I love playing solo gigs for breweries. They’re neighborhood spaces, familiar and welcoming, where friends meet after work, take a breath at the end of the week, and dogs nap under tables. Music in these rooms doesn’t demand attention so much as it earns it, creating space for connection, conversation, and the small moments that make up everyday life.

Performer’s Almanac documents and shares best practices for live performance in small venues. It’s written for singer-songwriters, solo performers, and small groups who play - or are preparing to play - at breweries, vineyards, bars, listening rooms, and other local venues. These are rooms where music isn’t just entertainment, but part of the fabric of the place.

Performer’s Almanac focuses on the practical realities of working these rooms: how to prepare, how to communicate, how to build setlists that fit the space, and how to identify venues that are a good match for your brand of music. While much of the guidance is written with guitarists and singer-songwriters in mind, many of the same principles apply to musicians working in similar settings.

PA is not a booking service or a social platform. It’s a working reference for musicians. Performer’s Almanac serves musicians who want clarity, repeatability, and tools they can actually use. It helps you chart a course, see the steps ahead, and reduce friction over time - so staying committed to the craft feels sustainable alongside the rest of life.

About the Author

I’m a working musician and the face behind Performer’s Almanac. I perform as part of Miles from Mansfield, a solo singer-songwriter project focused on acoustic-driven live music in small venues.

Much of what’s collected here comes directly from playing shows, refining setlists, talking with venue owners, and learning, sometimes the hard way, what works in these rooms and what doesn’t.

You can find more about my music at Miles from Mansfield

Marc Halterman

Musician, Miles from mansfield