Cover Band Confidential's Podcast (Music Business, Gigging Tips & Making Money as a Musician)

The Dial-Up Survivors are a new four-piece band playing ’90s and 2000s alt rock, pop punk, and emo. They joined Adam and Dan for a band coaching session about what it takes to get from the rehearsal room to regular gigs.

We talk about choosing a band leader, dividing up responsibilities, building a set that works for a general audience, and resisting the urge to launch with a niche concept show before you have an audience. We also get into rehearsal planning, social media when you don’t have much live footage, venue outreach, and what to expect when you’re playing with in-ears.

If you’re starting a cover band—or trying to get a new project out of the practice space—this one’s for you.

Topics covered:
* Naming a band leader and making responsibilities clear
* Building enough material for a full night
* Balancing crowd favorites with deeper cuts
* Using rehearsal footage to create content
* Finding the right venues and building relationships
* Making rehearsals count when schedules are tight
* Getting comfortable with in-ear monitors

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Blank Contracts & Riders: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/performance-contracts

Backing Track Resources: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/backing-track-resources

Thank you so much for tuning in!  If you want to help be sure to like, subscribe and share with your friends!  

BANDLEADER RESOURCES: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links 

Follow us on Instagram!

@coverbandconfidential

@adampatrickjohnson

@danraymusician

If you have any questions please email at:

[email protected]

Consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/coverbandconfidential

Or buy us a cup of coffee!

paypal.me/cbconfidential

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Gear Used in this Video (Affiliate):

Sony ZV-E10 Mirrorless Camera: https://amzn.to/3DBqtOy

Elgato Prompter: https://amzn.to/3X3IAq8 

Shure SM7B: https://amzn.to/4dDCJx0 

Elgato Stream Deck XL: https://amzn.to/3gKjhqi

Magic Arm Camera Friction Mount: https://amzn.to/3SK5yNk

#musician #livemusic #band #coverband 

A band leader needs a sub musician. 

You reply, “I’m your man.” Then they ask if you’re available—and you aren’t.

That’s one way to make yourself memorable.

This week, Adam and Dan break down five things that make it easier to hire you and call you back. Read the ad. Send relevant performance clips. Be clear about your availability. Show up prepared. And make the band’s night easier, not harder.

You don’t need a polished promo reel or a Netflix special. You need enough clear, relevant information to show a band leader what it would be like to work with you.

In this episode:
- Why a useful first reply can put you ahead of other applicants
- What to include when you respond to a gig ad
- How to share performance clips that actually show your ability
- Why “I’m willing to learn” and “I’ve done this before” aren’t the same thing
- How to confirm the full gig timeline and commitment
- What band leaders need to provide so subs can prepare
- Why being a good teammate can beat having flashier chops

Your assignment: Review your last response to a gig inquiry. Could the recipient tell whether you fit, whether you’re available, and where to hear you play without chasing you down?

What has a sub musician done that made you immediately want to hire them again—or move them to second call? Tell us in the comments or email [email protected].

Coaching: Want Adam and Dan’s feedback on your band? You can do a public coaching session for free, which becomes an episode of the show, or book a private paid session. Email [email protected] to ask about either option.

Subscribe for more conversations about working cover bands, band leadership, and the business of being a musician.

What happens when a venue stops booking your band?

You can get pissed. You can write the email. You can explain why they’re wrong. You can make sure everybody involved knows exactly how disappointed you are.

Or… you can not do that.

A few weeks ago, we talked about a venue that decided to pause its recurring live band karaoke dates with Adam’s group. The gigs ended, everybody finished the dates they had agreed to, and the relationship was left intact.

Then the venue called again.

Less than six weeks later, they wanted ATL LBK back—this time for a private event.

So this week we’re talking about something working musicians don’t spend nearly enough time thinking about: ending well.

How do you handle it when a venue stops booking you? What should you actually say? When should you ask for feedback? What happens to remaining dates, money, and promotion? And how do you resist the extremely human urge to get the last word?

We also flip the situation around. Sometimes you’re the one ending the relationship. Maybe the money no longer makes sense. Maybe the venue isn’t a good fit anymore. Maybe better opportunities have come along.

The same rules still apply.

We get into:

• Why your first angry draft probably shouldn’t be your final draft
• Closing out outstanding dates, payments, and obligations cleanly
• Finishing the last gig at the same standard as the first
• Why you should never trash the venue from the stage
• How to give honest feedback without settling old scores
• Why trading up on already-booked dates is a bad look
• When it makes sense to circle back with an old client
• How to evaluate the opportunity if they eventually call again
• Why professionalism matters even more when things aren’t going your way

The goal isn’t to guarantee that every lost booking eventually comes back.

