Working With Hop Till You Drop

Hop Till You Drop prefers to start with a demo CD comprising of as many tracks as the band has available in order to get a clear idea of the band's musical ability. If the band already has its own website, do e-mail us a link. We can gain a great deal of background information about prospective bands by simply looking at their websites.

It is highly likely that we will be able to listen to downloadable soundfiles to get a taste of how the band performs. Sound transmission over the internet is usually in mp3 format. When mp3s are created the original soundfiles are considerably compressed, thus reducing sound quality. This is why we also like to listen to the full-length original on a good quality hi-fi system. We can hear the manner and style in which the musicians play with far more clarity.

We're looking for confident, mature, stylish musicianship within each of the musical genres we promote. We're also looking for versatility. Many of our clients will be organising family parties. Whether it's a wedding, anniversary or birthday celebration, a similar mix of ages will appear in the guest-list. All generations are represented - from seven years old to seventy. We can successfully market acts that provide something for everyone in their repertoire.

For example, if it's a pop band, songs from the '50s to the present day need to be represented. If it's jazz, a good sprinkling of Rat-Pack Swing goes down a storm (the older generations heard the style the first time round: youngsters have been introduced to it through the recent CDs from Jamie Cullum and Robbie Williams). If it's Irish, all the tried and tested favourite songs need to be included so that everyone can sing along.

There is, of course, more to a successful performance than simple musical ability. Presentation is equally important. It's necessary to dress to suit the occasion. An appropriate range of tasteful options from black-tie to casual is required. Good quality PA equipment is also essential. These days, with increased emphasis on health and safety in public places, it is advisable to have all electrical equipment PAT tested on a yearly basis, and to hold public liability insurance on behalf of the group.

Reliability and punctuality are also paramount. Organisation sits at the base of this aspect of professionalism. All aspects of the engagement, including travel time and set-up time, need to be carefully thought through so that the performance takes place on time. Illness and accident also need to be factored in. Deputies for each seat in the band should be found wherever possible so that a dose of the 'flu doesn't leave the band in disarray.

If we feel that all the above attributes are in place, and that the music the band plays fits into the Hop Till You Drop format, we will be happy to welcome the band aboard, so to speak. To market the band, we will make use of the demo CD already provided. We will also need four photos of the band and any promotional material the band has produced. With regard to photos, we prefer informal pictures of the band in action. To get a feel of what we are after, we suggest that you take a look at the webpages created for other bands that play similar music.

If applicable, we also like to include a repertoire list. This needs to be as comprehensive as possible. It's worth taking the time to put one together as it gives the client increased confidence and familiarity with the product. Often, all this information is available on the band's existing website. If so, no worries! We can "borrow" it from there.

We will also need the full name, postal address and contact phone number of the bandleader for enquiries and contracts. Information about band availability is also very useful. This can be in the form of a link to on-line availability, or by e-mail, updated on a monthly basis.

When we have received all the relevant information, Hop Till You Drop is ready to set about marketing the band.

If the band already has a website, we ask for a weblink from the band's site to the Hop Till You Drop site in return for the listing we will give you. In the eyes of Google, links to a particular site from other websites act like "votes" for that website - the more votes, the higher the site ranks in the list Google returns for a particular search query. More links pointing to the website increase the likelihood of achieving a position towards the top of the list for relevant keywords, thus bringing a greater number of interested visitors to the site. More visitors means more gigs for everyone. Follow the link above to find out how to add the relevant information to your site.