Rick, on the money regarding "knowing people" and the value of networking as well as "Targeting" your venues to increase your liklikhood of success.

We have the pleasure of being a "hobby" band. Regardless, the advice above is sound. We play weekly at a local pub, hit several of the local festivles and a couple wedding receptions per year.

We play "Irish American Pub Music" (Now that's wide open!). We will not play at an event where the sponsor has not seen us before. It's just too risky.

We have also started segregating our fees into with or without sound/lights (provided by venue). Our next step will be to qoute a price for without sound/lights with an emergency adder should sound and/or lights suddenly be needed after all!