First off, most original bands (and even bands in general) tend to have friends and family as their biggest base of supporters. This is great when a band first gets out onto the scene. This base is what I call their social capital. And like real money, bands would be strongly advised not to spend it all in one place.

Friends and family will support you through thick and thin…for a while. But when a band starts to play out every weekend, the social capital starts to wear thin. These “fans” have heard the tunes a few too many times. Maybe they have even heard the practice sessions coming up through the floorboards. Suddenly they are coming to fewer and fewer gigs, maybe even making up some lame excuses to avoid shows.

It’s hard to keep things fresh when your band is playing so often. You’ve probably also noticed the band is not writing as many new songs, because you are knocking out the same old tired set weekend after weekend. Meanwhile, the attendance is probably dropping off each week.

Play out once a month
Yes, playing out once a month or less is the best way to stretch social capital and still allow you to be visible to attract new fans. Even doing so, some of your friends and family base will see you the first month, skip the 2nd and maybe even the 3rd month, and catch back up with you later in the year. And that’s…OK.

It’s OK because your ultimate goal should be to acquire real fans. Friends and family will support you, but real fans will gravitate to your shows, become advocates of your music and help you truly grow. Friends and family support dries up eventually, which is one reason why so many bands break up in the first six months to a year.

What do we do between shows? Exercising restraint allows a band to do a number of other vital activities that are crucial to the band’s long term success:
*Practice!
*Write more and better tunes.
*Work on elements of the live show.
*Work on promotion efforts (submit music to stations, blog, market, write press releases, do interviews).
*Practice some more – become jaw-droppingly good.

Still not convinced? Then consider playing out more frequently only if there is a significant amount of physical distance between gigs. Play Lakewood, then Aurora. Trek to Fort Collins or CO Springs next or up to the mountains. Yes, you are actually touring then! That’s why bands get out of town in the first place – to pick up new fans and not burn out the old.

Some local bands have enough restraint to only play out twice a year. These bands are desirable to see because they are not easily accessible or overly saturated in the marketplace. And when they do perform, it’s always special…and lucrative.

Play out once a month (or less) and your attendance per show should be strong. You will develop a real following, made up of real fans. And paradoxically, the venues will thank you with more gigs…

Feel free to comment on this blog. And please stay tuned for the next entry for attracting bigger audiences – turning down the volume!!

Here are some of the topics we’ll be covering:

Making your show more about the fans…
Play less shows, or mix it up…
Turn down the volume!!
Chatting with band personnel…
Turn the gig into an event…

Let’s start with a biggie: Making your show more about the fans…

Like it or not, your music is not the be-all, end-all of a Fan’s night out on the town. Most of your fans are going out to dinner before a show, maybe catching a movie afterwards, maybe struggling with babysitters in between. It’s just not all about you.

This is especially true when you are playing original music at a showcase venue with just one set of music. There better be a pretty good reason for them to come see you, besides outright pity.

The first step is to have staggeringly high quality music. Let’s be honest, if your music is jaw-droppingly good, people will come to hear you just for that. So woodshed the hell out of every tune.

But we also live in a multimedia age so accept the fact that the more visual your live show, the more enjoyable it will be for the audience. Do you incorporate:

Video backdrops?
It’s a powerful thing when music and images are combined. It could be as simple as a slideshow, or as exciting as live feed of the audience. Make friends with videographers and tech geeks early and often, and let their creative reins loose.

Costumes?
If your band has a theme, this can often be a no-brainer. Most of your band mates would also probably appreciate the simplicity of having a band “uniform” that they pull out for shows. Remember that you are trying to create photo ops for the audience.

Some female performers?
This area can’t really be overstated. Women are much easier to look at, whether playing, dancing, or just standing there. Models are more affordable to hire than you might think. And remember that costume changes can go a long way here…

Special lighting and affects?
Laser machines have gotten dirt cheap. Fog may not always work, so be sure to get approval from the venue. Cooling fog as it leaves the machine is a great way to have that low-lying effect. Combine with lights and lasers, and hell yeah! Be creative, or team with a lighting expert that wants to prove him/herself.

