By Michael McKenna – Nor'easter Entertainment Magazine
Music Festivals, long a favorite summer pastime in Europe,
have now taken firm hold among US music fans as the places to see new regional
music. Naturally, that leaves even more bands asking how get on the bill.
Getting booked to play a music festival is extremely competitive, so taking the
right approach is the only way to get a foot in the door. Now, I'm not going to
kid you and say it's going to be easy, if it was, well, everyone would be doing
it, but you can get yourself on stage in front of festival crowds. Get your
band booked for a music festival with these tips.
1. Be Ready For It
I know, I know, you think your band is ready! But, are you
REALLY? This isn't an affront to your music, in fact, at this point, we're
really not talking about how good your music is at all. We're are talking about
if your band is ready for the unique demands of playing a music festival?
If you aren't so experienced yet on the live circuit, then
you're probably not. Playing a festival is a different beast than playing your
local club, so promoters usually look for bands who have a proven track record
of commanding a crowd and putting on a solid show. Remember, you're competing
with a lot more when you're playing to a massive crowd of people outdoors than
you are when you play for your friends at your favorite bar, so you need to
have your stage presence on lock, something that only comes with a whole lot of
practice.
You'll have the best chances of succeeding at getting booked
and killing your set - if you do the groundwork of building your stage show
first.
2. Know Your Targets
No, you don't want to play just any festival that will have
you. That's akin to sending your music to every promote and agent in the
region, regardless of the kind of music they work with. Instead, narrow your
search and settle on a few target festivals that you would like to play that
centers on your specific genre of music.
Of course the festivals in question should welcome your
genre of music, but make sure they tick other boxes, too. For instance, are
there stages suited to bands of your audience size? Would you be able to travel
to the festival if your expenses weren't covered by your booking fee or as part
of your deal? If you don't have an agent, does the festival welcome submissions
directly from musicians? Don't waste energy chasing festivals that aren't a
good fit for you, even if they happen to be festivals you enjoy as a music fan.
Get in where you fit in, and you'll get booked much easier.
3. Set Your Calendar
Believe it or not, one of the biggest obstacles musicians
always face when applying for festivals or other events is simply getting the
application, so to speak, in on time. Do not apply to things late. DO NOT MISS
DEADLINES! Create a calendar of submission deadlines to all of the festivals
you want to play so you opportunity doesn't pass you by.
4. Prepare For Submission
Every festival will have its own submission requirements,
but be prepared to need an artist bio and some music, at the very least. It is
also a good idea to have a video of you performing ready to be viewed and to
have some professional press photos ready to go. You will also need some decent
quality recordings to show off your sounds in the best possible light.
When it comes to submitting your music, bio, and so on -
submit exactly what is requested - no more and no less. No, sending three songs
when two were asked for is not better. No, your bio shouldn't book lengthened.
If they're not giving you an opportunity to tell how many shows you've played,
don't cram the information in there. Their formula is in place for a reason,
and deviating from it is a good way to ensure your music doesn't get listened
to at all.
5. Get Your Social Media Ready
I hate the notion of promoters looking at how many FB,
ReverbNation, Twitter or social media followers a musician has as an indication
of whether or not to book them so much that I hate to suggest you care. However
- that DOES happen and you DO have to care.
And, to be fair, there IS a point there. Having a large
number of social media followers isn't the same thing as having a large number
of bums in seats, but it does say something about you as a musician. It means
you engage your fans and that you're committed enough to promote yourself,
which hints that you'll work hard to promote your show and give your fans a
good set.
So, with that said, before your apply for a music festival,
get your social media numbers up as much as you can and most importantly, get
active on your pages. If your last post was two years ago, get a flurry of
activity going before you apply.
6. Don't Be Afraid to Start Small
Does your town have a festival that hosts live music?
Sometimes, the best festival to start your festival career at is right in your
backyard. Now, sure, it may not be Lollapaloza or Woodstock, but that's OK. It
is a chance to put a festival appearance on your resume and get used to that
style of playing live. The more you can make a name for yourself, the more
interested festival promoters will be about adding you to the bill. Local
festivals are a great start to moving up the ladder to regional and nationwide
festivals.
7. More Dos and Dont's For Getting Booked at Festivals
DO look out for special booking opportunities, like contests
in which the prize is an appearance at the festival
DON'T pay to play a festival, Ever! This includes festivals
that want you to buy tickets to resell to fans yourself. Nope, no way, no how.
PLEASE.
DO keep the faith. It's competitive out there! That doesn't
mean that your band doesn't belong on the stage. Keep gigging and making music
as you keep working on getting a festival slot. Every show, every song, every
new fan is a step closer to your goal. Remember, it's all up you and how
persistent and focused you and the rest of the band are towards reaching a set
goal.
