Entertainment Industry Insider

I’m a promoter in a smaller market but have been moving up to do larger shows. How much do I really need to do for the band and their crew? I mean I’m paying them and they still want me to feed everybody. What are they doing with the money I’m giving them?
                                           -AJ. Salt Lake City, Utah

 Larger acts on tour spend the entire day in your building or venue. This is after riding on buses all night long. They are looking forward to breakfast before putting up truckloads of equipment and lighting that will make your show a success. They don’t usually leave until after 2am so it’s their home for the day. And when you see things such as “bus stock” on the rider it means the food and beverages that gets the act from your city to the next. Then it’s the next promoter’s problem. Trying to cut costs on feeding them makes you look like an amateur. You’re not in this by yourself and no ones trying to take advantage of you. You wouldn’t expect to be on a flight for 6 hours without someone feeding you so you cannot expect someone to be doing your show for over half a day and not provide them with meals.
 

This next post doesn’t come from a question but it’s something I want to address for people who read my blog. When you or your acts are working in a corporate atmosphere you are not the only person in the world and neither is your artist. As part of a complete program you are needed to act in a more communal environment with various people who you don’t normally deal with on your tour. You need to be able to be nice to the florist, party planner, ushers, waiters, bus boys, and everyone else who has to share your part of real estate in that world.  Being able to have a conduit at the venue is a great, great help and planning with them will make this so much easier. A good rapport between all members of the team is an important part of making a show a success. Whether you may think people aren’t important because of what they do, find out and make them a part of your planning. With the decline of the concert business corporate events are an important revenue stream. The quicker you learn how to work in this field the quicker you’ll make the money that’s readily available.

My band was just involved for opening a big show at a corporate date in NYC. The bands crew and what I was told was a production manager for the headliner, who’s name I won’t mention (but she’s an old rock chick) were very nice but wouldn’t cooperate with our advanced needs. They didn’t let us use their dressing room, eat the catering, or use any of their equipment. Their sounds people had separate boards and we are able to use one but I felt a little slighted as we were co-entertainers on the event.
                                                     -Scott. New London, CT.

On all shows, especially corporate events, there is an extremely intense timeline. Usually the headline act doesn’t have the latitude to be able to help you get what you need. The headliner has even less time then normal and everyone is scrambling. You are the last thought on their mind. As far as addressing the other issues no one uses the headliners room but them. This goes for any show. This isn’t summer camp. Also equipment? Its “not mi casa es su casa” when you are talking about real bands. Every band member has certain equipment specialized just for them along with a tech who works with that specific musician. As far as being onstage for a sound check, don’t worry, no ones there to see you. You sir are background music. Hate to sound so harsh but your band got $1,500 and my band got $300,000. My duty is to my artist and my clients, not to make you feel better. Sorry. If you’re not able to adjust to these things you should think about not taking these types of engagements and sticking to wedding gigs.

I’m in a blues band that plays regionally. We have our own label and manage sell a fair amount of records. We see all types of small bands being on huge stages with lots of people in the crowd who aren’t very talented. We have been doing this twenty years and we are still driving around a van playing in bars for 40 and 50 people a night. We are a great blues band but can’t make ends meet on music alone. What should we do?
                                                     -Robby. New Orleans, LA

You’ve committed yourself to this genre of music. Sadly with the emergence of rap and other nonsense has lessened the need and want for blues music. This is an absolute national treasure that is disappearing due to apathy of young people to not associate with anything that doesn’t have bling and flashy cars. This is along with the failure of schools to teach any type of music history just makes things tougher. The majority of blues fans are middle aged, middle class, and live in towns where those blues bars you play are located. That’s the way it is and it’s your direction. Thanks for keeping the blues alive.

My bands going to Canada. We have a van and plan to bring our merch with us. We hear it’s a tough border crossing so what can I do to make it easier?
                                          -Ryan. Phoenix, AZ

Make sure you have all your paper work in order prior to pulling up to the check point. Make sure you have every piece of equipments serial number listed on the correct forms. Have copies of all the forms you’ve filled out. Make sure you’re not drunk or stoned. Don’t try to take drugs oranything questionable into the country, the officers will find them. If you think you’ve hidden it in an amazing spot they will never find, then Lassie is going to find it. Ship your merchandise in advance to a friend or the promoter so you don’t have to worry about taxing. Rockstar attitude may be a nice novelty onstage but be polite because they already hate bands at the borders. Reason to come into the country?… tourist.