It’s to make sure the gig can come off the calendar without your band going on the blacklist.

Because sometimes the economics change. Sometimes the venue changes. Sometimes your band changes.

And sometimes, if you handle the ending well, the phone rings again.

A listener in Scotland asked us for an episode about keyboard players.

There was only one problem: this is a podcast hosted by two guitar players.

So rather than confidently making things up for an hour, we called in Brandon Patrick of The Flannel Pajamas, a ’90s-ish cover band based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.

Brandon came to keyboards later in life after years as a vocalist, which gives him an interesting perspective on what it actually takes to become a functional, gigging keyboard player—not a concert pianist, not a synth wizard living inside a modular rig, but somebody who needs to learn songs, build useful tones, fit inside a band, and make it through the gig.

We get into how keyboard players learn songs, sheet music versus ear training, using lead sheets and the Nashville Number System, and why playing rock and pop keys is a very different skill from being a classically trained pianist.

Then we head directly into the gear rabbit hole.

Brandon talks about his Yamaha YC, onboard sounds versus software instruments, organ and Leslie tones, patch building, why redundancy matters if you’re relying on a computer, and why the keyboard you buy should be determined by the music you actually intend to play.

We also tackle the eternal question: 61, 73, or 88 keys?

Along the way, Adam and Dan attempt to explain guitars to a keyboard player, discover that a guitar is apparently six strangely tuned keyboards strapped together, and establish the definitive tonal taxonomy:

A Strat goes quack.
A Tele goes twang.
A Les Paul goes chunk.
And an SG starts an argument.

If you play keys, want to play keys, lead a band with a keyboard player, or have spent years wondering what the person behind that giant red Nord is actually doing, this one’s for you.

Featuring Brandon Patrick of The Flannel Pajamas.

Find @theflannelpajamas on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and catch them live around the Dallas–Fort Worth area!

Sweetwater Affilate Link: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/xJE4rk 

 BACTrack Affiliate Link: https://www.bactrack.com/coverbandconfidential  

MaestroDMX (10% off discount link): https://maestrodmx.com/discount/DISCOUNT4CBC?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmaestrodmx

Blank Contracts & Riders: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/performance-contracts

Backing Track Resources: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/backing-track-resources

Thank you so much for tuning in!  If you want to help be sure to like, subscribe and share with your friends!  

BANDLEADER RESOURCES: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links  

And for more info check out 

www.coverbandconfidential.com

The soundboard was dripping water. Apparently, the band was still supposed to play.

Mike Schulte of The Pork Tornadoes and the Confused Breakfast podcast joins Dan with a gig story that stands out after roughly 1,300 shows—and for all the wrong reasons. A sudden storm drenched the gear and shut down the night before the band could play. According to Mike, what followed included an angry confrontation, a passive-aggressive load-out soundtrack, and people booing musicians who were trying to get their equipment out of the venue.

Dan and Mike unpack the business side of a rainout: what the band’s contract covered, why the work starts long before the first song, and how a reasonable conversation might have preserved a working relationship. They also look at their own preparation and what could be handled differently next time. Nobody controls the weather. Everybody has some control over how they treat people.

Before the storm story, Mike shares how he’s using a 360 camera for both The Pork Tornadoes and Confused Breakfast—from capturing concert footage to filming an interview at the Goonies house without hauling an entire camera department along.

In this episode:

Check out Mike with The Pork Tornadoes and on Confused Breakfast.

Rock more. Suck less. Keep the load-out playlist civil.

You crushed your first gig. The venue wants you back. Now how do you get the OTHER venues to answer your emails?

This week, a listener’s success story turns into a practical guide to booking your cover band. After building The Riffbillyz from the ground up and earning return invitations—including New Year’s Eve—he asks: What’s the best way to reach local bookers? Email? Messenger? Showing up in person?

Adam and Dan walk through the entire process, from choosing rooms that actually fit your band to turning that first conversation into a lasting booking relationship. Dan shares his “gig hunting” routine, Adam explains what your promo needs to prove, and both discuss why being good onstage is only part of being a band venues want to hire.

