How to Get Music Gigs to Boost Your Career

Learn how to get music gigs. We share strategies that will help you book more shows, build a strong fanbase, and make a lasting impression on promoters and venues.

How to Get Music Gigs to Boost Your Career

by Chris Huff via Disc Makers Blog

For many musicians, playing live is the reason they got into music. The immediacy of an audience reaction and the excitement of performing can be quite thrilling. Playing live is also likely to be your top income stream, especially in the current music business climate. Having a consistent live performance schedule is crucial to getting music in front of people and growing a following. Plus, it’s fun! Here are a few tips on how to get gigs and start putting yourself out there.

Where to find gig opportunities

There’s no one way to get a gig. From local options to seeking out booking agents, there are plenty of paths for an independent artist to explore. Understanding how to book shows as an independent artist can take time, but with persistence and the right strategies, you can build a steady performance schedule.

Local venues and event listings

When you first ask yourself “how do I get gigs?”, the obvious answer is to look in your immediate area. Find local clubs, bars, and restaurants that are already hosting live music. Perhaps your area also has regular street fairs or festivals. Connecting to already-existing sources of gigs is the way to start. Check event listings in the local media and look on Songkick and Bandsintown to find out where musicians are playing in your area. Make sure the venue matches your type of music before submitting for consideration. 

If you’re doing mostly original music, research the house concert circuit in your region. House concerts are a wonderful way for artists to play to a built-in crowd and make better money than in venues. They’re also a chance to play to rooms that truly listen, which often leads to more product or merch sales. Fledgling original artists can do entire tours of just house concerts! A supportive house concert host might also give you the opportunity to open for a national artist. Traditional venues these days often don’t give this chance to less-established artists. 

Reaching out to booking agents and promoters

Approaching booking agents and local promoters can also be an effective strategy in figuring out how to get gigs, as they can often connect you with multiple venues. A good booking agent can save you many hours of booking work; you can use that time to focus on music. They will expect a percentage of the profits (often 15%), though if they are getting you a lot of work, this is worth it. Remember that agents and promoters are often working on behalf of venues and not artists; make sure to look out for your own interests when signing any agreements. 

When pitching yourself to agents and promoters, highlight your playing experience and have a link ready to share a video reel with 30-second clips of your strongest songs. When learning how to get gigs, summon all your inner reserves of politeness, perseverance, and detachment — it can be tough dealing with the gatekeepers! Present yourself well, though, and you will go far. 

Utilizing online platforms

There are many gig opportunities available through websites like Thumbtack, Gig Salad, Bark, The Bash, and Zola. Some of them, like Thumbtack, require payment for leads; if you are getting booked, this is just the cost of doing business. Most of these gigs are not seeking original music but will pay significantly more. Make sure you have optimized your profiles to include your latest videos, pictures, and contact information. If you’re also selling physical products like CDs or vinyl at your shows, consider using CD pressing or custom vinyl pressing services to create high-quality merchandise that fans will love.

Building a winning gig portfolio

So now that you’re answering the question “how do I get gigs?” by actually getting some, continue refining your presentation as a gigging artist. Having physical productsand merch is a way to establish yourself as legitimate in the eyes of those who might book you. Promoting your gigs on social media and posting live videos on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube will go a long way in telegraphing your status as a gigging musician to those watching. As you continue to book gigs and increase your following, consider hiring a professional videographer for a staged shoot. Offer your fans free drinks or a free meal for participating and they’ll whoop it up, making you look like a superstar. Alternatively, maybe this will happen naturally at one of your gigs; make sure you or someone else captures the moment to add to your video reel for booking purposes. 

What to expect at your first gig

Figuring out how to get gigs is beneficial, but you’ll want to deliver the goods when you get the gig in order to be rebooked. Tom Jackson of onstagesuccess.com divides pre-gig preparation into 3 parts: woodshedding, practice, and rehearsal. Woodshedding is the practice you do on your own, mastering your instrument. Practice is preparing your music for performance — honing your harmonies, beginnings and endings of songs, and stage banter. If you’re in a group, practice is also working on playing together. Rehearsal is working on the stage show — developing moments, transitions, what the show will look like visually, and adding media (lights/screens) if that’s where you’re at. Prepare well for your show and you’ll create memorable moments that will build your following. 

To paraphrase the old saying, for musicians, showing up on time is half the battle. Being early and prepared will endear you to venues and bookers alike. If you require a soundcheck with or without a sound person, it’s extra important to be on time. Be polite and friendly to venue staff and managers; remember that the workers are being forced to listen to you! If you’re also good at music (unlike most of the acts they see), the staff will become your staunchest allies and will beg management to rebook you.

