Evaluate your song lists and change them up. I've heard some customers say about certain bands, "it's the same show every time and it's boring, don't book them again". When I hear that, I listen.
Remember, talent doesn't make the whole show. Have fun, mingle, and make your gig a real event! If you're having problems or feel stagnant, take a break for a while and get re-energized. Keep your reputation stellar. Go and listen to other bands and see what does and doesn't work. You may just get inspired by what others do. Don't be afraid to ask club owners or managers what they'd like to see for their particular club. It's nice to know a band cares about what they do!
Bo Cambern
Owner - The Oxford Saloon & Eatery
Snohomish, WA
www.theoxfordsaloon.com
The Oxford Saloon & Eatery is in the old historic and antique section of Snohomish, WA serving a full menu of delicious food from Rib Eye Steaks to 1/2 lb burgers to Salmon Caesar salads. There are also two fully stocked bars with the upstairs bar hosting the live music and restaurant and the downstairs bar entertaining pool, dart, foosball, and pinball gamers.
Nina & Bo Cambern MEET THE WRITER & CLUB OWNER- BO CAMBERN
Bo Cambern is one of the owners of The Oxford Saloon & Eatery and previous co-owner of The Raging River Cafe & Club in Fall City. Bo has nearly 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar business and exclusively booked all the bands for The Raging River and now for The Oxford. Bo was also a professional musician more years ago than he'd like to admit with the bands Mirage! and The SOCIETY. He still likes to perform casually on the Oxford's Blues Jam Night and occasionally with one of the many bands he books. Being a retired firefighter, Bo now enjoys his rejuvenated music experiences owning music clubs with his beautiful wife Nina and now current business partner Andrea.