Get more gigs from agencies

Many bands and musicians view a ’manager’ as the holy grail when looking for more performance opportunities. What they really mean is that they’re seeking a booking agent or even a larger agency which promotes bands to potential event organizers. This is a good way for bands and musicians to expand their network and reach to ultimately obtain more gigs. Let’s use the term ‘band’ for the sake of simplicity.

First, let’s take a closer look at the types of agents and agencies out there, what they do, how they operate and for which bands they could be relevant.

The scene booker

We’ll use that name for now. This describes an agent who has built up strong contacts within a specific scene and who ideally works hard to maintain them. This scene could be restricted to a specific region, a music genre or both. So, this is a person who has some influence with event organizers within a 50-km radius and books artists and bands for the clubs and venues they represent. They may also operate across the state or nationwide, but focus on a specific music genre; e.g. they have established contacts with jazz clubs or rock venues where they can book bands that match the house style.

It is not uncommon for these bookers to ‘secure’ a particular ‘territory’ in which they alone are permitted to book performances. How does that work? The booker doesn’t apply for this territorial exclusivity via the local authority or the office for cultural affairs. Rather, the booker may sign exclusive deals with event organizers, whereby the organizers commit to only book bands from the booker’s roster and the booker also guarantees to supply the appropriate bands in return.

What about the bands? The booker may also sign contracts with musicians on an exclusive basis to ensure that they are always available. The booker will therefore be the sole contact for booking the respective bands which benefits the booker, because they know a band’s availability at all times. The bands, on the other hand, must rely on the booker to source regular gigs and not to favor any other bands.

Now here’s the key question: How do you position your band to guarantee a full calendar of gig dates without relying on the goodwill of an exclusive booker?

You can negotiate a contract stipulating a certain number of gigs per month, so you don’t get lumped with gigs in tiny pubs where they pass the hat round to scrape your fee together! It is also important to restrict the booker’s exclusivity to a clearly defined region or specific venues.
This type of booker mainly operates on the cover and party scenes, and also where bands perform their own original material.

Talent agencies

Typical talent agencies today specialize in private gigs such as corporate events, product launches and weddings. These agencies connect bands directly with their end clients and event agencies tasked with organizing such events. While some talent agencies represent bands who perform original material, here we will focus on ‘gala bands’ who perform cover versions, though this doesn’t mean that agencies will exclude bands who perform original material.

Working with these agencies is to your advantage, as they operate on a non-exclusive basis 99% of the time, which means you are free to work with other agencies, even in the same town or on the same street.

Unlike the scene booker described above, these agencies do not actively pursue gigs for their bands, but rather respond to inquiries from clients and event organizers and suggest bands they consider suitable, hopefully including you and your band! They will of course first check with you to ensure that your band is available on the requested date.

This finally leads us to the main topic: The collaboration between you and the scene booker or the talent agency; the great thing is that many of the same factors apply.

The business aspect

We have already touched on the subject of contracts: Exclusive contracts bind you to a specific booker, but non-exclusive contracts also exist which allow you to collaborate with other agencies and thus extend your reach. Talent agencies who supply the event sector tend not to sign framework agreements with you. A contract will only come into effect once the agency has hooked in a client. So, what next?

Contractual partner

The agent’s or agency’s procedure will dictate with whom you negotiate a guest performance contract; for the sake of clarity, in the following we will refer to them as the ‘agency’ and ‘event organizer’ef.

The agency as a contractual partner
If the agency is your direct client, you will negotiate a guest performance contract with that agency. In many cases the agency will even accept your existing contract template, which will also stipulate the fee the agency will ultimately pay you for your performance.
The agency then signs a contract with their client, which could be the event organizer or the intermediary event agency, which will reflect your contractual terms and will then add their own commission to the total fee; you will never know how much they add. You then send your invoice to the agency.

The event organizer / end client as a contractual partner
It is also not unusual for you to sign the guest performance contract directly with the event organizer, where the agency merely acts as an intermediary – similar to a real estate broker. At the same time, you can agree in writing to pay a commission fee to the agency for its services. You can choose to add this commission to your fee or deduct it if you feel it is important to maintain a consistent fee.
Finally, you submit the invoice for your fee to the event organizer, who will presumably then pay you. The agency will then bill you for their commission, which you then pay.
You can ask the agency about the precise business procedure when the time comes. It is a perfectly normal, reasonable and professional question to ask: “How do you handle this?”

