Hi, my seventeen-year old son is currently in a band with his group of friends. His friends and my son are having trouble finding venues to play around Australia. They have tried asking around local restaurants, pubs, etc and weren't able to find anyone who were interested.
I'm wondering whether anyone has any recommendation as to where to look for venues to play in?
Thanks for your help. I'll let them know :-)
Ring some local entertainment promoters and ask them
I see, are there any websites that they can visit to find venues to play?
First up, are they any good and do the play the correct type of music the places they are targeting?
Target places that offer 'live music', being a no name band. They might have to do a lot of freebies to get started.
are having trouble finding venues to play around Australia
I'm surprised you haven't found ONE place in the entire Australia…. ;)
I see, are there any websites that they can visit to find venues to play?
seventeen-year old son
There's your problem… Can't be a pub band if he can't really be in the pub now can he? ;)
(and sure he could be there with an adult, but the age thing will definitely affect them getting gigs at licensed venues)
I see, are there any websites that they can visit to find venues to play?
Having been around a few bands from their start, despite my remarkable deficit in talent, I can advise the main way to get a gig is to open for another friends band.
Once they have done some opening gigs they will know the promoters at various venues.
There is no other way.
Consider if your son isn't doing this, it might mean he doesn't yet feel ready.
The live music scene is extremely clique driven. The only way to build an audience of their own is to get visibility via other bands.
All the musicians I have known have extensive networks of friends across the industry to help with this, and there is a real camaraderie that helps new acts get a break. If your kid doesn't yet have these connections they need to go see a lot of local live music and chat to the band after, hang out at the local music shop, hangout at the local practice/recording space etc.
Pretty soon, they will discover the biggest issue is actually finding competent bands to play opening slots - there is much more ambition than talent, so if they are any good they will get slots.
Our local council (City of Casey in Melbourne) has a Youth Services division which organises Battle of the Bands type activities and Youth/All Ages gigs.
I have known a number of kids who have formed bands and who got a start by working with the Battle of the Bands and All Ages gigs. They are at a stage where they have been able to make some recordings and their networks with the music producers/recording studios have allowed them to pick up more work.They are very active within their university scenes as well. Plus, they promote the heck out of themselves on Facebook, Twitter etc, and are on soundcloud, have You Tube channels etc. They work bloody hard and they do it because they love it - having said that, none of them are anywhere near giving up their day jobs (and probably will never be!)
Maybe he can open for another band somewhere?
It'll be a hell of a lot easier once he is 18… It's a licensing / legal thing
Maybe a uni open day or something?
There’s an adult entertainment forum if you google it
paying or non-paying?
try universities for when they have student entertainment days.
the student unions often have an "entertainment" officer. find out who that is and get offering.