How to Get Your First Paid Gig
Published · updated · by Loopin
A promoter is buying an audience, not a performance. Once you understand that, the whole process gets simpler and considerably less personal.
The four places that book unknowns
Support slots on a touring act's local date. Multi-act nights where four bands each bring twenty people. Bars with regular live music and a small guarantee. And events that are not primarily music — markets, galleries, launches, cafés.
The last category is where most first paid gigs actually come from and almost nobody asks. They pay less, they are far easier to get, and they count.
What to send
Three things and nothing else: one live video, one link to the music, and the number of people you can realistically bring. That third item is the one they are reading for.
Be honest about the number. Overstating it gets you one booking and no second one, and promoters talk to each other in a way that makes a reputation stick fast.
The live video matters more than the recordings
A promoter needs to know you can hold a room. One unedited clip of a full song, from a rehearsal if necessary, does that. A polished music video does not, because it proves nothing about live performance.
Film one deliberately if you do not have it. Phone on a stand, one song, no edits. It takes an afternoon and it unlocks the entire category.
Ask for the slot, not for an opportunity
"Do you have anything in March?" is answerable. "I'd love to play sometime" is not. Name a month, name the kind of slot, and say what you bring.
And ask about money directly in the first message. Whether it is a door split, a guarantee or nothing is information you need before deciding, and asking early reads as professional rather than presumptuous.
The first one buys the second
Play it as though it were a bigger room, bring the people you said you would, be easy to work with, and leave on time. Promoters rebook on those four things far more than on the set.
Then ask, on the night, what else they have coming up. A promoter who has just watched you fill their room is the easiest booking conversation you will ever have.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my first paid gig?
Approach support slots, multi-act nights, bars with regular live music, and non-music events like markets and launches. The last category is where most first paid gigs come from and almost nobody asks.
What do promoters want to see?
One live video, one link to the music, and an honest number of people you can bring. They are buying an audience, and the third item is what they are reading for.
Should I ask about money in the first email?
Yes. Whether it is a door split, a guarantee or nothing is information you need to decide, and asking early reads as professional rather than presumptuous.