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Post by leedscitystompers on Dec 14, 2017 1:15:23 GMT
Hey guys and gals.
My 1920s guitar, washboard, ragtime, hokum and blues duo 'The Washboard Resonators' are looking to book our 2018 tours and we're looking for small pay-in gigs with real music fans. Maybe there are places you can suggest?
We both already do 230+ gigs a year with this act (and others we run). We do well from gigging and pay the mortgage but some of these gigs are not always as rewarding as music clubs, local promoters, specialist venues, little theatres and festivals.
When we tour The Washboard Resonators every April and November we try and book these nicer gigs where making money is less important and make sure we play nice rooms, travel to nice places, build our audience and spread the word about traditional blues and early jazz.
By March 2018 we will have recorded our first album of originals and invested in PR etc for this recording and the tour. In April we will tour the hell out of the record and hopefully sell some tickets as well as albums!
We've got 19 dates filled in April and 8 in November so far but would love to fill the rest.
I'm sure you all know local places that might suit. A recent Facebook post asking this same question has lead to lots of excellent new venues being suggested that we're contacting daily now and we have already booked a few. I guess if you don't ask you don't get!
We'd love to hear of any suggestions and we're always happy to gig-swap or share venues with other musicians all over the UK and beyond looking for gigs. We find the more we help others the more we get in return.
Below is a showreel showing some of the guitar, banjo, washboard, suitcase, tap-dancing, ukulele, vaudeville, spoons, kazoo, drums, comedy etc to get a flavour of what we do and if it might be suitable at your local venue.
We can be reached by PM on here, the website, facebook, instagram, twitter and probably other things I've forgotten...
Thanks in anticipation,
Martyn & Jack
Showreel -
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2017 7:50:08 GMT
Marrs Bar, Worcester // Chestnut Inn, Worcester // Blues Cafe, Bridgnorth // Red Lion, Evesham // Valkyrie, Evesham // Iron Road, Evesham // Worleys, Stourport // Great Malvern Hotel, Malvern.
Also, try the Siren Ageny (Heidi Bishop) on facebook.
TT
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Post by Dessery on Dec 15, 2017 7:00:27 GMT
Platform tavern , Southampton 😀
All the best
David
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Post by Michael Messer on Dec 15, 2017 9:29:07 GMT
We both already do 230+ gigs a year with this act (and others we run). We do well from gigging and pay the mortgage By March 2018 we will have recorded our first album of originals and invested in PR etc for this recording and the tour. In April we will tour the hell out of the record and hopefully sell some tickets as well as albums! We've got 19 dates filled in April and 8 in November so far but would love to fill the rest Hi Martin & Jack, 230+ gigs a year, a good income, mortgage paid, 19 dates in April....etc. Is this a parallel universe to the one I'm living in? Perhaps you should start a booking agency! Investing in PR for an album release & tour is not all it's cracked up to be. Unless you are paying big money to a top-end PR person or company, they are only doing what anyone would do with a bunch of CDs, envelopes and stamps. PR people like to claim that the success of a particular album is their doing, but in most cases at grass roots level that is just not true. There was a time when you could not reach the important key media people and taste-makers without a PR person or 'plugger' taking your product by hand to the DJs and journalists. But these days that is not the case and within reason you can reach all the people you need to reach without paying a PR company. If you are able to go to a top-end PR company you also have to have the tour dates to back up their work. Paying a load of money to a PR company for a month's work without a serious tour in place, is pointless. BTW >"Help NEEDED".... is a bit on the pushy side. It is not 'needed', it would be 'gratefully received' It looks to me like you don't need any help in the PR department. I am not trying to be negative, just offering advice and trying to be helpful and supportive. Shine On Michael. |
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Post by bonzo on Dec 15, 2017 11:25:39 GMT
Sage advice Michael. I've also found over the years that the people 'in the business' who's job it was to help and promote a band were generally the last people to have a clue how to do it!
These guys seem to be doing okay, they know the scene they're gigging in better than most PR people ever could.
Any gigs on the horizon for you Michael?
Best wishes to you all, John
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Post by slide496 on Dec 15, 2017 12:33:16 GMT
Welcome to the forum. Great to know the music is getting out there and my best to the Washboard Resonators and their continued success. The more popular the music, the better  I'm wondering if they have any gig leads to share with the forum or where they feel the music was well received in exchange? Perhaps the places would be interested in hearing from some of the forum members. My Best, Harriet |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2017 16:57:47 GMT
Welcome to the forum. I'm wondering if they have any gig leads to share with the forum or where they feel the music was well received in exchange? Perhaps the places would be interested in hearing from some of the forum members. My Best, Harriet Yes, I'm waiting for this too - cos I actually need help  TT |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2017 17:32:45 GMT
I agree with Michael and Bonzo Martyn. Your act is slick,professional and unusual and with the gigs you already have plus judicious use of social media (your showreel is excellent by the way) you'll soon be turning down gigs. A good product sells itself as they say. Sorry I can't help with venues.
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Post by lonelyjelly on Dec 16, 2017 21:53:47 GMT
Coast - Worthing (look up Coastal Connections on fb)
The Talking Heads - Southampton
Grays - Brighton
The Exchange - Hove
Mad Ferret - Preston
I really like the showreel and hope to catch you live!
