- The majority of your band should arrive no later than 8:30. If there
is a problem then all bands need to be ready to go first. Also if the
opening bands have to sit through the last bands set before they
get paid, then the last band should be there early as well.
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- Set up and switches need to be done as quick as possible. The more standing
around the kids do, the more likely they are to leave. Get er' done.
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- Tune your guitars, all of them. If you break as string make sure your
back up is in tune as well before you go on stage.
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- Do not practice on stage. Plug in, turn on, check your volume quickly
and then be silent. Screwing around on the guitar is irritating to the
crowd as well as the sound man who may have his head in your amp while he
mics the drums.
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- Make sure your stage volume is a decent level. If you have any questions,
ask the sound guy, he knows best.
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- If you can't hear your vocals ask your guitar player to turn down not
the monitors up.
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- Give us a show. Don't just stand up there and sing your songs. Talk
to the crowd and bring us into your music. This doesn't mean jump
around like idiots either. You can have energy on stage without
tearing the place down. One thing I think you want to do is give the
kids something they will be talking about the next day at school or
work or wherever. The bands that do that are the bands that continue
to bring the same kids back show after show.
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- Do not watch MTV or VH1. We have too many bands that act out the
videos they watch on TV. The way they hold their mic, the way they
turn around and sing to the drummer, or whatever. Sing to the crowd
and make eye contact. Make the little girlies melt when you sing to
them. That will get you fans, not ignoring the crowd by singing to the
other members of the band.
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- Use correct mic etiquette. Do not swing, drop, throw or do anything that
can damage the mic. Do not hold your hand over the mic, this causes
feedback. Do not put the mic in front of the mains or the monitors, this also
causes feedback.
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- As you begin your set it is helpful if you have some sort of musical
intro to all the sound man to set the levels. If you just start in on some
screamin' punk song it most likely will sound like sh*t for the first 30
seconds until the sound man can get it together.
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- Before and after the show make the rounds to talk to everyone in the
bar you can. If kids think that you think they are cool, you have made
a new fan. If you hang out in the van, or stand off in the corner you
aren't making any fans. The most successful bands are those that are
extroverts that shoot the shit with every kid in the club. The scene
is so much more about being friends than it is about the music you
play. If you are cool, then your music is cool. Just like if you are
an ass, your music will suck. Hell one of those kids might give you a
place to stay for the night and save you a hotel room or the fun of
sleeping in the van. Hell you even get a shower and even better you
might get laid!
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- Do not rely on the door money alone to make your trip to The Trap
successful. I do lots of promotions and such to assure we can get some
kids to the shows. However some of this does mean reduced cover
charges and I allow the local bands that play at the Trap in for Free
($2 under 21). This is really the key factor in the success of the
shows at The Trap. I can get the kids into the shows then you need to
sell yourselves and your merch. Certainly I am fair and get the bands
all I can but you all have played enough to know that once you start
dividing the money up it doesn't go very far.
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- Respect the equipment. A good stage show if super but if your antics
damage anything you will be held responsible.
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