Making it at Moog

How to have the best festival ever

Photos by Melissa Tarantola

    2 films, 3 days, 5 venues, 11 workshops,  64 shows, all jammed into the 76 hours of Halloween weekend. To the untrained eye, Moogfest may seem like anarchy. Hell, with so much to do in so little time it's a little overwhelming for even seasoned concertgoers. Patrons must decide whom to see and when, accounting for the walk between venues and trying to time it so that they can catch the most of their favorite artists' sets without missing something else incredible. If your band is playing a festival like this, how do you stand out and make an impact?

The First Step is getting on the bill. Many festivals have an application process for bands wanting to play, and the larger ones can be quite competitive. Know the requirements and deadline and give yourself at least a month or two get your press kit ready to send. Moogfest and Bonnaroo are curated by AC Entertainment, a booking agency based out of Knoxville, Tennessee. For these festivals, they don't accept applications, but rather ask the bands they know and like to come and play. If you want to play festivals in the South, make sure you tour in the South, and make some good impressions while you're there.

Once you're in is when the real work begins. Tell everyone you know. Make it a big deal because it is a big deal. Playing a major festival is a big resume boost, start including in press releases and on your social media. As the festival date approaches, find out as much as you can about where and when you'll be playing, who you'll be playing after and before. Ask the festival if they have a press list. Once you get the contact info for the attending media send out a press release telling them how awesome you are and how they can see you at the festival. Mention any recent release and tours you’ve done, include a youtube link, and offer an interview to the lucky ones who get back to you. 


Contact other bands that are playing and try to meet up, this is probably your greatest networking opportunity of the year.


When it comes time to play, Rock the Fuck Out. Don't worry if the crowd seems a little small when you start, at a multi-stage festival there's a lot of bleed between shows, meaning most shows start a little empty and end very full. When local dubstepper Javelin started their set late Friday night I was surprised with how few people were there, but within 15 minutes the place was packed to capacity.


Afterwards, let the world know what a great time you had, what friends your made, and personally thank the people responsible for getting you there. Making friends with the festival organizers is the best way to get invited back (besides putting on a great show). Don't just talk up the bigwigs either, lots of festival staff are involved in the local music scene, make friends and know the best venues to play round these parts next time you tour.

This is just the start, if you're serious about expanding your fan base and furthering your career, festivals are a must. At Moogfest I discovered at least 10 new acts, and every other attendee is sure to have walked away with at least a couple. Make sure you promote your festival showing as much as you can, no one else is going to do it for you. Play nice with the staff and put on a great show. Oh, and have fun too. That's important, right?




-Garrett Frierson


Moogfest 2010
http://moogfest.com/


AC Entertainment
www.concertwire.com