Don’t Kill Your Hometown Crowd

**Guest Post by Julian Weisser.

"There is a problem many bands experience when starting out which can be devastating to their careers: playing shows too often in their hometowns.

Unless people are breaking down the door to the club and there are lines around the block to see you perform, you should probably be playing far less in your hometown than you currently do.

Your hometown is where you should have the most excited and passionate fans. When you play there, it should be a scene - a special experience. People should be excited to hear you again.

+The Art of Self Promotion - How to Fill A Venue

In order for this to happen you need to manually create scarcity. Sure, you could probably play at least one show a week in your hometown, but that’s no good for you because at best you’ll be playing to the same people, and at worst you’ll be playing to no one at all. For the fans it’s just as bad because they’ll hear the same music over and over and it will change from an exciting night that they’ve waited a month for into exactly what they just saw a week ago.

+How to Get From "Local Artist" to "Touring Musician"

Create scarcity by playing once a month or less in your hometown. Supplement that with digital media that will get your fans amped for your shows. Get them to give you their email addresses to access this media so you can in turn promote shows to them.

+More Promotion Tools & Advice

Playing one show (or less) in your hometown per month now allows you to spend more energy promoting the one gig instead of the four you might normally have booked. Decide on another market or two you think will be good for your group to hit next and play each once a month or less. Try to get a flow going. Sure, it takes more time to leave your hometown for a gig, but that’s what you’ll need to do if you want to get anywhere as a touring act."

+When am I Ready to Tour?

+Should You Pay to Play

+Tour Sponsorship: How Creativity Can Become Dollars

Related Blog Posts:

+How Do I Plan a Tour?

+How to Approach Music Venue Bookers

+The Best Way to Get New People to Listen to Your Music is Not About Giving it Away