Booking Shows

Booking your band in cities where you have never been, much less played before is a tedious task.

It starts with the Cold Call, which goes something like this:
"Hello, Cowboy Saloon Bar & Grille"
"Hey this is Trevor from Frogs Gone Fishin', a band from Colorado and we were interested in setting up a date".
If the promoter doesn't immediately hang up....
"What kind of music?"
"Funky, dance, rock, reggae. Mostly originals..."

If the club owner or promoter is chill enough to let you speak beyond this point you might just get to play and with a prayer, get paid for doing so.

The above conversation is assuming you are able to a) find a club in Randomtown, Mid-Western State, USA that b)even has live music and not DJ's and c)will let an unknown band submit or play at their venue. For every 20 venues phoned, I would estimate 5 will answer and 1 will entertain the idea of your band performing.

Persistence and resources (pretty much just the internet) are tantamount. Once you get to know certain promoters in certain towns who realize bands take years of solid gigging to become popular, your life as independent booking agent gets easier.

Just be nice, knowledgeable and above all, persistent. Remember, weddings, bot-mitzvahs and community service gigs at elementary schools have their place too....