Playing to Five People? Good. Here’s How to Make It Count

Every unsigned band faces it. You turn up, ready to play, full of energy… and the room is nearly empty. A bar staff. A mate from another band. A couple in the corner who didn’t even know there’d be live music.

It stings. But it shouldn’t stop you.

Because the truth is, these shows can be the most important ones you’ll ever play - if you choose to make them count.

First, don’t shrink. Don’t mumble through your set or make sarcastic comments about the turnout. If there are five people in the room, treat it like 500. Play tight. Play with intent. Play like they paid to be there - because a few of them actually did.

You never know who’s watching. Maybe the sound engineer plays in three other bands. Maybe the bar manager books the summer festival. Maybe one of those five people becomes your biggest fan - not because of your numbers, but because of how your music made them feel in a quiet room on a random Tuesday.

Use the night for more than just the set. Get good photos. Ask the venue to snap a few from the back of the room. Film a song or two - these “small show” clips often come across as raw and intimate on social. Talk to the other bands. Talk to the staff. Say thanks. Shake hands. This is your scene. Don’t wait for it to find you - go and meet it.

Use the time to rehearse how you want to sound and feel on a bigger stage. Try that new set opener. Work on your stage flow. Practice that bit of banter you’ve been unsure about. No pressure - just reps. The bands that get good in quiet rooms are the ones that own big ones later.

And if you came with merch or flyers or QR codes - use them. Mention them with the same energy you would at a packed headline gig. If even one person picks something up or joins your mailing list, that’s momentum.

Not every show is about numbers. Some are about foundation. And these smaller nights? They’re where you prove to yourself and to others, that you’re serious. That you’re consistent. That you show up - even when no one else does.

Because when your moment does come - when the room fills, when the crowd knows your lyrics - it’ll be because you didn’t treat the empty rooms like they didn’t matter.

You showed up. And that counts.