7 Best Platforms to Find Live Music Gigs 2025

Most musicians waste months cold-emailing venues, posting on Facebook groups that never respond, or paying booking agencies 15-30% commissions just to land gigs.

Here's what nobody tells you: 73% of independent musicians struggle to find consistent live performance opportunities, relying on word-of-mouth while competitors using the right platforms book 3x more shows.

Whether you're a band seeking venue bookings, a DJ hunting club residencies, or a solo artist looking for festival slots, finding paid gigs shouldn't feel impossible.

In this guide, we'll compare 7 platforms for live music booking covering features, pricing, commission rates, and who they're best for across all performance types and genres.

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Quick Navigation

1. CoCreatea (Musician Networking for Direct Bookings)
2. Gigmit (Smart Venue Matching)
3. GigSalad (Private Events Marketplace)
4. Sonicbids (Festival & Venue Submissions)
5. Bandzoogle (DIY Website + Booking)
6. ReverbNation (Industry Opportunities)
7. Gigtown (Local Gig Discovery)

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1. CoCreatea: Network with Venues, Promoters & Artists Directly

Best For: Musicians building long-term relationships with venues, promoters, and other artists for shows

Pricing: 100% Free (no commission, no booking fees, no subscriptions)

Website: cocreatea.com

What Makes CoCreatea Different: Build Your Music Network, Not Just Book Gigs

Most gig platforms are:

• Marketplaces where you pay to apply or lose 10-20% commission (GigSalad, Sonicbids)
• Submission sites with low response rates (ReverbNation)
• Tools without community (Bandzoogle)

CoCreatea is a complete social network where musicians:

✅ Network with venues & promoters (build genuine relationships)

✅ Connect with other artists (for co-bills, support slots, festival recommendations)

✅ Post availability ("Available for Houston shows, rock/indie, Friday-Saturday nights")

✅ Discover opportunities (venues post looking for acts, artists share touring bills)

✅ Offer services (session work, DJ sets, private events - keep 100%)

✅ Grow community (followers who actually come to shows, not just likes)

Think of it as: LinkedIn + Instagram for live musicians, where you build a network that gets you gigs through relationships, not applications.

How CoCreatea Helps Musicians Get Booked

1. Smart Feed Discovery (See Relevant Opportunities First)

CoCreatea's AI-powered Smart Feed shows you:

✅ Location-based opportunities

• Houston band sees Houston venue posts first
• "Looking for rock band this Friday" appears if you're local rock band

✅ Urgency prioritization

• "Need DJ tomorrow night (fill-in)" appears before "Looking for summer acts"
• Time-sensitive opportunities don't get buried

✅ Genre matching

• Jazz musicians see jazz club posts
• EDM DJs see electronic event opportunities
• Metal bands see metal venue listings

✅ Automatic stale removal

• 30-60 day old posts auto-archived
• No messaging about shows that already happened

Example Smart Feed for Houston Rock Band:

🔥 URGENT (Tomorrow!)
Houston Venue Needs Rock Band - Opening Slot ($200)
Posted 3 hours ago • 5mi away • Friday night

📍 LOCAL (This Week)
Coffee Shop Looking for Acoustic Acts (Sat afternoons, $150/set)
Posted 1 day ago • 8mi • Tips + merch sales

💼 PAID OPPORTUNITY
Private Event Needs Cover Band (Wedding, $800, May 15)
Posted 2 days ago • 12mi • 4-hour set

🎸 COLLABORATION
Indie Band Looking for Support Acts - 3-City Texas Tour
Posted 3 days ago • Houston > Austin > Dallas

2. Direct Networking (No Middleman Fees)

Unlike booking platforms that take 10-20% commission:

• Connect directly with venue owners and promoters
• Message in real-time (no waiting for email responses)
• Build lasting relationships (venues rebook artists they know)
• Keep 100% of your performance fee (CoCreatea takes $0)

Example: A Lagos Afrobeats DJ finds a promoter on CoCreatea. They chat, DJ plays the show ($500), keeps all $500. They build a relationship, promoter books DJ monthly. Over a year, DJ earns $6,000 with $0 in commissions (vs. $600-$1,200 lost on commission-based platforms).

3. Cross-Artist Collaboration

Get gigs through other musicians:

• Support slots: Headlining bands find openers on CoCreatea
• Co-bills: Two similar artists share a show, split promotion
• Festival recommendations: Artists with fest connections recommend others
• Touring: Find local acts in cities you're touring through

Real scenario: A Houston indie band tours to Austin. They search "Austin indie bands" on CoCreatea, find a local act, propose a co-bill show. Both bands promote to their audiences. Show sells better because two fanbases, both artists get paid more.

