Promotion-- general guideline

In order to promote an artist you have to get a true sense of what the artist has to offer to the community. This includes choosing a good way of describing the artists style and genre. Many artists today find it hard to fit themselves into a genre but it is important at least to have a few words that explain to someone who has never heard the music something about the music and how it sounds.

Bio: A biography is used to tell more about the artists accomplishments, what types of music they sound similar to, where they are coming from, and what they have to offer as musicians and or songwriters.

Logo/Image: Developing an image or logo using the artists name preferrably in a way that communicates qualities of the artist's music really helps get an artist established. People can then see the image and associate it with the artist. This is also good to use and keep consistent on other promotional materials like the biography, the one-sheet, and the website, and/or CDs--though other art should be used for each of these materials as well.

Website: Today a myspace page is really essential in getting to know other musicians and developing a fanbase. Posting recent songs on myspace keeps fans connected to what you are doing and gives them a chance to hear your music, old or new! Designing a separate webpage that matches the feel of the artist is also important, pictures, background images, and text should all be chosen carefully to reflect the artist.

One-Sheet: A one sheet is a brief, front side of one sheet of paper with a picture of the artist (usually) and some information about the style, recent venues played, recent accomplishments, along with any quotes from popular sources about the artist. It gives people a sense of what the artist is like in a short period of time, which is great for todays world where theres so much information flying around. It's important to make these concise and to choose to include the most relevant information about the artist.

Flyers/Mailing Lists: flyers and mailing lists with upcoming show information is a great way to keep fans and strangers informed about shows.

T-shirts and other merchandise: using designs and logos, make things people would like to wear in order to promote the music.



The general path an artist might take is in more or less this order:
1. Create a bio, website, one sheet, establish an identity.
2. Connect with other artists and work together to book shows
3. Start performing open mics and forming connections with booking people at various venues.
4. Create a Design that embodies the artists look/ideas/feel.
5. Make flyers, posters, t-shirts, email fans/form mailing list.
6. Record an EP (3-4 songs), get reviews for the CD, pass it along to music magazines and websites as well as venues.
7. Contact newspapers, internet media, distribution magazines about upcoming shows, cd releases, etc.
8. mail in top songs to local/internet radio stations.
9. maintain local fan base and travel/book show further away.


Keven is already to step 9--he's been doing this for a long time, and I have been working with Riccardo from step 1, these certainly do not have to go in this order but they are all components of promoting an artist.


Since Kevin will not be in London while I am here and Riccardo has not come to the point where he is ready to book shows, I have created a list of some venues to match each of their styles. Some overlap, here is the list!

Kevin Sandbloom: Barfly, JazzCafe, Ritzy Cafe (Brixton), 12 Bar Club, Roxy Bar and Screen, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Borderline, Aint Nothin but Blues Bar, Maggie's Bar, Green Note.

Riccardo: Roxy Bar and Screen, 12Bar Club, Ruskin House, Maggie's Bar, Green Note, South Hill Park Arts Centre.

And some good open mics at popular venues: The Troubador, Bar 12, The Spice of Life, Progress Bar, and Native Tongue. useyourears.co.uk lists dates and times for many open mics in London!