[Dixielandjazz] Playing where the people are

[Stephen G Barbone]

The below advice from the CD Baby Blog. (It has worked for us for the  
past 15 years)

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband

Get outdoors and make more money!
MAY 28, 2010
Summer vacation doesn’t apply to musicians!

Make the most of the sunshine by looking for some outdoor gigs this  
summer. Sure, they’re not always the most high-profile shows on the  
Cool-O-Meter, but they can be far more lucrative and expose you to a  
new audience that probably would NOT attend your midnight set at the  
club downtown. Oftentimes, the booking is handled by people who are  
not in the music industry, so expect to do a decent amount of reaching  
out. Always remember to be polite. Be professional. And make it clear  
why your act would be perfect for their event. The best part of  
course, is that most of these opportunities come with a decent payday,  
and once you make a good impression, they’ll usually have you back  
over and over again.  Here are some opportunities to consider:

Summer Festivals – Whether the festival is centered around music, art,  
or food, these fun, outdoor events work on the same principle:  
maximize attendance through a diversity of entertainment. You’ll  
probably be performing in front of a lot of strangers, but that is the  
way to win new fans. Contact the festival’s event planner/talent buyer  
about securing a slot.

Farmers’ Markets – These community-conscious, locally-driven events  
are perfect for solo and low-volume acts who want to do their thing in  
front of a crowd of people already primed to support the independent  
spirit.

Go Governmental – You pay your taxes. Maybe you should let your town,  
city, or county pay YOU back! Contact your local government officials  
about publicly-funded festivals, street fairs, parades, library  
events, etc.

Throw your own shindig – If you’ve got a decent draw, it can be a  
great experience to put on your own show in a park or camp site where  
fans can congregate and have a good time all centered around a single  
theme… YOU!