BOOKING GUIDELINES
Thanks for your interest in performing at Caffè Lena. This is a venue with a long history and our relationships with our artists runs deep. We hope to enter a long and healthy professional relationship with every artist we hire. Please take a look at the about section of our website as well as our current schedule to get a sense of our programming and whether or not you may be the right fit for our venue.
Please note that we receive a very large number of inquiries and response times can take up to one month. Thanks for your patience!
What Should You Send?
If you are interested in playing a show at Caffè Lena please reach out to me – Hannah Stirzaker at [email protected]. Please include a live video that represents your sound, links to your website and social media, as well as any details about you or your band that might be of interest.
What Are We Looking For?
I am always excited about the possibility of bringing new artists to the stage at Caffè Lena. However, please note that if you are just starting out this is likely not the venue for you. We are looking for artists that already have established a solid foundation. Some indicators of this are: a busy tour schedule, spots at festivals, winning songwriting awards, high numbers of monthly Spotify listeners and social media followers, the support of a management team and promotional team, strong assets that we can use to promote the show, etc.
Caffè Lena is primarily an acoustic and folk music venue. While our programming has greatly diversified over the years, we still look for artists that have a strong connection to roots and traditional music, or storytelling through songs. Folk, Singer-Songwriters, Bluegrass, Roots, and Americana are always of interest. We also have a thriving Jazz audience through our Peak Jazz Series. Across the board, I look for artists that are creative and bringing something new to the table – particularly when it comes to songwriting. The sweet spot for me is an artist who draws on folk music traditions in a way that translates seamlessly to today’s world. I am also very interested in booking BIPOC and LGBTQ+ voices, particularly if your music touches on lending a voice to these underrepresented groups.
Caffè Lena is a 110 seat listening room and I look for artists who understand how to play to and connect with a small, intimate audience. Folk music has always been about community and artists that understand that from the get go truly shine in our space.
A Word About Breaking In As a Newcomer
About 25% our programming features first time bands. Those selected represent a tiny fraction of the number who apply, but they are our future and we love evolving our heritage and exploring new frontiers in roots music.
Opening Acts – Our openers are not new to gigging, they’re just new to the area. We don’t use popular locals to boost ticket sales for the headliner. Our openers represent our investment in the future of our roster, and are an opportunity for musical discovery for our audience. We pay a stipend of $100-$200, provide dinner, and give you a 20 minute spot at showtime. You keep 100% of your merch sales.
Bright Series – Made possible by Kevin and Claudia Bright, these monthly shows feature artists playing the venue for the first time. These are fresh, contemporary roots-based bands that are making waves on the national folk scene, getting strong radio play, charting, releasing albums, developing a strong following on social media, touring hard, and selling out venues.
Momentum Series – Made possible by Joe & Luann Conlon, this series features high energy music–solo or band. These are typically more shows that infuse the room with crackling energy rather than featuring solo acoustic performers. Many, but not all, of the monthly Momentum artists are playing our venue for the first time.
Nordlys Global Voices Series – Made possible by the Nordlys Foundation, this series features artists from non-English-speaking countries on international tours. These concerts range from exquisite serenity, to big dance party. We’re looking for bands that authentically represent their nation’s musical roots.
Little Folks Series – Made possible by Kevin & Claudia Bright, Polyset and Fenimore Asset Management, Little Folks features family-friendly music on the first Saturday afternoon of each month. We look for musicians who love the boisterous experience of engaging kids with questions, movements, fascinating information, and above all Music! Our audience ranges from toddler to middle school, with most kids being in the 5 – 10 range. We like finding bands that can play for kids in the afternoon and adults in the evening.
Caffè Lena On the Road – Made possible by generous funders, this program delivers live music to schools, nursing homes and senior meal sites, addiction recovery groups, soup kitchens, youth programs, shelters, and other places where a song can make a difference. If you have experience working with a certain population (music students, veterans, at-risk youth, dementia patients, for example) and would like to participate, please let us know. We only offer this opportunity to artists in conjunction with a booking at Caffè Lena, or as a tour fill-in for a band we would hire if our schedule permitted.
If you want to get your foot in the door of the regional music scene or are just looking to develop your stage skills, please join us for an OPEN MIC. We have a general open mic each Monday, and themed open mics (poetry, storytelling, etc) on many Wednesdays. Check the calendar for details.
If after reading the guidelines above you feel like your music is a good fit, please send an inquiry to [email protected].
I look forward to hearing you!
– Hannah