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

Coverband Confidential
  • 4.8 (98)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

Cover Band Confidential is the podcast for working musicians, bandleaders, and gigging players who want to make more money, book better gigs, build stronger bands, and run their music career like a business.

  1. 4d ago

    Is the musician "bro code" real? (Adam's worst gig recap)

    A client looked at Adam during a private party and asked, “Did I get screwed?”Adam’s band wasn’t performing—they couldn’t make the date with their core lineup. He was there in another vendor role when the replacement band’s night began to unravel. When he stepped in to help, he also had to decide where professional courtesy ended and honesty with the client began.In this solo episode, Adam talks about the musician’s “bro code”: don’t spread rumors or turn one bad gig into a permanent verdict on someone’s character—but don’t lie to the client or ask them to absorb the cost of someone else’s decisions.This isn’t a takedown of substitute musicians. It’s a conversation about short-notice bookings, the responsibility that comes with accepting a gig, helping without becoming responsible for another vendor’s job, and telling the truth about what you personally witnessed.Plus: a windy ’80s gig, a damaged light, a Costco guitar case, CBC’s YouTube milestone, NAMM plans, band coaching, and the new sponsorship program.Where do you draw the line between having another musician’s back and being honest with the client? Leave a comment or email coverbandconfidential@gmail.com.THIS WEEK IN CBC HISTORY: 1 year ago 400 Episodes Later: Gear Trends, Gig Lessons, and What Musicians Need to Know in 2026 https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2025-10-23T17_00_00-07_002 years ago Elder Emo Summit (Featuring Matt McGee of the Dom Telonges) https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2024-10-24T12_35_34-07_003 years ago What would you tell your younger self about being a musician? (Guest lecture at Louisiana Tech University) https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2023-10-26T19_00_00-07_004 years ago How To Get Paid More! https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2022-10-28T13_27_27-07_005 years ago Band Branding part One Billion https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2021-10-28T18_28_44-07_006 years ago CBC #125 (Locus of Control) https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2020-10-22T18_20_45-07_007 years ago CBC #073 (Listener Questions and Rolling With It) https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2019-10-23T19_10_45-07_008 years ago CBC Episode 028 (The Show Must Go Wrong) https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2018-10-25T10_20_46-07_00#CoverBandConfidential #WorkingMusician #giggingmusician ------BACTrack Affiliate Link: https://www.bactrack.com/coverbandconfidential  MaestroDMX (10% off discount link): https://maestrodmx.com/discount/DISCOUNT4CBC?redirect=%2Fproducts%2FmaestrodmxBlank Contracts & Riders: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/performance-contractsBacking Track Resources: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/backing-track-resourcesThank you so much for tuning in!  If you want to help be sure to like, subscribe and share with your friends!  BANDLEADER RESOURCES: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links Follow us on Instagram!@coverbandconfidential@adampatrickjohnson@danraymusicianIf you have any questions please email at:Coverbandconfidential@gmail.comConsider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/coverbandconfidentialOr buy us a cup of coffee!paypal.me/cbconfidentialAnd for more info check out www.coverbandconfidential.com

    Is the musician "bro code" real? (Adam's worst gig recap)

  2. Oct 16

    Your New Cover Band Isn’t Ready for Gigs..... Yet (Band Coaching with the Dial up Survivors)

    The Dial-Up Survivors are a new four-piece band playing ’90s and 2000s alt rock, pop punk, and emo. They joined Adam and Dan for a band coaching session about what it takes to get from the rehearsal room to regular gigs.We talk about choosing a band leader, dividing up responsibilities, building a set that works for a general audience, and resisting the urge to launch with a niche concept show before you have an audience. We also get into rehearsal planning, social media when you don’t have much live footage, venue outreach, and what to expect when you’re playing with in-ears.If you’re starting a cover band—or trying to get a new project out of the practice space—this one’s for you.Topics covered:* Naming a band leader and making responsibilities clear* Building enough material for a full night* Balancing crowd favorites with deeper cuts* Using rehearsal footage to create content* Finding the right venues and building relationships* Making rehearsals count when schedules are tight* Getting comfortable with in-ear monitorsSweetwater Affilate Link: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/xJE4rk   BACTrack Affiliate Link: https://www.bactrack.com/coverbandconfidential   MaestroDMX (10% off discount link): https://maestrodmx.com/discount/DISCOUNT4CBC?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmaestrodmx Blank Contracts & Riders: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/performance-contracts Backing Track Resources: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/backing-track-resources Thank you so much for tuning in!  If you want to help be sure to like, subscribe and share with your friends!   BANDLEADER RESOURCES: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links  Follow us on Instagram! @coverbandconfidential @adampatrickjohnson @danraymusician If you have any questions please email at: Coverbandconfidential@gmail.com Consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/coverbandconfidential Or buy us a cup of coffee! paypal.me/cbconfidential And for more info check out  www.coverbandconfidential.com Gear Used in this Video (Affiliate): Sony ZV-E10 Mirrorless Camera: https://amzn.to/3DBqtOy Elgato Prompter: https://amzn.to/3X3IAq8  Shure SM7B: https://amzn.to/4dDCJx0  Elgato Stream Deck XL: https://amzn.to/3gKjhqi Magic Arm Camera Friction Mount: https://amzn.to/3SK5yNk #musician #livemusic #band #coverband

