Tour.

If you have a straight live set, and you're looking to advance yourself, my advice is to go on a small tour. They are relatively easy to set up for cheap / free and if you plan it right, have some decent merch to sell, and can hustle it, the costs of tour (Travel, Food, Beer etc.) can easily be covered. If you're sick with the hustle, you can even make a profit and come back with connections and a bit of cash in the pocket. You make so many more strong connections with people when you travel and do live shows rather than try to get "Friends" or "Fans" on networking sites. People who are feeling your vibe are so much more likely to stand behind you if they catch your talent in person. Not just to talk shit, but to actually put RESOURCES into what you are doing. It's like this, most cats on networking sites, 9 out of 10 are just talking shit / trying to scam you. But someone you meet at a show, they made the effort to come out of the house and onto the scene, which eliminates 80% of the shit talkers. Likewise, they know the same about you. The people who can help you make moves are on the scene making moves already. Not sitting behind their computer screens trolling myspace.

Starving Artists: There are people with more cash than you who want to fund dopeness. But they can't tell who YOU are by another shitty quality streaming MP3. If you want to be heard, Get Out There. Sitting in the "Studio" making a million songs WILL make you a better producer, but it probably won't get you heard / supported. Get Out There. There are MC's who want to spit over your stuff, there are crowds waiting to hear innovative shit, hear it and love it. If you got it, get it out there. Put some stamps on that passport.

-JF

I would actually love to do this. I just have no idea where to begin. Any pointers?

Ludacris went to every open mic he ever saw in Atlanta/area then got a no pay intern job in radio station just to be able to run into the industry people who stopped by week to week on promo's


Take any & EVERY opportunity

Well, it's weird wudsiba, but you can use Myspace to escape Myspace. Find acts in other cities that somewhat match your sound, and that also, (VERY IMPORTANT) seem like solid dudes. Like I said, a LOT of shit talkers on myspace. Peep their live show listing. If they are getting bookings in-city on the regular, they can probably help you out.

*Don't be shy. If you think what you do has merit, understand that you aren't "Asking for favors" and NEVER pay to play. Ever.

*It helps if you have a decent ability to get booked in your city and could perhaps help them out if they ever come through your area.

*Try to hit up friends you know in real life, and who know that you're awesome, or friends of those friends. If these people aren't able to help, or you really don't know anyone from outside your area, you might have to start booking blind, which means, basically, asking people who have never heard of you if they will put you on an opening spot. Places like "Sound Pony" in Tulsa OK. (just one example I've played before) will usually do it because they figure if you are taking the step of reaching out, you probably have SOMETHING to offer, but it helps to have some videos of local shows you've done to show them. (Just put a link in the e-mail to a youtube vid or what have you)

*This site --> http://www.byofl.org/index.eml can help a lot if you're willing to put in the work. If you aren't willing to put in the work, stop trying to book a tour now and try again when you are ready. Because these tours are MOSTLY WORK. No ones getting rich. No Limos. You will sleep on couches. Sometime filthy ones. Most of the people who will give you a place to stay WILL own a cat or two, so if you have allergies, pack your Allegra. BUT:

If you have the gusto to pull it off, tour can be one of the most rewarding experiences your music will bring you.

Last Note: If your live set includes Pad Bashing, Rapping, and or A Lot of Wild Energy, I might be able to help you out with a show in B-More. PM me if you'd like.

-JF

great post man..

very well said.


and never pay to play unless it's personally you renting the venue.

Yeah, if you're renting the spot, throw down whatever cash you can to make sure the night is excellent / entertaining, thats a whole different level of the game: How to throw shows that people wake up the next morning thinking about. Anyone got any tips?

Jfalconcrest wrote:Yeah, if you're renting the spot, throw down whatever cash you can to make sure the night is excellent / entertaining, thats a whole different level of the game: How to throw shows that people wake up the next morning thinking about. Anyone got any tips?

yeah man... I am trying to think of what to do next for live shows. I make screwed up music so coming up with ideas that wont wind up trashing the venue is tough. Also I am trying to figure out what types of electronic music are happening in our game up here besides minimal/progressive house/trance/trash commercial garbage.. finding a place to fit in is tough. I wish people still liked big beat like the first two chemical brothers albums and stuff like that... unfortunately it is tough to fill a club with those people it seems.

I feel you about these hometown scenes, shit is constantly shifting. It's crazy cause on the road I get a lot of love, people are feeling it, but Baltimore is a hard spot to get a foothold in musically. I mean, I'm doing OK, it just seems like the energy here doesn't quite match what I'm doing. But **** it, the only thing you can do is continue to progress and make your style so dope that it can't be fronted on.

yeah man, sometimes i wished i lived in europe because it always seems like they know whats up over there... and they party hard! Like here... you gotta pull some serious strings to make the people bounce around....

last year I was doing shows with dubstep producers and the people they drag to shows are always fired up. all you need is some serious bass synths and hard drums and they are off the walls. I haven't seen that in a while. I dont even make dubstep or anything really like it and they still were going nuts...


problem is puting together big shows that are big enough with enough selection for people to find it worth while... and finding people who do similar stuff... and finding a "target market" or so to speak.

and my punk rock buddies are always playing their 8 song sets twice a week at different venues... hahaha

Doing live shows is something I'd like to get back into- problem is, I shifted from drumming in a band (where a live setting was a no brainer and entertaining the crowd was easy) to making music by myself...

Trying to figure out how to do a show with just me and still be worth watching has been tough...

b.read wrote:Doing live shows is something I'd like to get back into- problem is, I shifted from drumming in a band (where a live setting was a no brainer and entertaining the crowd was easy) to making music by myself...

Trying to figure out how to do a show with just me and still be worth watching has been tough...

What are your skills? (Ninja Skills, Sword Skills) Do you rap? When I get up I do a mix of live beat making and rapping. It helps me to think of the two as not being separate. Like, you can use your mouth and the MP simultaneously... Not even just rapping, some times Ill just yell at the beginning of a set while holding down note repeat on a snare and deep bass. Gets people interested.

Jfalconcrest wrote: Do you rap?

OOOOoooooh you're funny. Nope. Not at all! People would ask for their money back
I can't rap my way out of a paper bag

Cool, then it would be what, all MP work? Or do you use other gear as well?

Ah, hell- I dunno- All my music has the MPC as the main piece of equipment, some have live drums, some don't... I feel I'd have to have some great idea so I'm not just up there banging on the pads, which may get boring...

wudsiba wrote:I would actually love to do this. I just have no idea where to begin. Any pointers?

Welcome to Cleveland, (not a single open mic for an urban alternative)Ohio

I hate this city... it's so dry here and so many open mic places put restrictions on whatthey want coming through. Why? cause older whote people go to it who are not into "that" stuff. So the only place left is the clubs... where the people are so ass backwards its crazy. .......huuuuhhh