[Goat Mick]

If you have completely zero stage experience in front of an audience of strangers, I would suggest hitting a few open mics just to get an idea of what to expect. If you have friends that gig regularly, see if someone will let you play during their breaks (and let them know you're doing it for free to get your feet wet), to get an idea of what a gig is going to be like. After that you're ready to start approaching venues to discuss booking. Remember when you start booking that you not only represent yourself, but also everyone who performs so set your rates based on what is usual for your area and don't book freebies. Gigging is fun and the extra money is always great. You'll love it.