Cover Band Confidential's Podcast (Music Business, Gigging Tips & Making Money as a Musician)

Finding new musicians for your band sounds simple until your DMs turn into a crime scene.

This week on Cover Band Confidential, Adam and Dan break down what actually goes into replacing a band member, filling a sub spot, or building a roster without losing your mind in the process. Adam is in the middle of this right now with Members Only as their longtime drummer transitions out of rotation, so this one is less “theoretical advice” and more “live footage from the hiring trenches.”

We talk through the practical steps that make the search less painful: defining the role, being clear about the project, writing a specific audition post, asking for video early, using trusted referrals, being honest about money, filtering for availability, and auditioning people for the actual job they’ll be doing.
Because finding the best player is not always the same thing as finding the right player.

Also in this episode:

Adam recaps a Midwest family trip through Chicago, Saugatuck, South Bend, Notre Dame, Wrigleyville, and Chicago Music Exchange

The emotional danger of playing an $8,000 Les Paul that unfortunately feels worth it

Dan previews a trip to Utah and Las Vegas, including a possible live band karaoke meetup at The Venetian

Why “clear communication” is basically the whole episode

The value of asking for audition video before wasting everyone’s time

Why availability can matter as much as talent

How to spot professional habits before someone is officially in the band

Why a trial period protects both the band and the new player

The terrifying concept of “musician icks”

Finding band members is a slog, but you can make it less sloggy. And if you’re leading the project, the goal is not just to find a player. It’s to be the kind of band leader people actually want to work with.

#CoverBandConfidential #CoverBandTips #WorkingMusician #BandLeader #GiggingMusician #CoverBand #LiveMusicBusiness #BandAuditions #MusicianLife #WeddingBand #CorporateBand #DrummerSearch #BandManagement #MusicPodcast #LiveBandTips

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This week on Cover Band Confidential, Adam and Dan do a quick Memorial Day catch-up and break down the first live band karaoke show under Adam’s new "ATL LBK" brand. 

The gig had a lot going for it: a massive LED wall, custom motion backgrounds, ProPresenter handling the song list and visuals, AbleSet running lyrics, and Bandleader managing singer signups, payments, and queue management. 

Shockingly, a lot of the complicated stuff actually worked. 

But because this is live music, there were still some growing pains.

We also get into escape room recommendations, a BBC show recommendation, new merch plans, the last Members Only gig with Nathan for a while, and why anything worth doing is apparently worth overdoing. 

If you’re a working musician, bandleader, or someone thinking about adding live band karaoke to your gig options, this episode is a useful look at what worked, what needs dialing in, and why the signup system and lyric system are probably the things you want working before anything else.

Want to send us your gig red flags for a future episode?
 Email: [email protected]

Join the Cover Band Confidential community, Patreon, Slack, and more:
 https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links

#CoverBandConfidential #LiveBandKaraoke #CoverBand #WorkingMusician #GiggingMusician #BandLeader #LiveMusic #ATLmusic #AtlantaBands #ProPresenter #AbleSet #BandGear #MusicBusiness

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Is your band accidentally making itself harder to book?

This week on *Cover Band Confidential*, Adam and Dan break down *10 very fixable ways bands create friction for bookers, clients, venues, planners, and anyone else trying to give them money*.

Because here’s the brutal truth: the best band does not always win. The easiest band to work with often does.

We dig into the stuff that separates “pretty good bar band” from “professional event band that gets called back every year,” including:

* Why slow responses make you look like you hate money
* How bad promo can trap you at the level of gigs you already have
* Why your website and social presence may be raising more questions than answers
* The difference between being musically ready and operationally ready
* Why pricing gets weird — and how to stop apologizing for your quote
* How your setlist can either serve the room or sabotage the gig
* Why relationship-building after the show matters more than most bands realize

Plus, we catch up on 3D printing, live band karaoke prep, Jam Zone vs. Ableton/AbleSet, headless guitar string anxiety, Fender’s cease-and-desist drama, and why your band website probably still says copyright 2017.

If you want to stop creating friction and start getting hired like a professional, this one’s for you.

Get our free bandleader tools, templates, gear recommendations, insurance resources, and more here: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links

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Most musicians remember the obvious stuff: instruments, cables, strings, sticks, charts, and the gear required to actually play the gig.

But what about everything else?

This week on *Cover Band Confidential*, we’re building the *Musician’s EGC — Every Gig Carry list:* the non-musical gear that saves your gig, your sanity, your clothes, your car, and occasionally your dignity.

We’re talking about the stuff working musicians learn to pack after years of getting burned: sunscreen, bug spray, trash bags, gaff tape, headlamps, air movers, battery packs, magic arms, first aid kits, doorstops, QR codes, breathalyzers, backup shirts, and all the other “why didn’t I bring that?” items that separate the prepared pros from the sweaty disaster goblins.

If you play bars, private events, outdoor stages, corporate gigs, weddings, karaoke nights, festivals, patios, or any other vaguely hostile environment with questionable power and zero shade, this list is for you.

Chinly Battery-Powered Wireless DMX: https://amzn.to/4wvGSNJ 

Full EGC List (Affiliate): https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-d417e12d/list/JIHAMNBAO68S?ref_=aipsflist

BACTrack Exclusive Discount Store: https://www.bactrack.com/coverbandconfidential

Also in this episode:

* Adam’s upcoming 4th of July gig
* Live band karaoke prep
* Jam Zone testing
* Wireless DMX updates
* The return of Frozen Coyote accountability
* Why gaffe tape is worth the money
* Why an air mover beats a fan
* Why every gigging musician should probably own a doorstop
* And one truly brain-dead comment about in-ear monitors

Need links, tools, discounts, and resources for working musicians?
Check out: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links

Subscribe for more real-world advice for working musicians, bandleaders, and cover bands trying to make more money, look more professional, and suck less.

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Adam and Dan recap Adam’s bizarre recent gig where his voice failed on some songs but suddenly returned mid-set, helped by Amber, and he tested gear including an M5 mic he now praises and a trem setter that improved his Vibrant guitar’s tuning stability. They shout out listener Jason Hughes from Dayton, Ohio (Simple Daze), then pivot to Rolling Stone’s new “100 Greatest Guitar Solos” list, calling it infuriating rage bait and introducing a “Greatest List Bingo Card” to flag predictable contrarian picks. They debate snubs and weird placements (e.g., “Sultans of Swing,” “Cliffs of Dover,” “Free Bird”), critique questionable inclusions, compare overlap with Guitar World’s 2022 reader poll, and run through Rolling Stone’s top 20, reacting to live-cut pretension and the surprising #1 pick: Prince’s “Purple Rain.”