My Response:

John you have a rough road ahead of you. Club owners may not want to book a riot. When you're in sales, the best thing to do to a prospective customer is to explain a situation showing how them how you (or your product) will benefit them (after all who doesn't want to benefit?). Explaining to a club owner that your band brings in a crowd that likes to bang into each is a tough sell. Most club owners want you to bring in an orderly,. Fun loving crowd, that buys lots of their products (beer, food, whatever). Your band may have become a chocolate covered fish stick (not too many people seem keen on the idea).

You have another wrinkle. You said you live in a small town. If this was New York, you could more than likely find a club that would embrace your style of music. My advice to you (and group help me if you have a better idea), if you DON'T have other places that will accept you for the type of band you are, bring it back a touch. I'm not advising you to play N' Sync, but the violence will be a turn off for most club owners. It's great that you love what you are doing. Let that passion feed your performances, and the crowd will feed off of it. There is a certain responsibility that comes to the person holding the microphone, and I'm sure you wouldn't want someone to get seriously injured. Oh man help me, that last line sounded like something my parents would say.

This past weekend the club owner asked us to make some announcements during our sets. While this slowed any crowd momentum we had (just to announce all you can eat spaghetti, and happy hour specials), we did what the club owner asked. Then we went above what he asked (he wanted them announced three times, we did it four). If you can exceed the expectations in WHATEVER you are doing in life, the results are seldom unappreciated. What was the result this weekend? He booked more gigs, and wants us to play there more frequently in the future.

Did I sell out? I don't feel so. We threw in some humor, got to the point, and got back to playing music. So remember when you communicate with a club owner, explain to them how booking your act will benefit their club. As sleazy as some club owners are (anybody NOT been stiffed?), unless you buy a club of your own, you've got to work with them to have access to their stage.

Dave Jackson
Moderator
Musician's Cooler
www.musicianscooler.com
www.musicianlibrary.com