response to …Booking bands for music events … on linkedin “event managers around the world” group

Choosing a band… Corporate gig vs Public

Personally I have always leaned toward the booking for corporates and dreamt of being a promoter.

The downside of booking for a corporate gig is often it is not your choice. You need to purvey an act that reflects the tastes and goals of the client. So often you are stuck with a cover band that can play something for everybody or booking the group the chairman likes. The upside is everybody gets paid and your risk is minimal.

If you are going public and are being a promoter you have to have your finger on the pulse and balls of steel. Friends of mine have made thousands and lost millions having to leave town in middle of the night with their tail between their legs (It hadn’t rained that month in 25 years but had a downpour the whole day of an outside gig). To put on a band/act you are responsible for not only the artist fees but the rider terms, backline equipment, staging, venue hire, ticketing, promotion…. Incidentally check the rider thoroughly before agreeing to anything, one act we were booking required a full orchestra, flew with an entourage of 25pax, all first class needed two 5 star suites and 20 single rooms all on the same floor, thank goodness someone else was paying the bill….

The promoters that I know do it because they love it, they live for having their picture taken with artists they adore, not for the money. The more successful ones seem to create their own audience (club night type thing) most of these are small but regular (btw most of them also have a day job).

To answer your question. Usually bands on tour have a tour manager who works each region with the promoters and things are pretty sewn up, but you never know sometimes there is a hole in the schedule. Also most will prefer to work with a promoter they know and trust.

Alternatively you could contact promoters in your region (ie I am in Hong Kong but am in touch with promoters in Singapore) then when they bring a band to the general area you could double up and save you both some money.

Another posibility, There are a lot of smaller unsigned bands that are keen to go someplace/anyplace and play. They are also trying to promote themselves and are willing to work with you so may not be as demanding on flights and accommodation (maybe will crash on your floor).

The bigger name acts will have an agent who will give you a basic artist fee and a rider. May will ask for an öffer”ie this means you say i will give you $ XX, cover ryder and expenses plus give you a lot of promotion in a key market… Have a look at www.bernardoni.com or www.paradiseartists.com

Lastly a lot of promoters have a bad name (with reason) and everybody knows… the only way to succeed is to take care of your artists and make sure everybody gets paid otherwise you will only do one gig and back at your day job in the morning.

Best of luck!