Why bars won't promote you and why promoters always seem to not promote....

Why bars won't promote you and why promoters always seem to not promote....
by Jem

Now, I am well aware that this isn't true for every bar and venue, but I do know for bands that this is how it usually feels. I have worked from every side of this coin. Being a band, being a promoter and now running a venue. I try very hard every day to do nothing more than promote the club, the bands playing it and to go above and beyond the call of duty to work hard even though the results always seem minimal. I'm not so worried about that though. That's the state of the economy and the state of mind of people and those are two very hard things to change. It's been a very long time since masses of people would go to a club to watch bands just for the sake of hanging out, doing musicians, drinking themselves silly and finding some new music to connect to.

Instead, what I am finding more and more frustrating these days is the amount of time and energy I put into promoting a show only to have the bands cancel on me because they feel something better has come along, they broke up and failed to tell anyone or they're just that unprofessional. So, I began to think that this is why many venues have given up on helping you all out and I've come very close to giving up on it myself. Lucky for you, I'm a geek and could live for nothing more apparently than to do meaningless work which lead to me writing these articles.

Another common complaint is on promoters, the supposed middle man between bands and venues. The guy or gal that promises you the awesome show and then pulls out at the last minute to save his or her own ass, dicking everyone else in the process or plain old not promoting the show to the best of his or her ability then expecting you to pay him for his lack of work. These situations, while always similar, all revolve around one person who probably thought that the music industry would be a great way to make money fast (probably watched a movie about the awesomeness of the music industry and took it the wrong way). Again, a stereotype, not always a fact.

Sometimes though venues and promoters do everything right and you don't get the results you hoped for and so they become the ones you can blame.

Who is really to blame though? Who's in charge of promoting your band? Oh! Wait. That's you! Venues and promoters can't promote someone that no one has ever heard of unless you help get yourselves heard, unless you do some work to get known in those areas. Your name is as about as valuable on a flyer as a piece of someone's old gum if you haven't told anyone who you are.

Venues are focused on promoting all of their shows. They don't have the time to sit down and send out press releases for every single band on the bill. Most promoters also divide their time between different venues and different bands. Even when a venue and promoter help you out and the results are smashing if you haven't done anything to help them, they're less likely to do that amount of work the next time and let's face it people. In today's society if a venue or promoter manages to put together a killer lineup that you will actually gain fans from it's a matter of luck of the draw. They're trying to make every show count and sometimes the best drawing bands in town just aren't available or willing to help out.

Asking a venue to put you with the best bands in town is like saying, "Don't put me on one of those nights that you're ok with having a crappy show". No one wants to have a crappy show. Especially the venue. If you want a venue to play at next time you come through town, you have to hold up your end of the bargain too.

Point being that relying on a middle man to do your job for you is ridiculous. It's your band! Make it count! If you have music worth listening to than find ways to get it heard. If you are visiting from out of town reach out to a few people in that area, talk to them, build relationships. Don't be an impersonal My Space robot that only sends out bulletins and offers nothing but "Vote for me! We can't get by on our music alone! We have to win contests!"

Canceling shows is ridiculous for any other reason than you are physically unable to perform, you are physically unable to get to a show, or a meteor hits the earth. You are the ones wearing out the people who wanted to help you most of the time.

If you are passively sitting by waiting for someone to book your shows or someone else to make your flyers or someone else to tell you what the next step is you are probably the one sitting in the corner wondering why there are more people at your band practice than your show and you have no one to blame but yourself. You can't even blame other members of your band. What kind of band are you that you aren't communicating with each other? Telling someone that it wasn't your fault, it was your drummer or singer or whatever only makes you seem ignorant and unprofessional.

Yes, this is a lecture. I've never been known as the one to beat around the bush or not call it like I see it. Please don't think though that I'm trying to pass the buck. I'm working every day to make things as right as I am able from my end and I welcome feedback, suggestions, even lectures from the lot of you.

In closing, I must share this video with you from my boys in By All Means Necessary, one of the hardest working most professional bands I've had the privilege of meeting and working with. Enjoy your film, be encouraged and get to work!

By All Means Necessary Tour Blog 1 - Chicago