Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?

Subject: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: GUEST,BigBalladSinger
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 05:32 PM

Tried to join, kept getting some "data processing error" or some other rot.

Anyway, I'm a folk-song and ballad singer from the East Coast of the Colonies. I'm a veteran of the rock and blues scenes but have had a nasty time trying to locate venues that will welcome a performer like I have become.

Most of the venues I have heard of or have tried to visit have some mysterious policies going on concerning "new" or "unproven" artists. How am I supposed to get "seasoned" if the only venues that feature folk and trad music aren't booking "newbies"?

Anyone know of any places in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut or the outlying areas that welcome fat, out-of-work balladeers?

In case anyone is reading this that wants to know more, I can offer this brief synopsis: Irish ballads and rebel songs, American dust-bowl, railroad, and topical ballads, some great songs of the sea and a few populist "folk hits" thrown in (i.e. songs that non-folkies used to hear their parents and grandparents listen to on the 8-track).

Regards,

Big (really!) Ballad Singer

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 06:33 PM

Hi, BBS -
Sorry for the inconvenience you had in registering. Our normal registration page is out of whack, but it works just fin on our 'dev" (developmental) Website. Try this link:
http://dev.mudcat.org/member/EntryForm.cfm
If you still have trouble, send me an e-mail and I'll set up a membership for you.

Welcome to Mudcat!

-Joe Offer, Forum Moderator-
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Susan of DT
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 07:30 PM

I would suggest you send some tapes/videos of your singing to the clubs. Also go out and sing everywhere without pay so people will get used to hearing you and decide they want to hear more. Try song circles Song Circles , open mics, etc. There are a number of venues around these states, but people need to know they want to hear you.

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 10:42 PM

Open mics are a good place to start. Do you have a website or a MySpace?

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Suffet
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 10:53 PM

Greetings:

Come to some of the events of the New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club (Folk Music Society of New York, Inc.) and let people get to know you. The Winter Weekend in February is a particularly good place to strut your stuff because there is no scheduled program. People just spend Friday-Sunday singing and jamming. Traditional singers are especially welcome.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 11:53 PM

I run The Borderline Folk Music Club of Rockland County, NY.

Send me a CD together with your bio & press info.

Sol Zeller, 7 - Elyise Road, Monsey, NY 10952-1413

If I like what I hear you will get a booking.

SOL

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: fretless
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 10:29 AM

Summer is difficult, since many venues shut down or reduce programming during the summer. Pinewoods, recommended above, is a good point of contact. In Brooklyn, look at The Good Coffeehouse in Park Slope. Back when I was doing their bookings, we'd have guest sets for newcomers at midpoint in the weekly performances, and those often led to full bookings without too much lag time between the two.

Good luck.

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Big Ballad Singer
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 01:12 PM

I will try to get to one of my friends' studios to get a recording done. My problem right now is that there are plenty of recordings of me at various gigs... but all of them were rock and blues sessions and shows and not at all indicative of what I really do from the heart. Those gigs were taken because

a) I could "play at" a rock or blues "character"

and

b) I sometimes (barely) got paid (little).

Anyway, I will do all diligence to get a demo done. As for a bio, that I can do. A photo...? Dear heavens, what you people are asking is unnatural... you'd be better off hiding me behind a curtain when I sing. Poor, frightened children and all. ;)

Thanks, all, for your kindness and help. A bit of work to be done, and God willing the gigs will come.

Regards,

Steve

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Suffet
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 04:31 PM

Greetings:

Here is one small but important piece of advice regarding a demo used to solicit bookings. Whether your a making an audio recording or a video, be sure to include some live performances before audiences. That's the only way the organizers can tell what you sound like in the real world.

And while I am at it, here is another piece of advice. There are numerous venues in and around New York City that literally book anyone who comes along for a one-hour gig. Sometimes they get four, five, or six even acts into a single evening. These places expect you to do your own publicity and bring in your own friends and fans, and then they hit them each with a $10 cover charge. Unfortunately, you don't see any of that money until the house has pocketed the first $50 or $100 off the top. And even then they still keep a hefty percentage of everything above that minimum. If you want to work rooms like those, just get yourself a musician's page on MySpace and the "independent booking agents" will soon find you like a copperhead finds a field mouse.

On the other hand, you can probably land a gig at the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery, Lower Manhattan) and work out a much sweeter deal, such as a 70/30 split, with the 70 going to you starting with the first dollar, and you determine the cover charge. The only hitch is that will have to convince them that you can draw a decent crowd. If you think you can do so, go for it.

Best of luck.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Venues in NY/NJ/PA/CT?
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 09 Jun 10 - 10:21 PM

Nowadays a lot of bookers check out performers on YouTube.

Many 'Catters have their stuff there.

So if you've got any of your performances video-recorded, put 'em up.

Also Facebook. Good luck.