Some festivals look at artists 12 months in advance so get your interest in performing in early. Make sure you have decent photographs and a quality video of yourself performing live that will promote yourself and encourage an audience who don't know you. So many artists ask to play somewhere but don't help themselves - recommended by Julie Cross organiser of The Crossover Festival.
Don't use songs in your application with a long intro. Keep it short as the festival organiser wants to hear your voice - recommended by Karl Hancock organiser of Buckle & Boots Festival.
Make sure when applying that you use a song that stands out from the rest of the applicants and showcases your voice and musicianship to the maximum.
Festivals have for a long time, been a favourite summer pastime in Europe. They are forefront with fans as the places to see new music. Naturally, that leaves even more bands asking how to get on the bill.
Getting booked to play a music festival is extremely competitive, so taking the right approach is the only way to get a foot in the door. Now, I'm not going to say it's going to be easy - if it was, well, everyone would be doing it - but you can get yourself on stage in front of festival crowds.
Get your band booked for a music festival with these tips.
01 - BE READY FOR IT.
I know, I know - you're ready! But, are you REALLY?
This isn't an affront to your music - in fact, at this point, we're really not talking about how good your music is at all. We're talking about - are you ready for the unique demands of playing a music festival?
If you aren't so experienced yet on the live circuit, then you're probably not.
Playing a festival is a different beast than playing your local club, so promoters usually look for bands who have a proven track record of commanding a crowd and putting on a solid show.
Remember, you're competing with a lot more when you're playing to a massive crowd of people outdoors than you are when you play for your friends at your favourite bar, so you need to have your stage presence locked down - something that only comes with practice.
You'll have the best chances of succeeding at getting booked - and nailing your set - if you do the groundwork of building your stage show first.
02 - KNOW YOUR TARGETS
No, you don't want to play just any old music festival that will have you. That's akin to sending your music to every promoter, label, agent, and so on in town, regardless of the kind of music they work in.
Instead, narrow your search and settle on a few target festivals that you would like to play. Of course, the festivals in question should welcome your genre of music, but make sure they tick other boxes, too.
For instance, are there stages suited to bands of your audience size?
Would you be able to travel to the festival if your expenses weren't covered by your booking fee or as part of your deal?
If you don't have an agent, does the festival welcome submissions directly from musicians?
Don't waste energy chasing festivals that aren't a good fit for you, even if they happen to be festivals you enjoy as a music fan. Get in where you fit in, and you'll get booked much easier.
03 - SET A CALENDAR
Believe it or not, one of the biggest obstacles musicians always face when applying for festivals or other events is simply getting the application, so to speak, in on time.
Do not apply to things late.
Do not miss deadlines.
Create a calendar of submission deadlines to all of the festivals you want to play so the opportunity doesn't pass you by. No, if you missed the deadline, you can't apply anywhere. Well, you might technically be able to find a way to do so, but don't expect it to get you booked.
04 - PREPARE YOUR SUBMISSION MATERIALS
Every festival will have its own submission requirements, but be prepared to need an artist bio and some music, at the very least.
It is also a good idea to have a video of you performing ready to be viewed and to have some professional press photos ready to go.
You will also need some decent quality recordings to show off your sounds in the best possible light.
When it comes to submitting your music, bio, and so on - submit exactly what is requested - no more and no less. No, sending three songs when two were asked for is not better. No, your bio shouldn't be lengthened. If they're not giving you an opportunity to tell how many shows you've played, don't cram the information in there. Their formula is in place for a reason, and deviating from it is a good way to ensure your music doesn't get listened to at all.
05 - GET YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA READY
You know, I hate the notion of promoters looking at how many social media followers a musician has as an indication of whether or not to book them so much that I hate to suggest you care. However - that DOES happen and you DO have to care. And, to be fair, there IS a point there.
Having a large number of social media followers isn't the same thing as having a large number of bums in seats, but it does say something about you as a musician. It means you engage your fans and that you're committed enough to promote yourself, which hints that you'll work hard to promote your show and give your fans a good set. So, with that said, before you apply for a music festival, get your social media numbers up as much as you can and most importantly, get active on your pages. If your last post was two years ago, get a flurry of activity going before you apply.
06 - DON'T BE AFRAID TO START SMALL
Does your town have a festival that hosts live music?
Sometimes, the best festival to start your festival career at is right in your local town. Now, sure, it may not be Glastonbury but that's OK. What it is, is a chance to put a festival appearance on your resume and get used to that style of playing live.
The more you can make a name for yourself, the more interested festival promoters will be about adding you to the bill.
07 - MORE DO'S AND DON'TS FOR GETTING BOOKED AT FESTIVALS
DO look out for special booking opportunities, like contests in which the prize is an appearance at the festival
DON'T pay to play a festival. This includes festivals that want you to buy tickets to resell to fans yourself. Nope, no way, no how.
PLEASE DO keep the faith. It's competitive out there! That doesn't mean that you don't belong on the stage. Keep gigging and making music as you keep working on getting a festival slot. Every show, every song, every new fan is a step closer to your goal.
Information collated from Google by Keren Morrall for your Convenience