    Your New Cover Band Isn’t Ready for Gigs..... Yet (Band Coaching with the Dial up Survivors)

  3. Oct 9

    Being Good Isn’t Enough: 5 Things That Get You Hired—and Called Back

    A band leader needs a sub musician. You reply, “I’m your man.” Then they ask if you’re available—and you aren’t.That’s one way to make yourself memorable.This week, Adam and Dan break down five things that make it easier to hire you and call you back. Read the ad. Send relevant performance clips. Be clear about your availability. Show up prepared. And make the band’s night easier, not harder.You don’t need a polished promo reel or a Netflix special. You need enough clear, relevant information to show a band leader what it would be like to work with you.In this episode:- Why a useful first reply can put you ahead of other applicants- What to include when you respond to a gig ad- How to share performance clips that actually show your ability- Why “I’m willing to learn” and “I’ve done this before” aren’t the same thing- How to confirm the full gig timeline and commitment- What band leaders need to provide so subs can prepare- Why being a good teammate can beat having flashier chopsYour assignment: Review your last response to a gig inquiry. Could the recipient tell whether you fit, whether you’re available, and where to hear you play without chasing you down?What has a sub musician done that made you immediately want to hire them again—or move them to second call? Tell us in the comments or email coverbandconfidential@gmail.com.Coaching: Want Adam and Dan’s feedback on your band? You can do a public coaching session for free, which becomes an episode of the show, or book a private paid session. Email coverbandconfidential@gmail.com to ask about either option.Subscribe for more conversations about working cover bands, band leadership, and the business of being a musician.

    Being Good Isn’t Enough: 5 Things That Get You Hired—and Called Back

  4. Oct 2

    They Stopped Booking Us. Then They Called Back.

    What happens when a venue stops booking your band? You can get pissed. You can write the email. You can explain why they’re wrong. You can make sure everybody involved knows exactly how disappointed you are. Or… you can not do that. A few weeks ago, we talked about a venue that decided to pause its recurring live band karaoke dates with Adam’s group. The gigs ended, everybody finished the dates they had agreed to, and the relationship was left intact. Then the venue called again. Less than six weeks later, they wanted ATL LBK back—this time for a private event. So this week we’re talking about something working musicians don’t spend nearly enough time thinking about: ending well. How do you handle it when a venue stops booking you? What should you actually say? When should you ask for feedback? What happens to remaining dates, money, and promotion? And how do you resist the extremely human urge to get the last word? We also flip the situation around. Sometimes you’re the one ending the relationship. Maybe the money no longer makes sense. Maybe the venue isn’t a good fit anymore. Maybe better opportunities have come along. The same rules still apply. We get into: • Why your first angry draft probably shouldn’t be your final draft• Closing out outstanding dates, payments, and obligations cleanly• Finishing the last gig at the same standard as the first• Why you should never trash the venue from the stage• How to give honest feedback without settling old scores• Why trading up on already-booked dates is a bad look• When it makes sense to circle back with an old client• How to evaluate the opportunity if they eventually call again• Why professionalism matters even more when things aren’t going your way The goal isn’t to guarantee that every lost booking eventually comes back. It’s to make sure the gig can come off the calendar without your band going on the blacklist. Because sometimes the economics change. Sometimes the venue changes. Sometimes your band changes. And sometimes, if you handle the ending well, the phone rings again.

    They Stopped Booking Us. Then They Called Back.