Stage backdrops and props?
What if the lead singer wielded a light saber? Hoops of fire? (It could be animated fire…). Full color banners can act as stage backdrop and add to the overall theme. When you’ve got a song about a car (and who doesn’t?) how about flashing some headlights at the audience? Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull was one of the pioneers of big, bouncy balls launched into the audience. Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day has a TP gun. Find your signature item and you just might stumble upon a band sponsor as well.

Going the extra mile…Have you ever held a “meet and greet” so fans can rub elbows with the band? This can be pre and/or post parties. Pre-parties might offer special reserved seating, drinks and appetizers, behind the scenes shots with band members, and a chance to hand out merch. Personalized and autographed merch can also not be overstated! As your fans post pics in real-time, posting to Facebook and twittering, they are also helping you with last minute advertising of the show.

Get creative – think about what you’d like to see at a live show. When in doubt, ASK your fans what else they would find interesting at an event. They will tell you. And then follow through and attempt to deliver.

When adding new elements to a show, you may need to experiment at first, get feedback and adjust as needed. Make the process as efficient as possible because, after all, a case could be made that if the music was jaw-droppingly good to begin with you might not even need any of this other stuff…

Please stay tuned for the next installment – Play less shows, or mix it up (geographically)…

Democracies come in all shapes and sizes. To keep it simple, know that some democracies have integrity and structures in place to maintain integrity…and some do not. Is your band attempting to be a banana republic?

Hopefully, the U.S. democracy is one of the best examples of one that works, so let’s see how many aspects of this government sound like your band: House, Senate, Judicial and Executive branch. You got all of that? The House submits new legislation and has to vote it in by majority. Then the Senate needs to confirm with a two-thirds vote. And then the President (leader of the band) can sign an action into law, or veto it. And there are all kinds of checks and balances along the way.

What? You think every member of your band should wield veto power? Tsk. Tsk. In most scenarios like this, here’s what really happens: one stubborn member of the band decides that they will veto everything except what they want. And before long, lo and behold, you’ve got a subtle little dictatorship brewing.

Now, a few other questions to see if your band is actually a democracy: what is the recall process? How often do you convene to vote? Are there formal procedures of any kind in place, or are most of your band mates really just acting like anarchists?

Ever have a mutiny? Now all of sudden you can forget all about the democracy thing – you’re in uncharted waters with a bunch of scaly wags. This democracy stuff isn’t as straight-forward as you thought, is it? Usually when band mates start to complain about democracy, they are really just trying to express frustration and lack of empowerment. Does that mean you need to establish a mini 4 or 5 person government? Highly unlikely.

A band is a business, plain and simple. Hopefully, it’s for profit, but that’s not always required. It might have seven business partners, or one egomaniacal Boss, or a colorful board of directors, or maybe it’s family-owned. But make no mistake…a band is not a geopolitical entity – a band is a business.

Colorado Music Gear Swap & Trade Show

Music stores and manufacturers will be displaying their wares and conducting some business in a low pressure environment. This day always promises some good networking opportunities as well. Doors open at 10AM and stay ajar through 4PM.

May 25th  Denver’s Day of Rock – several big stages downtown to celebrate local musicians all day long.  The Day of Rock is hosted by Concerts for Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to children’s causes in the Denver Metro area.

May 26th  Denver Music Gear & Swap Meet – Cervantes Masterpice Theater.  Free admission to this 3rd annual event that offers excellent musician networking.

June 1st & 2nd   Capitol Hill People’s Fair – Civic Center Park, Denver.  This festival includes lots of live music, arts & crafts and food and drink vendors.

Also June 1st & 2nd  Denver Chalk Art Festival – Larimer Square.  More than 200 artists compete in this street festival and live music shares the bill.

June 21st  Make Music Denver – 16th Street Mall.  Musicians will line downtown for this 2nd annual event that runs all day long.

June 22nd  Westword’s Music Showcase – 11th and Acoma Street, from noon till 10PM.  Acts have been nominated across various genres/categories and selected to play this prestigeous event.

July 5th & 6th  Cherry Creek Arts Festival – Apart from lots of fine art and great music, this event also features many special activities for the kiddos.

