Bandhive

Imagine you've been preparing for months to hit the road for a month-long tour opening for Bad Religion and Alkaline Trio...

But then, you see an Instagram post that the tour has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the world by storm.

What do you do next?

Hear Shawna Potter of Baltimore punk band War On Women and author of Making Spaces Safer tell her story, and what she and her bandmates are facing in the uncertain future.

In a time when community is more important than ever, we welcome you to join The Better Band Bureau Facebook group.

It can be uncomfortable or downright anxiety-inducing to get up on stage. Where do you think the term “stage fright” came from?

There are many factors that go into good (or bad) stage presence, and no one-size-fits-all solution…

But, we can help!

Listen now to learn eight tips to begin improving your band’s stage presence.

What you’ll learn:

• Why you should avoid making inside jokes when you’re on stage
• How you can use your own personality to improve your stage presence
• Why drummers can use their unique challenges to create great stage presence
• What you can do to avoid being the band who just stands still on stage
• How bands in lower-energy genres can create an exciting stage show
• Why you should structure your setlist into sections
• How being tactful with your stage persona can help avoid mistakes
• Why you need to consider how you dress as part of your stage presence
• How presenting a cohesive image is key to most stage shows
• How you can increase merch sales by having great stage presence

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/17

As the coming weeks and months become more and more uncertain, the live music industry is reeling from the loss of shows large and small.

Adam Loellke is the frontman of Pickwick Commons, a hardcore/metal band from Indianapolis, IN. He's also a member of the Dynamic Talent International team, who has been hit hard by show cancellations and postponements.

Listen now to find out how Adam, Pickwick Commons, and Dynamic Talent International, are coping with these disruptions the music industry has never seen before.

In a time when community is more important than ever, we welcome you to join The Better Band Bureau Facebook group.

Recording an album can be an extensive (and expensive) process... 

It can also be incredibly stressful, especially when you can’t nail your takes and get frustrated.

But there’s a solution: songwriting and pre-production.

Artists who have done a great job preparing for the studio can get better results in a day than others could get in a week.

Listen now to find out how you could save thousands of dollars by not wasting time in the studio and preparing your songs for the big time!

What you’ll learn:

• What the most important part of any release is
• What you need to do if you want to get on the radio
• How you can leverage Spotify’s payment calculations to get paid more
• What questions you should ask yourself when writing a song
• How you can solidify your ideas by using free apps
• What you need to consider when creating your final product
• Why pre-production is one of the most important things you need to do
• Why you should always have every part of the song written, arranged, and practiced before going into the studio
• How you can bring your music to life

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/16

We all know that one person… Their entire life, at least according to their social media posts, is a dumpster fire.

They may be a perfectly nice human being in person, but online they whine, whine, and whine.

Whether it’s about how bad their life is, politics, or something else, they are doing the opposite of what they should be doing.

By nurturing relationships and building your personal brand, you will be able to boost your career and watch your band’s success skyrocket.

So, don’t be that guy on social media… Consider your pages an extension of the band’s presence, and work hard to build long-lasting relationships with your family, friends, and fans.

Listen now to find out how you can pull this off like a natural!

What you’ll learn:

• Why you should avoid ranting on social media… Whether it’s the band’s page or your own
• How you can avoid destroying relationships with your fans (and friends/family)
• Why politics on social media is a very dangerous topic when you are an artist
• Why having a good personal brand is great for the band’s brand and vice versa
• Why nurturing relationships with people is incredibly important to a successful career
• What you can do to boost your local music scene
• Why you should always be sincere
• How you can boost your relationship with someone by being a go-giver
• Why you should do favors without expecting anything in return
• Why hard work and smart work lose out to honest work

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/15

There are lots of different elements that go into running a successful band… Way too many for any one person to handle, unless it’s their full time job!

So how can you effectively manage your DIY band without going insane?

Listen now to find out how you can make your life easier by dividing band roles and responsibilities in a logical, thought out manner that focuses on the natural strengths you and your bandmates possess.

What you’ll learn:

• Why you need to have “aces in their places”
• How not assigning roles could hurt your band
• Why tracking your expenses will save money in the long run
• How negotiating your contracts carefully can save thousands of dollars by avoiding a bad deal
• What you can do to find your bandmates natural talents to give them the right duties
• Why choosing these roles wisely can protect you from one of the worst things to happen to a band: van crashes
• How planning for the unexpected events of tour life can mean not missing shows you would’ve missed if you didn’t plan ahead
• Why you need to “beat” Murphy’s Law
• What goes into the logistics of running a tour, and why you always need a backup plan

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/14

When you’re touring, or even playing local shows, there are a lot of moving parts.

Who’s supplying the sound system if the venue doesn’t have their own?

Are the bands sharing backline?

Can we bring our own lights?

These are just a sample of the questions you might need to ask… Ultimately, it’s up to you to have a list of questions to go over with the venues that you are going to play.

Listen now to find out more about advancing your shows to make sure they go as smoothly as possible!

What you’ll learn:

• Why advancing shows is important for any production
• What could go wrong if you don’t have backup plans
• How you can learn a lesson from Santa Claus when it comes to touring
• What you should know before you start the advance process
• Why you need a stage plot
• Why Van Halen really asked for brown M&Ms to be removed from their catering
• How taking safety seriously can literally save your life
• Why you need to be aware of the venue you’re playing and adjust your production accordingly
• How having the right conversations can make your show better than ever

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/13

There are thousands of artists out there… Why should people listen to your music over everyone else?

By adding value to the lives of your fans, you create a personal connection with them and nurture your relationship.

Listen now to find out how you can make people feel great about connecting with you!

What you’ll learn:

• Why you should always express your gratitude and appreciation
• How nurturing relationships plays into the longevity of your career
• What being a good person can do for you
• Why supporting your community is a great way to become known
• What you can do to add value to the lives of your fans and even other bands
• Why giving away free merch could be great or could be awful
• How making memories is one of the best ways to add value

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/12

When you’re in a band, finances can be one of the last thing you want to deal with.

Tracking data can be a pain, and seem pointless… But, whether it’s finance, your experience, or another seemingly useless note tracking as much data as possible will help you boost your chances of booking shows.

How is that, you ask?

Listen now to find out what minor changes you can make in your habits to have a major advantage over many other DIY bands.

What you’ll learn:

• Why tracking data from each show you play is vital
• How much time you might end up spending on planning a tour vs executing a tour
• What data you should track
• Why you should always ask about payment
• How you can leverage the data you collect to get more shows, higher pay, and better deals
• Why you should record data as soon as possible
• How additional info like objective and subjective experience can influence your future tours
• Why touring the northeast can be easier than touring other areas of the country
• Why you should revisit the data you recorded on tours every time you plan a new tour

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/11

Recording and releasing an album is a massive undertaking… If you do it right.

But this is your music, your passion, your life work. Why wouldn’t you want to do it right?

To find out how much you realistically might need to release an album without skimping out, listen to episode ten of the Bandhive Podcast now!

What you’ll learn:

• Why most bands’ releases fade into obscurity quickly
• How you can have your music taken seriously
• What you can do to get the experience of a producer… without hiring a producer
• How collaboration can boost an artist’s career
• Why “making it” doesn’t always involve getting signed
• How you can get the best possible sound for your album
• How creative and unique marketing can benefit you
• Why spending the bare minimum on your album is a bad idea
• How to save money on your album’s mixing without skimping on quality
• Why you need to understand when to hire people to help create your album

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/10