HOMEGROWN MUSIC... AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: MAKIN' MONEY WITH HOMEGROWN MUSIC

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

You (or your band) could also just go ahead and promote your own concert or dance. This idea should work especially well in a rural area, where there often isn't much entertainment available and where grange halls and so forth can usually be rented at reasonable rates. If you "start from scratch" in this way, however, you'll have to plan to advertise. The best (and least expensive) way to do this is to find a graphic artist (perhaps there's even one in your group) and have some simple photocopied posters made up. Remember, though, that these promotional materials should be out where folks can see them at least two weeks before the event, and make sure that the local newspapers and radio stations know about your hoedown, too. Such sources will often give you free publicity . . . if you get the materials to them well in advance of the performance.

Your self-promoted shindig will be a whole lot more likely to succeed if you can avoid competing with other public entertainments . . . such as the "big" movies, local high school dances, and so forth. Foreknowledge of other events isn't always available, however, so you'll have to be ready to just break even—or maybe go into the hole— unless you're able to assure attendance at your concert or dance by selling advance tickets.

On the other hand, the local movie theater can sometimes work for you, too. These businesses are occasionally willing to run a live music show—perhaps at no cost to musician (s)—because of the money that can be made by selling refreshments during the performance. You see, the theater owner would ordinarily have to pay to show a film (and he or she may be having trouble with attendance on week nights), so this sort of symbiotic arrangement could be to that person's advantage.

THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONCERT

If you feel that your solo act or group really has something special to offer, why not try for a concert at a small college? Junior colleges have sprung up everywhere over the past few years, and most of 'em offer free entertainment programs (often during lunch hours) to their students. In order to get one of these jobs, however, you may have to put together what's known as a "promo package". This packet would usually contain a photo of you or your group, a tape recording or record of one of your songs, and some sort of glowing description of the kind of music you play. (A poster—which the college could print up and place around the campus—would also be a big help.)

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print