Finding music venues can be really hard. If you are part of a newer musical act, booking shows can be a real challenge because you don’t have contacts or a network of venues in place. One of the hardest parts of booking is just picking the right place to play. Even if you get a show, your band could still be in for a rough night if you are playing to the wrong crowd. It’s important to do a little research first about the places you want to play.
So how do you find venues?
One way is simply to go to shows and look at flyer. See what other type of bands are playing the venues you visit. If you can imagine your band would be a good fit with the other types of bands who play there, visit the venue’s website and contact the booker. Mention that you were at the venue and feel that your band would really be a good fit.
What if you are trying to book a tour and you can’t visit the venues?
Booking a first tour can be challenging and you can’t use the method above if you don’t live in the city that you want to get a show in. Chromonica is a great, free website that can help you find venues in other cities. The listings include booking information and venue specifics. It is highly recommended for anyone who is trying to book a tour in the US.
It’s basically a search engine for venues so all you need to do is type in a city where you want to play. It’s a good tool for doing some initial research on what’s out there.
Hopefully these tips help for finding venues. It can be a tough thing to do, but it really doesn’t have to be. With a little information and quick research, you’ll have everything you need to contact booking professionals about setting up gigs.
