mashable.com — Jonathan Ostrow is the co-founder of MicControl, a music blogging network based on a social networking platform for the emerging music community.Most people use geolocation services like Foursquare, Gowalla and Facebook Places to share their location and leave tips for friends and others within their network. For touring musicians and bands, there is an opportunity to take this premise one step further.The DIY musician, who is always short on resources during a tour, can tap into location-based social media to establish a nationwide, or even worldwide network of other musicians (and local music fans) willing to share all of the insider tips necessary to make any city feel like home. Establishing these insider networks can help musicians address challenging obstacles as they travel.The mutual benefits for musicians who leave touring tips for each other can be huge, but it can only be put to good use if a plan and agreement is in place. Here are some ways your musical network can leverage location for a smoother ride on the tour bus.1. Discover Hidden Gem VenuesEveryone can use Google to find the most popular and well-established venues in a city or town, but there are always great clubs that manage to stay below the radar. Those with an established patronage and excellent performance spaces can do more to build your mailing list and fanbase then many of the bigger venues that require you to bring in your own crowd.Tap into your location network to unearth these hidden gem venues and reap all of the benefits that the local scene has to offer. If you find a great venue, be sure to leave a tip for your followers as well.2. Get Venue Details Ahead of TimeAs any performing artist will tell you, the sound and atmosphere is different in every venue. A slight difference in shape, depth, height, angle, or equipment can cause a significant change in the acoustics. But as you and your network go on tour, location apps offer the perfect opportunity to test the waters and leave tips about bass boominess, the lack of sound check time, or how to get a particular audience really cranked up about a show. Use this info to your advantage to make the best of any situation and knock each show out of the park.3. Sleep for CheapThe touring musician is on a strict budget. An easy way to get off track is by staying in hotels that cost entirely too much and sleeping in the van gets really old, really quickly. Use your network to discover and suggest the best deals in every the city those comfortable, safe and cheap spots for a good nights rest before the next gig.4. Emergency Instrument RepairA nightmare of a situation, but one that can happen at any time youre in a new city and your amp blew a tube, your guitar keeps shorting out, or you popped a hole in a drum head during load-in. The opportunities for disaster relating to your equipment are endless.Each potential store or repair shop has its own specialty, so use your network to quickly find the most recommended shops and get everything fixed before its time for the sound check.5. Target Your Audience in a New MarketWhich venues have an established scene and which require you to bring your own audience? The latter is more likely in big city markets like NYC, so plan accordingly and make the most of every performance.If you are spending time and money to travel cross-country, or even to the next state over to play a few gigs, make sure its worthwhile. Before you book the gigs, use your network to learn which venues cater directly to your genre of music and your target audience. Which venues have paid off for other bands? Your geosocial connections should point the way.6. Drum Up Local SupportMany businesses that support local artists may be willing to post a show flyer or let you perform outside or in the lobby. Each city or town has at least one hang-out with a supportive public that might be willing to endorse upcoming events.If you find support in a community, be sure to leave a tip behind for your fellow musicians. If your social media friends do the same, youll know exactly where to turn to scrounge up that extra publicity the next time youre in town.7. Find Open Mic NightsIf you have some time before the big show in a new city, dont just party. Get out and promote the gig. A great way to do so is at the scenes most popular open mics. Sometimes the good ones are hard to find. Thats where your tip network comes in handy.Dont forget to mention your name in between songs and plug your upcoming show. Many college campuses and bars hold regular, well-attended open mic nights, so use your network to map out the best option thats close to your gig venue.8. Snag Good Cheap FoodIts easy to get quick, greasy eats in any new city, but who wants to live on fast food the entire tour? For the real neighborhood gems cheap, quality, unique eats a local guide is necessary. By using a network of location-based tipsters, you can tap into that local knowledge and get fed better while on the road, without busting your budget.9. Find Cheap ParkingSo youve arrived, but where are you going to park your gear-filled van? This is especially important in cities like NYC or LA, and is something that isnt planned in advance. There are many advertised parking lots that come at ridiculous prices, but city natives may know of some secrets the parking space that a neighbor rents out for cheap, or an empty block that doesnt charge. Location, location, location.10. Find Auto RepairYou never know when a flat tire or engine trouble will strike, and a broken-down van or bus could be the death knell for a troubled tour. Mechanics are all over the place, but finding a good one who wont rip you off is just the sort of insider tip that a city native would have. Before you hit Google or the phone book, check your location networks for a recommendation.Are you already in touch with other touring musicians who could benefit from shared road experiences? Share this idea and create a network of strategic partnerships so that every city you hit feels a little more like home.More Music Resources from Mashable: - Top 10 Twitter Tips for Bands, By Bands - Top 5 Tips for Aspiring Music Bloggers - 10 Cool Crowdsourced Music Video Projects - 7 Unique Sites for Discovering New Music - 8 YouTube Channels for Unique Music PerformancesImages courtesy of iStockphoto, bubaone, and Flickr, themarina, ouyangwulong, kenstein.More About: bands, cheap eats, cities, Crowds, Facebook Places, fans, foursquare, geolocation, gowalla, hotels, instrument repair, location, music, open mic, soundcheck, touring, venuesFor more Mobile coverage:Follow Mashable Mobile on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Mobile channelDownload our free apps for iPhone and iPad
Sep 16, 2010 View in Crawl 4
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It's quiet in here... can you hear the echo?