"CHAPTER 9: FINDING GIGS IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES"

From the book THE SELF-PROMOTING MUSICIAN, by Peter Spellman

Here are just a few of the thousands of "hidden" gig opportunities available to musicians. Musical jobs are everywhere and there's no reason you shouldn't enjoy the rewards of these less-common jobs. With the current slump in the club scene and surplus of willing bands, these lesser-known jobs should be all the more attractive.

ASSOCIATIONS. Check out the multi-volume Encyclopedia of Associations and you'll find over 25,000 associations (read, similar interest groups) in the United States. Start with topical associations that strike your interest: environmental, arts, religious, media, educational, computer, social service, science fiction, etc. Virtually every association sponsors state, regional, and national meetings and conventions, and many of them hold dinners, programs, dances or fundraisers that need music.

Call them and ask for two things: first, request they send you information about their association with a calendar of the coming years' events, and second, get the name of the association's Entertainment Coordinator or Chairperson of the Entertainment Committee. When you reach the entertainment person (after you've studied the information sent to you), be ready with a sales pitch tailored to their own special interests. The key is to create a "tie-in" with what they're all about. Begin with local associations and branch out.

BUSINESSES of all kinds are great possibilities for a wide variety of music work. Though business events are often booked by entertainment agencies or public relations firms, many are open to outside suggestions. Businesses need music for any number of functions including ground-breaking ceremonies, grand openings, seasonal sales, trade shows, promotions and retirements, company milestones, Christmas and New Year's Eve parties, and fashion shows. I once played a reggae gig for a Caribbean travel agency at a bridal fashion show in the Providence Civic Center in Rhode Island. Our job was to provide background music to entice brides to choose the Caribbean for their honeymoon spot. We were literally put behind a curtain, out of sight. So we just jammed some reggae grooves for two hours and walked away with $1500! This, and a few other gigs like it, helped us finance a recording we were making at the time. Can your act fit in with any of these events? Businesses are everywhere. The Yellow Pages are your best source for ideas. The possibilities are endless.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS sponsor all kinds of events that need music. Again, begin locally with a directory from your public library and scope out those organizations with which you resonate. There are as many non-profits as there are associations, so it's a wide-open field. Don't forget civic orchestras, historical societies, health organizations, and foundations-all of which may sponsor dinners, dances or shows to benefit a cause. Some of these will be non-paying (basic freight and technical costs excluded), but what is lost in cash can be gained in publicity and important contacts. As with the business and association gigs, these jobs often lead to repeat business for your act.

CONVENTIONS make up one of the largest, fastest-growing markets in contemporary America. Just about every business, industry, government agency, social group, and professional association has, at the very least, an annual meeting or conference to discuss common interests, socialize with colleagues, make useful contacts, and plan for the coming year. And they all hire musicians for entertainment. Try to find out if there will be a particular theme for the convention and then tie-in your act with that theme.

The people you want to contact for these gigs are Events Planners. They specialize in organizing all the different components of a successful convention. Most work through entertainment companies but isn't that what you are? Again, the way you present yourself makes all the difference. There's a great annual resource called Meeting Professionals International Directory (214-712-7700, TX) that will give you the contact info on these people. You should be able to find it in a large public library. See also the Yellow Pages under "Convention Services and Facilities."

COUNTRY CLUBS need lots of music for an astounding variety of occasions. They have regularly scheduled dinners, dances, parties, and athletic events, as well as more specialized "theme" parties, seasonal activities, and shows. When you think of "clubs," however, don't limit yourself to just the big country clubs. Include every organized group you can think of, and you'll expand your market to include all kinds of non-public but well-paying gigs. Since country clubs are often linked to golf courses you can find a complete national list of them in a directory called Golf Courses: The Complete Guide to over 14,000 Courses Nationwide.

PARK PROGRAMS abound, and local government agencies are often in control. Begin with the "Recreation and Park Departments" in your region. If you want to check out park programs outside your region, consult The Municipal Executive Directory to put you in touch with key people in parks and recreation departments. Other government-sponsored work can include inner-city festivals, cultural-enrichment programs, officers and NCO clubs and even foreign tours. Some of this information can be found through the mayor's office in the city of your choice.

CRUISE LINES. Want to spend the winter jammin' on the warm waters of the Caribbean? Then perhaps cruise line work is for you. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry is one of the fastest growing categories in the entire leisure market. The industry has tripled in size every ten years! New employees are needed to support the growing cruise vacation business, and this includes a wide assortment of musicians. Cruise lines rely on entertainment agents such as Marcelo Productions out of Miami (305-854-2228) and ProShip Entertainment out of Quebec (514-485-8823), who regularly hold auditions in various cities. Players should be able to read as well and have a wide repertoire to draw from. Salaries range from $350 to $500 per week and include food, lodging and transportation to and from the ship. For inside information on this job option, see How to Get a Job with a Cruise Line by Mary Fallon Miller.

HOTELS are a prime market for musicians and not just GB (general business) acts. Hotel-sponsored parties are frequent and a variety of music is sought for them. Much of this work comes through word of mouth. If you have a good relationship with the catering or sales staff, you'll get these jobs. A full list of a particular city's hotels can be obtained from that city's Convention & Visitor's Bureau or Department of Tourism.

PRIVATE PARTIES are another specialized but excellent market to pursue. Since many of these are held in well-to-do homes, it is important that you be able to relate socially as well as musically. How do you find out who's throwing a party? One way is to contact party organizers and caterers. Send them your business cards, letting them know what you can offer their clients by way of music. Stay in touch. You never know what will turn up.

PUBLIC RELATIONS firms and advertising agencies can be good music clients because they are involved in creating and staging all kinds of events. A band I was playing with was approached by a PR rep for McDonald's to see if we'd be interested in performing at the grand opening of one of their restaurants. It's nice when they come to you, but you can also go to them. Whatever your musical specialty, you should let all the advertising and PR firms in your area know, so when they need your type of music they'll know where you are. Remember, public relations and advertising people thrive on innovation and are open to suggestions for new or unusual uses of music. Therefore, when talking with these firms, let creativity rule. Make suggestions that are too unusual to present to other clients, and you'll be treated as a kindred spirit.

SCHOOLS offer a broad market for all kinds of music, whether elementary, high school or college. Colleges, in particular, are rich with playing opportunities. They should be viewed as small cities with scores of events happening each week throughout the year. If you're serious about playing the college circuit you should definitely check out The National Association of Collegiate Activities (NACA). NACA holds annual regional conferences (read: trade shows) where musical acts can exhibit their wares for the hundreds of college talent buyers passing through. Live showcase opportunities are also possible and, if you're liked, can result in "block bookings" along the college touring circuit. To book yourself at colleges, call the student activities office and find out who is responsible for hiring entertainment at that school. Call that person and inquire about specific events during the upcoming year that might be appropriate for your style of music.

For music opportunities on the elementary, middle, junior high and high school levels, check out How to Make Money Performing in Public Schools by David Heflick. Heflick discusses what schools are looking for, developing a program, how arts commissions work in relation to schools, promotion, scheduling, performance, payment and follow-up. An excellent handbook.

THE SELF-PROMOTING MUSICIAN By Peter Spellman

$24.95 * BOOK * ISBN: 0-634-00644-4

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