I was chuckling recently about a new promoter’s Facebook thread entitled ‘what do I need to tell opening bands about show etiquette’ … Some of the answers were hilarious and pretty standard … For instance … Stick to a 30 minute set … I understand you’re excited to finally get a show but I’ve had opening bands jam out for an hour … Not only does that screw up set times, it makes the other bands, sound guy, and promoter have an instant dislike for your band … Only your family and friends are enjoying your shit after the 40 minute point in the set … I loathe when I have to interject and say ‘get the fuck off the stage’ …
Another gem was the dreaded gear changeover … I’ve had non-newbie bands that are guilty of this debacle … The crowd is wondering after 20 minutes if the show is over because it’s taking so long … How many times have you actually struck your gear … Maybe that needs to be practised at one of your jam sessions …
How about cranking your amp to 11 and ripping off a bunch of riffs before the show even starts … What the hell is that? … That I think is one of my biggest pet peeves … Cool it with the covers unless you’re a tribute band … One tops!
Promoters also chimed in with bring some people out … Be eager and do the little things, like creating some handbills and getting some word of mouth going … Some band guys mentioned things like sticking around at the show to support the other bands sharing the bill … All this seem like obvious doings, but I’ve witnessed the opposite often … Sometimes you can’t even get a band to invite people to the event you created or even share it on social media … That’s the shit that’s free … Even the handbills cost maybe tops out at the price of a cup of coffee at Starbucks or a burger at rotten ronnies …
Showing up at the show with all your gear and band members intact and on time, is also extremely helpful … You’re not fooling anyone when you’re trying to delay taking the stage at your slotted time until there are more people there! … If you did the work to make fans give a shit, they will be there for your opening slot … That work eventually translates into climbing the gig depth chart …
Here’s a tidbit on getting a show in the first place … Don’t phone the booking coordinator, who works nights, at 8 am … Instant growling occurs … The only people allowed to call me at that time of day are my mother or an extreme emergency situation … I even had one Alberta band guy that stalked me on Facebook and sent me a terse note for posting a status update before I answered his message … WTF?! …
There are varied reasons why sometimes an answer back message isn’t instant … Your gig request is void of any information including the band name …You’ve messaged me on a work weekend and it got buried … That seems to be easing up email wise with the new anti-spam legislation … Maybe I have the prospective date earmarked by genre … or I’m waiting on confirmations on quite a few bands that are already pencilled in … Some other promoter has a hold on that date … Or the big one – you’re not punk or metal! It’s only in rare cases I go off genre, that being when there are big shows in town, both punk and metal and it makes no sense to attempt to compete … Happy gigging newbs!
SUBCULTURE 