Gigging may sound like an easy thing, but a lot of times it can be difficult and a bit of a pain in the ass. If you want to be a successful musician and keep gigging at the same club, or other clubs, then you must be as professional at the gig as possible. How do you be a professional? Professional enough, that will make the owner or booking agents happy enough to book you back again? Well here’s a short list…

• Do as the soundguy or club owner tells you to do – When you get booked at a venue, you don’t make yourself at home, the world doesn’t revolve around you at the gig. If they want you to use their provided sound equipment, do so. If they want you to play at a certain order either first or last or somewhere in the middle of the gig, do so. If they want to shorten your set, do so and take it all gladly without bitching or complaining. If they won’t pay you enough money, take it gladly anyway, without bitching or complaining. A positive attitude at all times, no matter what happens, will give you the respect you deserve. Things may not turn out the way you want at gigs, but that’s the way life is, get over yourselves and accept things for what they are.
• Be prepared – Have all the equipment you need at the gig. If the venue allows you to use your own equipment, bring your usual amps, guitars, or whatever sound systems you guys use. Bring extra packs of guitar strings at all times. Bring an extra amplifier and an extra guitar for back up in case that stuff goes out. If you need to unplug your instruments, turn the amps down, so the amps won’t make this loud popping sound. I’ve seen too many bands where they unplug their instruments without turning the volume down first. Also bring extra guitar stands, so you can set your guitars on the stands instead of putting them on the floor or leaning them against the wall, when you don’t need it anymore.
• Be positive, be happy and smile a lot – Like I said before, having a good attitude and being a nice person will want to have the venue owner have you back.
• Practice & rehearse before the gig – Some bands would mistakenly rehearse like once or twice a week. I disagree. You need to practice as often as possible. Memorize the lyrics, don’t read off lyrics sheets ’cause that’s cheating. If you want to play the best performance possible, practicing is key.
• Save the drinking ’til after the gig, not during – I’m amazed at the large number of bands who drink beer while they perform on stage. In my opinion, it’s pretty stupid and unprofessional. If you want to win the respect by people save the drinking ’til after the show. Plus, you can play a much better performance when you’re not intoxicated.
• Make sure you are able to bring in a crowd and actually entertain them – This is the big thing that owners will want to bring you back. If they see you can bring in people and put smiles on their faces after the gig, they’ll definitely bring you back for a second gig. I know from experience.
• Show up early before the gig – I’m also amazed at the large number of bands who show up really late on the night of the gig. A lot of them like to show up like 5 or 10 minutes before their time slot schedule. They don’t show up early to check out the other bands or acoustic acts. It’s always professional to show up early. Me? I always show up at my gigs either a half hour early or an hour early. It really makes the owner happy. Being on time is important.
• If for some reason, you aren’t able to make the gig, let the booking person know asap: There are too many bands that aren’t able to make gigs, but they do a “No Call, No Show”, kind of thing. A lot of them just don’t show up at all, not letting them know a thing. I have bailed out of several gigs in the past for my own reasons, but I always let them know, by either calling or e-mailing ahead of time. Sometimes booking agents will still get pissed at you even if you let them know you can’t make it, but don’t let that bother ya. It’s life. If you can’t make a gig, you can’t make it. Free country and we have things going in on our lives too. Just be a professional about bailing out of gigs and things will be fine.
• Support other musicians and bands booked on the lineup, no bashing or hating – Stick around to see the other acts perform on the gig. Don’t just go to your gig to support yourself. Support other musicians. Make friends with other musicians on the gig. If the owner sees that you are friendly with other musicians, that will give you a pretty good chance of coming back to the venue.
• Clean up after yourself – After your gig clear out your stage and start putting your equipment back out in your vehicles, make sure you get everything that you own. Also, stick around the venue so you can help the owners and employees clean up the place. I always do this. Help them close the venue, by putting up the chairs on the tables, wiping things down, etc. When booking gigs, I always try to be buddies with the owners just to be professional and a sneaky way of getting another gig booked. They did your service by allowing you to play at their venue, so you should help them in return.

That’s all I can think of. Knowing from my own experience, gigging in the past, those things will indeed bring you back and get you more gigs at places.

Kev