So you and your friends have colonized an old house in North Portland with a perfect-sized basement for your gaggle of instruments and close friends to co-inhabit. But playing to your friends in your own house can become a stale activity in little to no time. So, we at the Vanguard are here to help you and your fledgling band take the next step and make the leap from basement to stage, from unknown to known.
Unfortunately, there is no easy, one-step solution to begin playing around town—it is a process that requires hard work and dedication, but don’t let this truth act as a deterrent. Below are some easy steps to follow to get set down the right path.
Something to get out of the way first is the choice between DIY booking and promotion or hiring a company to promote your band. Any Google search for Portland promoters will result in a list of resources, but for students living cheaply, self-promotion is the way to go.
After that, the first essential tool any band needs is a press kit. A press kit provides a convenient compilation of relevant information for venue bookers to examine in order to determine if your band is the one they’re looking for.
Usually, a press kit comprises the following: some sort of general biography, a recording (don’t necessarily worry about sound quality here; as long as the demo represents the sound of the band, it will suffice), a band photo or logo, contact information and a list of equipment. If you have the option, as the icing on the cake, include any press coverage your band has gotten so far. If you haven’t quite made it into the Mercury or Willamette Week yet, ask a friend with a blog to write a short review of your demo and include that. Any critical response to your band’s music will serve to boost both credibility and professionalism.
Next, determine what sort of venue you think your band would be best suited for. This decision can take into account things like crowd demographic, genre and the types of other bands that play at a given venue. Most of this step is pretty common sense. For example, a jazz group with a large following would probably not have much luck with a small metal bar–venue like The Know on Northeast Alberta Street, just as a metal band with a small following would be a mismatch for the Arlene Schnitzer downtown.
Now that you have the essential tools, what comes next? Well, once you’ve preened and pruned your press kit and compiled a list of appropriate venues, get in contact. Most small venues in Portland do in-house booking, so find a number, give a call and ask to speak to the person in charge of booking. It’s important to keep in mind that many venues tend to book shows 1–3 months in advance, so be prepared to be turned down or asked to inquire again in the future. Again, don’t let roadblocks like this deter you, be persistent.
Portland is a big town with a huge music scene. This means that the relatively small number of venues get a lot of inquiries. Luckily, the nature of the music scene here in Portland has a strong DIY tilt. This means that a lot of people and bands are finding creative ways to circumvent the challenges of the coveted gig at the Doug Fir or the Wonder Ballroom and instead hold shows in their basements and makeshift venues. If the often-frustrating process of obtaining a show at venue is too much for you, simply ask around.
If you have friends in bands or friends of friends in bands, following some of the same procedures outlined above with these more face-to-face avenues may produce more successful results in securing an opening gig or being added to a house show bill. Another benefit of starting small is that you are able to build a fan base and a name around the city—things promoters look for when booking bands.
In a city many consider to be the Northwest’s mecca of music and music culture, bands have the unique opportunity to participate in a scene open and willing to accept and include new groups into its folds. One need only apply the old paradigm of hard work and perseverance to enact that inclusion—and rock on.