**In this episode:**

* Finding the right venues instead of emailing every bar within 100 miles.
* Building a one-sheet, website, and short promo video that make booking you an easy decision.
* Approaching managers at the right time—and following their booking instructions.
* Tracking contacts, booking windows, and follow-ups so opportunities don’t disappear into your inbox.
* Clarifying pay, production, promotion, and what the venue considers a successful night.
* Avoiding promises about your draw that Facebook’s “Interested” button cannot keep.
* Winning over the staff, sending the thank-you, and earning the next date.
* Capturing live footage that helps you sell the next show.

Plus: Adam turns 45, Dan goes on an escape-room adventure, a mysterious guitar purchase is pending, and Adam introduces a new tool for searching the CBC episode archive by topic.

**Your assignment this week:** Pick five venues that fit your band, get your promo ready, identify the booking contacts, and make a specific ask. Then track the conversation and follow through.

Be the band management sees on the calendar and thinks, “Oh, thank goodness.”

Questions or gig-hunting stories? Email **[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])**.

Most gigs aren’t life-changing. They’re work.

You load in, fix whatever isn’t working, play the songs, collect the check, and eventually escape through a commercial kitchen.

But every once in a while, the band locks in, the crowd gives everything back, and all the logistical nonsense disappears. Those are the gigs that remind you why you’ve spent years sacrificing weekends, buying too much gear, and voluntarily standing next to drummers.

This week, Adam and Dan talk about:

• A wedding party that turned a regular bar gig into complete bedlam
• The shows where the band, crowd, and room all click
• Creating a meaningful moment for one person
• Songs that hit an audience harder than expected
• The extremely healthy realization that you’ve “still got it”
• Why preparation creates room for spontaneity
• How cameras, technical problems, and overbooking can kill the moment
• Turning nearby weddings and events into marketing opportunities
• Why not every gig needs to be magical

Plus: Sweetwater debt, dueling dead refrigerators, Adam’s early verdict on the Xvive U45D, and a five-star review that claims this show is “actually useful.”

What gig reminded you why you do this? Tell us in the comments or email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

THIS WEEK IN CBC HISTORY: 
Oasis Reunion, Setlist Science & DIY Gear Hacks! | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2024-09-05T19_00_00-07_00
How to be the Ultimate Entertainer! | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2023-09-07T19_00_00-07_00
Is Music a Viable Career? | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2022-09-08T20_39_24-07_00
Things Musicians Have To Stop Doing | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2021-09-09T19_10_42-07_00
CBC #118 (If you were Starting from Scratch) | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2020-09-03T18_05_36-07_00
CBC #066 (Merchanomics part Deux, Instrument Learning, Acoustic Duos, Song Selection) | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2019-09-04T18_00_35-07_00

💬 Join the Patreon community: [www.patreon.com/coverbandconfidential]
🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: [www.youtube.com/@UCRRpk2pfZPVq1AEJlqVPXqg ]
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Gear mentioned:

• Xvive U45D Digital Stereo In-Ear Monitor System: [https://amzn.to/4zRDkqJ]
• Gator utility shelf: [https://amzn.to/4h4J3SK]

Some product links may be affiliate links, which help support the show at no additional cost to you.

Cover Band Confidential is the podcast for cover band musicians and band leaders who want to rock more and suck less.

#CoverBand #WorkingMusician #LiveMusic

Being in a band teaches you much more than how to play music.

Every rehearsal, equipment failure, difficult bandmate, last-minute song request, and immovable downbeat develops skills that carry into the rest of your life. In this episode, Adam and Dan break down five things musicians learn almost accidentally: collaboration, discipline, adaptability, people management, and project management.

They also bring research connecting ensemble performance with shared attention, executive function, resilience, empathy, social bonding, organization, leadership, and problem-solving.

Before the main topic, Dan discovers that The New Strange still has some muscle memory, Adam recaps his first Jamzone-assisted solo gig and another massive ATL LBK event, and Cover Band Confidential celebrates 9,000 YouTube subscribers and three million views.

What has playing in a band taught you that has nothing to do with music? Tell us in the comments.

RESEARCH CITED

Collaborative musical creativity and co-regulation:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01285/full

Music and social bonding:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4179700/

Music training and executive function:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9393548/

Resilience and music-performance anxiety:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12584046/

Group music, empathy, and prosocial behavior:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1744000/full

Ensemble participation and transferable life skills:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11239010/

ABOUT COVER BAND CONFIDENTIAL

Cover Band Confidential is the podcast for cover-band musicians and bandleaders who want to rock more and suck less. Adam Johnson and Dan Ray talk about the music, business, gear, relationships, and occasional logistical catastrophes involved in playing music for actual people.

