You’ve been playing guitar (or another instrument, we don’t judge) for a while now. You’ve started a band. You’ve put together a set you know is going to work. Now… how do you get out there? It’s a question every musician has faced. So, let’s talk about how to get gigs.
We’ve all been through the process of trying to get that elusive first gig, the set that opens the door to regular shows. It can seem daunting, but we’re here to make it as simple as possible. In this article, we’ll lay out our top tips for getting gigs: some of them you’ll probably have thought about already, others might be new things to consider. Either way, they should all help as you work towards getting your first gig.
The essentials
- Know what you offer and who your audience is: There’s no point taking your punk band to a jazz club!
- Have a clear identity: Use tools like social media to present a strong, instantly recognisable image. It’s a great way to stand out.
- Be professional: If you’re easy to deal with, people will be happy to work with you.
- Be part of your local music scene: By going to gigs and getting to know other bands, you’ll be in a great position to find out about gig opportunities. You may also find some great music, which is always a bonus!
- Be prepared: Make sure your set is ready to go, that your guitar is properly maintained, and that everyone is in tune. Make sure you take everything you need – have you got your XLR cables to hook up the PA? Our handy band equipment checklist will help with this!
Getting gigs in 2025 – a guide for musicians
1. Contact venues and promoters
There’s no getting around it: booking gigs takes effort. As a brand-new band, venues won’t be making the first move; that’s up to you. So, how do you go about it?
The first step is to find a suitable venue. As a musician, you probably have a fair idea of what’s going on in your local music scene, so use that knowledge!
Some venues specialise in original acts; others want covers that their regulars can sing along to. Some are looking for a band to play the whole night, while others will want a short set as part of a larger event. What are you offering?
You’ll also want to approach venues that regularly host acts in your genre. If you know they book acts like yours, you’re already on the right track! By understanding what venues want, you can make sure you’re contacting the right ones, rather than wasting time chasing gigs that’ll never happen.
Once you’ve found somewhere you think you’ll go down well, it’s time to get in touch. Social media can come in handy here, as it’s often a great way to get up-to-date contact details. Have a standard email ready to go, sent from a dedicated band email address, with a band/artist photo and all the essential information. You’ll want to include:
- Who you are
- What you do
- Contact details, including a phone number (that will be answered!)
- Links to your social media
By doing these things, you give the venue everything they need to decide if they like the sound of you – and if they do, you’ve made it easy for them to do something about it.
2. Make yourself bookable
Your first gig being a success is almost as important to the venue or promoter as it is to you. No first gig is absolutely perfect, but you want to make sure no one loses out on business. Making the night a success requires a good set and a good crowd, so you’ll need to:
- Make sure the band sounds tight: Practise as much as you can, and not just the songs. Rehearse the set as a whole, making sure you know how it flows. You may find that your first idea for a setlist doesn’t work quite as well as you thought, and songs need to be moved around. You can also think about segues between songs, how you’ll lead into particular tunes… It’s all part of the show!
- Be recognisable and stand out: We all know that social media is an essential tool for bands now, so make use of it. Get the band on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok – if your target audience uses it, you should be there, showing them who you are and what you do. Building a strong image and band identity will be a massive help when it comes to building a following. This is also where you can promote your first gig, leading people to where they can book tickets online.
3. Network and build relationships
Support your local music scene! Get out there, go to gigs, chat to bands – as well as being fun, and a great way to find new music, it’s also a key step in finding your own gigs.
By forming relationships with other acts, you’ll start building a network that will support you. Most established bands have been asked if they can recommend someone when they aren’t free for a specific date. Give them a reason to recommend you.
Make yourself known to the staff at venues while you’re there. Not by cornering them and demanding a gig, just introduce yourself and be friendly. If you have cards for the band, give them one. Maybe it’ll go straight in the bin, but maybe you’ll get a call a couple of months down the line, asking if you’re free because they’ve had another band drop out of a gig.
Of course, as you get to know other acts on the local scene, you can also look at putting on an event together. We’ll look at that a little later…
4. Learn what promoters want
Promoters want pretty much the same thing you do: a successful night with a crowd that loves your band. If you can give them that, they’ll be happy. There are some other important things to bear in mind, though.
