Many of the biggest names in the music business began as opening acts. Christina Aguilera was the opening act for TLC. Taylor Swift has opened for Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, and Rascal Flats. And Destiny’s Child opened for Britney Spears. Occasionally, as in the case of Swift, by the time the tour ended, the opening act was as famous as the headliner.

So it’s a long standing tradition for performers and/or bands to share the stage with other acts. If you are a headliner, you want a performer that compliments your music. For example, if you’re a hip hop act, having a pop singer partial to ballads is probably not the best match. Conversely, someone like Harry Connick, Jr. probably wouldn’t team with a punk band. Sharing the stage means complimenting one another. The opening act preps the audience so their energy level is peaking when the headliner takes the stage.

For established bands and performers, opening acts are typically arranged by the labels or the artists’ agents and managers. Performers who haven’t reach a national level of fame find bands to share the stage with on their own. There is no set way to go about it, but here are some tips that will make the process more productive.

The most obvious way is to scour local clubs and open mike nights for a band that matches what you’re looking for. If you like their sound, go back and see them at least one more time, preferably a couple times more, to see if they are consistent performers and if their stage presence and energy engages the audience and leaves them clamoring to hear more music.

You can also advertise for bands in music publications or by posting notices at clubs, recording studios and at local colleges. Send a Tweet and post on Facebook. Go to music social sites and put the word out. You can then schedule a time to go hear them play. Or, arrange for both bands to play together in your rehearsal space. While it’s not essential to become best friends with other bands you share the stage with, it can prevent future conflicts if the personalities are a good match.

If both bands are just starting out, take turns to give both the experience being an opening act and a headliner.