I’m a promoter in a smaller market but have been moving up to do larger shows. How much do I really need to do for the band and their crew? I mean I’m paying them and they still want me to feed everybody. What are they doing with the money I’m giving them?
                                           -AJ. Salt Lake City, Utah

Larger acts on tour spend the entire day in your building or venue. This is after riding on buses all night long. They are looking forward to breakfast before putting up truckloads of equipment and lighting that will make your show a success. They don’t usually leave until after 2am so it’s their home for the day. And when you see things such as “bus stock” on the rider it means the food and beverages that gets the act from your city to the next. Then it’s the next promoter’s problem. Trying to cut costs on feeding them makes you look like an amateur. You’re not in this by yourself and no ones trying to take advantage of you. You wouldn’t expect to be on a flight for 6 hours without someone feeding you so you cannot
expect someone to be doing your show for over half a day and not provide them with meals.

My band is not a band that can get their own plane like Iron Maiden. We have to fly commercial. Why is it such a god damn pain to fly?

-Rylan. Philly, PA

Oh yeah. I’ve seen guys like you there. Here’s the deal:

1) If you’re body looks like it got attacked by a tackle box, remove all of the jewelry BEFORE you get the airport. There is also no reason to wear 3 studded belts, a neck collar, and chains to fly to the next city. I’m sure you look really hardcore onstage but you’re sitting on a flight for 3 hours and going through multiple check points with metal detectors, time to be normal.

2) Don’t be drunk, high, and stupid. It might be cute onstage for your fans but not for the security men with stun guns who have been working the past eight hours straight.

3) “Carry on” means carry on. Not that Marshall bottom you love so much. What they say is what they mean, if it can’t get into that clear carryon box, it’s not walking on the plane with you.

4) If you’re lucky enough to have a tour manager have him pre-check everyone in. He can manage all the documents and be able to give everyone their stuff at security. Make him the last person through in case there are any problems. He should also have copies of everyone passports, tickets, and anything else associated with the trip.

5) Yes you have to go through like everyone else. Don’t wait for the second before you get to the scanners and metal detectors to take off your shoes, belt, or take your keys out of your jacket. There are real grownups there that know how to fly and don’t want to wait for you.

6) Be polite. I know you’re a rockstar but Slash doesn’t even throw up in airports anymore. Acting like a spoiled singer will get you no where in life, especially in an airport. The better behaved you are the smoother the experience it will be.

7) Finally, don’t get too drunk on the plane because you probably have to go to work when you land, you’re not on vacation.

I’ve called a lot of agencies because I want to do a show with Garth Brooks. I was also interested in doing Reba McEntire and several other artists like them since country is big here. The people I’ve talked to will not return my calls or give me any type of prices or availabilities. I’m willing to pay more then double what I’ve heard they’re asking. This has also happened with the auditorium in town. Is this an exclusive club or am I missing something?

-Lisa. Houston, TX

Most major venues that do that acts such as Garth, Reba, a Justin Timberlake, or Madonna have exclusive promoters who book for that room. These are promoters who buy bulk dates with the act at the beginning of the tour then promote them throughout the world. The reason these artists don’t use independent promoters is because these companies will buy 30 dates through the country to 100 dates worldwide and still pay a premium price. The other variable is that most of these promoters have had ongoing relationship for upwards of an entire bands career span. They are friends with the bands management, agents, and the band members themselves. The artists’ management is not willing to take a chance on a new promoter in a new market that would jeopardize this long standing relationship. The best idea would be to look for artists that aren’t top shelf acts, something maybe more along the middle range to promote and get started with. A lot of these acts will fall “under” the exclusive promoter radar and are available to do smaller venues with generally the same amount of profit.

Hey Bill. I’ve promoted a couple of shows with some local bands and I’m moving up to do some concerts. A friend of mine in the concert business says you have to pay for food, drinks, hotels, and a bunch of other crap. What’s up with that, if I’m paying the band shouldn’t they buy their own stuff?

One of the things we do unlike any other agency is we created what is called a “turn key package”. The turn key package enables us to handle all those details you’ve mentioned. A lot of new promoters are not familiar on how to do these things. That’s why we specialize in making things easy so they can concentrate on selling tickets and making money. You can always outsource all these different items as a promoter. But as a young promoter most vendors will try to take advantage of you not knowing if you’re coming back for show number two. What I would advise is you let us handle all the details and you deal with selling tickets and making enough money to pay me. By the way I’m going to need a well done cheese pizza at 2pm and a six pack of Redbull at 6pm in my office.

I’ve recently gotten married and I’m in a band that goes out on the road frequently. We aren’t huge but we tour pretty decently on our own. My wife wants to come out on the road to be our merch person and help us organize things. The other members are totally against it.  

Um……Yoko Ono / Spinal Tap / Nooooo!