I was recently asked to pseudo part-time manage a band.
Not exactly what I do (be a band manager)… but didn’t someone like Richie Branson say:
“If you spot an opportunity and are really excited by it, throw yourself into it with everything you’ve got.”
So, when Town lead vocalist and keys player Ant asked me if I wanted to manage, book, and do their festival applications, I took the opportunity with two hands and an open mind.
The above is why you haven’t seen a blog post in a month or so.
So where to from here, what have I achieved, noticed about the industry, and learnt in a very short period as “band manager”?
Achieved so far – got some stickers printed (and re-printed), wrote a press release with Point Music News and made a few applications to festivals and the upcoming Queensland Music Awards. I’ve also contacted about 15 venues, with a poor rate of reply.
Noticed – approximately 10% of emails sent to venues have had replies, that’s a whopping 9/10 venues not replying to what I thought was a bullet-proof “contact” email, with short intro, where the band have played, type of sound and EPK link. Which leads me to believe the next plan of attack is to hit the venues up face to face. Being a former booking manager for a few different venues, I thought I had this covered… not so – it seems.
Learnt – follow up.
When I haven’t heard back, I follow up. Out of the venues or gigs that I have followed up with, most have replied. Like a good boilermaker – chase a messenger message with an email. Most venues have an automated reply with best contact for gigs, and follow up on that one if you don’t hear back within a couple of days. Pending gigs are in the works for this talented local trio in 2019!
Let’s be honest, I’m no professional band manager by any length of the word (…and Ant knew this when hiring my services), and I haven’t effectively scored these boys any gigs yet – but my work so far has not been in vain – because I love the music these lads have produced so far, and believe in them. Credit to all the proper band managers out there – coz I’m very green when it comes to this side of it – I’m effectively “with the band” and helping them out where I can.
However, all the above being said… watch these boys, coz when I get their music on a Peaky Blinders soundtrack – we’ll all be famous!
JB –
p.s. Spotify Below