Pour 5: Live Music In San Antonio! Tonight!

Take Your Music Events and Promotions From Idea To Reality.

Well, not yet. But soon. Part of the planning for a solid grand opening of Retox Bar is the musical talent. While Austin is known for its great live music…original live music…San Antonio bars seem to thrive when enlisting the services of a lively cover band. Many have a faithful following, which will obviously help bring people to your establishment.

The concern comes after your doors are open. How are we going to set ourselves apart from the rest of the neighborhood bars that feature cover bands? Well, we’ve certainly got some ideas. Weekends will likely continue to feature cover bands. Competing with other bars for prime acts will be a challenge. After Retox Bar up and running, we will have a better idea of which nights need a boost. Its safe to say that Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest followed by Thursday. So, the key will be to establish another night as a special night at your bar. Some do it with cheap drink specials, or open mic night…or some combination.

A few years ago, a local bar featured dodgeball in its parking lot. They had the backing of one of the radio stations. Eventually they were known for selling more Dos Equis than any other bar in the United States. That fad didn’t last beyond that summer, but it was a great idea. For the last few years, a local BBQ restaurant draws its crowd with a Wedensday night music series featuring Texas Country acts, which is extremely popular throughout Texas. Admission is free with a canned good donation to the San Antonio Food Bank. It is consistently packed.

We already know that we will set Retox Bar apart from similar bars in town by adding Texas Country artists to our lineup on occasion, but coming up with a successful “gimmick” like those mentioned above will be something to consider.

How To Prepare For Your Plan.

• ASCAP. No, that’s not a derogatory term for someone you can’t stand. It stands for The American Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers. It’s possible that you need to obtain licensing from ASCAP particularly for cover bands. It’s a good idea to check with your local ASCAP representative to be sure. Any public performances are fair game for fines.
• Get Organized. Don’t just mark it on the calendar. Include pricing and a ledger of your expenses related to that event. If it is just a band, your details should be limited. But for an event, it will be more detailed. That should include advertising expenses…as well as a date you plan to begin that advertising.
• Budget. Once you have a game plan, be sure to budget for the entire month. If you are running a special promotion, budget for the duration of that promotion. It is easy to rely on the profits from your daily operations to fund your acts and events, but don’t get caught up in that web. Be sure you can pay for everything in the worst case scenario.

We have a couple of things in mind already. But I think I’ll refrain from giving those ideas away…just in case the competition is reading. Speaking of reading, be sure to check out the past posts in the “Pour” series (say that real fast 3 times).

Pour 1 — Can I Buy You A Drink?
Pour 2 — Realize Your Business Goals. Do Your Research.
Pour 3 — Choosing A Name That Sticks.
Pour 4: Getting The Word Out.

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Related posts:

1. Pour 1 — Can I Buy You A Drink?
2. Pour 4: Getting The Word Out.
3. Pour 3 — Choosing A Name That Sticks.
4. Pour 2 — Realize Your Business Goals. Do Your Research.
5. Pandora: Streaming Music For Your BlackBerry