Indie Artist Advice – Say Your Name!

Picture this scene – a relatively new band is performing as part of a five band bill. They’re in the middle of their set, and people who are there to see other bands are starting to like the music. These audience members want to know more about this band, but there’s a problem, and it’s a really big problem – the band still hasn’t said their name.

A few people pull out their phones, and look up the full lineup for the night. Then the Googling begins to see which of the bands in the lineup is the one currently on stage.

“Hey, are you looking up this band?” one crowd member says to someone typing on a cell phone.

“Yeah.”

“Let us know when you find out.”

Eventually the search leads to the band’s name, but the fact that such a search had to be done in the first place is not only insane, it’s ridiculously counterproductive for the band.

I know what you’re thinking – great imaginary scenario Adam.

The thing is, it was real, and it happened multiple times over the course of one show I attended in the city last month.

Of the five bands, the first neglected to say their name until they only had two songs remaining in their set, the second never said their name at all, and the fifth, a solo act, hadn’t said his name by the time I left midway through his set.

In the case of the first band, that was the one I was Googling, as was a friend of mine. Both of us work in music, so we have that level of wanting to know. The rest of the folks in the crowd, however, while possibly interested, weren’t looking them up on their own.

Eminem’s opening salvo to the mainstream music world featured him saying, “Hi, My Name Is,” and it’s a line every indie artist should remember when they hit the stage. Sure, you’re on the bill for the evening, but the crowd may not know who you are. They may be there for a different band.

“Hi, my name is …”

And don’t just say your name at the beginning of your set, realize audience members trickle in throughout the night, so repeat who you are at the beginning, in the middle, and at the conclusion of your set.

You want people to remember you, not leave thinking, “Hey, that first band was really good. Who were they?”

Saying your name seems so simple, but sometimes it’s the simple things that get overlooked.

Remember, it doesn’t matter how great you are if no one knows who you are, so SAY YOUR NAME!