Finding Gigs and Other Players

Hey TW members,

How have you found performance opportunities and other musicians and artists to perform with?
Any tips?

For me ThereminWorld itself has hooked me up with some folks. But do you find on line videos or local musician groups or hanging out at particular venues better?
Have you found affordable venues to produce your own performances?

We're trying discover ways in TW to help each other find more opportunities to perform, so I thought I'd turn to the best resource I know - you all!


Thanks and...
Keep On Playing!

london thereminists wanting to get out and play in public should try the green note in camden. its an open mic every sunday afternoon 1-5pm. it's usually quite packed and the people there are very open and supportive of thereminists. it's free!

I am based in the Midwest, and I have just recently started playing in a 5-piece band. We do mostly original material, and our instrumentation includes vocals, theremin, violin, guitar, keyboard, bass and auxiliary percussion. Three of us play more than one instrument, so we switch around a lot. I myself sing lead vocals, play theremin and keyboard. I try to sing and play simultaneously as much as possible, but that tends to muffle our overall sound, especially since I am contending with a violin. I go for more of a sawtooth sound much of the time so I don't just sound like I'm mirroring the violin. Also, the violin player and I plan our parts out in a very deliberate manner much of the time, playing at third and fourth intervals to accent between vocal phrases. Definitely a very energized and unique ensemble! I will have to post some recordings once we are at that stage.

Hire the venue, book some other acts you like to play, repeat process. Make lots of friends. Involve yourself with live music in your area. Invite people from other cities and countries to play in your town, and invite yourself to go play in theirs.

Dipping a toe in the waters outside the Theremin community would do most Thereminists a lot of good.

It also helps to find yourself being interviewed by local media.

In my case, I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by a state-wide radio network which was heard by people even outside the state, like New Orleans, where I'll be giving a 5 day theremin class to 100 kids.

Playing at the guitar shop on Saturdays has also landed me on stage with a couple of rock bands now, and then. it's also connected me with Mississippi Improv Alliance which I'll be performing with twice this month.

Practicing is good, but you really need to get out there, and get heard, and get connected.

Craigslist is my "secret weapon". That said, Craigslist is only a means to an end, which is a solid network of folks to jam with.

Post up an ad in your area, and reply to any that happen to tickle your fancy, you know? Half of the appointments end up falling through, but what Craigslist lacks in reliability, I've found it more than makes up for in sheer scale and quantity.