Today more than ever the need to play live is now an imperative for bands and musicians. Why? Well, take a look at the industry we now have. Year on year for the we are seeing physical CD sales decrease in value and in actual number sold and downloads…well, the problem there is that it is all very well putting your tracks up on iTunes, however, official Apple sale figures show that all but the biggest stars sell only a tiny amount of tracks.
Why Gig?
Well the reasons for this are fairly solid. Gone are the days when a band or solo artist could bring out a new recording and through marketing alone expect to cover costs and actually make a profit. The general public, that’s your audience, are much more inclined to buy one of your CDs if they have some sort of emotional attachment to you and your music. If they are not right there in front of you then you are just another picture on a screen asking them to part with their hard earned cash. Playing live is ultimately a means of communication and as such can serve as a way of bridging the digital gap between performer and audience. Remember, it’s not only physical CD sales that matter here; the ability to offer band merchandise, gain email and or other forms of contact addresses will help build up a base of fans who you can then inform.
Word of Mouth – The Power of The Gig
The other reason that getting out there is actually one hundred times more effective than getting seen on a computer screen is that people love to talk. Sounds obvious, however, it’s sometimes overlooked as the Internet seems to offer untold numbers of people. Consider this, however. If you play to two hundred people and the night is a storm, how many people do you think they will tell about you and your music? If each of those two hundred people tell just three people about you then your band name has seeped into and informed six hundred people; pretty impressive right but that is the power of true communication.
Making The Most of Your Gig and or Tour
If you have worked hard to get a couple of gigs or you have even managed to create a tour (take a big pat on the back for that one), remember the work is only just beginning. Apart from having to actually deliver each night, you really do need to maximise the potential that these dates give you. Radio and physical press (as well as online promotion) are an absolute must. Radio shows and physical press always want to know where the next performance is and to be honest, it is much harder to get these to avenues of promotion if you do not have any gigs lined up despite the quality of your album. So, make sure that you contact local press and radio a couple of weeks before appearing in the next place you play as the results of good promotion will pay you back time and again in the numbers who turn up.
