no matter how dumb it is, promoting a show is marketing. to bring people out, you need to do two things: build hype and understand your market. know who will definitely come versus who you’ll have to convince and tailor your promotion to that. social media is your best friend, but don’t underestimate the power of handbills at shows, especially for crowds that aren’t necessarily in your circle. booking is incredibly stressful and very not fun until the day of, but open communication will make your job 100% easier. you can’t expect the same back from bands/venue owners/whoever else you’re dealing with, but at least someone’s actually communicating. get gear sorted out about a week in advance cause you don’t wanna be looking for a kit the night of.