You’ve Got To Play Live If You Want To Be a Rock n Roll Star

It doesn’t matter what kind of music you play, if you want to make it big in the music world, you can’t just dream about it. You have to get off your bottom, and get out there and do whatever it takes to make it happen. You can visualize whatever you want, but until you do something to make it happen, all it is a wish, not a reality.

While playing live may sound old fashioned in this day and age of the internet, it is still an important part of your marketing arsenal. According to information at the MusicMarketingCenter.com, right now is a great time to build your career. There’s no ‘big thing’ right now. If you have something unique to your sound, there’s no reason you couldn’t become the next music phenomenon. If you fit into an existing style of music, people are always looking for something new yet familiar.

Before you do anything else, find your niche. For this article, we are going to discuss performing live. We will talk about getting you music out there in the virtual world at another time.

If you have figured out your musical style, or one that is similar, start there. Look for local places that are already known for music similar to what you play. Bug them till you get a gig there. Don’t worry too much about the money in the beginning… you just need to build a loyal following for now.

That following… your fans is your number one asset. You need to bring whatever you need to create a mailing list. This is the most important thing you can do to nurture your career, and is the subject of quite a few posts at the MusicMarketingCenter.com. Try to get them to sign up right then and there for your mailing list (or fan club). Strike while they are excited about your music… when hearing it live. Bring a computer with an internet connection and let them sign up for your mailing list right there. If you can’t do that, at least bring a pad of paper and some pens. Just get that info so you can keep in touch with your fans. The better they get to know you, the more likely they are to tell their friends, and increase your fan base.

You can even make money directly from your list. Make a t-shirt and offer it in an email at a profit. People love to wear a shirt from their favorite band, especially a new band that people don’t know about. They feel like they know something special that others don’t know, and they are happy to tell anyone how great you are when they ask about the shirt. It will keep those coins coming in in a number of different ways.

When you finish your set, and even in the middle, mention signing up for your mailing list. Stick around after you play. Talk to the audience, and tell them to be sure to sign up for your list so they know what you are up to. You may not think talking to you is a big deal, but to someone who doesn’t know you and liked your music, you are a star, and it makes them feel special to have actually talked to you (yes, you). Be nice, thank the fans, and allow them to love you and think you love them back. Don’t put on the punk attitude. Even in the late 70′s when the punk scene and attitude was at it’s height, the people loved talking to them, and plenty of the ‘stars’ would be really nice to people off stage. Fans eat it up.

Have you checked out your local colleges and small clubs? They love to ‘catch a rising star,’ and that could be you. Especially if your music is a little different than most, the people booking these places do so because they are music fans, and they’d love to be able to say that they had you play there back when no one knew who you were.

Even audition nights and open mike nights give you a great chance to play. There are plenty of famous people and bands that started there. Bring in some friends who can be your cheering squad. People are often like monkeys. When they see others enjoying the show, they are more likely to enjoy it themselves. The more excited your friends get, the more excited all the people in the audience that never heard of you will become also.

All in all, you need to just get out there at every opportunity and play your music live. For the fans, there’s nothing like hearing a band do their thing right in front of you as part of a crowd. And for you, it’s great to get the immediate feedback and admiration from a live audience. Although there are ways to get your music to more people at once, there is no other way to generate the kind of impact that a live show of your music creates.