July 12th thru 14th  Colorado Black Arts Festival – City Park West.  This festival features drum and drill team competitions, parades, music and art exhibits. The festival used to be called the Denver Black Arts Festival, but was renamed to reflect its statewide focus.

July 18th thru 21st  Denver UMS (Underground Music Scene) – bands galore up and down Broadway.  Featured venues include the Hi Dive, 3Kings Tavern and the Skylark, and several more.

August 17th  Elizabeth Music & Art Festival – 10AM till 10PM.  Lots of great entertainers on an outdoor stage, and a special indoor nonprofit stage hosted by Musicians In Action.

August 30th thru Sept 2nd  Taste of Colorado – Civic Center Park.  Food lovers converge on the Mile High City’s annual event at Civic Center Park. Denver’s finest restaurants offer bite-size samples of their wares at the festival…and more live music!

In the past, I’ve written a couple articles about employees vs. independent contractors, the blurry lines of sidemen, independent contractor agreements, the sometimes gray area of control over band mates, and basically what every band leader needs to know to avoid employment issues.  You can lead a horse to water…perhaps a town hall meeting too?

The goal of this meeting is to help CDLE better understand the plight of the average, part-time professional musician, and for musicians to understand what CDLE needs to be assured that musicians are in compliance with all IC relationships.  The hope is for honest, constructive dialog.

If you are a musician that makes money, you really need to attend this event.  Further details will be posted on COMBO‘s web site soon enough.  Please stay tuned!

Every business plan starts with an Executive Summary.  This will probably be the shortest, yet most important part of the plan – the long term vision.  Band mates should be able to get a very clear idea of where you are heading and what is to be expected as a member of the band.  Lenders should also get a quick, clear idea of what you are about…and if not, then you need a re-write.

The Executive Summary [ES] is kind of like a hook in a song.  It’s the piece that will help everyone get excited and want to help.  A well written ES summarizes the basic components of the band and also makes people want to know more.  The ES should answer these questions at a minimum:

Does your band concept make sense?  Can you explain in one sentence what the band is all about?

Have all details of the band been thoroughly planned out?  Are you recording?  How often do you play out?  How will you promote those shows?  How will you grow your fan base?

Is there an obvious market need for your band?  Who is your target audience?  Are there venues willing to support your music?  What do you need to consider regarding your live show?

Is there a competent management team in place?  Band leaders are often the manager/control freaks of the bunch, but are they strong enough to accept help when you need to reach that next level?

How are you different than other bands out there?  As annoying as it is to be pigeon-holed, define your sound (before someone else does).

Is the fiscal side of the plan viable?  Band mates that receive pay are much more reliable than ones that don’t…

What are the long term goals for the band?  What are some milestones that will tell you that you are solidly moving in the right direction?

Do investors have a chance of making money?  Will lenders get their money back?  These are fair questions…

While all of the above may seem daunting, even answering a few of these questions will help you start moving towards better long term goals.  The Executive Summary should give a snapshot of:

Description:  who the band is and where members came from.

What you offer:  type of music you play, where you see yourself playing (or recording) and what your live show might be like.

Target Markets:  Who would be the ideal fan of your band?  If you can describe them, you can find them…

The Competition:  who or what is your direct and immediate competition?  What other obstacles are out there?

Marketing and Promotional Strategies:  how do you promote?  Where do you promote?  Yes, you may hate this part most of all, but that’s because it’s one of the most important pieces of the puzzle.  You may start to realize that you need to employ someone for help in this area…

Operations:  this chunk spells everything out – when and where (and how) do you practice?  When and where (and how) do you record?  When you start breaking things down, there are actually lots of when, where (and how’s) to address…

Management:  who is running the show?  Who will start to run the show when you need to hit that next level…and that next level?

Future Developments and Exit Strategies:  where are you heading?  You need vision here.  And what happens when band mates leave?  Clarity here can mean the difference between progress and full-blown implosion.

Financials:  what do you have to work with?  What will you do to make future dreams come true?  Kick Starter?  Sponsors?  Play X amount of shows to derive Y amount of recording funds?  Think it through…

We’ll be taking a closer look at each aspect of the plan soon – please stay tuned!

