Where should we book shows in the mid-atlantic US?

May 15, 2007 8:50 PM

Where should I book tour dates for an unknown indie-rock band in the middle-atlantic US?

There's a gig in North Carolina on June 15th and one in Maryland on June 23rd. I want to fill in the dates in between. What venues (21+ or all ages) do you recommend?

posted by ludwig_van to media & arts (15 comments total)

Bonus points if you know someone at the venue or can otherwise help me set it up.
posted by ludwig_van at 8:50 PM on May 15, 2007

You should post this to www.gigposters.com

I know alot of booking and venue people from all over the world hang there daily.

As to the question, osrry but I dont have an answer.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 8:54 PM on May 15, 2007

Relative Theory Records in downtown Norfolk, VA hosts small shows.
posted by wsquared at 9:26 PM on May 15, 2007

William & Mary would probably go for it. Email UCAB and tell them about the band, etc.
posted by tmcw at 9:40 PM on May 15, 2007

DC: velvet lounge. Rock and Roll Hotel.
Arlington: IOTA
Baltimore: 8x10?

Does the band have a myspace page? A quick listen might help with venue recs.
posted by shoepal at 9:46 PM on May 15, 2007

Book Your own Fucking Life.
posted by twiggy at 10:10 PM on May 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

seconding Iota in Arlington, VA.
posted by joecacti at 4:17 AM on May 16, 2007

I would do it in smaller cities or college towns. If you get a good local opener, you're far more likely to get people to come and even buy stuff.
posted by drezdn at 7:20 AM on May 16, 2007

I'm looking for specific venues, please. i.e., "colleges" does not help me.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:46 AM on May 16, 2007

Note: this doesn't name specific clubs but explains why it doesn't...

ludwig_van, in my personal experience, if you don't already have the contacts in place at clubs, you're going to have to take whatever shows you can get anywhere. Fortunately, you're looking to tour in a rather populated area of the country.

Book Your Own Fucking Life was the way to do this in the past. However, I don't think it's as useful as it used to be. The last time I tried to book a tour using it, I usually got no response or dealt with sketchy people.

There's a book call The Musician's Atlas that also lists clubs, but I've never had any luck getting a show from it. It seems geared more towards people with somewhat established names.

Any of the "unknown" bands that I know that tour try to contact bands that they like or seem sympathetic to their style and try to get those bands to set up shows for them in exchange for returning the favor in their city. Myspace used to be a good way to find these bands. If you actually want to play in front of people, this is the way to go.

Contacting clubs might get you on a bill, but usually it'll be with a band nothing like you, and you'll be playing to the headliner's girlfriends.

Finally, talk to other bands that you know locally that tour. The really smart ones probably have their own personal list of contacts club and otherwise.

Good Luck. I've managed to book a tour a week before the no-name band left on it, but in doing so, it meant weird days off, 18 hour drives, etc. It's a great way to see small towns (Hello Minot!) you'd otherwise never go to though.
posted by drezdn at 7:57 AM on May 16, 2007

For a little clarification, this is part of a larger tour involving two bands. The band that's doing the bulk of the booking wants a week off in the middle and so didn't book any shows for that week. The other band doesn't want to take a week off, so I'm trying to fill in the gap.

I've booked many shows in the past at places I'd never been before, and I'm prepared to take whatever we can get. I'm rather uprooted at the moment and so probably can't do much in the way of show swapping.
posted by ludwig_van at 8:03 AM on May 16, 2007

Where in NC? You can probably book a show at Nitelite in Chapel Hill. Email in profile if you're interested in another NC show.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 8:35 AM on May 16, 2007

If you're interested in booking at William & Mary, you should also contact the folks at WCWM 90.9 FM. They do the occasional "Band Night" and will be on the whole the most indie-band receptive people on campus (my personal experience is two decades past, but from what I understand the station's not all that different in outlook than what it was then).

Also, what about Richmond, VA?
posted by BT at 10:05 AM on May 16, 2007

if you get as far west as pittsburgh, "garfield artworks" is pretty popular with indie bands, including some reasonably known as well as totally unknown bands.
posted by lgyre at 10:54 AM on May 16, 2007

Also, what about Richmond, VA?

Indeed, what about it?

if you get as far west as pittsburgh, "garfield artworks" is pretty popular with indie bands, including some reasonably known as well as totally unknown bands.

Heh. We're actually leaving from Pittsburgh, and will be making a stop back there towards the end. It won't be at GA (although Manny Theiner is setting it up), but I've played there 7 times or so. It's my favorite venue around here.
posted by ludwig_van at 11:21 AM on May 16, 2007