The Wonder Years (Hopeless Records)

Local bands these days have somehow found a way to do everything wrong and then wonder why things aren't working. There are a lot of things that factor into the success of a band. A lot of that success is rooted to where the band started and how they handled themselves as a local band. There is a right and wrong way to do everything in your pursuit to getting where you want your band to be. 

Some of you reading this might be saying "Who the hell is this guy and why is he calling everyone out?". My name is Ethan Beazley. I am a photographer that, for a long time, focused my craft in the music industry. I have been published in everything ranging from Alternative Press to Substream Music Press to Revolver Magazine. I have worked with all kinds of bands ranging from Attack Attack! to The Wonder Years to Switchfoot. I spent the better part of 3 years touring with Rise Records bands. Between local bands and larger touring acts, I have seen and worked with a lot of bands and I have seen what works and what doesn't.

Local bands these days seem to want to go cheap and skip steps. Two things you should NEVER do. 

Lets begin with starting your band. I know that being in a band is not cheap, nor should it be. A band is a business, wether you want to admit or not, it is. The start up costs to being in a band are huge. Between equipment, recordings, photos/design, and merchandise, you are shelling out a lot of money. A common mistake bands make is going cheap on some of these costs. Every penny you invest in your band is crucial, especially in the beginning. Making a good first impression can be huge. When you go cheap, everyone else sees it. I am sure you have seen a difference within your local scene between the bands that are taking themselves seriously and the ones that clearly are not. When you go cheap you are basically telling your peers that you don't care. When you get cheap recordings, people can tell. When you get bad gear, people can tell when you play. When you get bad photos/graphic design, people are just going to write you off as a joke. 

Another big mistake bands are making is touring too early. Get yourself known within your local scene. This is important for a number of reasons. The first reason being, If you cant get the support from your local crowd (Which at first will mostly be your friends and family) then how do you expect to get a good reaction on the road? Use your local scene as a way to test out what is working and what isn't. Play locally for a while, don't try to rush anything. By playing a lot of local shows you will be able to perfect your set and build a fan base at the same time. Once you have become comfortable with your local scene, book some one-off shows out of town. Do not go to far, just book shows in bordering states with the prominent local acts there. After you have been playing one-offs around the states bordering you for a while, book a small tour. Nothing crazy, book a week long run around the cities you've been hitting on your one-offs. After that, just gradually expand your borders. After a few small tours you may choose to buy onto a bigger tour and that is an option that I highly recommend doing. 

Skipping steps is the quickest way to getting angry and frustrated. Just take a step back, do things legit and things just might pan out for you.