You’re about to get the roadmap from Luke and Will Mallett of The Mallett Brothers on what it really takes to make music a career. From playing 120 shows a year to building a loyal tribe of 2,000 superfans, the brothers break down how live gigs aren’t just part of the job—they are the job. You’ll hear how they’ve learned to follow the seasons, balance home life with relentless touring, and why collaborating with venues (and yes, printing real posters) still matters. The promo game keeps shifting—from glossy photos to viral reels—and these guys are always adapting to stay in the mix.
But don’t let the laid-back Maine vibe fool you—this is a music business. From slinging hats and 8-tracks to tracking ad spend and working their booking agent to tighten tour routes, the Malletts share the systems that keep them thriving. Growing up helping their folk-singer dad send out his mailing list taught them early that endurance matters more than luck. Whether you’re booking your own gigs or building a fan group online, your success hinges on one thing: Always Be Performing.
- 00:00:00 Gig Gab 481 – Monday, May 12th, 2025
- May 12th: National Limerick Day
- Guest co-host: Luke and Will Mallett from The Mallett Brothers
- 00:02:11 Twelve Years to Grocery Money
- 2,000 Superfans
- The Live Show is The Key
- 00:04:17 Playing 120 Shows Per Year
- Learned to move with the seasons
- Sleep well, eat well
- 00:08:04 Balancing Home vs. Gigs
- 00:08:54 Creating a tour schedule on your own
- 00:12:09 Working with a booking agent to structure and route your gigs and tours
- 00:14:01 Collaborating with the venue on your promotion
- 00:15:58 The ever-changing promotion formula
- The changes from photos to videos to reels
- 00:18:00 Tracking the success of your ads
- 00:21:37 Don’t Forget About Physical Posters
- Venues love receiving actual posters
- 00:23:26 Then sell your posters at the gig!
- 00:27:27 Diversify…just like any other business!
- What else can we sell?
- Posters
- Hats
- CDs
- Keychains
- 8-Tracks
- 00:29:33 This is the business of music
- 00:33:53 Watching Dad’s DIY Approach to Music Succeed
- David Mallett, folk artist
- Helping dad with the mailing list for his music business
- 00:37:00 Meeting Chuck Leavell, famous tree farmer (oh, and a keyboard player)
- 00:43:49 Just…endure!
- And then you become a staple in a category of success stories
- 00:46:52 Engaging with those 2,000 superfans
- 1,000 True Fans
- Find out where on social media your fans are, then start a group
- Build community
- Failure is not an option
- 00:55:12 Gig Gab 481 Outtro
- Contact Gig Gab!
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