Why Your Band Needs To Open For Other Bands

By Mark Grove

I'll make this simple guys.

The reason you hunt out other bands is to make more money and create value for other bands at the same time.

You have to give before you get guys.Okay,I know your band works hard and practices 3 times a week--has a great demo CD and jams with other bands.At least you better be.Now you're probably wondering how you can make more money by hunting out other bands.

If you just play in a stand alone band and play strictly your own gigs you might succeed.But it makes it tougher to make the money your band deserves.The more eyes and ears on your band the better.

So how do you do all of this?

If you've been reading Canadian Guitar Player or my new Musicians Instant Press Kit Blog,you'll know that creating massive value for other bands will help your band vastly!

Alright,start by interviewing a band you would like to either jam with or open for who already plays regular gigs.Write articles on them and put them on your site.Include doing live interviews with

them at their gigs.Try to get College media to come out to the gigs as well.

College media represents a hipper cache of fans who will resonate with your music.Also,talk to clubs who book them and get them to bring mainstream media out.At this point still keep doing articles on them,but offer to open up for them--for free if you have to.

If they say no,move on to another band you're interested in and do the same thing.Don't give up.When you find a band that wants an opening act,make sure your band is ready chops wise, set list wise and have played some gigs on your own.

Once you find a band that says yes,play a number of gigs with them as an opener,and offer to have them open for you as well.Make the same pitch to other bands.Keep interviewing other bands in your genre,and keep opening for others and them reciprocating.

Then when you develop a good base of fans,start selling your CDS at your gigs.Offer to sell other bands CDS as well at their gigs for 10 percent of the take.This is a great way to make more money.

I'll talk about that in a future article.

Try this out and see what happens.

Mark G