Have a good one,
Lew
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Post by leedscitystompers on Dec 19, 2017 23:36:40 GMT
Marrs Bar, Worcester // Chestnut Inn, Worcester // Blues Cafe, Bridgnorth // Red Lion, Evesham // Valkyrie, Evesham // Iron Road, Evesham // Worleys, Stourport // Great Malvern Hotel, Malvern. Also, try the Siren Ageny (Heidi Bishop) on facebook. TT Fantastic!! Thanks for these! If you're looking for stuff up in and around Yorkshire feel free to get in touch anytime and we'll hook you up! Thanks, Martyn. |
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Post by leedscitystompers on Dec 19, 2017 23:37:23 GMT
Platform tavern , Southampton 😀 All the best David Beautiful stuff. Never done Southampton so that's perfect! Thanks. |
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Post by leedscitystompers on Dec 20, 2017 0:01:26 GMT
We both already do 230+ gigs a year with this act (and others we run). We do well from gigging and pay the mortgage By March 2018 we will have recorded our first album of originals and invested in PR etc for this recording and the tour. In April we will tour the hell out of the record and hopefully sell some tickets as well as albums! We've got 19 dates filled in April and 8 in November so far but would love to fill the rest Hi Martin & Jack, 230+ gigs a year, a good income, mortgage paid, 19 dates in April....etc. Is this a parallel universe to the one I'm living in? Perhaps you should start a booking agency! Investing in PR for an album release & tour is not all it's cracked up to be. Unless you are paying big money to a top-end PR person or company, they are only doing what anyone would do with a bunch of CDs, envelopes and stamps. PR people like to claim that the success of a particular album is their doing, but in most cases at grass roots level that is just not true. There was a time when you could not reach the important key media people and taste-makers without a PR person or 'plugger' taking your product by hand to the DJs and journalists. But these days that is not the case and within reason you can reach all the people you need to reach without paying a PR company. If you are able to go to a top-end PR company you also have to have the tour dates to back up their work. Paying a load of money to a PR company for a month's work without a serious tour in place, is pointless. BTW >"Help NEEDED".... is a bit on the pushy side. It is not 'needed', it would be 'gratefully received' It looks to me like you don't need any help in the PR department. I am not trying to be negative, just offering advice and trying to be helpful and supportive. Shine On Michael. ---/// Thanks for the info Michael. It means a lot coming from you and I appreciate the time taken to reply. On the subject of being an agent; a few folks have mentioned us doing booking agencies but TBH we prefer playing and already spend far too long doing admin stuff as it is! In an ideal world we would like to 'move up' a bit and have people specialising and helping with that on our behalf or generally doing fewer gigs but keeping the income the same. We're lucky we have understanding partners as we can be away a lot. I agree on the title thing so apologies to anybody who felt put out by that. I have a habit of speedily 'puking' out emails and messages when on line (usually pushed for time) and when reading back later find myself thinking it doesn't sound the way I meant it. No pushiness meant at all! It's something I'm trying to improve! I actually felt a bit silly for asking people on here originally but our Facebook post brought in so many great venues so I thought I'd try. We've got great ideas from the here already and so it shows that many musicians like to help others if they can which is wonderful. We like to share contacts and also put up traveling musicians when we can do so hope to reach other fans and players of early jazz and blues and what better place than here!? Anyway, thanks again. I'm sure I speak for many - but what you do with this forum and the information you share is invaluable and much appreciated. I have a number of instruments bought off here and love and use them daily and they're all set up and looked after from all the info I've gleaned on here that I'm not sure I could have got elsewhere. This forum really is a wonderful thing. All the best, Martyn |
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Post by leedscitystompers on Dec 20, 2017 0:06:30 GMT
Sage advice Michael. I've also found over the years that the people 'in the business' who's job it was to help and promote a band were generally the last people to have a clue how to do it! These guys seem to be doing okay, they know the scene they're gigging in better than most PR people ever could. Any gigs on the horizon for you Michael? Best wishes to you all, John Good words that are very encouraging! We decided years ago to sort ourselves out as you can 'trust yourself' and I've heard horror stories from other acts working with 'professionals' in the biz. Cheers. |
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Post by leedscitystompers on Dec 20, 2017 0:22:50 GMT
Welcome to the forum. Great to know the music is getting out there and my best to the Washboard Resonators and their continued success. The more popular the music, the better I'm wondering if they have any gig leads to share with the forum or where they feel the music was well received in exchange? Perhaps the places would be interested in hearing from some of the forum members. My Best, Harriet Hey, Kind words!! Thanks. In terms of sharing info, there are so many venues and we're booking tours in 'pay in' venues so there's a lot of risk on some as they're in areas we don't have much following! All those gigs are on the website if people want to book similar gigs. As a quick share for anyone looking for public gigs that pay a flat fee and have a good vibe in Yorkshire then the following can be reached on Facebook or websites were applicable. Anybody want to gig swap more then PM or call me. Number is on the website. Happy to chat! Smokestack, Leeds, bands Wednesday and solo Sunday. Ask for Ben. The Grove Inn, Leeds, every night practically, Ask for Dave. The Blues Bar Harrogate, Fri, Sat, 3 slots on Sundays. Email only. Simon's your man. The Sair Inn, Huddersfield, Weds, Sat, Sun. Ask for Gavin. Honeybee Blues Club, Sheffield, Various, FB is best, Martin Bedford is the guy and these clubs are great. Al's Dime Bar, Bradford, various, Ask for Stevie. The Greyhound, Barnoldswick, Sunday's, Ask for Tracey. Head of Steam, Headingley, Leeds, Sheffield. Various nights. Richard at Muted Productions books these and is best found on Facebook. Hope that helps as a starting point. Martyn |
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Post by leedscitystompers on Dec 20, 2017 0:25:54 GMT
Welcome to the forum. I'm wondering if they have any gig leads to share with the forum or where they feel the music was well received in exchange? Perhaps the places would be interested in hearing from some of the forum members. My Best, Harriet Yes, I'm waiting for this too - cos I actually need help TT I replied to Harriet with some on this thread. Hope it helps as a starting point. Get in touch if you need more!! |
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