The conversation focused on members of the Female Entrepreneur Musician Podcast community sharing stories of their most awesome, non-traditional gigs and the lessons learned from them. Each segment highlighted unique venues, audiences, and creative approaches to landing memorable performances.
Listen to the episode here
How To Attract Awesome Gigs
Niching Down and Knowing Your Audience
One concept discussed was the importance of truly understanding and connecting with a specific audience. Stories illustrated how focusing on a clearly defined niche enabled musicians to land memorable gigs. For example, one performer’s dedication to the Woodstock generation, donating a historic guitar, and immersing herself in that community eventually led to performing at the iconic Woodstock Museum’s anniversary event, fulfilling a lifelong dream . A key theme that emerged was that intentionally engaging with the right community, asking for opportunities, and being open to possibility make a big difference when seeking amazing gigs .
Playing Outside the Box: Unique Venues, Unique Audiences
The discussion explored how non-traditional spaces can provide uniquely supportive and appreciative audiences. A performance at a rural yoga studio stood out as especially joyful, not for the size of the crowd or the prestige of the venue, but for the genuine warmth and “long clapping” appreciation of the attendees. Several points were raised, including how audience response is often more about the emotional state of the listeners than about the performer—reminding musicians not to internalize tough crowds and to seek out receptive spaces .
Parental Challenges and Memorable Family Performances
Another story shared the struggle and humor of parents performing at a stadium with young children in tow, after two babysitters canceled last minute. Resourcefulness—and a stroke of luck—resulted in both the gig going smoothly and the kids behaving impeccably. The experience underlined the importance of perseverance, contingency planning, and trusting things can work out even under pressure .
Performing with Purpose: Musicians and Mission-Driven Gigs
One performer recounted her work with the USO, including the extraordinary experience of playing on a Navy ship at sea for hundreds of service members . This not only created lasting memories, but also inspired a lifelong mission of writing songs for military personnel and founding an organization to tell their stories. The importance of aligning performances with personal values and causes was emphasized as a pathway to truly meaningful gigs .
Visibility, Relationships, and Seizing Opportunities
A key takeaway came from stories about how visibility within one’s community and building relationships leads to great gig opportunities. Whether it was singing the national anthem at Dodger Stadium or performing as a keynote artist at a national conference, simply “being seen” and forming connections resulted in invitations and experiences that would not have been possible otherwise .
Creating Your Own Opportunity: Original Works for Impact
The podcast also highlighted the power of creating opportunities by writing original music for specific events. Featured examples included composing the theme song for a major international summit, which led to performing in front of thousands, and spearheading a community arts event by writing a song and producing a video about a local historic tragedy . These stories demonstrated that initiative, tailored creativity, and the courage to ask can turn a personal vision into a shared, impactful experience .
Final Reflections
A key theme that emerged was that making your own path—whether by pitching yourself, building community ties, or crafting new artistic work for untapped audiences—can lead to your career’s most rewarding moments. The discussion underscored the need to find your people, lean into your niche, and not hesitate to create the opportunities you want as a musician .
Links Mentioned In This Episode
- Female Entrepreneur Musician Podcast Website
- Woodstock Museum, Bethel, NY (more info)
- Braver Angels (more info)
- USO (United Service Organizations) (more info)
- Blood to Ink (music & military initiative) (more info)
- Carbon County Historic Society & Museum (more info)
- AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX (more info)
- University of Redlands (more info)
- Berklee College of Music (more info)
Note: Please refer to the original episode page for all relevant external resources and additional links.