  5. Sep 25

    The Keyboard Player Episode: Gear, Parts, Patches & Playing Nice With Guitarists

    A listener in Scotland asked us for an episode about keyboard players. There was only one problem: this is a podcast hosted by two guitar players. So rather than confidently making things up for an hour, we called in Brandon Patrick of The Flannel Pajamas, a ’90s-ish cover band based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Brandon came to keyboards later in life after years as a vocalist, which gives him an interesting perspective on what it actually takes to become a functional, gigging keyboard player—not a concert pianist, not a synth wizard living inside a modular rig, but somebody who needs to learn songs, build useful tones, fit inside a band, and make it through the gig. We get into how keyboard players learn songs, sheet music versus ear training, using lead sheets and the Nashville Number System, and why playing rock and pop keys is a very different skill from being a classically trained pianist. Then we head directly into the gear rabbit hole. Brandon talks about his Yamaha YC, onboard sounds versus software instruments, organ and Leslie tones, patch building, why redundancy matters if you’re relying on a computer, and why the keyboard you buy should be determined by the music you actually intend to play. We also tackle the eternal question: 61, 73, or 88 keys? Along the way, Adam and Dan attempt to explain guitars to a keyboard player, discover that a guitar is apparently six strangely tuned keyboards strapped together, and establish the definitive tonal taxonomy: A Strat goes quack.A Tele goes twang.A Les Paul goes chunk.And an SG starts an argument. If you play keys, want to play keys, lead a band with a keyboard player, or have spent years wondering what the person behind that giant red Nord is actually doing, this one’s for you. Featuring Brandon Patrick of The Flannel Pajamas. Find @theflannelpajamas on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and catch them live around the Dallas–Fort Worth area! Sweetwater Affilate Link: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/xJE4rk   BACTrack Affiliate Link: https://www.bactrack.com/coverbandconfidential   MaestroDMX (10% off discount link): https://maestrodmx.com/discount/DISCOUNT4CBC?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmaestrodmx Blank Contracts & Riders: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/performance-contracts Backing Track Resources: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/store/backing-track-resources Thank you so much for tuning in!  If you want to help be sure to like, subscribe and share with your friends!   BANDLEADER RESOURCES: https://www.coverbandconfidential.com/links   And for more info check out  www.coverbandconfidential.com

    The Keyboard Player Episode: Gear, Parts, Patches & Playing Nice With Guitarists

  6. Sep 18

    The Gig Got Rained Out. Then Things Got Ugly. | Mike Schulte (Confused Breakfast / The Pork Tornadoes)

    The soundboard was dripping water. Apparently, the band was still supposed to play. Mike Schulte of The Pork Tornadoes and the Confused Breakfast podcast joins Dan with a gig story that stands out after roughly 1,300 shows—and for all the wrong reasons. A sudden storm drenched the gear and shut down the night before the band could play. According to Mike, what followed included an angry confrontation, a passive-aggressive load-out soundtrack, and people booing musicians who were trying to get their equipment out of the venue. Dan and Mike unpack the business side of a rainout: what the band’s contract covered, why the work starts long before the first song, and how a reasonable conversation might have preserved a working relationship. They also look at their own preparation and what could be handled differently next time. Nobody controls the weather. Everybody has some control over how they treat people. Before the storm story, Mike shares how he’s using a 360 camera for both The Pork Tornadoes and Confused Breakfast—from capturing concert footage to filming an interview at the Goonies house without hauling an entire camera department along. In this episode: Moving 360-camera footage versus static camera angles. (link: https://www.insta360.com/sal/x6?utm_source=AffiliateCenter&utm_medium=copylink&utm_term=INRSG0CFLEV) Capturing the crowd and blending camera audio with a board feed. Using one camera to create multiple interview angles. A surprise storm, soaked equipment, and a show that couldn’t happen. Payment expectations when a band has done everything except perform. Weather preparation, de-escalation, and knowing when a working relationship is finished. Check out Mike with The Pork Tornadoes and on Confused Breakfast. Rock more. Suck less. Keep the load-out playlist civil.