If this is your first professional gig, it’s normal to be nervous! The more you’ve prepared, the better prepared you will be when things inevitably go wrong. With any mechanical equipment, things will malfunction. Over time you’ll become prepared for most eventualities; having extra batteries, extra cables, extra strings, and even extra pedals will be second nature to you. Don’t be embarrassed if something goes wrong — it’s how you handle it that matters! The Beatles used to lead the crowd in a singalong of “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” when they broke strings. Try to prepare for every mishap you can think of. And when you start your gig, take a deep breath, remember that playing music is supposed to be fun, and show them what you’ve got! 

Networking to expand your gig opportunities

One solid approach for how to get gigs is to connect to fellow local musicians. While they are in one sense your competition, adopting a mindset of abundance will serve you better. Proceed with the assumption that there are enough gigs to go around for everyone and support your fellow players in their endeavors. Two great ways to get to know your local scene are to play shows with multiple artists on the bill and to find an established open mic/songwriters’ circle that is well attended. If you become part of the community and support others, you’ll find support as well — especially if you are on the same page artistically. More and better gigs will follow when you don’t see other players as enemies and instead as fellow travelers. On the flip side, some scenes are pettier and more hostile than others and it’s worth it to abandon toxic communities to find more supportive scenes. 

Avoiding common gigging mistakes

Every musician makes mistakes while learning how to get gigs. Avoid these common pitfalls to build a strong reputation in the live music scene.

Overplaying the same market

Performing too frequently in the same area can dilute your draw. Venues want artists who can bring a crowd, and if your fanbase sees you too often, they might not show up every time. Spread out local gigs and consider expanding to neighboring cities.

Underestimating sound check and tech issues

Many venues don’t have a dedicated sound engineer, so always do a proper sound check before performing. Bring backup cables, extra batteries, and even a spare instrument if possible. Having a tech failure mid-show can derail a performance, but being prepared minimizes the risk.

Failing to promote the gig

Venues expect musicians to bring in an audience. If you don’t promote your gigs, don’t expect a crowd to show up on its own. Use social media, email lists, and word-of-mouth marketing to spread the word. Some artists also run small paid promotions to boost event visibility.

Making the most out of your gigs

Once you’ve gotten some gigs, it’s time to make the most of them so that you keep rebooking!

Expanding your reach over time

If you’re a band or an original artist that relies on bringing out a crowd, you’ll want to branch out to other areas besides your locality fairly early on, as there’s only so many times a quarter you can expect friends to turn out in the same area. The time-honored method is to circle your region in an ever-expanding spiral; this way you hit some of the same areas regularly, but space out your appearances enough so that you don’t exhaust your crowd. Opening for national acts and appearances at festivals, no matter how small, can be great in expanding your audience from local to regional. Keep track of expenses vs. income and focus on the locations farther from home where you lose the least money. 

Leveraging online reviews and testimonials

If you are mostly booking gigs through websites, ask clients to leave you reviews, as it will boost you in search results. Having numerous positive reviews also looks great to potential clients. Additionally, fans who didn’t book you through the apps can write you reviews that can be added to the apps. If you get reviews on social media, post those, too. You can also add them to a review section on your website. 

Building relationships with venue staff

Bartenders, sound engineers, and event organizers can all influence whether you get booked again. Treat them well, thank them after your set, and stay professional. A good relationship with venue staff can lead to recurring gigs.

Collecting fan contact info

Instead of hoping people remember you, actively capture their information. A simple email sign-up list or QR code linking to your social media can help convert casual listeners into long-term fans. Offering a small incentive, like a free song download, can increase sign-ups.

Following up with bookers and promoters

After a successful gig, don’t just wait for another opportunity — reach out. Send a thank-you message to the booker or venue and ask about future openings. If the show went well, leverage it for referrals to other venues in their network.

Make your mark with Disc Makers

Figuring out how to get gigs is the first step in launching a successful live performance career. However, getting the gig is not the be-all, end-all; the crucial factor will be creating moments at these gigs that the audience will remember and treasure. 

People will then buy your CDs and vinyl records and come to your shows to experience these moments. Whether you are playing original music or covers, it is the creating of different kinds of moments — musical moments, fun moments, and quiet moments — that matters in terms of connecting to your crowd.

ALSO

• Free Touring for Musicians course from Berklee and Coursera
• How to build a profitable live career with Berklee Touring 101 online course