"Time, energy, practice and big smiles to empty seats!"

See, that's a very telling comment. My instinctive response as a programmer is,someone's obviously given you a gig: why are the seats empty?

I think that sometimes artists forget that the responsibility for selling a gig is as much theirs as the venue's. They think they've finished their job by getting the booking and turning up to play. But one way to make an impression on a programmer (and other influential people who may be present) is to have a decent-sized, appreciative audience. Get family and friends to come. Flyer other similar events. Fill those seats.

If gigs are that precious, make sure you get a second one.