Getting gigs

The first thing you need is some product. Get some recordings out there and tell people where to find them - the first thing people will ask you is "What do you sound like" and pointing them to some online content they can listen to is a gazillion times better than saying "Sort of a cross between Katy Perry and Lamb of God".

Gig photos - good ones, not "This is our drummer throwing up outside the club last week" - get them out there

Reverbnation.com is free - I have recordings, photos and vids along with my gig schedule there.

Use Youtube - even if it's a photo montage over a reasonable quality recording rather than a performance video - it's free. Windows Movie Maker is adequate for this sort of thing - again, it's free.

Use Twitter/ Facebook/ Myspace - talk to people, especially wedding planners, event planners, venue management. Point them at your material. - all these social network sites cost zero dollars.

So far, you've not had to spend any cash.

As you're all working, pool some cash and:

1 - get some CDs duplicated so you can hand them to people who say "What do you sound like?" Make sure track 1 is your best song because if the person you give it doesn't like track 1 your CD goes in the bin without track 2 getting a listen.

2 - get some flyers printed - good photo, brief band biog and say what you sound like

3 - business cards are always good. Put them up on shop notice boards - I put one up today in the local farm shop so that people can see it whilst they're picking the meat for their BBQ party.

Entertainment agents - Register with some of the "Single fee per year" people who cover your area. I spent £40 registering with a site in London in April, and I've had to turn down four of the last six enquiries that have come from that site because of being double-booked.

Do have a press pack ready too.

Go see bands. Give them your material and talk to them about suporting them at their gigs to get you exposure.

Marketing your band will take up about 50% of your free time. It takes up about 50% of my waking hours.

And enjoy it, because the next day you need to do it all again.

I don't know about your area, but around me in the summer there are a lot of outside events that have a few local bands playing sets. That would help getting the name out, and might be a lot of fun to boot

ReverbNation is also good for finding places that hire bands that are similar to you.

You should record some demo songs. We were able to record 4 songs in one day, with an extra 4-6 hours for mix-down and mastering. The cost will vary by location and quality.

Ask yourself: "If I wanted to go hear a live band tonight, where would I go?" And then go there, with a postcard or flyer and a CD.

Open mike bars are another possibility to get your music heard by music lovers . They are usually run by someone with a band or by someone with connections to a band or music clubs . The club hosting the open mike might also hire you if you fit what their clientele is accustomed to hearing and they like your set . In any case you would at least be able to open up a dialogue with the emcee or sound man and all the other performers . Musicians like to hang around other musicians . Good luck !

Make some recordings and get a booking agent it will save alot of time and leg work. Also the Facebook and everything else people mentioned