Floating on the web is a now iconic image of Slash, circa late 80’s. GNR’s heyday. He’s sprawled on his back, cigarette vertical in mouth, and surrounded by a field of rock n’ roll paraphernalia — Marlboros, vodka and a Les Paul. It’s a vision of the classic rockstar. Back then, musicians were ‘allowed’ to do nothing but focus on music and performance.
2020 is a little different. Instead of doing heroin in motels and having orgies with Motley Crue, bands today must be digital gurus, paying close attention to their online presence. No band is too cool to use the many resources that new media provides. If you want to open yourself to a new source of paid bookings, consider a booking platform.
Put Your Apple in the Tub
Edwin from Dutch band Silver Pockets Full explains the band’s experience: ‘Every year we get a few bookings via Gigstarter that would otherwise never have come our way. In addition to the occasional private party or wedding, these are also small-scale festivals.’ Promoters aren’t all grizzled veterans of their local music scene. Some are new, or actively looking for new bands — and instead of trawling craigslist or Facebook, many use booking platforms for an easy snapshot of potential matches. They can’t find your apple unless it’s in the tub. Edwin underlines this: ‘We often see that other Gigstarter acts have been booked at festivals, so the bookers really went shopping on Gigstarter for their programming.’
With clear terms of play, including payment, both artists and bookers are on the same page. Nobody’s stopping you from finding gigs the old way. But these platforms can provide a handy, new revenue stream for your band.
Silver Pockets Full Indie Rock and Pop Band
Keep Your Guard Up
Just like any industry with high competition and few gatekeepers, there will always be companies preying on naivety. The same, sadly, is true of the gig economy. Be wary of any company that promises you gigs, or has a murky payment or subscription model. Even worse - scurry away when a company offers a ‘free’ account but still demands credit card information. This free account should always offer comparable advantages to premium. As Edwin says: ‘We would definitely recommend artists to join Gigstarter, if only through the free profile. Any PR is good PR, and Gigstarter is definitely Good PR!’
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