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Busking Tips: Andy Grammar
• Work out a unique cover song, something that everyone on the street will know. It’s hard to grab attention with originals. If you can get passersby to stop, your chances of tips will double.
• Once you have a crowd of 10+, make them cheer: “Okay folks, on the count of three, let’s all cheer to double this crowd!” People are attracted to cheering.
• Put love into your street stage. Small rug, stool, TV dinner table with tablecloth. Little touches make it seem more professional.
• Play shorter sets. Limit yourself to 15 minutes and stop to sell CDs/clear the crowd. Play your best four or five songs and move on.
• It’s not them, it’s you. In other words, listen to what the crowds tell you. If your CDs aren’t selling, switch up your show. Trust the crowd. It’s a great focus group!
DJ Performance: Tim Martell
• Be Different: DON’T sound like other DJs. Don’t be afraid to test waters and play some “off the wall” tracks as long as your crowd stays dancing. Being unique makes you memorable and separates yourself from the herd.
• Think Big or Go Home: Don’t sell yourself short. Undercutting is frowned upon in the DJ community. Many people won’t even hire you if you lowball yourself. Go into every gig negotiation with guns blazing; you will gain respect from your peers and potential clients along the way.
• Make Friends: If you are looking to work at a club, you should get to know all of the staff, including the doorman, the manager, the music director and the owner. And make sure THEY KNOW YOU! These folks are the gatekeepers to future gigs.
Networking Tips from Dan Kimpel (author, educator)
Don’t butt in: “If five people are in conversation, feel free to join them; four, sure, walk right up; three, no problem. But beware: if two people are engrossed in conversation, unless you know them very well, it is never permissible to intrude. Odds are, they’re discussing something private. (Maybe even you!)”
Follow the 10-five rule for meeting and greeting: “If you make eye contact with someone within 10 feet of you, you must acknowledge them with a nod or a smile. At five feet, you should say something—‘Hello,’ or ‘Good evening.’ Don’t pretend you don’t see them.”
Be very conscious of your reaction to alcohol: “For some, a drink or two can be very helpful in assuaging anxiety, but nothing can be more detrimental to creating a good impression than being under the influence of demon liquor. A wine spritzer––wine diluted with soda water––may be a good compromise. Pace yourself.”
And Remember...
The Right Reasons: “Keep following your dreams and start making it happen for yourself. Do it for all the right reasons, because you want to express yourself. And don’t do it for the money because you’re going to be a rock star—one percent of a million become stars. If you’re doing it for the money, go to school and become a lawyer or open a business, do something else, because if you’re trying to become the next Godsmack or Pantera or anything of notoriety, it’s probably not going to happen. It’s a very hard thing to do. Do it for all the right reasons.”
—Scott Lee, Crimson Management
