In my my last article I discussed how difficult it can be for unknown bands to book college shows. In this article, I’d like to give you some insights into how to do it, with some help from two other former college bookers: Jonelli Gordon, former concerts chair at NYU Program Board from 2004 to 2006 and Sam Welch, former booking agent of the Friday Night Rock group at Dartmouth College.

How to Contact a Booker

The first and obviously most important step in this process is finding a college booker. If you don’t know any college bookers, contact someone at the student union. They will put you in contact with whoever books shows.

When you get a contact, send an e-mail with these essentials: your name, your band’s name, and a link to your music (preferably downloadable) that’s a contemporary reflection of your music.

For Sam, who set up lots of small shows which allowed him the freedom to book lesser-known bands, “A short, succinct e-mail saying who you are with a link to few streaming or (preferably) downloadable tracks is just about the best thing you can do.

“For me, the best chance for a band I hadn’t yet heard of was if they got a song into my headphones. The easier they made that, the more likely they were to get booked. No long e-mails outlining everything they’ve done so far, not links to blog posts their friends wrote on their Geocities pages or whatever, just a few songs and an email address.”

Don’t Be a Jerk

If they get back to you, be willing and easy to work with. When you negotiate, be reasonable. If a booking agent has responded to your music, they want the show to happen.

Since these are students not responsible for turning a profit, they will try to give you what you want – within reason.

If you’re looking for more money, frame it in terms like “This is what we need to make the show happen!” instead of “If you want us to do this shit, here’s what we want.”

But remember: “Once you’ve been booked, don’t forget, that’s not where the interaction ends,” Sam stressed. “For fuck’s sake: Show up on time, call if you’ll be late, be nice to the sound guy, and throw a few ‘Please’s and ‘Thanks’ in there,” Sam said.

“Not to sound like a mom here, but after dealing with more than a few pissed, ‘I’m too cool for this shit’ bands, I made it a POINT to not recommend them to other venues or people. Just…be nice, if you can.”

Be An Awesome, Dependable Opener

Often, I’d book an established, well-known band and think: Who will open? The typical scenario, as Jonelli put it: “A few times the band wanted to bring someone they were touring with along, other times we just went with local bands. Sometimes the booking agent would make suggestions from their roster.”

About half the time, openers are up to the booker, so being in her good graces and close by can get you a show. On college campuses, bookers use popular campus bands to draw crowds and keep them in the room for the headliner. Even if you’re not a student band, if you have a local following from playing gigs in town, whether at house parties or at bars, you can get booked. If a booker or bartender at a local bar can verify that people come to see your band play, you’re much more likely to get a gig.

Booking local bands is a win-win-win for the booker. The local band gets stage time and free beer, the headliner gets a bigger crowd for their set, and the booker gets a packed house and a happy headliner.

The more a booker likes you, the more the booker will depend on you, which will give you more opportunities to play that campus. Instead of just being another slot for a booker to fill, a good relationship with her becomes a chance to hook a friend’s band up. So make an effort to meet people who book shows through other musicians and friends, and once you do, make a good impression.

“Willingness to work around schedule conflicts, willingness to travel, and willingness to play for cheap,” are all crucial, Sam said. “Flexible bands were a lot more likely to get a slot!” So don’t forget: A free t-shirt or CD always leaves a great taste in a booker’s mouth.

Of course, the easiest way to get booked is to have the bookers come to you. Consider how you find music – talking to friends, listening to radio, going to shows, and reading websites and magazines. If a booker comes to you, you’re in the driver’s seat.

But if you’re not lucky enough to light up the blogosphere or know someone booking shows, you’ll have to do it this old fashioned way. But if you contact bookers consistently and courteously, you do have a shot at getting a show.