Around the pubs and clubs in the UK there are still many bands playing for only a few pounds to demanding audiences who simultaneously request Chuck Berry and the Arctic Monkeys. Keeping all these different people in the audience happy is never easy, but not impossible either. With good stage craft and clever of songs at a particular venue, a good band can make everyone happy.

The organisation of these bands is extraordinary. They must find like minded musicians that are committed. Then they must find somewhere to practice. This is not easy as most cannot do this at home. If you are fortunate to have a house big enough, it is unlikely you can get round the neighbours, as it is so loud! It cannot be turned down as everything must be as loud as the drums. A band usually hires a room to practice, at great cost to themselves.

A band must also spend literally thousands on equipment. PA, lighting, guitars, drums etc.

The next hurdle is transport. For some reason most drummers cannot drive! Cars are usually inadequate as you would need a fleet of about 5 for your gig, very expensive on the fuel, and impractical. Most bands have to hire or buy a van, again at great cost to themselves.
When they have finally rehearsed all there material over weeks or months, they are ready to play live. It is an exciting day, one of wonder, excitement and slight fear. You turn up to the venue to find one man and his dog. And that man is very drunk, wants to be your manager, and giving you all the benefit of his ‘wisdom’ in the music game! The landlord is also drunk, and you cannot work out if he likes you or not.

You get poorly paid, if you get paid at all, and return home usually out of pocket.

However the real rock heroes come back for more. They find the best venues, gain a reputation, and play at some great places. Sure they still have bad gigs, but the good ones make up for it. They make it look so easy, but it is not. One such band can be seen at [http://www.thehalfmonty.tk]

The Half Monty have had there share of ups and downs. They have been ripped of at gigs, played in the most dodgy venues, and heckled to death. But they are still here, bigger and better than ever having learnt from their early days.

So remember, when you see a local band advertised at a pub or club, go see them and support them. It is not easy for the lads and lasses. Perhaps buy them a beer after the performance if you really enjoyed it. , for these are the true heroes of rock.

Here are several questions for you to ponder:

* How much would it be worth to you to learn how to promote
your CD at gigs you never even play, but create a large number
of sales from these gigs just the same?

* While these particular gigs are promoting your CD, at the
same time, what if you could play a completely different gig and get paid for it while also selling CDs at it and, in fact, possibly *doubling* and *tripling* your CD sales profits *each* night?

* Even better, what if you could not only do this in your own
local area, but also do it regionally, nationally, and even
internationally?

What I’m speaking of, is major cross promotion and incredible
joint venture partnering with other bands that you know that
are equally as serious about and strongly committed to their
careers.

Naturally, you should do some background research on each
prospective band prior to getting into such a venture with it.
You should also sign an agreement to ensure that each band
is aware of its commitment and responsibilities.

So, with each successful qualifying band that “passes,” in
terms of a background research, approach the band with a
cross promotion and joint venture offer to promote each
other’s CD at each other’s gigs. Here are some guidelines:

1. Make sure the band is within your genre, and has a similar
music-styled CD that is current (no more than a year old).

2. Each band in the network needs to create a CD of song
samples or snippets (brief samples of each song from its
full-length CD, much like the 2-minute samples on such sites as
CD Baby, Amazon.com, etc.).

3. While each band will sell its own full CD at its gigs, each
band will also hand out CD samples from its partner bands as
freebies to each person who buys the performing band’s
full-length CD.

4. During gigs, in addition to announcing that its own CD is
available for sale to the audience, each band should also inform its respective audience that each person who purchases its CD also gets a FREE bonus sample from (three, five, whatever number in your network) of its fellow bands.

There is nothing like free giveaways to produce bonafide sales
on the spot, so to speak, and this will actually “force” and
increase sales at gigs that may otherwise have not occurred.
And, the more band sample giveaways you have, the better
chances for even more sales and, possibly, complete sell-outs
of your nightly stock.

Note: Don’t make the mistake of giving away your fellow bands’
samples to people who don’t purchase your own CD.

5. Each band should also have a website that is listed on each
CD sample’s label, cover and as a file on the disc itself so that audience members who purchase the gigging band’s CD can
also have immediate access to the fellow bands’ websites for
getting more information and the opportunity to also purchase
their full-length CD as well.

6. In addition to creating peripheral sales for all bands in the network, this promotional system will also greatly help build each band’s audience and sales without the need to actually perform for these particular sales.

7. Likewise, each band is eliminating the need to spend
additional time and money promoting and publicizing its CD for
these particular future sales.

Now, again, imagine doing this with the bands that you know
just in your local area. Then, consider the potentially incredible results in exposure and financially that can occur should you decide to branch out regionally, nationally or internationally.