The TrouperList Blog
Field notes on the business of performing — tracking gigs, timing sets, and making the next booking effortless.
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Deposits, invoices, and getting paid on time as a performer
Booking the gig is only half the job — collecting is the other half. How to use deposits, written terms, and clean invoices so you actually get paid, on time, every time.
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The callback playbook: how to get re-booked
Repeat bookings are the cheapest, best work you'll ever get. Here's how to systematically turn one-off gigs into clients who book you again and again.
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How to time your set to the slot (and stop running long)
A method for timing your set to the slot you're given — why your real runtimes drift, how to build to a target with buffer, and how to flex live so you never run long again.
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How to keep track of your gigs (so the callback is easy money)
A simple, repeatable system for tracking your gigs as a working performer — what to capture, when to log it, and where to keep it so a re-booking two years later takes five seconds, not an afternoon.
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How to never repeat a routine at the same venue again
Performing the same material for a client who's already seen it is a quiet reputation-killer. Here's how to track what you did where, so every return booking gets fresh material.
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How to organize your client and venue history
Your clients and venues are the most valuable records you keep. Here's how to structure them so a name jogs the whole story — every past gig, fee, and detail — the moment it comes up.
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Set list order: how to sequence your opener, closer, and everything between
A tight set isn't just the right length — it's the right order. How to sequence your opener, closer, and the middle so the energy builds and the room stays with you.
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What to charge for a gig: a working performer's pricing guide
How to price a gig as a working performer — the factors that set your fee, how to build a number from a floor, how to answer "what's your rate?", and how to raise it with repeat clients.
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What to write down after every show (the 5-minute post-gig debrief)
The short post-show debrief that makes every future booking easier — exactly what to capture in the five minutes after you walk off, while it's still fresh.
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Why a spreadsheet falls apart once you're gigging regularly
A spreadsheet gets you surprisingly far as a working performer — until repeat gigs, your phone, and a callback two years later expose exactly where it breaks.
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