Musicians,here is an idea to help you open for local bands

Musicians---Here's an idea to help your band open for other bands

Lets say your band has been playing once a week at a blues club,but can't seem to pin down opening up for that one blues artist in town you're just dying to open for.Don't ask for money for one thing,don't even mention it to this blues guy.Instead,offer to interview them at their gig.Do it in front of their regular crowd of fans.

Get some ideas from a music magazine like Canadian Musician,Guitar World or Guitar Player.Ask them questions about their recent CD.No don't ask them who their blues influences are. That's the biggest cliche music question on the planet.Ask them about a cover song they did and how they came up with a certain part that many blues guys just copy.

That's another thing.Look for blues bands who do their own material,yet,do covers their own way.Go out of your way to look for players like that.You'll learn the most from bands like that.Ask them questions about songs using local players and what they look for when using local session players either live or on their albums.A lot more music fans these days want to know about this type of stuff,because they aren't just interested in the music,but how their material was made.

And ask simple questions like how they study the blues gurus,yet come up with heir own material.These are questions you can ask to get your foot in the door.Offer to interview this blues band once a week and put up the interviews on your website.

Do this for a month and keep playing jams and writing and recording your bands own material.Then ask this band if you can open up for them.Even if you have to do it for free,do it!

If you don't get a yes from this band,continue to interview this band and other blues bands.By helping other bands you get your foot in the door.If your band's material is liked by a metal band,offer to interview them and open for them.

Sometimes,just a little outside your genre can actually open doors for your band back in your genre of blues.The answer here is give before you get guys.

Pure and simple.Go do it.

Mark Grove  You can talk to me at: http://twitter.com/musicianswriter