Category Archives: Booking
20 Things You Should Know Before You Take The Gig
© 2012 Vinny Ribas One of the most uncomfortable and embarrassing situations that artists find themselves in is being booked for a gig that they are not appropriate for. Some booking agents are guilty of this. But the biggest reasons for this are that the artist simply hasn’t done his homework, he is lying just…
Getting Return Gigs
© 2011 Vinny Ribas Have you ever wondered why there are many bands that, in your opinion, may not be the absolute best at their craft, but are always working? How about the many acts that are amazing on stage but never get called back for return gigs? While the actual stage show is important,…
10 Ideas For Booking Conventions and Private Parties
© 2011 Vinny Ribas There are numeous ways for an indie artist to land private and corporate gigs. The most productive way is to build relationships with the outside vendors who influence the buying decisions. Here are some ideas: 1. Google ‘event planners in your city’. Make a list and check out their websites to…
Where To Play If You Don’t Have A Following
© 2015 Vinny Ribas One of the biggest challenges that new artists face is that they don’t have strong following yet. Most venues like to hire acts that can bring in new fans. The same often holds true for bands who are trying to tour but don’t have following in all of the cities that…
25 Places To Play If Your Target Audience Is Over 40
Copyright 2011 Vinny Ribas 1. Many restaurants cater to older folks 2. Golf and Country clubs 3. Senior living facilities and retirement villages 4. Nursing homes 5. Certain cruse ships, cruises and/or cruise lines 6. Social service clubs such as American Legion, Moose and Elk Lodges 7. Milestone anniversary parties 8. Conferences/conventions geared towards…
Troubleshooting Getting Gigs
© 2011 Vinny Ribas I have been on both sides of the booking process in my career, working as a musician, band leader, artist, booking agent, artist manager and state fair entertainment director. What I’ve realized is that there are a large number of vital factors that go into matching an act with a venue.…
50 Reasons People May Not Be Coming To Your Shows
© 2010 Vinny Ribas The income for most indie artists comes from gigging and selling CDs/merchandise at those gigs. So if you are having trouble drawing people to your shows, the problem may be one or more of the reasons listed below. Be honest as you evaluate where you stand in each of these…
Booking Agents 101
Do you believe that getting a booking agent is all you need to move your career forward? Have you tried getting the attention of a booking agency to no avail? In this interview, Chip Austin, founder of the Chip Austin Agency, answers, in great detail, some important questions about small booking agencies that work with…
Tips On Being Your Own Concert Promoter
© 2015 Nancy Moran and Vinny Ribas Some artists work tirelessly to book themselves in all kinds of venues. Others have developed enough of a following that they are now in demand and the venues come knocking on their door. There is a 3rd kind of artist who knows that they have a good enough…