Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

My band is just starting out in Boston, and we're looking to play some bars and clubs. We've got our press kit together and want to start handing it out to places. What would be the best way to get a complete list of venues? Established places would probably be harder to start with, does anybody know where i can get a list of some dive bars that have cover bands playing? google searching hasn't really helped much, thanks

most good clubs won't let you play unless you have BMI licensing and your bands name right protected. So get all that info taken care of and more clubs or venues will be willing to hire you.

Yeah we thought about doing that but i thought it was the places themselves that needed the license, not the bands playing there. I looked on the BMI website and didn't find anything about a license for individual bands, it mostly talks about getting one for your business so people can play there

search" Boston night life" and then you pick the link.Many choices there.Thats how I searched my area and then sent our press kit out in 100 mile radius.

You guy's might want to try this cat named Ron Stewart. I played in a cover band in the late 90's in Boston, He booked all of the cool clubs, The Kells, The Rack, The Purple Shamrock, The Green Dragon, Bell in Hand, Trinity's, Coogan's Bluff, The Grand Canal, The Black Rose, The Green Briar, Jose' Mac's.......I don't know if he still doe's it, but all you have to do is audition for him once...and he'll book you. He takes 15% off the top, but he'll get you 1,000 bucks a nite at some places.

i'm sorry the BMI makes up for ownership part of it...the perfming license through the US copyright division is what is needed to officially perform at the licensed clubs or venues.

indeed..Boston's paper is called The Pheonix...that's where I would start