Please read the following submission guidelines before approaching The Starry Plough to book your band or act:
1.The Starry Plough would like to maintain its presence as a premier venue in the East Bay. These guidelines are meant to preserve that experience and positively impact your band as it moves throughout the region. Well attended shows lead to repeat bookings here and elsewhere. Therefore, we have a 6 week overexposure policy. We will not give you a gig if you are booked in the East Bay 6 weeks before or after your Starry Plough date or in San Francisco within 3 weeks. (If you are booked here and we see that you have taken another gig in this market, we will cancel your gig and have a pitcher special.) Special circumstances may be considered, but must be discussed with our booking director during the booking process.
2. We expect a total head count per bill of no less than 75 people on Thursdays, and no less than 115 people on Friday and Saturday. This means: on Thursdays, each band on a two-band bill must bring at least 35 people, and on the weekends no less than 60. If you promise us that you will bring a certain amount of people, and don't deliver we recommend not contacting us for quite some time afterwards, as our booker is an ornery bastard. (Understandably, every band has an off night; but saying you can bring 40 and 10 show up is really just a lie.) If you are looking for an opportunity to play to get some exposure, we recommend our Tuesday Night Open Mic. There are usually 100 or so people there and its a good place to cut your teeth.
3. All submissions should be electronic. This is the 21st century and we want all of our submissions to be as green as possible. If you don't have a website, epk and downloadable MP3s then I highly doubt you can live up to clause #2.
4. When you do submit please do so via Email. Do not send a press kit unless we request it, do not call and leave a message. We use the booking line here to contact you (the message machine is little more than a formality). Your e-mail should tell us what genre of music you play, where you have played in town, when your last play was, how many people you drew at your last play, and how many people you can expect to draw at a show here. It should also have clear links to your music and your website. Promoters and bands are encouraged to approach us with a full bill, as long as it meets the requirements stated above. We answer all emails. If you have not received an immediate response it does not mean that you are not being considered. Please be patient.
If you have thouroughly read the above paragraphs, we encourage you to submit your bands booking inquiry to:
Matthew "Smitty" Smith
Starry Plough Booking and Publicity Director
starryploughbooking "at" yahoo.com
5. Nothing makes us happier - both band and venue - then a well promoted, well-attended show. Once you have booked a gig at The Plough, we expect it to be thouroughly publicised. We will submit the basics of your show to our press contacts, but it is up to you to really get out and pound pavement. We require that you provide us 3 copies of a flier for your show at least two weeks prior to your date. We also expect you to list your show - on jambase.com, your website, myspace page, etc. - and will be looking around Berkeley for your fliers. Touring bands get some leiniency on this, however we will be looking for you to have contacted the local press and radio stations. Bands that promote well, draw well and that is a fact. This means reaching out beyond your circle of friends and letting the public know who you are.
Feel free to ask us for advice.
