Everyday independent bands and artists like you and me come
across venue programmers and festival organizers that try to get you to do a free
gig for them so they can “promote you”.
What they actually mean by “We will promote you “ is “We have no cash and we want you to play for
free in exchange for a facebook event that we will create (to promote you of
course!)”.
I know a lot of bands are eager to showcase their talent on
any stage that they can get; but before you accept a free gig here are a five
points to consider that will help you evaluate if a free gig’s worth doing. Read on..
1. Evaluate
if the target audience at the offered gig is a match to your bands music
Who is the target audience that will be
present at the gig? Are they the kind of audiences that listen to or will be
interested in listening to the genre of music your band is creating?
If you are asked to play a free gig slot at
a prestigious music festival where the audience has come specifically to listen
to and discover new music then maybe it might make sense to do the free gig if
you’re a beginner band. However, if it’s the launch of a new Indian family
restaurant and your band plays metal ..then maybe the audience and venue would
not be a right fit.
Knowing the audience that will want to
listen to and buy your music is a crucial pre-requisite.
2. Clarify
what the venue/organizer is offering in return for your performance
Most venues will say that they will
“promote you” and bands often make the mistake of not clarifying what this
“promotion” will entail. You need to ask the venue/organizer prior to the gig what
exactly they will do in terms of promotion and insist on terms that both of you
agree to.
Some venues have tie-ups with newspapers
and you can get the band some newspaper coverage in lieu of the gig or you
could strike a deal with the venue that you would do one free gig but if the
patrons enjoy it then the next one needs to be paid for.
Check with the venue how they are promoting
the show on radio ,social media and whether they are submitting it to gig
listings in the city .
3. Identify what is the goal of the
gig
What do you want to achieve at the end of
the performance? Some of the goals could be:
·
Introducing new audiences to our music
·
Getting noticed by the venue/potential venues
for future gigs
·
Making money
·
Making a live band video
For example,
if your goal is to make a decent live video for your band’s you-tube
channel(which currently has no live videos of the band) then maybe your
priority would be to accept to the free gig . If your band is more seasoned ,
then ask your band if there are any other goals that can be met by doing this
free gig (e.g. the possibility of being heard by a festival organizer or other
specific promoters that might create more gig opportunities) and whether it’s
worth your effort and time.
4. Check the venues
policy for other music acts
There are venues that try to take younger bands for a ride
by telling them they don’t pay any bands that play there because they are the hip
new place in town and bands are lucky to be given a chance to play there. Before
you get blown away by their generosity(!), check with your other friends and
contacts on the music circuit about whether they pay other acts and what the venue
policy for bands is.If you find a discrepancy you need to talk to the venue
about the same. Stand your ground.
5. Is the gig for
a cause you feel passionately about?
Sometimes there are fund-raisers for causes that are close
to your heart. For example, when there were floods in Kashmir last year , the band Parikrama organized a
fund-raising concert where they invited me and many artists(Rabbi, Indian Ocean,
Advaita etc) that played free of cost to raise money for flood victims and
their families. Sometimes you want to just play for the greater good and money
comes secondary. Remember though, that the rest of your band might not feel so
passionately about causes that resonate with you. Checking with your band
members before accepting a free gig of this nature is very important.
Remember to ask the venue to provide the band and the band
members F&B post your performance. That’s the least they can do.
I hope this article helped clear a few dilemmas surrounding
whether it’s worth your time doing a free gig!:)
What are some of your bands reasons for doing/not doing a
free gig? Write them in the comments below.