#CoverBand #WorkingMusician #BandAdvice



00:00 Intro
00:58 Band Still Got It
03:08 Rebrand And Karaoke
04:47 Jam Zone Solo Gig
06:45 Frozen Bracelet Tip
09:28 Live Band Karaoke Recap
12:10 Milestones And Consistency
14:40 This Week In History
18:25 Skills Beyond Music
23:50 Receipts and Research
25:06 Discipline and Practice
28:42 ADHD and Executive Function
30:19 Adaptability Under Fire
36:52 Band Relationships and Feedback
41:58 Project Management Skills
45:40 Wrap Up and Call In

Bands rarely fall apart because somebody missed a chord.

They fall apart because expectations about money, gigs, rehearsals, song choices, musical standards, commitment, and leadership go unspoken until somebody finally blows up.

This week, we brought in somebody who actually knows what he’s talking about.

Dr. Jesse Erdheim is an industrial-organizational psychologist and wellbeing coach with more than 20 years of experience working with motivation, conflict, burnout, leadership, and change. He also fronts a working classic-rock cover band—so he understands band dysfunction from both sides.

We talk about:
*Why bands are uniquely difficult organizations
*How mismatched expectations turn into resentment
*How to give musical criticism without destroying morale
*What psychological safety actually looks like in a band
*Why emotional regulation matters before a difficult conversation
*What to do when your band culture has already become unhealthy

One of the biggest lessons: sometimes the explosion you think came out of nowhere actually started months earlier when everyone stopped checking whether they were still working toward the same goal. Jesse describes his own experience with a guitarist whose frustration over money and travel finally erupted at a show—and how that changed the way his band communicates with new members.

If you're a band leader, working musician, or anyone currently sitting in a group text wondering “How the hell did we get here?”—this episode is for you.

More from Dr. Jesse Erdheim:
jesseerdheim.com

Upcoming book: A Full Cup: Reflections on Living Well

Jesse also fronts The Backroads, a Durham-area cover band performing around Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough.

https://www.facebook.com/thebackroadsdurham/
https://www.instagram.com/the.back.roads__/

#CoverBand #BandDrama #WorkingMusician #BandLeader #musicbusiness 

00:00 Podcast kickoff
00:55 Meet Dr Jesse
01:53 From GNR to gigging
03:48 Band leadership style
05:37 Shared vision basics
08:14 Why bands are hard
10:21 Gig meltdown story
12:44 Assumptions and alignment
17:47 Common band problems
23:20 Giving feedback safely
27:16 Trust Bank Accounts
27:44 Giving Notes With Care
28:25 Adaptability Over Control
30:02 Does The Audience Care
31:03 Perfectionism And Perspective
31:58 Are Musicians Different
34:54 Win Win Band Leadership
37:30 Pre Show Regulation Routine
39:38 Time Confetti Planning
42:09 Hard Conversations Toolkit
45:30 Stop Rumination Loops
49:59 Relationships And Wrap Up

A regular gig is only regular until someone decides it isn’t.

This week, Adam and Dan discuss what happens when a dependable venue date or residency suddenly dries up. Did the venue eliminate the gig—or did your band specifically lose it? Should you ask for honest feedback? Lower your price? Try to save the relationship? Or accept that the booking may no longer have been serving the band?

They break down why recurring gigs disappear, how bands become complacent, the danger of depending too heavily on one venue or buyer, and why replacing the economic function of a gig may be smarter than finding an identical replacement.

Also discussed:

* Dan gets back in the room and begins rebuilding his band
* Remembering songs, reconnecting gear, and rebuilding performance stamina
* Adam’s rapidly approaching JamZone solo experiment
* Stringjoy’s Project 139 experimental guitar strings
* ATL LBK’s growing collection of branded promotional gear
* A new five-star review from a Dallas–Fort Worth listener
* Eight years of CBC history, zombie bands, celebrity events, and the proposed conference that Paul Kent wisely stopped

The main takeaway: Be disappointed privately, respond professionally, and build a band that can lose one gig without losing its footing.

#CoverBand #GiggingMusician #BandBooking #WorkingMusician #LiveMusic #CoverBandConfidential

Thank you so much for tuning in!  If you want to help be sure to like, subscribe and share with your friends!  

BANDLEADER RESOURCES: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links 

Follow us on Instagram!

@coverbandconfidential

@adampatrickjohnson

@danraymusician

If you have any questions please email at:

[email protected]

Consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/coverbandconfidential

Or buy us a cup of coffee!

paypal.me/cbconfidential

And for more info check out 

www.coverbandconfidential.com