At the top of the list is reliability! Make sure that calls are answered, emails and messages are replied to, and that you do exactly what you’ve agreed to do. It doesn’t matter how wild and unpredictable your show is, behind the scenes, you need to be someone promoters and venues can trust.
Be easy to deal with. No one wants to deal with a band that thinks they’re the next Oasis, with the ego to match. Work with the promoter, rather than making their job harder.
You’ll also need to make sure you’re showing them what you have to offer. If you’re playing originals, send them a demo. If you’re a covers band, a showreel is a great way to promote yourself. Provide the promoter with links to your social media, so they can see you engage with your audience. Anything that shows off how good you are will help!
5. On the night…
Congratulations! You booked the show! Now it’s time to make sure that it’s a success. Some key points to consider are:
- Be prepared: Make sure you know where you’re going and how long it will take to get there. Take a look on Google Maps to check out where you’ll park for unloading, as carrying everything half a mile from a poorly chosen parking space will eat into your set-up time!
- Know what you need to take: Make sure every band member knows what they need and are responsible for. It’s also a great idea to take spares of some things – having extra strings, batteries, and cables can make all the difference. Please don’t ask us how we know that.
- Give yourself time: Setting up and soundchecking can take a while. You’ll get faster as you get used to it, but making sure you have a minimum of an hour once you get to the venue is a good idea. The more band members you have, the longer it will take, so bear that in mind.
- Make life easy for the venue staff: Introduce yourself when you arrive. Check if they need anything from you or have any questions. Once that’s done, get out of their way and go set up. They’re busy people!
- Most important of all, put on a great show! The better it is, the more people enjoy it, and the more likely it is that you’ll be asked back. If you’re good, a second gig is much easier to get than the first one.
Putting on your own event
Another option for getting a gig is to organise it yourself. It takes a lot of work and some confidence, but it’s a great way to make use of all that networking you’ve been doing!
Many venues are happy to rent out a room for an event or even provide it for free so they can make a profit at the bar. When arranging it, make sure you’re taking care of the practicalities. You’ll need to know if you have to provide your own PA system, what time they need music to stop, and so on.
If you’re responsible for running the door, you’ll also want to know the venue’s maximum capacity. After all, you never know your luck!
Events like this need to be ticketed for the bands to get paid, so if you’re just starting out, you’ll want to work with bands that already have a following. That way, you can be confident of getting people through the door. Once they’re there, of course, they’ll see how good you are and be first in line for tickets when you announce your next event.
Selling tickets!
If you’re going down the route of putting on your own event, you’ll need to get those tickets sold. Don’t be shy! Use the networking you’ve been doing to get the job done. If you have multiple bands playing, which is a great way to get broad appeal, then you’ll share the work. The more people you have selling them, the better.
Try to publicise your show as early as you can, so people know where they can see you. Talk to family and friends who may be interested. Send out invites on social media. If you have close relationships with any other bands, ask if they’d be willing to give you a shout-out. People can’t buy tickets if they don’t know you’re selling them.
FAQs
How long do gigs usually last?
A gig for a band is generally between 90 minutes and three hours, with two hours being fairly standard. You can usually expect to play two sets over the two hours, with a short break in between, so you can get to the bar. Don’t take too long, though, or people may start to leave!
How much should I charge for my first gig?
For a two-hour gig in a pub, it’s reasonable to charge £300. This can vary significantly by location, and different venues can have very different budgets. It can be useful to speak to established local acts to get a better idea of what venues in your area tend to pay.
How do I get bigger gigs?
To get bigger gigs, you need to network and collaborate. By working to build strong relationships in the local music scene and working with other bands, you’ll find new opportunities. You’ll also build a reputation for being easy to work with, which will open doors.
Final thoughts
And there you have it! Hopefully, this guide will help you feel confident about how to get gigs and inspired to go out there and get your first show booked. Once you’ve done that, the next one will be easier, and before you know it, you’ll be playing every weekend. All you need to do is be professional, be reliable, and be good.
There aren’t many things in life as fun as playing to an enthusiastic crowd, and it’s worth remembering that every band you’ve ever loved started out looking for small gigs. Once you’ve got your first one booked, who knows where you’ll end up?
0 Comments