RTP-area local music and culture

["Glenn Boothe / Local 506" <glennscottboothe AT gmail.com>]

Pollstar is a trade magazine for venues and booking agents.  Marty
Diamond is booking agent (Little Big Man.)  He says a lot of things I
seem to tell bands myself - and his SD v. LA scenario is not-unlike my
question of why local bands seems so fascinated with playing NYC (Play
Gboro, Wilmington, Charlotte, Asheville instead!) - glenn

Lessons Learned: Marty Diamond

This is directed at young, startup bands. We're inundated with calls
where bands say, "We need an agent!" The music could be good, bad or
indifferent, but these particular people never actually played any
dates. They hear you are supposed to have a booking agent and the
agent is supposed to get them gigs.

The lesson, for them, is learn what everyone's role is in the process.
Don't ask for an agent if you don't know what an agent actually does.
Don't pursue a record deal if you don't know what a record deal
encompasses.

We hear, "We've got an amazing record," or, "Go check out our MySpace
page." Fine, that's a good start but do you actually mean anything
where you live? They need to go out and physically do the groundwork.
Go out and try to book some dates for yourself. Try and do the
groundwork to promote. Go out and build a heartbeat. If you live in
San Diego, build a story there before you run to Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Tucson and everywhere else.

Jonathan Adelman signed The Fray, but he got on a plane first and went
to see the band in Colorado. They were already building a solid base
in their own market and now they're massive in Denver and most other
places. They took the time and all of the other elements lined up -
hit records, TV, sold-out shows, etc. Barenaked Ladies built their
reputation regionally and then had a hit record. Snow Patrol   put in
the groundwork too. Damien Rice  has built a career staying focused
and working one step at a time.

They all put in the time, the energy, and understand the process.

So this is my lesson learned, the one I tell the callers: Take the
time to understand the roles of all of us in the business and learn
the process. You want an agent? Give us a reason. There's nothing I
can do as an agent to make somebody mean something if they are not
willing to do it themselves. Create the reason for us to care about
you.

And most important of all: perfect your craft!