Cover band: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering cover band

You offer cover band performances for parties, bars, halls and private events. This guide covers what customers ask, how to win the booking and what to put on your profile.

What customers ask

  • Which decades and genres do you cover, and can I see a list?
  • Can you play the songs my guests will know?
  • How many sets will you play, and when are the breaks?
  • What equipment do you bring, and what power do you need?
  • Can I see a video from a crowd like mine?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask about the crowd's age range, the venue type, the closing time and the must-play songs before you talk about the set list
  • Send a video from a similar venue with the lineup shown, and label it with the event type and guest count
  • Put the set count, the set length, the break times and the equipment in the written quote
  • Share a sample set list with the energy shape so the customer sees how the night will build
  • Confirm the stage space, power source and load-in route in writing with the venue
  • Send a do-not-play list form for the customer to fill in
  • Name your backup plan if a member cannot attend, and confirm the lineup before the date

What to put on your profile

  • Videos of full sets in real venues with the lineup clearly shown
  • A list of the decades and genres you cover, with a sample set list
  • Photos of your stage and equipment at events
  • Your insurance status and the types of venues where you have played

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a set list review two weeks before the event so the customer can add or drop songs
  • Suggest a short stage walk-through with the venue or event host
  • Recommend a request policy in writing, so the crowd and the host know how requests are handled

Licenses and permits

No state license is usually required for cover band work. Carry general liability insurance, any local business license that applies and a written note of the venue's noise and music rules, and check state and local requirements with your licensing agency before taking jobs.

Questions

Who handles music licensing for cover songs?

Venues often hold public performance licensing for recorded music. Ask each venue what it covers and what the band is expected to provide, and note the answer in the contract.

How do I keep the crowd on the dance floor?

Plan the set with a warm-up, a peak and a closing run. Watch the crowd and adjust the next song based on what they respond to.

What should I ask before I accept a bar or club gig?

Ask for the stage size, the closing time, the noise limits, the load-in time and whether the venue has a sound person on site.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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