So, you’re interested in booking a MicroGig. Here’s what you need:

• A venue (big enough to squeeze 10 people and one musician in – ie, your living room/kitchen/bathroom)
• An artist (we’ll have a list for you soon, or find your own!)
• 10 friends willing to cough up a tenner for a ticket and another ten quid for a memory stick packed with awesome.
• That’s it.

If your house is up to it (it is), then all you need to do is contact the musician in question and book ‘em.

Best way to handle the money part of it is for the 10 people coming to pay £20 each up front – so no faffing with cash on the night, and no awkward moments with cancellations. If they all have paypal, they can send it straight to the artist (get their paypal address from them when you speak to them).

Then you need to settle on a date, sort out a time to get in (soundcheck shouldn’t really be neccesary unless there’s some kind of plugged in element to the gig – if you’re booking me (Steve Lawson) I’ll need about 20 minutes to set up). Arrange with the artist whether or not you’re going to feed them first, what time it’s going to start, and what time the 10 Adorable Patrons Of The Awesome are going to arrive, and how long your chosen maestro will play for.

Then sort out any extras – are you into making soup? Great, do a massive pot of soup for everyone. Does the artist in question do anything else that could make it more special (and possibly profitable) – some ideas (based on the kind of people I think are going to be up for this):

• Songwriting workshop
• instrumental masterclass
• marketing/future of the music industry stuff for other musicians
• short film showing
• art exhibition
• hand-made jewelry sale

Or anything else that comes to mind – with a group of only 10 people, all kinds of things are possible that just wouldn’t work with a bigger audience. So use your imagination. If, somewhere in there, you can find a way for the audience to get more out of it, and the artist to make a bit more money, so much the better.

Don’t forget to talk about accommodation if the artist isn’t local, and any other needs (dietary requirements, music stands, types of chair to sit on to play, introductions etc.) and you’re good to go.

It’s really easy – once you’ve done one, you may well be able to turn it into a regular event. But get one booked in, and don’t hesitate to ask questions here if you get stuck!