TO Live Show or Not Live Show, that is the question!

CISUM · 1st August 2008

Ok, so I sit here really wondering if what im about to ask will make any sort of sense or not, but well I will let you the experts give me some insight.

Is it really worth t doing live shows this day in age? I mean dont get me wrong to open up for a big band, I doubt anyone would pass it up, but im talking about the small venues even here in LA, like the roxy, key club, etc.

The reason I ask is that with myspace/youtube/websties, self promotion techniques and tools, I find it very difficult to believe that the small live shows would help anyone now in 2008, I can see how it helped before the above sites and self promotion tools, does it still work and how much?

I may be wrong, I just sort of view everything as how technology is getting bigger, and more evil in some regards, the live show scene is somewhat disappearing. I know people who have made ALOT of money off of myspace sales, and then I still have friends who kill themselves playing shows week after week, almost to the same crowd?

Anyone have any insight tho this? Thanks again

kafka · 8th August 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by CISUM

I know people who have made ALOT of money off of myspace sales

Really?

CISUM · 8th August 2008

yeah believe it or not man, they really do

jedilaw · 9th August 2008

Historically, live shows are where artists have made their real money, because their labels don't get a cut of those profits. Live gigs give an opportunity to sell band merchandise, too, which is where the real money lies ($30 for a t-shirt that cost maybe $1? Ka-Ching!). Why do you think Mick Jagger is worth so much? It's partly album sales, but the bulk of his wealth comes from those tours.

Biggest problem nowadays is fuel prices. A lot of touring acts have had their margins cut to the bone, if they haven't lost profitability altogether. If you are strictly local, maybe regional (NY-NJ-Philly, say), that might not be as big of an issue.

The thing about a live show, from an artistic standpoint, is that it gives you a chance to bond with the audience. Give them a memorable experience, they'll be more likely to talk about you to friends, buy future music, et cetera. Don't understimate the communal experience of a mass of people grooving along to your music.

The Byre · 11th August 2008

You have to do all three or four things - i.e. You Tube, My Space, website and gig.

If you are no good, then none of these will work.

If you are good, they will all work for you!

jedilaw · 11th August 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Byre

You have to do all three or four things - i.e. You Tube, My Space, website and gig.

If you are no good, then none of these will work.

If you are good, they will all work for you!

That last statement might be just a touch overly optimistic. Plenty of "good" musicians don't wind up with any of the above working for them. Much as we might all wish otherwise, serendity still plays a very large part in how much headway one can make as a musician...

The Byre · 11th August 2008

With good, I mean F'ing good. Good at self publicity, good management, good at everything and breathtakingly good music.

You Tube etc. is all full of 'good' music.

You have to be far better than that!

But back to the topic in question, gigging is still far more important than any of the others.

numrologst · 22nd October 2008

Also, you gotta realize that being a good musician, doesn't mean that you play good music. And sometimes marginal musicians play really good music. I don't know what my point is.

Live shows are paramount to building a fan base. Myspace and YouTube are great tools to augment live shows... But they are still cluttered. And the main problem with counting on the internet sites to help you is that you connect with so many people, that don't necessarily translate into actual fans. Actual fans, are people who come to shows or come to shows and buy merchandise. It doesn't do much good, if any at all, to make fans in places you can't reach out to.

That's why you play shows and start building your e-mail list. The e-mail list is key to promoting your shows. Myspace helps out with this, but you end up sending invites to people who don't know you, don't care, etc... And you have to figure out how to connect on myspace with the people you have their e-mail addresses.

You pick the city you live in, and 2 or 3 close cities... You first start with your hometown and build up your fan base there by playing live shows and getting local press. Then you start traveling to the close cities and doing the same thing. It's usually a waste to travel to another city to play a show, unless you have some sort of pr or press thing lined up...

Once you start building fans in 2 or 3 cities, you can start venturing out further to build and build. And of course, never turn down the chance to open for a band or artist that is bigger than you. The fan trickle down can sometimes be huge.

Just a few of my scattered thoughts.

1st August 2008	#1
CISUM Gear maniac Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 268 Thread Starter	TO Live Show or Not Live Show, that is the question! Ok, so I sit here really wondering if what im about to ask will make any sort of sense or not, but well I will let you the experts give me some insight. Is it really worth t doing live shows this day in age? I mean dont get me wrong to open up for a big band, I doubt anyone would pass it up, but im talking about the small venues even here in LA, like the roxy, key club, etc. The reason I ask is that with myspace/youtube/websties, self promotion techniques and tools, I find it very difficult to believe that the small live shows would help anyone now in 2008, I can see how it helped before the above sites and self promotion tools, does it still work and how much? I may be wrong, I just sort of view everything as how technology is getting bigger, and more evil in some regards, the live show scene is somewhat disappearing. I know people who have made ALOT of money off of myspace sales, and then I still have friends who kill themselves playing shows week after week, almost to the same crowd? Anyone have any insight tho this? Thanks again

11th August 2008	#5
The Byre Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2004 Location: Highlands of Scotland Posts: 2,019 1 Review written	You have to do all three or four things - i.e. You Tube, My Space, website and gig. If you are no good, then none of these will work. If you are good, they will all work for you! __________________ http://www.the-byre.com

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8th August 2008	#3
CISUM Gear maniac Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 268 Thread Starter	yeah believe it or not man, they really do

9th August 2008	#4
jedilaw Gear maniac Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 272	Historically, live shows are where artists have made their real money, because their labels don't get a cut of those profits. Live gigs give an opportunity to sell band merchandise, too, which is where the real money lies ($30 for a t-shirt that cost maybe $1? Ka-Ching!). Why do you think Mick Jagger is worth so much? It's partly album sales, but the bulk of his wealth comes from those tours. Biggest problem nowadays is fuel prices. A lot of touring acts have had their margins cut to the bone, if they haven't lost profitability altogether. If you are strictly local, maybe regional (NY-NJ-Philly, say), that might not be as big of an issue. The thing about a live show, from an artistic standpoint, is that it gives you a chance to bond with the audience. Give them a memorable experience, they'll be more likely to talk about you to friends, buy future music, et cetera. Don't understimate the communal experience of a mass of people grooving along to your music.

22nd October 2008	#8
numrologst Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 1,955	Also, you gotta realize that being a good musician, doesn't mean that you play good music. And sometimes marginal musicians play really good music. I don't know what my point is. Live shows are paramount to building a fan base. Myspace and YouTube are great tools to augment live shows... But they are still cluttered. And the main problem with counting on the internet sites to help you is that you connect with so many people, that don't necessarily translate into actual fans. Actual fans, are people who come to shows or come to shows and buy merchandise. It doesn't do much good, if any at all, to make fans in places you can't reach out to. That's why you play shows and start building your e-mail list. The e-mail list is key to promoting your shows. Myspace helps out with this, but you end up sending invites to people who don't know you, don't care, etc... And you have to figure out how to connect on myspace with the people you have their e-mail addresses. You pick the city you live in, and 2 or 3 close cities... You first start with your hometown and build up your fan base there by playing live shows and getting local press. Then you start traveling to the close cities and doing the same thing. It's usually a waste to travel to another city to play a show, unless you have some sort of pr or press thing lined up... Once you start building fans in 2 or 3 cities, you can start venturing out further to build and build. And of course, never turn down the chance to open for a band or artist that is bigger than you. The fan trickle down can sometimes be huge. Just a few of my scattered thoughts.