Guides › How to email a venue to book a gig
- Booking
- Guides
How to email a venue to book a gig
By BandManager · 1 min read ·
The first email decides whether they read you or archive you. The key is to be brief, specific and easy to answer with a yes.
The structure that works
- A clear subject line: band name, style and city.
- One sentence showing you know the venue and its lineup.
- What you bring: who you draw and in what format you play.
- A single link to your press kit, ideally in the signature rather than the body.
- A concrete proposal: two possible dates.
A short template
Hi [name], we have followed you for a while and loved this fall’s lineup at [venue]. We are [band], [style in a few words] from [city], and we would love to play your room. [Date 1] or [date 2] would work for us. The press kit is in my signature. Would you be up for taking a look?
Mistakes that close doors
- Long emails with the band’s entire history.
- Heavy PDF, photo and audio attachments: that is what triggers spam filters.
- Asking for a fee before they know who you are.
- Corporate jargon and superlatives you cannot back up.
- The same message sent to a hundred venues, with the name changed badly.
If they do not reply
Wait a week and send one line: "Following up in case this slipped through. We are free on [date]." If there is still no answer, try another channel once and move on to other venues.
Frequently asked questions
What time should I send it?
Weekday mornings, when venue staff are in their inbox. Avoid weekends, when they are working.
Should I attach the press kit?
A link is better. An attachment is heavy, can land in spam and goes out of date the moment you change something.
Formal or casual tone?
In independent venues and small festivals, casual and friendly. In theaters and institutions, a slightly more formal register.
Drafts you approve
BandManager writes each proposal in your band’s voice and waits for your go-ahead before sending.
Keep reading
- How to get gigs with your bandA method to book shows without relying on luck: work out how many venues to write to, choose well, follow up and measure. With templates.
- How to make an EPK for your bandWhat to put in your band’s EPK (press kit), in which order and what to cut. With a one-screen layout, before-and-after examples and a checklist.
- How to apply to music festivals with your bandHow to prepare your application for a festival open call: what they ask for, when to send it and how to stand out among hundreds of submissions.
BandManager.io · Guides · the manager in your pocket