Here are five steps towards keeping everyone focused…

Step 1)  prequalify to the extreme

Prequalifying means heavily evaluating new band members before you bring them on board.  Make sure that you have explained the focus and direction of your band very carefully and that everyone is in agreement with the path.  Be sure to ask them questions, and then listen very carefully to their answers.  You may even want to put this in writing.

Caution:  you may come across musicians that tell you exactly what you want to hear.  They are simply trying to get into the next band project as quickly as possible.  They are not being honest and may not even know that they are not being honest.  You need to be able to assess their goals as carefully as possible.

Step 2)  watch for deadly hidden agendas (DHA’s)

This won’t come as a shock, but many musicians have secret desires that they won’t readily share with you; sometimes because they simply don’t know any better; sometimes because they want to take an existing structure (band) and have it serve their own ends; sometimes they don’t fully realize what situation they are getting into; sometimes they are just selfish dirt-bags (as opposed to unselfish dirt-bags).

Any way around it, DHA’s are trouble.  They can even be very harmless agendas, but if no one properly communicates them, these secret agendas are always there waiting to cause harm to the band.  Sometimes DHA’s even go dormant when a band is functioning smoothly, only to re-surface when the slightest personnel changes occur.

Step 3)  re-evaluate every time a new band member is enlisted

A band is really an experiment in group dynamics.  When members depart and new ones come on board, there will most certainly be subtle changes that need to be monitored.  A new band member needs to hit it off with each and every existing member.

 Sometimes older members will try to create alliances with the newbie in hopes of shifting the cosmic order of the band (see DHA’s above).  Sometimes the presence of a new member will draw renewed attention to some of the deficits of older members (like obsessive compulsive disorders, moodiness, flakiness and other common musician afflictions).  And…sometimes everything will go just fine.

Step 4)  reiterate band goals and direction often

It’s critical that everyone is aware of the band’s direction and working towards those ends (together) every day.  If there is not complete mutual agreement, stop and talk about the goals thoroughly until you all arrive at the same place.  This process involves listening.  It most likely will involve compromise.  And it may be painful…but be sure to take the time to talk openly with all members whenever you get the sense that anyone is veering from the page.

Many successful bands put these goals in writing and have everyone sign their consent.  Be proactive when you see any symptoms of discontent or anarchy.  A lawless band will not succeed in the long run.  But remember too that a band is not a democracy…

Step 5)  treat your band as a business

There is a temptation in musicians’ circles to think a band is a “democracy.”  But this is a major fallacy – bands are not governments.  Bands are businesses.  And every band member plays a part in the business.  Some are sole proprietors with employees.  Many are business partners with equal ownership.  Some are even the pawns of corporate masters.  But in the end, all bands are businesses and will be much more successful when everyone involved fully embraces this concept.

We’ll take a deeper look at bands as businesses soon…

Q:  What bands did you all come from?

Mike:  I played in a band called Rexway for about 6 or 7 years with Dubin and Dockter until around 2005.  Mike MaKKay currently plays in the band King Rat when he’s not rocking with us, and Geoff Orwiler also plays in the band Cure for Pain.

Q:  The dreaded, obligatory question: where does the name come from?  Any specific theme here?

Mike:  We got the name Thief River from a town in Minnesota with the same name.  It’s a small town where people don’t have much to do other than drink, fight and fuck.  All things we enjoy and like to write about.  Seemed fitting.

Q:  “Country/punk/rock” – does country come first, or is that just an alphabetic thing?  Is it a natural collision of genres, or is one more dominant?

Mike:  It’s hard to use any of those terms to describe our music because I don’t think any one of them really fits, but when you put them all together it almost makes sense.  We are all influenced by those things. Country, punk and rock.

We don’t really limit what we write we just write it.  All our influences and the things we enjoy seem to come across in the music.  Some people might listen to it and not hear any of those genre’s in the music but that’s the way we  see it.

I tell ya to picture a bottle of whiskey and everyone will recall a different experience for that bottle of whiskey.  Some see fighting, some see Jack Daniels, some see Wild Turkey, some remember puking….I say, have a shot of us and see how it sits on your tongue.

