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. 2d ago

    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

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  4. 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)

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Aug 28

    5 Skills Being in a Band Teaches You (Besides Music)

    Being in a band teaches you much more than how to play music.Every rehearsal, equipment failure, difficult bandmate, last-minute song request, and immovable downbeat develops skills that carry into the rest of your life. In this episode, Adam and Dan break down five things musicians learn almost accidentally: collaboration, discipline, adaptability, people management, and project management.They also bring research connecting ensemble performance with shared attention, executive function, resilience, empathy, social bonding, organization, leadership, and problem-solving.Before the main topic, Dan discovers that The New Strange still has some muscle memory, Adam recaps his first Jamzone-assisted solo gig and another massive ATL LBK event, and Cover Band Confidential celebrates 9,000 YouTube subscribers and three million views.What has playing in a band taught you that has nothing to do with music? Tell us in the comments.RESEARCH CITEDCollaborative musical creativity and co-regulation:https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01285/fullMusic and social bonding:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4179700/Music training and executive function:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9393548/Resilience and music-performance anxiety:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12584046/Group music, empathy, and prosocial behavior:https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1744000/fullEnsemble participation and transferable life skills:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11239010/ABOUT COVER BAND CONFIDENTIALCover Band Confidential is the podcast for cover-band musicians and bandleaders who want to rock more and suck less. Adam Johnson and Dan Ray talk about the music, business, gear, relationships, and occasional logistical catastrophes involved in playing music for actual people.#CoverBand #WorkingMusician #BandAdvice00:00 Intro00:58 Band Still Got It03:08 Rebrand And Karaoke04:47 Jam Zone Solo Gig06:45 Frozen Bracelet Tip09:28 Live Band Karaoke Recap12:10 Milestones And Consistency14:40 This Week In History18:25 Skills Beyond Music23:50 Receipts and Research25:06 Discipline and Practice28:42 ADHD and Executive Function30:19 Adaptability Under Fire36:52 Band Relationships and Feedback41:58 Project Management Skills45:40 Wrap Up and Call In

    5 Skills Being in a Band Teaches You (Besides Music)

  8. Aug 21

    A Psychologist Explains Why Bands Are So Dysfunctional (with Dr. Jesse Erdheim)

    Bands rarely fall apart because somebody missed a chord.They fall apart because expectations about money, gigs, rehearsals, song choices, musical standards, commitment, and leadership go unspoken until somebody finally blows up.This week, we brought in somebody who actually knows what he’s talking about.Dr. Jesse Erdheim is an industrial-organizational psychologist and wellbeing coach with more than 20 years of experience working with motivation, conflict, burnout, leadership, and change. He also fronts a working classic-rock cover band—so he understands band dysfunction from both sides.We talk about:*Why bands are uniquely difficult organizations*How mismatched expectations turn into resentment*How to give musical criticism without destroying morale*What psychological safety actually looks like in a band*Why emotional regulation matters before a difficult conversation*What to do when your band culture has already become unhealthyOne of the biggest lessons: sometimes the explosion you think came out of nowhere actually started months earlier when everyone stopped checking whether they were still working toward the same goal. Jesse describes his own experience with a guitarist whose frustration over money and travel finally erupted at a show—and how that changed the way his band communicates with new members.If you're a band leader, working musician, or anyone currently sitting in a group text wondering “How the hell did we get here?”—this episode is for you.More from Dr. Jesse Erdheim:jesseerdheim.comUpcoming book: A Full Cup: Reflections on Living WellJesse also fronts The Backroads, a Durham-area cover band performing around Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough.https://www.facebook.com/thebackroadsdurham/https://www.instagram.com/the.back.roads__/#CoverBand #BandDrama #WorkingMusician #BandLeader #musicbusiness 00:00 Podcast kickoff00:55 Meet Dr Jesse01:53 From GNR to gigging03:48 Band leadership style05:37 Shared vision basics08:14 Why bands are hard10:21 Gig meltdown story12:44 Assumptions and alignment17:47 Common band problems23:20 Giving feedback safely27:16 Trust Bank Accounts27:44 Giving Notes With Care28:25 Adaptability Over Control30:02 Does The Audience Care31:03 Perfectionism And Perspective31:58 Are Musicians Different34:54 Win Win Band Leadership37:30 Pre Show Regulation Routine39:38 Time Confetti Planning42:09 Hard Conversations Toolkit45:30 Stop Rumination Loops49:59 Relationships And Wrap Up

    A Psychologist Explains Why Bands Are So Dysfunctional (with Dr. Jesse Erdheim)
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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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