Is Getting Gigs "All about the draw"?

I was reading this post and the answers afternoon and it got me thinking again about the importance (or lack of it) of taking some of your own audience to venues when you play.

One of the replies on the forum mentioned above says:

"If you bring 100 people you are worth more than a great band who only draws 10 people"

There's definitely something in that, but if the venue in question is somewhere where the management love their music and like what you're band is about, you can often find they'll work with you to swell audience numbers. They'll advertise in advance at the venue itself (you can offer to supply posters and flyers), and of course some will advertise in the press.

The switched on ones will have Facebook or MySpace friends to publicise gigs.

But of course the band themselves need to do their bit. Keeping and building a database of "fans" (no matter how few) is a key part of making sure you don't play to empty dance floors..

You can take it a step further and do press releases for any publications local to the venue. This is not difficult and it won't cost you anything.

Here's something relevant from the old Gig-getter blog site

And if you're really stuck for an audience, one about Borrowing other band's fans