For the slew of up-and-coming artists trying to get their feet wet in the music business, the ideal, of course, is that we find ourselves performing at big-time music festivals across the country. Day in and day out, we strive to make our names known and our music heard. However, we must remind ourselves of the truth behind the notion that "you've gotta start somewhere," and that doing so often requires an out-of-the-box approach.
But before we get out of the box, let's take a look at what's inside. Here, we have the preferred festivals – the dream fests, if you will. These are the SXSWs and Lollapaloozas of the world, the types of festivals where every other independent musician also happens to be focusing their energy. Now, rather than fixating solely on festivals of this nature, why not also tap into niche festivals – the more obscure, non-music festivals luring in attendees by the thousands every weekend? There's something to be said for a festival that doesn't necessarily center around music, but includes live performances nonetheless. It's at these types of events where your unique sound will truly stand out.
With this in mind, consider adding these four types of non-music festivals into the mix the next time you go to book gigs.
How many musicians can say they've played a show with hundreds of colorful hot air balloons taking flight in the background?
As it turns out, these events are a massive deal in the US and worldwide. The biggest hot air balloon festival in the world is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which attracts over 100,000 spectators on any given day. While the balloon flights are obviously the focus of this festival, multiple stages host live bands with both local roots and foreign flair. In general, balloon festivals are multi-day, family events and the organizers are always looking to book additional forms of entertainment for spectators. Also, since the bigger fests bring in so many people from out town, local bars and venues that offer live music have more spots to fill.
No one can argue that good grub is best served with good music. These events have that local vibe that'll give you intros to a new fanbase. If you book one of these gigs in a major BBQ hub like Austin or Charlotte, you're guaranteed an expansive audience of happy campers (the free meal you'll likely get out of it can't hurt, either!).
The Q-City Charlotte BBQ Championship is a good example, as they have live music for attendees every year. This year's lineup includes Simplified, an island rock band, as well as Gin Blossoms and Down Home Band.
Any festival where people are arriving in costume is a festival where people will be excited to get their groove on. Embrace this opportunity to perform in front of a hoard of revelers who are so enthused to be there that you can feel the energy in the air. Consider Neewollah in Independence, KS, as an example – a festival that increases the town's population by 60,000 every year. Their "bandstand" features live music Wednesday through Saturday put on by both local and touring bands.
State fairs typically draw in crowds by the masses, and many of them accept applications for local bands or musicians to perform on their "local stage." With this comes a 60- to 90-minute time slot for you to get your name out there in your home state. Most of these gigs will be unpaid, but it's a great way to network and be seen.
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Maddie Rish is part of the founding team of Everfest, an Austin-based startup working to build the world's festival authority. Cheese was her first love – travel, music, writing, and wine came later in life. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. She's a craft beer enthusiast and a lifetime festival-goer.