Hey
You and I have a lot in common.  You are in a band, and I love live music.  Plus, I own/operate/book the hottest stages in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Hopefully, we get a chance to work together.  
The first thing you should know is that I am the only person currently booking for Sticky Fingerz Rock’n’Roll Chicken Shack and Rumba/Revolution.  You don’t need to send me multiple emails for each venue.  It’s just me, and I get them all.  Sometimes it really takes me a week or two to get back with you, so please have patience.
Here are the ways that we find our artists – 
1) I’ve tracked you down personally (watch out for imposters!) and said “You’ve got to play a show for us b/c you’re so awesome!” (or something to that effect)
2) You send in a traditional promo pack for me to review. (always allow 30 days for me to actually be able to absorb it)
3) You send me a link to your website or a page where I can check out your style and sound. (what most people do these days.  But, don’t think that I’m going to listen to it even within a week from the time you send it – we have lives too!)
4) You send me the answers to the following questions that I have listed below. 

You should know that I actually have a gameplan for how things come together.  We are generally booked a couple of months (or more) in advance.  Weekends are sometimes locked down for 4-6 months at a time.  It’s a business and we have to make sure we are making the right decisions on any given night.

Since neither of us was born doing this, I thought it would be nice to outline some things in order to make both of our lives easier.  Here are some FAQs and a few tips on how it really works.  
I will be very succinct – which would be the 1st “rule” - Always get to the point early! ( rule #2 - Never let the Drummer Drive by Himself to the Hotel before the Show).
#3 – DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALY. (seriously, I should make this #1.)  There are only so many dates in a year, and we have to follow our plan.  
#4 – Just because you don’t see a date listed as being booked on our website doesn’t mean it’s already booked.  It just means that for one reason or the other, it can’t yet be advertised.
#5 – The T.B.A.  If you see “T.B.A.” listed as support for a band, then it’s absolutely fair game for you to his us up for an opening slot.  As a matter of fact, in many cases we would welcome the suggestions.
#5 – BE PERSISTENT.  I won’t bore you with how many new acts contact us about performing on a daily basis.  We are forever thankful for the support of the Live Music Community.  But, we also can’t remember everyone.  Following up on a regular basis is the best way to stay on our radar. 
#6 – It’s Not Me or You.  Sometimes It’s Them.  I might want you to be on the bill opening for the big national act that just played on Saturday Night Live last week, and you might be dying to play the gig, BUT – if the artist’s agent AND manager doesn’t approve, then I don’t have any say in the matter.  It Sucks.  It’s just the way this biz runs.
When you decide to contact me about a show (chris@lovelivemusic.com) then have this info ready – 
       1 – A link to your website or MySpace
       2 – A list of any venues you have played in the area
       3 – A list of any dates you may have coming up in the next few months in the area**
       4 – If you play cover songs, a list of those covers (or artists covered)
       5 – A set of target dates if you are on tour
       6 – Names of Little Rock-area bands that you know would like to play a show with you

This gives me a fair place to start in evaluating scenarios that might make sense for all of us.
**this part is so important.  I mentioned that we are a business, and that means that we want to work with you to maximize your fan potential.  It doesn’t make sense for you to play with us if you have a gig a week before/after in town.  Help us help you(r band).


After all of that, here’s the rest of the info that would be a great benefit to all parties 
A) How many people can you bring into the club on any given night of the week?  How about on the weekend? (Keep in mind that we are 21+ at Sticky Fingerz and can possibly be all ages/18+ at Revolution Room)  
**We’re not talking about your “guest list” either
B) Can you play for free?  That always helps.

C) If you are an acoustic act seeking gigs on the Rumba Patio or Sticky Fingerz Coop, can you do a couple of 1 hour sets for $100?  You might have to bring a little PA for this one depending on your setup.


I hope this all helps clarify the process a little bit.  It’s possible that this document will undergo an occasional change, so if we go a year or more without discussing shows, you should probably check back to see if anything has changes.

Even if it doesn’t work out between us, I hope we can still be friends.

Love Live Music,
Chris King