No Band Manager—What Now?

You’re part of a band, and you’ve finally decided to take your music out of your comfort zone, also known as your local bar and/or garage. It’s as this point when many bands ask themselves if they need a band manager to find and book gigs on their behalf.

The band manager gets a bad rep for being portrayed on film and TV as a bloodsucking leech, who only cares about making money. This however, is not the case—at least not always. The band manager may not get much love, but they serve a crucial purpose in the band. The manager is the person with the task for finding gigs, pouring over contracts, and seeing to it that deals and sponsorships serve the best interest of the band, both when it comes to money and promotions.

It’s important however, to understand that professional band managers take 15% to 20% of the talent fee received by a band for every performance and deal. For new bands, finding a band manager can be difficult due to the lack of resources.

However, having no manager doesn’t mean your band is without hope. Your band can still get out there without a manager.

Go DIY

Go ahead and manage your band yourself. Bands will naturally have a leader, or at the very least, one or two members who serve as the band’s driving force; if you’re one such person, don’t be shy to take the reins and manage the band. In many ways, going DIY is easier since all the band members actively play a role on deciding which direction the band should take. It also gives band members insight on the business side of the music industry.

Find Friends

You probably have friends who express a strong interest in the music industry, so why not get them to act as your band’s manager? Your friend is likely to be on the same wavelength as you are, having an understanding of how your band works, what kind of music you play, what your personalities are, and above all, what your band needs.

Consult Music Agencies in Pennsylvania

If you can’t have a full-time professional manager on board, get a part time one from music agencies in Pennsylvania. Part-time managers won’t be as present as full-time managers, but you can split the work with them and get the benefit of tapping into their connections with event organizers, record labels, and other musicians