Promotional material

Whether you’re collaborating with a scene booker or a talent agency, both require promotional material about you and your band. Let’s now look at what you should provide:

• Demo recording

Several demo tracks that reflect the style and range of your repertoire. You probably won’t need to send demo CDs now, but mp3s are generally the media of choice. In the event sector it may even be smart to provide some tracks as mp3s and then provide three tracks that you feel best reflect the style of the relevant request. However, a single mp3 containing excerpts of three or four tracks, each approx. 30 seconds long, is also fine.
Studio, rehearsal room, or live recording? If you have some high-quality live recordings available, then use them. However, most demo recordings are polished studio productions.

• Video

A video is a perfect way of showing what your performance looks like on stage. This can be a short video (max. 10 MB) which can be sent via email or a longer YouTube video. A full showreel is another option.

• Photos

Another essential item is a band photo showing the current lineup; ideally, a professional studio shot that clearly reflects your style. Another live photo could also be a crucial element. Make sure that all the band members are visible, the stage is clean and tidy (no instrument/equipment cases, crates, bottles, etc.) and your local (drunk) eccentric isn’t stumbling around in front of the stage. Photos should be optimized for online use, as the agency will place them on their website and forward them to prospective clients as required.

• Flyer

A one-page pdf with an appealing design with your band logo, photos, slogan, a short bio and, if applicable, some references.

• Setlist (for cover and gala bands)

If your band plays covers it will be helpful for event organizers to know in advance the repertoire they can expect. Keep the list concise (max. one page); if space is tight a representative list will suffice.

• Technical rider

Some clubs have their own sound/PA system, while for corporate events it is common for the event organizer or event agency to supply the technical equipment. Create another pdf file for your contractual partner listing your technical requirements to ensure that you will have everything you require on stage: Mixing console with channels and channel assignments (where appropriate), monitoring and monitor mixes, microphones, DI-boxes, etc. Refer to the attached technical rider in the contract and explicitly make it an integral part of the contract to avoid any subsequent issues.

• Logo and press photos

High-resolution band photos and logos for potential press reports and program leaflets, etc.

• Press text

This is more suitable for bands who perform original material. Local media are generally happy to write about your upcoming gig and will appreciate your input, or can simply copy and paste.

 

And now just a word of warning:

Do not state your direct contact details on any promotional material you submit to an agency to advertise you and your band. No agency will forward material from you that includes your contact information. Yes, clients can find you online, but you can understand that the agency doesn’t want to make it too easy for them to bypass the agency and contact you directly. Experienced bands even create a separate, neutral profile for their YouTube videos.

Professionalism

Bookers and agencies quickly find out who is easy to work with and bands that are more demanding. Here are some final tips to ensure professional conduct:

• Create your own website with your full contact information.
• Be contactable by telephone and, if you miss a call, return it within 60 minutes.
• Respond to emails just as quickly.
• Know your availability — and that of your bandmates — so you can confirm a gig date immediately. It looks unprofessional if you tell a potential client that you need to check with your band first.
• Know your fee and quote it with confidence without trying to guess how much the client may be willing to pay.
• Keep all your promotional material in a separate section of your website to enable potential clients to obtain all the info themselves, which is particularly useful when time is of the essence.
• Sign any contracts within 24 hours — ideally the same day, as nobody wants to be left in a situation of uncertainty.
• Arrive at the venue well on time.
• Be friendly and courteous wherever you go.
• Issue your invoices promptly and pay any invoices received from the agency immediately.
• Demonstrate loyalty. If an agency contacts you for your availability for a specific date and you then receive a suspiciously similar direct inquiry for the same date under the same conditions from an event organizer shortly afterward, refer them back to the agency. Do not bypass the agency.

And finally:
Show professionalism by understanding the business and its standard practices. You have just read all the essential information, so it now remains for us to wish you the best of luck!