How To Book Your Band On A Festival This Summer

ReverbNation co-founder and all around nice guy Lou Plaia has written this great article now available on hypebot.com:

Many bands and performers are anxious to get on the summer festival scene each year and the shocking truth is that the great majority of them submit their press kits without music or documentation of their fanbase.  These artists have a 99% chance of being rejected because the promoter won’t go to another website to find the band’s music and won’t think they have a following.  In response to this problem, I asked many of the 200 promoters (talent buyers, booking agents, festival and conference operators) we’ve worked with for some tips on how artists can get noticed.

First of all, to play at a festival, a conference or open for a national act at a club, you usually need to have experience under your belt.  If you are a new band, start small at your local clubs and make sure the venue makes sense for you.

  Lou Plaia at the 2010 Dewey Beach Music Conference with
Brian Cronin (Origivation Magazine) and Madalyn Sklar (GoGirls)

Make sure your online profiles pages are updated so the promoter is not misinformed.  Don’t forget to sync everything to your online profile pages so the promoter sees how many fans you have.  Before you submit your press kit you should make sure your best song is listed first.  You probably have 15 seconds to capture a promoter’s attention. Make sure it is not solely instrumental (unless that is who you are) or an introduction from a radio station.  Also, make sure it is not exclusive to your fans because chances are the promoter is not your fan (yet). Lastly, make sure the quality is good enough so the listener doesn’t have to adjust the volume and equalizer. 

Read more HERE.