    The Gig Got Rained Out. Then Things Got Ugly. | Mike Schulte (Confused Breakfast / The Pork Tornadoes)

  7. Sep 11

    How to Get Your Band Booked—and Invited Back

    You crushed your first gig. The venue wants you back. Now how do you get the OTHER venues to answer your emails?This week, a listener’s success story turns into a practical guide to booking your cover band. After building The Riffbillyz from the ground up and earning return invitations—including New Year’s Eve—he asks: What’s the best way to reach local bookers? Email? Messenger? Showing up in person?Adam and Dan walk through the entire process, from choosing rooms that actually fit your band to turning that first conversation into a lasting booking relationship. Dan shares his “gig hunting” routine, Adam explains what your promo needs to prove, and both discuss why being good onstage is only part of being a band venues want to hire.**In this episode:*** Finding the right venues instead of emailing every bar within 100 miles.* Building a one-sheet, website, and short promo video that make booking you an easy decision.* Approaching managers at the right time—and following their booking instructions.* Tracking contacts, booking windows, and follow-ups so opportunities don’t disappear into your inbox.* Clarifying pay, production, promotion, and what the venue considers a successful night.* Avoiding promises about your draw that Facebook’s “Interested” button cannot keep.* Winning over the staff, sending the thank-you, and earning the next date.* Capturing live footage that helps you sell the next show.Plus: Adam turns 45, Dan goes on an escape-room adventure, a mysterious guitar purchase is pending, and Adam introduces a new tool for searching the CBC episode archive by topic.**Your assignment this week:** Pick five venues that fit your band, get your promo ready, identify the booking contacts, and make a specific ask. Then track the conversation and follow through.Be the band management sees on the calendar and thinks, “Oh, thank goodness.”Questions or gig-hunting stories? Email **[coverbandconfidential@gmail.com](mailto:coverbandconfidential@gmail.com)**.

    How to Get Your Band Booked—and Invited Back

  8. Sep 3

    The Gigs That Remind You Why You Do This

    Most gigs aren’t life-changing. They’re work.You load in, fix whatever isn’t working, play the songs, collect the check, and eventually escape through a commercial kitchen.But every once in a while, the band locks in, the crowd gives everything back, and all the logistical nonsense disappears. Those are the gigs that remind you why you’ve spent years sacrificing weekends, buying too much gear, and voluntarily standing next to drummers.This week, Adam and Dan talk about:• A wedding party that turned a regular bar gig into complete bedlam• The shows where the band, crowd, and room all click• Creating a meaningful moment for one person• Songs that hit an audience harder than expected• The extremely healthy realization that you’ve “still got it”• Why preparation creates room for spontaneity• How cameras, technical problems, and overbooking can kill the moment• Turning nearby weddings and events into marketing opportunities• Why not every gig needs to be magicalPlus: Sweetwater debt, dueling dead refrigerators, Adam’s early verdict on the Xvive U45D, and a five-star review that claims this show is “actually useful.”What gig reminded you why you do this? Tell us in the comments or email [coverbandconfidential@gmail.com](mailto:coverbandconfidential@gmail.com).THIS WEEK IN CBC HISTORY: Oasis Reunion, Setlist Science & DIY Gear Hacks! | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2024-09-05T19_00_00-07_00How to be the Ultimate Entertainer! | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2023-09-07T19_00_00-07_00Is Music a Viable Career? | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2022-09-08T20_39_24-07_00Things Musicians Have To Stop Doing | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2021-09-09T19_10_42-07_00CBC #118 (If you were Starting from Scratch) | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2020-09-03T18_05_36-07_00CBC #066 (Merchanomics part Deux, Instrument Learning, Acoustic Duos, Song Selection) | https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/coverbandconfidential/episodes/2019-09-04T18_00_35-07_00💬 Join the Patreon community: [www.patreon.com/coverbandconfidential]🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: [www.youtube.com/@UCRRpk2pfZPVq1AEJlqVPXqg ]📱 Follow CBC on Instagram: [instagram.com/coverbandconfidential]Gear mentioned:• Xvive U45D Digital Stereo In-Ear Monitor System: [https://amzn.to/4zRDkqJ]• Gator utility shelf: [https://amzn.to/4h4J3SK]Some product links may be affiliate links, which help support the show at no additional cost to you.Cover Band Confidential is the podcast for cover band musicians and band leaders who want to rock more and suck less.#CoverBand #WorkingMusician #LiveMusic

    The Gigs That Remind You Why You Do This
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Cover Band Confidential is the podcast for working musicians, bandleaders, and gigging players who want to make more money, book better gigs, build stronger bands, and run their music career like a business.

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