4. 29 Music Roles = More Opportunities

CoCreatea supports all performance types:

• Bands (rock, pop, metal, indie, jazz)
• Solo artists (singer-songwriters, acoustic)
• DJs (clubs, weddings, festivals)
• Classical performers (orchestras, chamber groups)
• Hindustani classical musicians
• Session musicians (hired for specific shows)
• Backing musicians (touring support)
• Live performers (all types)

Why this matters: A venue posts "Need jazz trio for Friday." Generic platforms show all musicians. CoCreatea shows actual jazz keyboardists, bassists, drummers who can form or join trios.

5. Free Collaboration + Paid Gigs (You Choose)

Support ALL opportunity types:

Free/Low-Budget:

• Open mics
• Exposure shows
• Community events
• Practice performances
• Jam sessions

Paid Performances:

• Venue bookings ($100-$1,000+)
• Private events (weddings, corporate)
• Festival slots
• Touring support
• Session work

Profit-Split:

• Door deals (band gets % of ticket sales)
• Bar percentage deals
• Co-promoted shows

6. Local + Global Reach

Filter by:

• Local radius (10km, 25km, 50km - find Houston venues if you're in Houston)
• City-specific ("DJ gigs Lagos," "Venues Mumbai")
• Touring routes (find opportunities in cities you're touring)
• Remote (virtual performances, live streaming)

7. Verified Profiles (No Scam Venues)

• AWS Rekognition verifies profiles
• Listen to artists' samples before booking
• See previous show credits
• Real venue verification

8. Real-Time Communication

• Message venues/promoters instantly
• No email back-and-forth delays
• Negotiate terms in chat
• Confirm bookings fast

✅ Pros:

• Complete social network (build relationships, not just apply to gigs)
• 0% commission (keep all performance fees)
• Smart Feed AI (see relevant opportunities first)
• Direct venue connections (no middleman)
• Cross-artist networking (support slots, co-bills, recommendations)
• 29 specific roles (all performance types)
• Free forever (no subscriptions, no per-application fees)
• Local + global (Houston to Lagos to Mumbai)
• All genres (rock, jazz, EDM, classical, Afrobeats, everything)
• Real-time messaging
• Verified profiles

⚠️ Cons:

• Currently in beta (growing community, not yet massive)
• Requires active networking (not passive applications)

💡 Best Choice If: You want to build a genuine music network where venues, promoters, and other artists know you—leading to repeat bookings, touring opportunities, and referrals. The Smart Feed ensures you see active local opportunities first, and 0% commission means you keep every dollar you earn.

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2. Gigmit: Smart Venue Matching Platform

Best For: European bands/artists seeking venue and festival bookings

Pricing: Free for artists (venues pay)

Website: gigmit.com

Overview

Gigmit uses smart matching algorithms to connect artists with venues and festivals based on genre, location, availability, and mutual fit.

How It Works

• Create artist profile with EPK (electronic press kit)
• Venues/festivals post opportunities
• Algorithm suggests matches
• Apply to opportunities
• Negotiate terms if selected

✅ Pros:

• Free for artists
• Strong in Europe (Germany, UK, Austria)
• Smart matching reduces irrelevant applications
• Digital EPK included

⚠️ Cons:

• Limited in US/Asia markets
• Venues must be on platform (can't connect with venues not registered)
• Application-based (not networking-focused)
• No social/community features

💡 Best Choice If: You're a European act looking for algorithm-matched venue bookings. Not ideal for building long-term venue relationships or networking with other artists.

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3. GigSalad: Private Events Marketplace

Best For: Cover bands, DJs, solo artists seeking private events (weddings, corporate, parties)

Pricing: Free basic (Pro: $399/year), 15% commission on bookings

Website: gigsalad.com

Overview

GigSalad is a marketplace connecting entertainers with private event hosts. Clients browse profiles, request quotes, book acts.

How It Works

• Create performer profile
• Clients search and request quotes
• Respond with pricing
• Client books and pays through platform
• GigSalad takes 15% commission

✅ Pros:

• High private event demand (weddings, corporate)
• Handles payments/contracts
• Client reviews build credibility

⚠️ Cons:

• 15% commission (lose $150 on $1,000 gig)
• $399/year for Pro features
• Focused on private events (limited venue/festival opportunities)
• Transactional (no networking)
• High competition (thousands of acts)

💡 Best Choice If: You do weddings/corporate events and don't mind 15% commission. Not for original artists seeking venue/festival shows or building music networks.

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4. Sonicbids: Festival & Venue Submissions

Best For: Artists applying to festivals and established venue circuits

Pricing: Free browsing ($10-$50 per submission)

Website: sonicbids.com

Overview

Sonicbids lists festival and venue opportunities where artists pay per submission to apply.

