Start by finding 2-3 local artists in that city who play similar music and propose a shared bill. That's the fastest shortcut to booking an out-of-town show. You bring your people, they bring theirs, and suddenly the venue has a reason to say yes to an artist they've never heard of.
If you don't know anyone in the target city, the process is harder but not impossible. It just takes more emails, more research, and more honesty about where you stand.
Why Out-of-Town Booking Is So Hard
Venue bookers care about one thing above all else: will people show up? When you're local, you can answer that question. "We bring 30-40 people to every show in Austin." The booker can verify that. They might have even seen you play.
When you're from out of town, you have zero credibility. The booker doesn't know you, hasn't seen you, and has no reason to believe you'll bring anyone through the door. One booker was blunt about it: he wants to see 2,500-5,000 social media followers for artists from the same state, and 10,000+ for artists from another region entirely.
That's not gatekeeping. That's a business owner protecting their Tuesday night revenue.
The Local Artist Hack
The single most effective strategy for booking in a new market is co-billing with a local act. Here's why it works from the booker's perspective: instead of taking a risk on an unknown out-of-towner, they're booking a local artist they already trust. who happens to have a touring act on the bill.
How to find local artists to co-bill with:
Search Instagram and Spotify for artists in your genre who are based in the target city. Look at who's playing the venues you want to book. Check if any of them have a similar draw size and sound. Then reach out. artist to artist, not business to business.
"Hey, I'm [Name] from [City]. I play [genre] and I'm trying to book a show in your area. Would you be down to share a bill? I'll promote to my audience, you promote to yours, and we both benefit."
Most indie artists are happy to help because they've been in the same position. The music community is more collaborative than people think.
The Cold Email Approach
If you can't find a co-bill partner, you're going cold. That means your email has to work harder than a local artist's email would. Here's what changes:
Lead with why you're coming to their city. "We're routing through [City] on our way to [destination] and looking to book a show between [dates]." This tells the booker you have a reason to be there. it's not a random shot in the dark.
Be brutally honest about your draw. "We're new to your market and can't guarantee a local draw yet, but we'll promote heavily and we're happy to open for a local headliner." Bookers respect honesty. They hate finding out on show night that the "50 people" you promised was actually 3 friends who drove up with you.
Offer to play a support slot. Don't ask for a headlining spot in a city where nobody knows you. Ask to open for someone. Shorter set, lower risk for the venue, and you get exposure to a local audience.
Mention any streaming data you have in that market. If Spotify for Artists shows you have listeners in that city, mention it. "We have 400 monthly listeners in the Nashville area according to Spotify." That's not a huge number but it's proof that real people in that market already listen to your music.
The Long Game
The truth about out-of-town booking is that the first show in any new city is the hardest. You might play to 15 people. That's fine. Show up early, put on a great set, be cool to the staff, promote the hell out of it beforehand, and collect every email and Instagram follow you can from the people who showed up.
The second show in that city will be easier. The third will be easier still. You're building a local following one show at a time, and the venue is watching your trajectory. A booker who sees you go from 15 to 30 to 50 over three visits will start giving you better time slots and putting you on bigger bills.
Expanding Your Reach With AI
Shows For Artists has a travel feature built for exactly this situation. Hit the "I'm traveling" button, enter your destination city, and the system starts pitching venues in that market while your home city outreach continues running in the background.
The AI writes pitches tailored to out-of-town booking. referencing your sound, your streaming data, and your willingness to support local acts. It targets venues that match your genre and capacity level in the new city. And when a venue doesn't respond, it follows up automatically.
You don't have to research venues in a city you've never been to. You don't have to find booker emails for rooms you've never played. You tell the system where you're going and it handles the outreach.
from $49/month. Get a venue reply in 30 days or your money back.