Once you get to know your scene better you’ll notice that the gatekeepers at the top are friends with each other and they talk. If the top promoter in the city likes you and respects you then he’ll tell the venue he works most with and also the music editor of the newspaper as well as the radio DJ. Bands in your scene will start to take notice too.
You only need to get the attention of a couple gatekeepers in your scene before everyone starts to take notice. But, be careful, the attention you want to receive is only positive attention. Unlike the saying “all press is good press,” this doesn’t work with local reputations. If the bad press you get is from the music editor who hates you because you slept with his girlfriend or because you rubbed him wrong in your interview, then you’re going to have to work very hard to get in other gatekeepers’ good graces. They’re all friends. They trust their friends.
Everyone is human. If you’re a dick, people will start to take notice and no one will give you the time of day – not bands, music editors, DJs, venues, no one. Your music scene is smaller than you think and everyone talks.
Don’t ever act like a rockstar. Don’t treat other bands like they are inferior because maybe they don’t have your current (minute) success right now, but it’s very possible they will someday surpass your success or quit their band and become a gatekeeper in your scene.