How It Works

• Browse opportunities (festivals, venue circuits, tours)
• Pay $10-$50 submission fee per opportunity
• Submit EPK
• Wait for response (often low acceptance rates)

✅ Pros:

• Access to major festivals
• Legitimate opportunities
• EPK builder included

⚠️ Cons:

• $10-$50 per application (costs add up fast)
• Low acceptance rates (5-10% typical)
• Spend $500 applying, might get nothing
• No networking features
• One-way applications (can't build relationships)

💡 Best Choice If: Targeting specific major festivals worth the application fee. Expensive gamble for regular gigging.

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5. Bandzoogle: DIY Website + Booking Tools

Best For: Artists wanting their own website with integrated booking

Pricing: $10-$20/month

Website: bandzoogle.com

Overview

Bandzoogle provides website builders for musicians with booking calendars, mailing lists, and merch stores.

How It Works

• Build custom band website
• Add booking calendar/contact form
• Venues/fans contact you directly
• Manage bookings yourself

✅ Pros:

• Professional web presence
• Integrated merch/music sales (0% commission)
• Full control

⚠️ Cons:

• Not a discovery platform (venues must find YOU)
• Requires self-promotion
• Monthly fees
• No networking/community

💡 Best Choice If: You have existing fanbase/venues seeking you. Not for discovering new opportunities.

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6. ReverbNation: Industry Opportunities Hub

Best For: Exposure to industry professionals, some gig opportunities

Pricing: Free (Pro Unlimited: $20/month)

Website: reverbnation.com

Overview

ReverbNation offers gig submissions, industry connections, and promotional tools.

✅ Pros:

• Some legitimate opportunities
• Free tier available
• Industry connections

⚠️ Cons:

• Reputation for spam opportunities
• Low response rates
• Pay-to-play perception
• Cluttered interface

💡 Best Choice If: Exploring all options, but manage expectations.

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7. Gigtown: Local Gig Discovery

Best For: Finding local last-minute gigs in select US cities

Pricing: Free for artists

Website: gigtown.com

Overview

Gigtown connects local artists with venues needing last-minute fill-ins.

✅ Pros:

• Free for artists
• Good for fill-in opportunities
• Local focus

⚠️ Cons:

• Limited cities
• Often low-pay/last-minute
• Small platform

💡 Best Choice If: Need quick local gigs in supported cities.

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Quick Comparison: Live Music Gig Platforms 2025

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How to Get More Gigs: Multi-Platform Strategy

Here's how smart musicians build their teams in 2025:

For Your Core Team (Regular Venues, Promoters, Co-Bills):

✅ Use CoCreatea

• Find collaborators who want to grow WITH you
• Build genuine venue relationships (repeat bookings)
• Network with other artists (touring, co-bills, recommendations)
• 0% commission = keep every dollar
• Local AND touring opportunities

For Specific One-Off Opportunities:

✅ Private events (weddings): GigSalad (if 15% commission acceptable)

✅ Major festival applications: Sonicbids (if budget allows $10-50/app)

✅ European tours: Gigmit

✅ Last-minute local fills: Gigtown

The Problem with Using ONLY Marketplaces:

• Pay every time (commissions, application fees add up)
• No relationships (venues don't know you, won't rebook)
• Transactional (you're just another applicant)
• No cross-promotion (miss out on artist collaborations)

The CoCreatea Advantage:

When you build your network on CoCreatea:

1. Venues remember you → Get rebooked without reapplying
2. Artists refer you → "Hey, I can't do that Friday, but my friend can"
3. Promoters trust you → Multi-city tours, festival recommendations
4. 0% commission forever → A $500/month gigging musician saves $600-$1,200/year vs. GigSalad

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Ready to Build Your Live Music Network?

Stop cold-emailing venues that never respond. Stop losing 15% to booking platforms. Stop paying $50 per festival application.

Join CoCreatea free and build genuine relationships with venues, promoters, and artists that lead to consistent bookings, touring opportunities, and referrals.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best platform for finding music gigs?

CoCreatea is the best for building long-term relationships with venues and artists (0% commission, free forever). GigSalad works for private events if you accept 15% commission. Gigmit is strong for European venues.

How do musicians find gigs without paying commissions?

Use networking platforms like CoCreatea where you connect directly with venues and promoters. Build genuine relationships that lead to repeat bookings without middleman fees.

Are booking platforms worth the commission?

For one-off private events (weddings), platforms like GigSalad can be worth 15% commission. For regular gigging, commission-free networking platforms like CoCreatea save thousands annually.

How do bands get booked for festivals?

Network with other artists who have festival connections (CoCreatea), apply through festival submission platforms (Sonicbids), or get referred by promoters you've built relationships with.

What's the difference between booking platforms and musician networks?

Booking platforms are transactional marketplaces (apply, pay commission, repeat). Musician networks like CoCreatea focus on building relationships that lead to organic opportunities and referrals.

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