Hi

Robbie Tunwarm · Hi

Hey everyone, just wanted to say HI! and ask some advice...

I am a new musician in SL and I just found the inworld SLMC group and this forum.

Being the techno-nerd I am Very Happy

I have had no problem figuring out the hardware/software/audio stream stuff and how that works... I am having a really fun time performing. My biggest problem right now is,,, how the heck do you find places to perform?

Some background... I play acoustic guitar and sing,,, I have some formal music background and a lot of years of playing as a non-professional in RL. I am a realist, so I realize that my music choice (primarily contemporary folk music covers that seldom receive radio air time) and skill level (non-professional) mean it is unlikely I will have mass appeal in SL. So, I would be perfectly happy playing smaller venues for tips...

I have been performing about 6 weeks and have signed up for every open mic, contest, and anything else I can find,,, I have played about 20 sets in the 6 weeks. I have been able to assemble a small fan group of about a dozen members and have received a few offers to play one time shows from the open mic events, but I am getting tired of the open mic stuff.

So, the question is, what is the best/easiest way to find venues that are willing to book an unknown, unproven performer? It seems like a lot of work to go around to each individual venue, find the owner/manager, and ask if they will book me. So,,, is there a better way? Does someone have a list of venues that hire people like me? Is there a group or place where venue owners and musicians can meet? How well does using the SL Classified Ads work? Can I hire someone else to do all this so I can concentrate on the music, and if so, where can I find such a person? (they would have to work for a percentage of my tips, so they aren't going to get rich, so I don't think any of the existing 'management teams' would do it...)

Thanks in advance for any advice...

~Robbie

ticious

Welcome to the forum Robbie!!!

Joining the SLMC would have been the first piece of advice I'd have given you but you seem to have done just fine there on your own Laughing

.

The next piece of advice would be to read the event listings, go to shows and get to know people. Not just the people running the shows, the people in the audience as well (some of whom run their own shows or are musicians or know people who run their own shows or are musicians). Make friends and network.

Above all, be patient and have fun.

Jura Shepherd

Hey Robbie, and welcome.

Norris Shepherd

ticious

The thing about a list got me thinking. I own two venues and I get im's and notecards dropped on me every day from people I've never heard of, promoting musicians I've never heard of, all of them wanting to play at my venue. Some will give me websites where I can listen to mp3s, but few if any tell me where to hear these musicians in world and even if they did, the chances of me having the time to get out an hear them all is real slim.

On the other hand, at many of my shows, people in the audience strike up a conversation with myself or my host and somewhere along the line they let it slip that they're a musician or they're representing a musician. I'm much more likely to find time to get out to see these folks play and sometimes, I even have a last minute opening and can just stick them on the stage.

My point? Cold calls are not very effective and are mostly ignored. I just don't have time to follow them all up. Yeah, it's a lot of work to get around to venues, but hey, I've made some really good friends this way!!!

So what's your goal here? To play at every venue in SL (and considering the way they come and go, that's a helluva goal!) or to play music, have fun and make friends? From the tone of your post, I'm guessing the latter. If I'm right, the live music event listings are the way to go.

DjaiSkjellerup

Hi Robbie welcome to the forum.

You have had some good answers here so far. I will just chip in on the issue of having someone find gigs for you.

Lots of acts have management of some sort and lots do not. With a little more exposure in world and here on the forum you will start to find out who the managers are and how they operate. Just like in RL there are good ones and not so good ones.

Just consider whether you really need it. By the time you have had enough exposure to find the right manager you'll have also had enough exposure to know a few venues and if you are only intending to play a couple of times a week then thats probably enough.

It all comes down to personal preference. If you find locating gigs onerous enough that you want no part of it then having a manager is the thing for you. Once you have a manager you need a system (probably a google calendar you both have access to edit) so your manager knows you cannot play the 3rd Tuesday in September because you have to take grandma for a shave.

One thing that might be handy though is to search the forum for Kat's Konnection or contact Kat Vargas in world as I know she runs an open audition system that multiple venue operators attend and it's all free I think.

Good luck Smile

Cher Harrington

I agree with Ticious Smile

I host about 7 days a week at various venues, so it's better to come to the venue, chat with us, let us know you are a performer and are interested.

BlindBoy Gumbo and I were just talking about that - the fact that he came to the Blarney Stone and asked for an audiition while I was there, we put him on stream, and WOW Smile

Fyrm Fouroux

Hi Robbie, and welcome. I agree with what has been said above, and my position is fairly close to what Norris has described. Good luck!

Robbie Tunwarm

Thanks everyone for the replies, there is some good information there...

I guess I neglected to mention that while I have been performing for about 6 weeks, I have been on SL for about 6 months, and the first 3-4 months I spent the majority of my time attending live music events..., that's how I got the idea to try performing... though I have to admit I was more interested in following specific performers around than paying attention to the venue they were playing in... anyway, I do know a few people here and there, maybe I know more than I thought I did...

Hey Norris, you were one of the guys I watched... I think I actually talked to you for a few minutes one day after a concert... I am still in your fan group... waiting for my overalls.... Very Happy

Sounds like I need to make the time to start hanging around the concerts again and start networking with folks... I sort of ran out of time to do stuff like that when I started performing... I don't think I have been to anyone else's concert since I started...

I do remember seeing something about the Kat Vargas thing somewhere, I will look around and see if I can find it, that sounds like a good thing.

Thanks again...

~Robbie

Norris Shepherd