John PM me a link i would love to hear your demo. The wife and I were walking last night around the harbor area ( we live near the beach in California) and there is a monterey bay cannery restaurant, and there was a guy floding up his gear out behind the patio area. He was bagging up a Bose sound system so I walked over and asked him how he liked it, and we talked a bit. We are going back tonight to have dinner and listen a while. He plays on sunday and monday nights. It seems that there is someone there and at the coffee shop on the other side of the harbor village about 5 nights a week during the summer months. Also they have a small cruise boat in the harbor for parties weddings and such and theyu sometimes have a live band on the bow. Kinda funny actually.

Think outside the box look for any kind of restaurant that has a patio, or outside area, or a bar lounge area and ask to play there. Especially if they do not have anyone playing there now. This can help them compete for patrons. Offer something reasonabl, but I agree with Mac, not free cause that is all they will want from that point. If they can get it free why pay? If they have a reasonable patronage, maybe offer to come in for a small fee plus tip jar. Remember some view the tip jar as money that they do not get. Every dollar is from the customers entertainment budget. $60 per night plus tips that is $20 per hour for three hours and if you pick up another $25 in tips not a bad night. After you play there a while keep looking around and maybe next time $70 plus tips. Put cards up on bill boards for weddings and private parties.

Kinda cool there was also a guy in the middle of the harbor playing blues with a small roland cube battery powered amp. He had a nice hollow body electric and no mike just sang over the amp which was down fairly low. it sounded pretty good. He had his guitar case in front and about $10 to 12 in tips so far. I was thinking that right there are three small restaurants with patios, and right in front of them was a tee shirt trailer thing, that has power. Hhmm i wonder if that trailer business would let me plug in my laptop and sound system I could sit there on a stool and play for all three restaurants and place a nice sized tip jar. Ask each eatin joint to chip in $20 and ........ hhmmmmm They all get entertainment and no one has to foot the whole bill. The Tee shirt trailer gets attention for free, and i get to play out on a beautiful summer evening at the harbor?!?!

The reason solo acts are so popular is cause to books a 4 piece band will cost anywhere from $400 to $800 per night, or more. Thus a solo act asking even $150 to $200 is dirt cheap, and way more personal to the crowd.

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