Q:  I’m hearing some Peter Gabriel-esque vocals in your tunes.  Is he an influence?  What are the predominant influences here?

Mike:  I like Peter Gabriel – as far as a predominant influence I wouldn’t say he’s a huge influence but for sure a great songwriter.  Personally and vocally I am influenced by alternative stuff from the 90’s:  Jane’s Addiction, Blind Melon, Smashing Pumpkings, Tool, Live etc.

Musically I love all sorts of things.  I grew up listening to 70’s country which was my dad’s thing.  He was a big fan of David Allen Coe, Johnny Cash, Willy Nelson etc.  I also grew up loving some 80’s hair rock and went through a pretty solid Punk Rock phase so my taste is all over the map.

Q:  Country is a pretty successful cover genre in Colorado.  Do you think it’s helped make your original tunes more accessible to the masses?

Mike:  I think Country music is successful as a cover genre everywhere.  Personally I think it’s because country music is written to speak to everyone.  It’s about writing a catchy hook that’s easy to sing along to with a message of some sort that everyone can relate to and feel.

The songs themselves are accessible to the masses just being in that genre to begin with.  I guess we try and think about that when writing music a little.  Keep it simple, keep it hooky.  I always think “would this song catch my attention or would I listen to it?”  So to answer your question….sure, maybe, yes, no.

Q:  Who does most of the songwriting, and can you describe your process (if you have one)?

Mike:  I think I probably do most of the songwriting so far simply because I had a back log of songs I had written for Rexway but never used and had a bunch of other ideas brewing around when we started up the band.  We all contribute to the writing process though.

Typically I get hit with a melody vocally.  Then I try and find some chords to put under it.  Then I’ll seek out a word or two that seems to make sense.  I’ll pitch it to the rest of the band and we’ll jam on it for a while.  Lyrically it’s a long process.  It’s almost like the song is already there, we  just keep chipping away all the bullshit until it’s finished.

Q:  What are some of your favorite venues to play around town?  Where have you had the most success?

Mike:  We love the 3 Kings, Benders, Soiled Dove Underground, Herman’s Hideaway.  Those are about the only places we’ve played in Denver with Thief River.  We’ve hit many other venues with other bands that were great here in town as well and look forward to getting into all of them.

Q:  I see you’re playing Carbondale and Grand Junction – have you done any out of state touring?  If so, what’s that been like?  And how’s the western slope for gigs?

Mike:  This will be our first time over on the western slope.  Mike MaKKay has played over there with King Rat and says it’s a great time.  We’re really looking forward to it.  With Thief River we haven’t done any out of state touring yet.  We did lots of it with other bands and it’s always a great time.

Q:  Any major plans for the balance of 2012?  What’s the main thing you’d like to accomplish this year?

Mike:  We plan to continue writing new music and playing shows.  We recorded a 3 song demo at Strickler Studio last year and we’re hoping to get started on a full length album before the end of this year.  Really our goal for this year is just to start playing more and getting our name out there and write, write, write…

Odin’s Mid Summer Deam will be held at the Buffalo Rose in Golden on Saturday, July 28th, 2012.  The BR is one of those big, underutilized venues that boasts a large, high-rise stage with lights.  The venue holds about 750 and the great room comes with balconies for added viewing pleasure.  

Admission is just $8 and this event offers:  four bands, a masquerade ball with prizes (supplied by Full Moon Book Store), various pagan vendors with everything from apparel and jewelry to herbs and massages.  Recurring emcee is Marc Sylvir (of Horror-Fest) plus body painting by local pagan artist Mythica Von Griffyn.

Doors open at 7PM and music starts at 7:45PM featuring:

Skean Dubh (authentic Celtic music)

Liston’s Good Intent (8:45PM – Americana/rock)

Odin’s Other Eye (10PM – classically modern rock for a new age).

Congress of the Crow (11:30PM – hard rock)

This is one of those “come out early and stay late” events with a little something for everyone.  So dig out your favorite costume and help Odin countdown to the dawn of a new age…