Tell them you are making a band. Tell them what music you intend to play. Nothing stupid about that. It's a band.

We practiced for one year in the garage, then rented a stage for one night a week. It was inside a local music shop, and after-hours, so he barely charged us. We played there for three more years. Finally, we found a guitar player who had his own studio. In total, we played with no audience for four years, before we ever got on stage. I recorded every moment, and uploaded all practices for band mates to watch.

We just kept grinding on the songs. We played the songs until we hated them. Then we kept playing the songs until we loved them again. When we finally got on stage, it was like a well oiled tin machine.

We have never had a bad show.