First of all, you need to market yourself and do a little networking. Build a solid foundation, a good reputation in the music scene. If you happen to find yourself in a city where your genre of music is under appreciated then you might have to travel a bit outside the city limits.
You are definitely going to have to have your stuff together to get gigs. You are going to need some sort of demo tape or CD to give out to clubs, bars and anyone else who doesn't have the time to hear a live audition. You also need to have a list of songs, a resume and a thick skin. A thick skin is necessary because there is a chance that you will get turned down.
If you don't already have a demo tape then you definitely need to get one. You can rent time in a studio, rent a portable home studio or record it yourself. I would suggest doing it professionally if you want to get the best sound quality possible.
The first place to start is checking out your local open mic nights. You definitely won't get any dough for these but you could win a cash prize, if offered. The beginning is hard but if you get your name and your sound out there then you are setting yourself up with the hook ups to find gigs in the future.
The internet is a powerful resource for finding places to book gigs. Scour the internet looking for places that have live music. Get a list going of places that offer your style of music so you will have some spots to check out. You can also check out festivals, fairs or city concerts where you can perform in front of a huge audience. If you want to get gigs then you are going to have to get exposure and this type of venue gives you precisely that.
Before you go and visit these spots you need to have a resume of some sort in addition to your demo tape. Get a website or better yet, a MySpace page. You can use this as a reference that people can go to and here your music and read your bio.
Lastly, if you want to find gigs and book gigs then you might want to consider some business cards. This is an inexpensive way to leave your information all over the town. You not only will appear more professional but you will also give people an easy way of remembering and contacting you or your band.
Once you build a solid foundation for yourself and/or your band, then you are one step closer to booking all kinds of amazing gigs. Just remember, networking will be your most powerful skill and will help you find gigs that give you the exposure and dollars that you need.
