1. Publicity
Get your publicity up to date. That’s your Pictures, Video, Bio, Song list. And keep it up to date. Be proactive on social media, website and with agents. Actastic have a great team on hand to help with this!
2. Intro on & off
An intro to bring you on and off the stage lasting 30-40 seconds each is very important.
So begin by going on, check your instruments after sound check, then come off the stage. Press play for your intro, then walk on and begin straight into the opening song! Stop faffing around at the start! Make people sit up and be ready for you to come on. Create excitement. The playoff should mention your name, social media, and website for example! Get in People’s minds. It doesn’t cost anything to do this. For more information and ideas contact a member of our team. Email info@actastic.co.uk
3. Be Unique, but not cheesy!
Mae your band unique! Come up with something that people will remember you by, something that sets you aside from the rest. Whether it be the bassist playing the banjo for a couple of songs, or a bit of very current choreography in one song, or something you wear perhaps? This will make it more enjoyable for you all.
4. Medley
Create a medley of songs that no other bands do at present. It is something you should absolutely work on! A medley that features a variety of songs (example) from an Eminem snippet to John Newman to Mumford and Sons to MC Hammer for example! (Getting my Drift?) This will be your signature medley, people will remember this forever, if you get it right! It must not be a medley of the same old songs! It has to be unique and different. It will take time and practise.
5. Chemistry
You need chemistry, interaction, banter between the band on stage and with the audience too. Obviously don’t talk about the songs or say “the next song is,” but have set little things that you say to each other every so often, especially if the conversation on stage is dry and awkward. At least then the things that you say can work naturally on the night with the audience if they are the interactive type! That way, everyone always knows where they are at and what they are meant to be doing and you still get the interaction with the audience. You need to always ALL look like you’re having a good time, even if you’ve had a shit day!
6. Dress code! (Very important this is)
I personally can be a bit fussy about this, however, when you look at ALL of the bands who are famous or who get the great gigs, or in fact who we work with, they all dress similar within each band! Now im not talking everyone wearing sparkly jackets and red and blue ties here, im talking sharp stylish similar colours – if one is wearing trainers, everyone should, to fit in with the image of the band and your “brand”! This is another way people will remember you – you don’t have to wear matching corporate suits – but you need to have something that you all can wear to look similar, retro or whatever it is that will appeal to the people that you want to book you. What’s your image?
If you are all wearing t-shirts, wear them, they can be different colours in a similar design for example, with black jeans and trainers, but look similar! Look tidy, look like you meant to look like that! Look like a band!
If you are all wearing tweed, wear it, but still be individual, but make it so that people in the audience think they have made an effort with how they look, not that you have just come together as 4 individual people and thrown on whatever was in your wardrobe that evening!
7. Harmonies
When people watch a band, they expect to hear some harmonies! Come up with something to make sure your songs sound full and that they are technically and vocally brilliant.
8. Sound
Get your sound right! Make sure your equipment is of a good standard. Don’t have the attitude of “that will do”! It won’t do! Other bands will come and steal the booking away in minutes.
9. The songs
Many of the wedding couples, events companies and corporate clients at present are requesting songs by Mumford and Sons, Coldplay, Pharrell Williams etc. Live lounge sets that include songs by Sam Smith, George Ezra, John Legend, Ed Sheeran why not include John Newman or Jessie J in your set too? (Just ideas of course) me personally I love Dire Straits, RazorLight and Stereophonics, but do what you love? What fits and sits right with the band and the target audience? Don’t just do all the standard songs. Think outside the box. If you are into heavy metal, pop, punk, rock, funk, step back, do some brain storming and do something different with your sounds. Its music, be free, make it unique.
Obviously for corporate and wedding gigs you do need to perform some standards that people know from the “good old days”, but throw in a few more new and different songs that they have not heard other bands perform before or very often.
Even though you are probably already a great band, you can be even better, you should be doing more corporate gigs, festivals and weddings. With these simple steps you will achieve these bookings and from there, if you get it right on the day, you will get recommended and rebooked time and time again. You have to get your branding right, you have to look right, you have to have things in your show/set/band that people will remember you by!
If you are happy with what you are doing at the moment that is absolutely fine too of course. However, if you want to step it up and do more special gigs, bigger and better venues, then the above is what needs to be worked on.
These things will take time, but make a plan and get to it!
View some of the corporate bands we work with on the bands section of our website to get some ideas.
And if you want to find out more ways to improve your band, if you want to work on the above and if you would like an expert to guide you in the right direction, we are here and would love to work with you to help you improve and be the best.
Call Actastic on 01704 880894 or email info@actastic.co.uk